Author Bios

Che Carpio

Che Carpio

Articles by this author:

  • God in Our Justice System (For Bikol and the World)

    Much talk  has been focused on newly appointed Chief Justice Sereno's "God Speech" at her first flag-raising ceremony in the Supreme Court on Tuesday, Sep. 4.

    Indeed, CJ Sereno appears to be a deeply religious person on account of which she looks at events in her life as willed by God. Surely, to become Chief Justice at a "young" age of 52 and as the first woman to hold the position, and by-passing several senior justices, must have been quite an overwhelming experience that only Divine Providence could have designed in so far as she is concerned.

    By: Che Carpio
  • Godspeed Secretary Jesse (For Bikol and the World)

    “Secretary,” I greeted Jesse Robredo when I bumped into him after the 2010 Magsaysay Awards ceremonies on August 31, 2010, at the Cultural Center of the Philippines in Pasay City.

    We shook hands, and he joked that he had to “escape” or “maenot na ako” (go ahead) for his next appointment.

    As usual he was unassuming although by then had made it from city mayor to a high cabinet official already. He remained friendly as ever.

    By: Che Carpio
  • RH - Rumaragasang Habagat (For Bikol and the World)

    In our fight against evil, "better the devil you know than the devil you don't know," an old saying goes. And this is sadly what appears of PNoy now who seemed at first to be the "good guy" as opposed to then president GMA. But he has now exposed himself as the one we didn't know to be baluktot.

    Take for instance PNoy's ramming through of the RH Bill in Congress to end all debates. When a leader stifles discussion and dialogue, that's the start of dictatorship and totalitarianism. Add to that his being "pikon" with media already. No great leader in history ever muzzled freedom of speech and expression. Those who tried dug their own graves to ignominy.

    By: Che Carpio
  • RH Bill: A Grand Deception (For Bikol and the World)

    On August 6, Congress voted viva voce to end debates on the RH Bill or House Bill No. 4244, “An Act Providing for a Comprehensive Policy on Responsible Parenthood, Reproductive Health, and Population and Development, and For Other Purposes.”

    While the voting was originally scheduled for Aug. 7, it was rushed on Aug. 6, after members of congress were summoned to Malacañan. President Aquino reportedly told them to end all the talking. Thus, they voted quickly back in Congress that same day.

    The RH Bill is couched in innocent-looking motherhood statements repetitive of established norms like gender equality, maternal health, or non-discrimination. But, it is actually built on a deceptive framework.

    By: Che Carpio
  • Lame Duck President (For Bikol and the World)

    President Noynoy Aquino is almost halfway through his 6-year term. But despite all his rhetoric during his third SONA on July 23, he is beginning to appear like a lame duck president.

    Yes, it's the 2013 elections that everyone's looking forward to now, in preparation for 2016.

    Life for most Filipinos has been the same anyway even with PNoy in Malacañan Palace since he took office in 2010. Take for example Quirino highway, which is our major road link to and from Manila. Its sorry state compared to SLEX or NLEX or SCTEX is res ipsa loquitur (the thing speaks for itself) of the utter neglect of Bikol under PNoy.

    By: Che Carpio
  • Wang-Wang Pa Rin (For Bikol and the World)

    When President Noynoy Aquino or PNoy assumed office in 2010, he vowed to eradicate the so-called Wang-Wang mentality in government through his much ballyhooed Tuwid na Daan.

    But recently, a lowly policeman found himself in the hot seat and the target of vengeful actions by the entire forces of government when he unwittingly blocked the presidential convoy.

    Unfortunately, what was entirely missed in that incident was the question why should the president have priority over other roads users, especially private citizens like you and me. For is it not our democratic bedrock principle that no one is above the law?

    Of course, we make way for emergencies and other similar situations. But what if PNoy were even just out for a date?

    By: Che Carpio
  • ASEAN's Secret Human Rights Declaration (For Bikol and the World)

    Unknown to most peoples of ASEAN (Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar/Burma, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Viet Nam) there is now an on-going regional effort to come up with an "ASEAN Human Rights Declaration" or AHRD. Tasked with this initiative is the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR).

    The AICHR first convened for the AHRD early this year on Jan. 8-9, in Siem Reap, Cambodia. There it resolved to finish the new document before the year ends.

    By: Che Carpio
  • Independence: Restart with a New Flag (For Bikol and the World)

    It's Independence Day once again. We ask as always when we salute the Flag that symbolizes our Nation: Are we really independent?

    Have we been doomed by our own Act of Proclamation of Independence of the Filipino People that declared "independence" as a new Nation, but one under the protection of the United States of America which country in fact did not then recognize us?

    By: Che Carpio
  • Still, Illegal Means Not Justified (For Bikol and the World)

    With the Chief Justice convicted by the Senate, President Aquino and his prosecution team have claimed victory. Concededly, despite all the defects in the articles of impeachment and the bungling of the prosecutors, they won the case. But then again, it was Corona himself in the end who "crowned" his own sorry fate by his unbecoming walkout and damaging admissions.

    By: Che Carpio
  • FAIR Judgment (For Bikol and the World)

    Finally, the five-month impeachment trial of Chief Justice Corona will come to a close. Early next week, our senators-judges will render their verdict on whether or not Corona should be removed from office.

    Of eight articles of impeachment the prosecution originally filed, only three remain. These are the charges for non-disclosure of assets and liabilities, bias for former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, and the matter of the TRO by the Supreme Court against the Administration's travel ban on the former president. 

    Certain legal precepts should guide our senators-judges--and by which we, the people, may also judge them.

    By: Che Carpio