Junk computer monitors cost P5 a kilo at Market Waste Fair at SM Davao Carpark. The waste fair is held every last Saturday of the month, according to a news article posted at the Philippine Information Agency website.

But the recent waste fair was held on the first Saturday of the Month, just this April 5. The organizers should clarify which is which to avoid confusion.

Fr. Amado “Picx” Picardal and 12 other bikers took off from the Archbishop’s Residence in Davao City Easter Monday for Day One of the “Philippine Bike-Tour for Life and Peace,” which started today, March 24, and will run for 56 days covering at least 5,000 kilometers around the country. Fr. Picx said he’ll bike around the archipelago alone but local bikers along the way will accompany him in his journey.

For more information, visit Fr. Picardal’s blogsite.

Every time I’m invited to cover a Presidential visit, I always had a second thought if I should go or not. Because aside from it’s not my primary job — as journalist — I hate the powertripping of the PSG men. I understand their job but sometimes they are too much. Not just the PSG but as well as some Presidential Management Staff people. Continue Reading »

The Office of the Ombudsman today will conduct its initial public hearing on the ZTE broadband deal scandal. Aside from former Comelec chair Banjamin Abalos, First Gentleman Mike Arroyo was also invited to the hearing. These two guys are believed to be behind the controversy.

But it seems that Mr Arroyo is making another lame excuse as his lawyer made a last minute announcement that his client could not make it to the hearing today due to health reasons.

What an alibi again? If he’s really ‘ill,’ why he can make some foreign trips? Which, I think,  more stressful than sitting in an air conditioned room and tell a lie?

Another alibi, is the denial of the PNP that the security camera that was setup in front of La Salle, Greenhills is not a surveillance camera. So why in the world that the camera was just setup when Senate star witness Rodolfo “Jun” Lozada and his family has temporarily sought refuge from the religious group.

Police said it was installed to monitor traffic. Well, thanks to Lozada, traffic is now being monitored in the vicinity after he moved in La Salle.

I’m not surprised why AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Esperon linked anew the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in the alleged assassination plot against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Reason: They’ve got nothing to blame but the MILF whom the US and this corrupt government have been dying to declare them (MILF) as a terrorist organization. Continue Reading »

On Monday, I was able to witness and record one of the most important events in the Catholic church especially in the Diocese of Kidapawan: the meeting of Fr. Peter Geremia and his would be assassin Norberto Manero, aka Kumander Bukay.

Click here to view more photos.

The event drew mixed reaction — some are still skeptic about the motive of Manero in meeting with the people in the diocese of Kidapawan.  While some believed that it’s for the  good  of everybody.
It’s pretty hard to remove or ignore the label on  Manero as a “priest killer.” He was believed to member of the dreaded Ilaga, a fanatical group terrorizing the Muslims in Mindanao during the Martial Law era.

But then the meeting was more on Manero’s renewal of commitment before the church. I really admire how his principal target, Fr. Geremia, was able to process everything inside him and he was able to gave a tight embrace to his would-be assassin 23 years ago who visited the diocese for the first time.

As we were driving back to Davao City, I recalled my late friends George and Macel Vigo. I just hoped they were able to witness that very important event.

At any rate, Manero still deserves even a single page in our history.

Fifty eight percent of Filipinos in Mindanao believed that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo cheated in the 2004 presidential elections, a survey conducted by Pulse Asia in Mindanao in December last year showed. The same survey released to media Friday showed that 70 percent of those polled believed that because of recurring allegations of election fraud, the credibility of the balloting process in Mindanao was at a record low. [read on]