LIBEL was Ricky Carandang's subject on the Big Picture this week. Ricky was certainly a paragon of equanimity on ANC's Thursday night show while interviewing one of Mike Arroyo's many lawyers in the fourteen cases filed against 43 of Manila's top editors, columnists and reporters, himself among them. The Lawyer said they were filing libel charges only against persons who were wrongfully accusing the First Gentleman of crimes but not "responsible critics" like Conrado de Quiros [sic!] or even Federico Pascual, whom he said called the First Gent "juvenile." The Consigliere was saying it was OK to insult the hypocritical fat-headedness of the First Gent (I am paraphrasing!), but that anyone accusing the First Saint, err, Gent of a crime without proof would be hit with a charge of libel. Hmm, since being stupid is not a crime, some might prefer to ridicule Him for that. Tonight Dong Puno's Viewpoint had yet a second of the First Gentleman's most eloquent consiglieri whose main point was that the suits were being mounted both for their punitive as well as deterrent effect. Ellen Tordesillas, a columnist and blogger also on the First Gent's Libel List complained to Dong Puno about the "chilling effect" of the legal offensive mounted by an obviously resource-rich plaintiff like Mike Arroyo. But were these 43 "chilled" into submission by the lawsuits? I doubt that very much. I know it's Ellen's first time to be charged with libel and I wouldn't really wish it on anyone. But I also think that Mike Arroyo has picked a fight he just cannot win short of getting his wife to declare martial law.
4 comments:
The Chilling effect comes from GMA's control of the courts. I just hope that the courts will prove themselve equal to the task of winnowing the chaff from the grain. The Supreme Court has been full of chaff, with a grain once in a while, perhaps "para hindi masyadong garapal at para hindi mahalata."
But the people are wise to them. Halatang-halata ang leanings ng Supreme Court.
I am so chilled that I believe that Gloria will try to make a mockery of the 2007 elections and perhaps try to get away with it. But May 2007 will be hot in every meaning of the word and I believe nobody can control it.Pagdating ng araw na iyon MAINIT ANG ULO NG LAHAT NG TAO. I hope Gloria and his cohorts will not revive Garci because the people will surely respond accordingly in a way unseen before.
Correct ka dyan, BFR. Mainit ang ulo ng mga tao. Basta sa balota ilabas, walang problema. Malakas ang dating ng Oposisyon sa 2007. Abangan!
the new reality in the Middle East, from Michael Totten.
the republican loss of the House and the Senate will have serious effects in the mid east policy of Bush 43.
Sinong pikon, talo.
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