Duterte appoints new Iloilo, Negros judges

"I love judges, and I love courts. They are my ideals, that typify on earth what we shall meet hereafter in heaven under a just God."
--William Howard Taft

By Alex P. Vidal

NEW YORK CITY -- If I were House Speaker Pantaleon "Bebot" Alvarez, I would refrain from further humiliating detained Senator Leila De Lima. 
In his most recent media conference, the former cabinet official of then President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Arroyo lambasted De Lima calling her as the "No. 1 drug lord in the Philippines."
True or not, in our culture we don't kick somebody who is already down. 
Especially a woman.
We never heard the same level of vitriol and angry words from past speakers like Nicanor Yñiguez, Ramon Mitra Jr., Jose De Venecia, Arnulfo Fuentebella, and Feliciano Belmonte Jr. 

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President Duterte has appointed the following judges for the islands of Panay and Negros: 
-Daniel Antonio Gerardo S. Amular (RTC Branch 35, Iloilo City); 
-Oscar Leo S. Billena (RTC Branch 70 Barotac Viejo, Iloilo);
-Jose E. Mauricio E. Gomez (RTC Branch 71 Barotac Viejo, Iloilo);
-Nelita Jesusa Arboleda-Bacaling (RTC Branch 72 Guimbal, Iloilo);
-Gemalyn Faunillo-Tarol (RTC Branch 76, Janiuay, Iloilo);
-Ernesto L. Abijay, Jr. (RTC Branch 10 San Jose, Antique);
-Josefina Fulo-Muego (RTC Branch 13 Culasi, Antique);
-Phoebe A. Gargantiel-Balbin (RTC Branch 45 Bacolod City, Negros Occidental);
-Edwin B. Gomez (RTC Branch 77 Sipalay City, Negros Occidental);
-Gwendolyn I. Jimenea-Tiu (RTC Branch 60 Cadiz City, Negros Occidental);
-Reginald M. Fuentebella (RTC Branch 73 Sagay City, Negros Occidental);
-Mila D. Yap-Camiso (RTC Branch 74 La Carlota City, Negros Occidental);
-Gertrude Belgica Jiro (MTC Dumangas, Iloilo);
-Kathryn Rose A. Hitalia-Baliatan (MTC Miag-ao, Iloilo);
-Meliza Joan Berano Robite (MTCC Branch 2 Iloilo City);
-Larnie Fleur B. Palma-Kim (MTCC Branch 6, Iloilo City);
-Mark Anthony D.R. Polonan (MTCC Branch 8, Iloilo City);
-Rysty Ann C. Espinosa-Borja (MTCC Branch 9, Iloilo City);
-Joan Marie B. Bargas-Betita (3rd MCTC Malinao-Lezo-Numancia, Aklan);
-Maria Fe Macabales-Taal (3rd MCTC Patnongon-Bugasong-Valderrama, Antique);
-Joevy Paclibar Velnzuela (5th MCTC Sigma-Sapian-Jamindan, Capiz);
-Kathleen Gigante Delantar (MTCC Branch 2 Roxas City, Capiz);
-Jeeli Panaguiton Espinosa (2nd MCTC Buenavista-San Lorenzo, Guimaras);
-Bienvenido B. Llanes Jr. (MTC Pontevedra, Negros Occidental);
-Jose Meno C. Ruiz (MTCC Escalante City, Negros Occidental);
-Jose Manuel A. Lopez (MTCC Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental); and
-Maria Concepcion Elumba Rivera (MTCC, La Carlota City, Negros Occidental).

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WE can't blame Mayor Alex Centena of Calinog, Iloilo if his presence has been sorely missed in important gatherings like the League of Municipalities. 
Ever since President Duterte mentioned Centena's name as among those allegedly included in narco-politics, the dashing former chair of the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) during the Marcos years has reportedly refused to join in various social and political events in Iloilo.
"He has become security conscious," noticed a former broadcaster from Cabatuan, Iloilo, who is familiar with Centena's activities during the halcyon years. 
"The mayor stays in his safe house most of the time and his whereabouts can't be ascertained even by some of his municipal staff in regular days and during weekend."

WEIGHT

He became reclusive and lost weight, the former broadcaster added.
Centena have reportedly cancelled all his out-of-town commitments and refused interviews with reporters who come to Calinog.
Duterte has threatened to kill those involved in trafficking and manufacturing of illegal drugs, including some local government executives. 
More than 7,000 have been killed nationwide since the Duterte administration launched the "Oplan Tokhang" against known drug pushers and users.
Centena has repeatedly denied links to any drug lord, but admitted slain Iloilo City-based drug lord Melvin "Boyet" Odicta Sr. once visited his house where he maintains a mini-zoo.

Gigi, Mia, Leila fall before the 'Ides of March'

"Destiny is a good thing to accept when it's going your way. When it isn't, don't call it destiny; call it injustice, treachery, or simple bad luck."
-- Joseph Heller

By Alex P. Vidal

NEW YORK CITY -- Year of the Fire Rooster proved to be disastrous for three lady lawyers in the Philippines, as they were waylaid one after the other in a series of bad lucks that unraveled before the "Ides of March."
Of the three, Manuelita “Mia” Mascariñas-Green, 49, suffered the most as she was brutally killed by gunmen in front of her three children inside a car in Bohol on February 15.
Investigations showed that Mascariñas-Green's murder was work-related and the suspects, including the mastermind, have been identified.
Two others--Jessica Lucila "Gig" Reyes, 53, and Senator Leila Norma Eulalia Josefa Magistrado de Lima a.k.a. Leila De Lima, 57 -- are both in jail and accused of non-bailable crimes.

DENY

The Sandiganbayan has denied Reyes' motion to quash her plunder charge over the pork barrel scam, paving the way for the plunder trial. 
Reye is the former chief-of-staff of Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile reportedly with strong links to "pork barrel queen" Janet Napoles.
De Lima, No. 1 critic of President Rodrigo Duterte's alleged involvement in extra-judicial killings (EJK), is facing drug-related charges. She became the administration's "first political prisoner", according to her lawyer Jose Diokno.
While Mascariñas-Green's sensational killing got less attention from national media, De Lima's quarrel with President Duterte has been known all over the world and being watched by human rights advocates who believed that the lady senator is a victim of "political persecution" for opposing the hard-hitting president.

CALENDAR

The "Ides of March" is a day on the Roman calendar that corresponds to March 15, the day when Roman Emperor Julius Caesar was assassinated in the Senate by senators led by Brutus and Cassius in 44 B.C.
Because of what happened to Caesar, we have been always warned to listen to the soothsayer as "Ides of March" approaches.
We have been alerted that the year 2017 of the Fire Rooster "will be full of positive events and very good news, career progress and profitable businesses for those born in the year of the Dragon."
During this year, the Snake natives are going to stand out professionally and be promoted, the Chinese Horoscope warned.