Sunday, May 21, 2006

The Latest on the Baywalk Hearings







































Last May 17th, Enteng and Dinky appeared before Fiscal Richard Lee in the RTC of Manila regarding their infamous Baywalk arrest. Enteng was ably represented by our Black & White Movement Counsel, Edwin Lacierda. Dinky's lawyer, Lorna Kapunan, sent Atty. Percy Flores. Both complainants, Col. Pedrozo and Capt. Sy of the WPD were present as well. We noted Col. Pedrozo's attire, a barong in black and white.

This was the third preliminary hearing into the case. The complainants were supposed to make available the intelligence report cited by Col. Pedrozo as the reason to "nip in the bud" our planned stroll on Baywalk. At the last hearing, we were told intelligence reported plans for a Black & White "lighting (sic) rally" on Baywalk.

Well, at this hearing, we were in for a small surprise. The latest version of the intelligence report states that Enteng, Dinky, a two year old boy named John, his pregnant Mom and about 15 other Black & White supporters were about to launch, get this, a COUP!

Yes, boys and girls, this administration thinks, actually believes, that 22 people planning to stroll along Roxas Boulevard on a Friday night wearing "Patalsikin Na! Now Na!" tees were about to get a coup d'etat going. Everyone in the tightly packed office of Fiscal Lee (including the fiscal himself) could hardly keep in their laughter. Even Col. Pedrozo had difficulty in defending the report. When asked by the fiscal if the police had seen any of us carrying firearms, he had to admit that none of us had any weapons.

In a word, the whole proceeding was ludicrous.

7 comments:

the bystander said...

All I can say about the supposed intelligence report: HAHAHA! This government has become insane! Sorry for the words. I can't help it.

The fiscal should have dropped the complaint since no less than the Supreme Court had declared that CPR was unconstitutional. Or even if they claimed that the arrest of Dinky and Enteng was anchored on BP 880, they must first have to prove that what the Bnw did was a rally, when in fact it was not as can be gleaned from the circumstances prior to and during the arrest of Dinky, et al.

Leah Navarro said...

No need to apologize, Bystander, we were hard put to keep straight faces. Although he may have wanted to drop the complaint, the complainants didn't present the intel report, so the fiscal had to schedule another hearing for its submission. Re BP880, Edwin got Enteng to present the fiscal a power point presentation detailing the history of the Black Friday Protests, showing that we never bring banners, make speeches or march, and, for the exception of the Luneta action, were always in groups of less than 30. I suspect that the gov't will just drag this thing on, make this case a nuisance. But if they do, Enteng and Dinly will file administrative civil cases against the cops. And that's what Pedrozo and Sy are afraid of. Sadly, they're patsies for a gov't that doesn't care two centavos for them.

the jester-in-exile said...

a coup?

talk about the government afraid of shadows.

or at least of concerned citizens in black shirts.

talk about the peter principle as applied to government.

and these people's salaries are taken from my taxes?

RUMMEL PINERA said...

Sa gitna ng mga napakaraming paglabag sa karapatang pantao na nagaganap sa ating kapaligiran nang dahil sa mga proseso ng panggigipit sa mga kritiko ng rehimeng Arroyo, mayroon pa ring mga iilang mga matatapang na "media people" na naglalahad ng katotohanan sa ating bansa. Maraming mga diyaryo at mga istasyon ng radyo na binabantaan at sinusuhulan ng rehimen para huwag maglahad ng mga katotohanan. Sa telebisyon naman dadalawang himpilan lang ang mga nagbabalita ng patas sa isyu ng pagka-lehitimo ng rehimeng Arroyo. Ang mga tsanel 9, 4 at 13 ay pawang mga pag-aari ng gubyerno. Ang gubyerno natin sa ngayon ay pagmamay-ari ng rehimeng Arroyo. Ang tsanel 7 naman ay patas lang kay Ginang Arroyo. Tila ang akronim na GMA sa GMA 7 ay talagang pinaninindiganan ng mga "managers" ng "ch. 7" na Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo! Kasi, mula pa noong isang taon at hanggang ngayon ay "biased to the Arroyo presidency" ang estilo ng pagbabalita sa GMA 7 na iyan. Ang mga tsanel 2 at 5 lamang ang mga naninindigan sa patas na pagbabalita. Totoo kaya ang tsismis na ang ilan sa mga "share-holders" sa GMA 7 ay sina Fidel Ramos at Iggy Arroyo? Magkagayon man, ang nakararami sa sambayanang Pilipino ay may masidhing nais na lumabas ang katotohanan tungkol sa isyu kung lehitimo ba talaga ang pagka-pangulo ni Ginang Arroyo. At ang katotohanan ay tunay na mapagpalaya sa sangkatauhan. Ang katotohanan ang magpapalaya sa ating bayan.

Leah Navarro said...

Do you see how paranoid they are, Ellen? The Baywalk incident is nothing compared to the kidnapping and warrantless arrest of the five Erap supporters, but both are indicative of the effectiveness of our protests and the effects of such actions on the Usurper. This throws water on the vehements arguments of our detractors who call us ineffectual.

As a micro-manager, Gloria Arroyo has her fingers in all pies, so she directs all moves and knows all plans. She hopes to quiet us with her Marcosian moves, but we know those never work. What really kills me is how the middle class still refuse to be moved. Have they really bought in to the idea that for as long as you ignore it, the problem will go away? Do they really think that charter chage the Gloria way will bring them to their Enchanted Kingdom? And when they realize that she plans to remain Emperatriz forever, will they be willing subjects of her rule? If the answer to these questions are yes, then they are more stupid than I thought.

Leah Navarro said...

Grammatical correction - If the answer to these questions IS yes, then they are more stupid than I thought.

the bystander said...

You're right, Ms. Helga. GMA cannot deny having knowledge about the plans of his lieutenants. The abductions and extra-judicial killings are part of a grand plan to silence her critics. For how long can the people, especially the middle class, allow those in power to trample upon our basic rights and freedoms?