ETCETERA; Thoughts between the lines

  A few days ago, in one of the Senate Blue Ribbon hearings, Sen. Kiko vented his frustration with our justice system, citing the Napoles case. “Siguro kung ’ yung Napoles cases nauwi sa imbes na absuelto ay kulong, baka hindi na nangyari itong mas malaking kurakot.” In my blog, “The Napoles Template,” I mentioned the most likely defense of the principal accused: BEYOND REASONABLE DOUBT , particularly in the cases filed by the Ombudsman that constitute Plunder. The concept of reasonable doubt is arguably the most fundamental safeguard in the criminal justice system, and in my opinion, it can be rightly characterized as the " escape hatch " for the many politicians who are soon to be accused and tried. Former CJ Sereno, in one of her speeches, said, “ The decision of the Sandiganbayan a few days ago, acquitting Senator Bong Revilla of the charge of plunder that encapsulates the most recent legal abomination that has been created in the last two years . It is a dagger st...

  The Napoles scam was a political horror show, but it was also a masterclass in how to beat the system. While many of us hoped it would be the start of a new era of accountability, it seems it was a preview of things to come. I'm calling it the "Napoles Template." Remember the three senators? They were all charged with plunder—a crime requiring the proof of amassing at least PhP 50 million in ill-gotten wealth. The outcome? They were all acquitted of the main charge, while the alleged mastermind, Janet Lim-Napoles, was convicted. The irony is not lost on us: the partners in the scam have been imprisoned while the politicians they worked with are now free. This is the playbook for the powerful. With an army of lawyers, they can exploit legal loopholes, create enough "reasonable doubt" to prevent a conviction, and delay the trial for years to exhaust prosecutors. So, what should our prosecutors and the Ombudsman do? I am not a lawyer nor an expert in legal...

  In Thoughts Between the Lines , I usually avoid writing about politics or religion—these topics are fiery, and people almost always hold opposing views. But sometimes, silence feels too much like indifference, and that’s not what a good citizen ought to be. So let me say this upfront: what follows is not political analysis, just one Filipino’s reflection—served with a bit of humor—on how recent events have unfolded. The denials were loud. “I’ve never been involved!” they declared. “This is baseless!” they swore. As the flood control scam unraveled—with trillions and billions of pesos and familiar names floating in the filth—the chorus of “hindi ako ‘yan!” was deafening , not to mention the highly acclaimed   Acting Award postures in both chambers . There’s just one tiny problem. The internet never forgets.   The curse wasn’t triggered by watchdogs or court hearings. It was delivered by videos, screenshots, memes, and a collective public memory sharper than an invest...

  We humans develop blueprints in our lives that slowly become habits, even ways of life. One of those habits has always tickled my curiosity. Every day, especially in the morning, my phone greets me before the sun does. It’s not an alarm—it’s a flood of messages: Bible verses, prayers, and cheerful greetings like “Good morning, have a blessed day!” Some are heartfelt, others look like they’ve been forwarded a thousand times. I find myself puzzled. Have these friends, relatives, or group chat mates discovered a mission in life—to keep sending words of God, love, and inspiration every day? Should I be grateful for their consistency, or should I wonder if it’s all routine? I truly admire those who, without fail, send these messages daily, almost like clockwork. Of course, some eventually stop, but the faithful few never seem to miss a day. On one hand, I see the beauty in it. A short verse or wish can remind me of kindness, hope, or gratitude. It’s their way of reaching out, of ...

  Yesterday, we had lunch in Alabang West to celebrate a July birthday. As always, it was full of stories, laughter, and good food—sashimi, unagi, grilled salmon. We even ended with cake and very expensive but satisfying coffee in a Japanese coffee shop. A few of us shared personal challenges, like sickness in the family, but only in passing. The real highlight was simply being together. Later, I remembered an article I read in The New York Times about a word I had never heard before: Joyspan . It’s not about how long we live (lifespan), or how long we stay healthy (healthspan), but how much of life we actually enjoy . The word was coined by Dr. Kerry Burnight, who says we can extend our joyspan by doing four things: Grow, Adapt, Give, and Connect . Grow. Curiosity keeps us young. One of our friends at the table used to be in a band and now wants to learn the bass guitar. That’s growth! Adapt. We all make changes as we age. We don’t meet monthly as often anymore, but yeste...

  Day 1 – First Taste of Hanoi Our much-awaited family trip to Hanoi finally happened first week of June —all of us together: me, my wife Cynthia, our sons Allen and Paolo, and daughters Nina and Dang, who were home from Australia and took charge of everything—hotel, transport, and tours. All we had to do was show up and enjoy—and we did, starting with our early morning Vietnam Airlines flight. By 1 a.m., we were up and on our way to NAIA. Check-in was smooth, though the lounge was under maintenance, so we had coffee at Starbucks. The 3-hour flight was uneventful. I tried the beef noodles—okay, but nothing memorable. At Hanoi’s clean and efficient airport, our van took us straight to Hotel Allure in the Old Quarter. With check-in at 2 p.m., we left our bags and explored. Hanoi greeted us with heat, humidity, and buzzing motorbikes. The narrow streets were lined with shops, food stalls, and locals lounging on tiny plastic stools sipping strong coffee. We stumbled upon a quir...

 Sometime in 1993 or 1994—it was so long ago, I can’t quite pin down the year—my business partner and good friend moved our office to one of the buildings along Ayala Avenue, Makati. It was a newly bought old building, formerly owned by a bank and sold to another bank. Our company became one of the new tenants. On our floor were two other small businesses: one in trading and the other in freight forwarding. We were in import-export. By daily chance, we’d bump into each other in the building’s cafeteria. Eventually, we started sharing lunch. Tired of the usual cafeteria food, we began exploring the food stalls around Makati Commercial Center, then gradually graduated to restaurants. This routine turned us from acquaintances into real friends. The three of us all lived in the south, and in time, we ended up moving to the same village. Another friend from the north remained part of our group. We kept our traditions alive—celebrating birthdays (with the celebrant exempted from pay...