Erap-Binay convention: a rousing show of force

ERAP-BINAY CONVENTION: A ROUSING SHOW OF FORCE: Based on what I saw at the “nomination convention” of the United Opposition held Wednesday night at Plaza Hernandez, Tondo, Manila, I dare say that given a little more time, former President Joseph Estrada could easily reassert his supremacy among the country’s 2010 presidentiables.

About 35,000 people lustily cheering and publicly expressing their support attended the convention (on their own, and using their own money and resources in doing so) which also saw the formal acceptance by Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay of the draft for him to run as Estrada’s running mate.

If the affair, held infront of the Tondo Catholic Church, was meant to be a show of force, it was indeed a rousing show of force for the former president who was convicted for graft by the Sandiganbayan, but later on pardoned by the government.

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ESTRADA GIVES HEADACHE TO FRONT-RUNNING PRESIDENTIABLES: It was a show of force really, not only because many ordinary people wanted to be a part of it, but also because of the presence likewise of a big number of incumbent local officials and other politicians who wanted to run with the Estrada-Binay tandem.

Now that Estrada and Binay have become official candidates, I guess many other presidentiables who have been topping past surveys will have big headaches from now on, principally because Estrada has a remained a very popular choice as president among Filipino electorates.

This is perhaps the reason why Malacanang made noises, while the convention was going on, saying that there will be private groups and individuals who will seek a clarification from the courts on the issue of Estrada’s qualification (or disqualification) to run for president again.

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ESTRADA FORMS FORMIDABLE LEGAL TEAM RE: DISQUALIFICATION ISSUE: To many, the statement of Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita on the issue constituted some sort of a go-signal for those who may have already been previously tapped to bring the matter to the courts, justifying talks that Malacanang will use the Supreme Court to disqualify the former president from the 2010 elections.

But, former Sen. Ernesto Maceda, the spokesman of the United Opposition who also emceed the Tondo convention, said Estrada already has a formidable legal team composed of former Supreme Court justices and law deans to fight any court case.

In an interview with BATAS INTERNET RADIO, Maceda emphasized that the legal team has now come up with a scholarly treatise explaining why the 1987 Constitution prohibition against presidents from running again does not apply to Estrada.

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PROHIBITION ON RE-ELECTION APPLIES ONLY TO AN INCUMBENT PRESIDENT: Former Caloocan City Rep. Luis “Baby” Asistio, though not a lawyer, is of the belief that what the 1987 Constitution actually prohibits is the re-election not just of any president, but of “the president”.

In an interview with BATAS INTERNET RADIO earlier, Asistio pointed out that the use by the Constitution of the word “the” in describing the president who is no longer allowed to run again and be re-elected is important, because that word (“the”) could only refer to a definite person.

“When the Constitution says `the president’, it means exactly just that: the president,” Asistio said, and when “the president” is mentioned in the Charter, it could only mean the incumbent president because there is no one else that can be called “the president”, declared Asistio, who is running for mayor of Caloocan City under the Erap-Binay tandem.

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SCOURGING OF JESUS AT THE PILLAR: The “Scourging of Jesus at the Pillar” is the second mystery in the “Sorrowful Mysteries” of the Holy Rosary of the Roman Catholic Christians. Unlike all the other mysteries of the Holy Rosary, however, this second Sorrowful Mystery is the only mystery which is very tersely depicted.

In the Gospels of Matthew (27:26), Mark (15:15), and John (19:1), the scourging of Jesus at the pillar is described in just one sentence: Pilate had Jesus flogged.

In the Gospel of Luke, there is even no direct reference to it whatsoever.

This makes one wonder: what then is the importance of the scourging of Jesus, so that it merited to be included as one of the mysteries of the Holy Rosary of the Roman Catholic Christians?

To me, the significance of this event is to show the wickedness which man could descend to, if he has become totally separated from God, unwilling to comply with His commands, laws and decrees.

While man is a dearly loved creation by God, he could become a beastly creation, rejecting even God and His Son the moment he stops believing and hardening his heart against God’s teachings and direction.

This situation is of course to be avoided, for it leads us to nowhere but hell.

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