The verdict: Sen. Lito 'acquitted!'

Curtain-raisers:

• Could it be true that starting on Monday, June 4, all the News & Public Affairs guys on the ABS-CBN early-morning show Umagang Kay Ganda (UKG) will be eased out? It seems that they were not helping the show in the ratings game. Thenceforth, only the entertainment guys will remain. Hmmm, that’s Funfare’s unang hirit for today’s column.

• A feel-good text message from Funfare’s “other beauty expert” Celso de Guzman Caparas:

Beauty secrets for everyone:

Cleanse your heart daily by repentance,

Apply forgiveness to keep wrinkles away,

Stay moisturized with prayer,

Sprinkle yourself with love, the sweetest perfume,

Remember that worry and anger can cause disease,

Faith is the key to aging gracefully, and

Wear a smile to give your face a perfect glow.

• And another one from Lollie Mara:

A Beautiful Poem

By Rabindranath Tagore

Go not to the temple to put

flowers upon the feet of God.

First, fill your own house

with the fragrance of love.

Go not to the temple to light lamps

before the altar of God.

First, remove the darkness of

sin from your heart.

Go not to the temple

to pray on bended knees.

First, bend down to lift someone

who is downtrodden.

Go not to the temple to ask

for forgiveness for your sins.

First, forgive from your heart those

who have sinned against you.

* * *

On the judgment day of the impeachment trial last Tuesday, Sen. Lito Lapid was among the 20 senators who voted for the conviction of Chief Justice Renato Corona and thereby unwittingly “acquitted” himself without having to “defend” himself.

You see, the 23 senators (three of whom voted for acquittal) were given time to explain their votes and many people (this one included) waited with bated breath how Sen. Lito, a bona fide member of the Senate’s “silent minority,” would fare. Would he just vote and observe a moment of silence?

Surprisingly (and thankfully), he did not. In that august hall of seasoned lawyers and outspoken politicians, Sen. Lito stood taller than the rest with his “common sense” speech, devoid of legal gobbledygook and profundities that leave the masa in the dark. Instead, Sen. Lito delivered his…yes, unscripted!...speech straight from the heart and emerged as the star of the trial. Applause, applause, applause!!!

That same night when I tuned in to his Aksyon TV program Remoto Control, I heard Danton Remoto (who is running for senator in the 2013 elections as the Ladlad partylist bet) praising Sen. Lito to high heavens, announcing to the whole world, “Iboboto ko na tuloy siya sa next elections!”

Even Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, who presided over the trial, put in a good word about Sen. Lito.

Anyway, I am publishing in full Sen. Lito’s historic speech for the benefit of those who missed it and those who want to listen to it again verbatim:

Kasamahan kong senador-judge, prosecution, at depensa, sa ating mga kababayang nanunuod at nakikinig sa TV at radio. Inuulit ko magandang hapon po sa inyong lahat.

Alam niyo po, wala naman akong speech dito, wala po akong dala. Ang mga kasamahan ko dito, pag pinasok sa isip nila, dadalhin sa bibig at maganda na ang sasabihin.

Bilang high school graduate po, marahil iniisip ng ating mga kababayan: “Anong sasabihin ni Lito Lapid na hindi marunong mag-ingles, na hindi maalam sa batas? Ano kaya ang magiging desisyon?”

Didisisyunan po ang katas-taasang hukom na isang high school graduate lang at taga-probinsya ng Pampanga.

Napakinggan ko po ang depensa. Siguro purihin po natin ang depensa. Napakagaling nila sa mga nakakaintindi ng abugasya. Purihin rin po natin ang prosecution, sa paghanap ng ebidensiya. Nakinig po ako sa bawat ebisensiyang inihain nila dito. Lalung lalo na kay Cong. Farinas. Ang prinisenta niya kahapon dito, para sakin po, malinaw na malinaw na na si CJ Corona ay lumabag sa batas.

Siya mismo inamin niya na may $2.4 million at P80 million na bank account. Yun po siguro hindi na kasinungalingan yun, yun po ay totoo na.

Nagpiprisinta po ako dito hindi bilang abugasya. Hindi po ako pwedeng magsalita ng Republic Act dahil hindi maniniwala ang tao sakin. Hindi po ako nagmamarunong dito. Ang ginagamit ko lang po ay konsensya. Representante ako ng masa na hindi nakapag-aral, hindi marunong mag-ingles, walang alam sa batas.

Kaya noon pong nagsasalita si Chief Justice Corona, nagsusumbong sa taumbayan, awang-awa po ako sa kanya.

Akala ko totoo ang sinasabi niya. Hindi pala.

Mas pinaniwalaan ko pa si Cong. Farinas noong nag Powerpoint dito.

Ngayon ang sinasabi niya, dyan sa isang pizza pie – hindi totoo yan na may 82 akong account. Siguro kung ako ho, ang pagbabasehan ko: Kung isandaang basong tubig nailagay sa apat na drum lang ang kanyang account…

Naawa po ako sa kanya dahil naiintindihan ko po kung anong damdamin niya at ng kanyang pamilya. Naranasan ko rin po yan.

At sana sa pagkakataong ito, pasasalamatan ko siya dahil noong pangalawa kong panalo bilang senador, sa kanya ako nanumpa bilang senador.

Pasensya na po. Pasensya na po. Ang hatol ko sa inyo, guilty.

There you are! What else can I say but, “Mabuhay ka, Senador Lito Lapid!”

You are hereby “acquitted.”

PHILPOP’s Top 14 finalists

The Top 14 finalists of the Philippine Popular Music Festival 2012 (from left) Trina Belamide, Mike Villegas, Byron Ricamara, Rolando Sorioso,Kristofferson B. Melecio, Keiko Necesario, James B. Leyte, John Kennard Eleazar Faraon, Noah Zuniga Cabalquinto, Karl Vincent H. Villuga, Gary Granada,Timothy Anjello, Alfaro, Edwin B. Marollano (not in picture) Soc Villianueva.

In support of Original Pilipino Music (OPM), Ryan Cayabyab is spearheading the Philippine Popular Music Festival (PHILPOP), a songwriting competition. The aim is to help the ailing local music industry (suffering from, among other symptoms, piracy) by introducing new songs, composers and musicians. Last May 28, Ryan bared the list of the Top 14 finalists selected by respected names in the industry as jurors.

They are:

• Himig ng Panahon, music and lyrics by Timothy Anjello Alfaro

• Bigtime, music and lyrics by Trina Belamide

• Dulo Ng Dila, music and lyrics by Noah Zuñiga Cabalquinto

• Slowdancing, music and lyrics by John Kennard Eleazar Faraon

• Minsa’y Isang Bansa, music and lyrics by Gary Granada

• Brown, music by James B. Leyte and Jezreel S. De Oca/lyrics by James B. Leyte

• Kesa, music and lyrics by Edwin B. Marollano

• Piso, music and lyrics Kristofferson B. Melecio

• 3:00am, music and lyrics by Keiko Necesario

• Takusa, music and lyrics by Byron Ricamara

• Tayo Tayo Lang, music and lyrics by Rolando M. Sorioso

• Kontrabida, music and lyrics by Soc Villanueva

• Negastar, music and lyrics by Michael Angelo Santos Villegas

• Bawat Hakbang, music and lyrics by Kari Vincent H. Villuga

Cash prizes are at stake: P1 million for the winner, P500,000 for the second placer and P250,000 for the third placer. A People’s Choice award will also be given to the most popular entry to be decided by text votes.—Reported by Carlo Orosa

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