Look out for the blink!

It was something for the journalism books, the coincidence yesterday when two top national dailies hit the streets with identical headlines. Both the Philippine Star and the Daily Inquirer had their top stories headed in almost identical types, "Palace blinks on EO 464". I don't recall this ever happening locally (cross your fingers), but I have prepared an explanation for it, just in case. And that is to concede that great minds travel along the same lanes…

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Whether headlined or not, however, the stories were of great interest because the controversial executive order issued by the president, as a defensive measure when she was most beleaguered, has continued to bug every freedom-loving Filipino who realizes that the way it managed to curtail one of our most valued freedoms is a very ominous sign for all of us. To say that it could precede Martial Law is no longer an understatement. Even the late unlamented Ferdinand Marcos tried to call his a "smiling Martial Law". This one may not be smiling at all - if it happens.

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That is why the senators and congressmen, even those supposed to be allies of the President, have reason to be alarmed, and to work at prodding the Supreme Court to resolve the matter. Is EO 464 legal, does it not violate the Constitution, as many believe? It is even quite disturbing that the High Court has allowed the case to hang on this long. And why former Chief Justice Hilario Davide did not exert some effort to resolve it before retiring. Mayhap he was avoiding something?

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Anyway, the so-called "blinking" is a hopeful sign. The announcement from the new palace wonder boy, formerly spice boy, that cabinet members can now be allowed to open their mouths at hearings on the budget is a sign that Malacañang is realizing that EO 464 could cut both ways. What if Congress stonewalls on the budget for the reason that it cannot get inputs from cabinet members and other officials on how the amounts supposed to be allocated to them can be defended? As the serialized novelas say, Abangan ang susunod na kabanata - Wait for the next chapter…

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This is not to rub salt on the wounds of the television company, but how could they allow that newspaper advertisement announcing a new program to be introduced by calling it "Ang Bombang Pasasabugin ngayong Pebrero" or "The Bomb to be Exploded this February"? For many people, the Ultra tragedy on February 4 was as bad as a bomb exploding in the midst of so much humanity, with more than 70 killed and hundreds more injured.

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More on advertisements - another one presented, in color at that, by another company is promoting an ice cream flavor, but at first glance, the blob of dark chocolate, with what looked like insect legs around it, appeared like a cockroach carrying lather on its back. Not very appetizing, I'd say, even if you happen to be an ice cream addict and a chocolate nut as well.

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Don't pity champion boxer Manny Pacquiao because of the recent problem raised by a former "affair". No less than the first gentleman, sports aficionado Mike Arroyo, has declared his support and aid for the country's newest idol. The first gentleman was quoted in the Manila Bulletin as saying that he will help Manny and provide him with a lawyer. The sports page item also quoted Arroyo as saying, and I'm sure all our machos out there will back him up: "Kawawa naman si Manny. Biro mo (after) what he did for the Philippines, tapus ganun ang ginagawa sa kanya. Hindi naman yata tama yon. I already have a lawyer and kung maliit lang ang expenses, kami na ang bahala dun".

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I'm afraid my Tagalog may not be up to a literal translation, but for the sake of our foreign readers, this was what was said, roughly: "Manny is to be pitied. After what he did for the Philippines, this is being done to him. That is not correct (proper?). I already have a lawyer if the expenses are not too big, we will take care of it". Lucky, lucky Manny. His luck has still not run out. But, anong say ni Jinkee?*

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