I.P. Soliongco (Indalencio P. Soliongco), editorial writer and columnist of the Manila Chronicle from 1949 to 1971 and journalism professor at the University of the Philippines Diliman in the 1950s-1960s, was one of the most literate journalists and essayists of his -time — perhaps to this day. Here’s a column he wrote in 1949 in response to Manila Times society page editor Jim Austria (Soliongco Today edited by Renato Constantino):
(I.P. Soliongco with Bertrand Russell, photo rightclicked from the public site, the I.P. Soliongco FB account maintained by the Soliongco family and friends, used here non-commercially for academic purposes)
“Jim Austria, who does her work competently and interestingly, wrote something about us. She said, among other things that we do “very little crusading.” The remark, we like to think, was made kindly but it is, just the same, rather inaccurate. We have never done and we shall never do any crusading. To us, crusading is a futile occupation and most of those who are engaged in it end up in a lunatic asylum, in a monastery or as a member of a fanatical organization.
“We admit that we might conceivably end up in one of these places but it would not be because of even the slightest particle of the crusading spirit but because of some tragic mischance or some very powerful personal compulsions which will have nothing to do with the propagation of our convictions and beliefs.
(photo from the same source, I.P. Soliongco with Ramon Magsaysay and friends)
“If we write at all – that is, if the stuff we turn out can be called writing – it is only for reasons known to us and to very, very few persons close to us. For the sake of the record, however, we must say that writing is a very pleasant way of earning a living and because of this, we keep at our typewriter, even with the certain knowledge that only a handful will miss us if ever we should decide to shut up and rest.
“There are very few things in this world which amazes us. We have lost the capacity to be shocked or impressed long ago. We hold very little hope for mankind and up to now we are still unshaken in our belief that one thousand years from today, the world will still have its share of politicians, diplomats and footpads. In the same token, it will have the same number of artists, poets and scientists.
“We don’t give a hoot if nobody subscribes to our way of life. We even think that the fewer there are who believe with us, the better it is and the happier we shall feel about it. We have never nursed any ambition to reform the world, for as currently constituted and populated, we derive immense satisfaction from it.” (7-20-49)
The Second Media Monitor can be posted here, with deadline as stated, bonuses apply (pls read previous instructions). Please cite and quote the pertinent SPJ provisions or PPI provisions — failure to do so would mean a deduction of points. Happy viewing and posting!
The universally accepted legal method in legal research is to shepardize a pertinent law/ rule/ case in order to find out its present status, that is, to locate all pertinent revisions, amendments, implementation of that law (or for cases: to locate all appeals and precedents, from most recent to oldest).
With credits to the very resourceful journalist Raissa Robles based on whose previous research the document below was rightclicked from (the 1992 Alunan-Marcos Agreement on the Marcos burial), and with credits to the Inquirer banner-headline story today, embedded below the story is the jpeg copy of the agreement between the Ramos government, represented by then DILG Secretary Rafael Alunan and Imelda Marcos (i watermarked the photo with Raissa Robles’s name to credit the source, if you want a copy without the watermark, kindly ask a copy from her with credits).
This is without conceding that the conditions laid down by Republic Act 289 “An Act Providing for the Construction of a National Pantheon etc.” have been complied with (will post a line-by-line textual analysis here later, since President Duterte is using a literal, textual interpretation – his “legal positivistic” style can be met head on, and refuted. ). In fact, if you do a line-by-line, his order and a memo that followed it do not comply with said law, hence invalid and void, even illegal . (i’ll do a line-by-line textual analysis, be patient).
Here is the Inquirer banner headline and below that is Raissa Robles’s copy, watermarked by blog admin with the name of Raissa Robles:
The 1992 Alunan-Marcos Agreement on the Marcos Burial:
From the Inquirer: “Deal: Marcos burial in Ilocos.
“ ’92 accord bars late dictator from Libingan by: Jaymee T. Gamil
“THE 1992 agreement between the Ramos administration and the Marcos family providing for, among other things, the burial of President Ferdinand Marcos in Ilocos Norte province, remains binding, former Interior Secretary Rafael Alunan III said on Saturday.
“Alunan is one of the signatories to the agreement.
“The agreement could be invoked by opponents of the planned transfer of Marcos’ body to a grave at Libingan ng mga Bayani, although Samahan ng Ex-Detainees Laban sa Detensyon at Aresto (Selda), a group of survivors of martial law abuses, said it would ask the Supreme Court to intervene in the matter this week.
“Alunan was tasked in 1992 by then President Fidel V. Ramos to “represent the government” in discussions with the Marcos family, led by former first lady Imelda Marcos and represented by former Rep. Roquito Ablan, of conditions for the return of the dictator’s remains to the Philippines from Hawaii.
“Toppled from power in a popular uprising in 1986, Marcos died in exile in Hawaii in 1989. President Corazon Aquino refused to allow the return of his body to the Philippines.
“In a press conference with Ramos at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City yesterday, Alunan gave reporters a rundown of the conditions set by the government for the return of Marcos’ body.
“Four conditions
“The conditions were:
“The body would be flown straight from Hawaii to Ilocos Norte province.
“Marcos would be given honors befitting a major, his last rank in the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
“Marcos’ body would not be paraded in Metro Manila. “At that time,” Alunan explained, “the wounds were still fresh in the minds of many people, and we could not afford bloodshed and instability [on] our watch.”
“There would be no burial at Libingan ng mga Bayani. Alunan noted that Marcos had wanted to be buried beside the grave of his mother in Batac, Ilocos Norte.
“ “So those were the conditions, and we signed an agreement. I think the agreement is still in the archives of Malacañang, so if you wish to get a copy of the agreement that was signed between me and Congressman Ablan, please go ahead and secure a copy from Malacañang,” Alunan said.
“The Marcos family flew the dictator’s body home on Sept. 7, 1993. From Hawaii, the body was flown to Guam then to Laoag, in Ilocos Norte.
“Deal remains binding
“Then Vice President Joseph Estrada, representing the government, was at Laoag International Airport to see the body.
“But the Marcos family never buried the body, preserving it instead in a refrigerated crypt housed in a mausoleum beside the dictator’s ancestral home in Batac.
“Asked if the agreement remained binding, Alunan said: “I would imagine so, because I was acting for and on behalf of the President of the Republic and the government.”
“He added: “I would think that because the agreement is still in force, then both sides should honor it.”
“The agreement was “never abrogated,” said Alunan, now senior adviser to Ramos, who has been appointed by President Duterte as special envoy to China.
“ “If President Duterte thinks otherwise, then that’s his prerogative. The Office of the President is very powerful,” Alunan said.
“Asked if he or Ramos would ask the Marcos family to comply with the agreement, Alunan replied: “We’re civilians [now]. We are [no longer] in government.”
“Ramos, saying Alunan was speaking with authorization from him, added: “That’s for the Duterte administration. We did our job during our time.”
“The 1992 agreement, particularly the fourth condition, could be invoked by opponents of the burial of Marcos at Libingan ng mga Bayani.xxx”
AND HERE IS A JPEG COPY OF THE 1992 ALUNAN-MARCOS AGREEMENT ON THE MARCOS BURIAL RIGHTCLICKED FROM JOURNALIST RAISSA ROBLES’S POST (watermarked here with Raissa Robles’s name for credit)
