I DISAGREE that the pardon of convicted murderer Claudio Teehankee Jr. be respected on the ground of compassion as his counsel Rogelio Vinluan intimated. I also disagree with Vinluan that Teehankee deserves the pardon because “[h]e’s supposed to be a reformed man” and that “[h]e’s learned his lesson.” Teehankee’s pardon granted by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo [...]

SEPTEMBER is liver cancer month while October is devoted for breast cancer. Wherever is the site of the cancer, it is still cancer all the same. It physically, emotionally, mentally and financially burdens the patient. It is more of a disease of the mind, body and spirit than anything else. Since the time cancer was [...]

THESE happen in all courts, from the Supreme Court down to the municipal courts. Lawyers, witnesses, interpreters and even just court spectators commit blunders, or simply bloopers. If one is of the impression that all lawyers were trained to be good court examiners, he is wrong. You wouldn’t believe that even noted lawyers commit such [...]

YESTERDAY, a record high of 6,533 law graduates took the first Sunday schedule of the 2008 Bar examinations. The first one was held in 1901 with just 13 examinees. I can’t get it why the law profession is that attractive nowadays when it does not offer the potential of being hired abroad if one becomes [...]

IF you happen to be in the Hall of Justice, try to check the day’s calendar of hearings of our two special “drug courts” which are Branches 25 and 36 of the Regional Trial Court. Sometimes they consist of three to four pages or about over 20 cases. How can the lone prosecutor handle that [...]

I WAS born in the time of Ramon Magsaysay (1907-1957), the beloved of Philippine Presidents. Sad to tell, he died on a plane crash on my very third birthday on March 17, 1957, eight months away from his term’s end. Mother, a devoted fan of Magsaysay, cried a lot so father told me when the [...]

“THERE IS EVIL ever around fundamental systems of government, quite incidental. So go where you’re able and stay there unstable, lift up your hate in some tottering states, but not here dear.” So sings Eva Peron in the Broadway musical Evita as she waltzes with her number one critic Ernesto “Che” Guevarra. This lyrical genius [...]

THE BILL authored and introduced by Iloilo City Congressman Raul Gonzalez, Jr. creating another congressional district has passed the third and final reading. Surely, it will not meet opposition in the Senate what with several Ilonggos in its membership, not to mention the Senate President himself, Manny Villar. So, there will be two congressional districts, [...]