KAHEL
Alexander Martin Remollino

Tila hindi bibitiw sa baril ang mga daliri ni Nonoy kahit na pukpukin ng maso.

Buo na ang kanyang kapasyahan: aasintahin niya ang ulo ni M. Villa, ang kanyang pangunahing kalaban sa panguluhan ng bansa, at kakalabitin niya ang gatilyo. Mabaliw-baliw na si Nonoy sa galit dahil may ilang linggo nang halos araw-araw ay laman ng mga balita si M. Villa at ang pagsasalaysay nito ng mga ulat mula raw sa mga sakada ng Hacienda Lucia na siya, kapag nalalasing, ay mahilig na mamaril ng sinumang dumaan sa kanyang harapan. Buo ang paniniwala niyang makasisira ito sa kanyang kampanya, kahit na ang mga marka niya sa lahat ng sarbey ay tila walang alam na tunguhin kundi pataas.

At ngayon, sa kanyang sasakyang nakahimpil may ilang daang metro mula sa tanghalan, nakaabang siya at ang kanyang mga badigard sa pagtawag sa pangalan ni M. Villa.

"At ang susunod na magsasalita, mga kababayan, ay ang dapat na maging susunod na pangulo ng Pilipinas -- walang iba kundi si M. Villa!"

Humigpit pang lalo ang kapit ng mga daliri ni Nonoy sa baril. Bumaba ang bintana ng kanyang sasakyan at bahagyang sumungaw mula roon ang bunganga ng baril ni Nonoy... BASAHIN ANG BUONG KUWENTO

KUNG PAANO NAGING KAGALANG-GALANG SI JUAN TAMAD
Alexander Martin Remollino

Isang araw ay biglang napagod si Juan Tamad sa kahihiga sa duyan habang nakangangang naghihintay na lumapag sa loob ng kanyang bunganga ang bayabas... BASAHIN ANG BUONG TULA

HIGIT NA MAHAL
Alexander Martin Remollino

Sa silid-kainan ng iyong isip,
kailanman ay hindi nila natikman ang ipaghain --
kailanman ay hindi.
Ni hindi nga nila nalasap doon ni minsan
ang alukin man lamang na kumain --
ni minsan ay hindi... BASAHIN ANG BUONG TULA

PAGBABANTAY SA HALALAN NG 2010
Alexander Martin Remollino

Hindi mamatay-matay ang usapin ng pandaraya sa halalan sa ating bayan. At paano naman ito mamamatay, ay wala pa yatang naitatalang talagang malinis na halalan sa ating kasaysayan? Sa wika nga ng istoryador na si Ambeth Ocampo, sa kauna-unahan pa lamang na maituturing na pambansang halalan sa Pilipinas –- sa Kumbensiyon sa Tejeros -– ay may naganap nang dayaan.

Naging lalong maapoy ang usaping ito noong nakaraang dalawang halalan dahil sa garapal na pagsasagawa nito noon. Hindi pa nalilimot ang ayon nga sa makatang si Richard Gappi ay “di-mabilang” na botong “di nabilang” na para kay Fernando Poe Jr. noong halalan ng 2004, na humantong sa pagkakapagbigay diumano ng panibagong mandato kay Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Hindi rin nalilimot ang pandaraya sa ilang kandidato sa pagkasenador ng Genuine Opposition sa halalan ng 2007, na humantong naman sa pagkakaluklok ng ilang kandidato ng Team Unity na hindi naman kapani-paniwala ang pagkapanalo batay sa naging katayuan nila sa mga katiwa-tiwalang sarbey... BASAHIN ANG BU0NG ARTIKULO

INT'L ACTIVIST GROUP CONDEMNS ARREST, DETENTION, TORTURE OF 'MORONG 43'
Alexander Martin Remollino

An international activist formation has condemned the arrest, detention, and torture of the 43 health workers in the Philippines who are collectively known as the "Morong 43."

The International League of Peoples' Struggle (ILPS), which describes itself as an "anti-imperialist and democratic formation," in a recent resolution called on its member organizations worldwide to "make the strongest demand that they can muster for the release of the 43 health workers and to condemn and hold accountable the US-Arroyo regime for its gross and systematic violation of human rights in the Philippines." It also called for the immediate release of the "Morong 43" and demanded that those involved in their illegal arrest, detention, and torture be arrested and brought to justice... READ FULL ARTICLE

BLACK RIBBON
Alexander Martin Remollino

(for Atty. Kathrina Castillo, Kabataan Partylist's third nominee in the 2010 elections)

A black ribbon from them to you.
And all because you have taken the challenge
of sending sparks of hope... READ FULL POEM

10 SUREFIRE WAYS TO GET AWAY WITH CRIMES IN THE PHILIPPINES
Alexander Martin Remollino

1. Present evidence you are Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
2. Prove you are Atty. Jose Miguel Arroyo... READ FULL POEM

PANGHAHARANA SA ATING MGA BOTO
Alexander Martin Remollino

Binabasag nila ang katahimikan
ng ating mga gabi’t araw
sa kanilang panghaharana sa ating mga boto... BASAHIN ANG BUONG TULA

PHILIPPINES: DISSERVICE TO THE ELECTORATE
Alexander Martin Remollino

The Philippine civil-society group Social Watch could not have been more correct when its leaders said in a recent media briefing that the campaigns of the leading presidential candidates are not addressing the country's real problems.

This is especially true of the two frontliners -- Benigno Simeon "Noynoy" Aquino III and Manuel "Manny" Villar... READ FULL ARTICLE

INT'L RIGHTS GROUP SPEAKS OUT ON 'MORONG 43'
Alexander Martin Remollino


The Nobel Prize-winning group Amnesty International has spoken out on the arrest and detention of the 43 health workers collectively known as the "Morong 43."

In a statement dated April 8, Amnesty International expressed concern for the health workers' safety. "Joint forces from the military and police forcibly entered a private residence in Morong town, Rizal province, where the health workers were staying," Amnesty International noted. "The health workers were not informed of the reason of their arrest or where they were being taken, and Amnesty International is concerned that their rights to due process are being violated... READ FULL ARTICLE

PANGILINAN PLAGIARISM: A STUDY IN CONTRASTS
Alexander Martin Remollino

The gesture of Filipino businessman Manuel "Manny" Pangilinan amidst a plagiarism controversy involving him and two students of the Ateneo de Manila University who had helped him write his speech for the university's commencement exercises this year is laudable. It provides a sharp contrast to the behavior of the people behind Ang Galing Pinoy Partylist (AG), including no less than the presidential son and Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel "Mikey" Arroyo... READ FULL ARTICLE

WHERE IS MARIO CONDES?
Alexander Martin Remollino

Mario Condes -– wherever he may be at the moment –- must be feeling very important right now.

The mere mention of his name in a search warrant issued last Feb. 5 has spawned an entire legal and political controversy involving the violation of the rights of 43 health workers in Rizal, Philippines... READ FULL ARTICLE

YES, VIRGINIA, THERE ARE SUCH THINGS AS MERMAIDS AND MERMEN, TIKBALANG, KAPRE, WITCHES, FORTUNE-TELLERS, AND MAGICIANS
Alexander Martin Remollino

Yes, Virginia, there are such things as mermaids and mermen, tikbalang, kapre, witches, fortune-tellers, and magicians. In fact they abound and thrive in this sad republic where to love entertainment as an addict loves opium, LSD or some other mind-bending drug has been the fashion for generation upon generation... READ FULL POEM

KUNG ANG KULAY MO MA'Y HINDI NAKASISILAW
Alexander Martin Remollino

Kung ang kulay mo ma'y hindi nakasisilaw,
huwag kang tumungo't magtakip ng mukha... BASAHIN ANG BUONG TULA

BRAWNER'S BEST IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH
Alexander Martin Remollino

Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Public Information Office is hoodwinking the public when he says that AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Victor Ibrado is ordering the transfer of the 43 health workers collectively known as the Morong 43 to a Philippine National Police (PNP) facility, even as they have supposedly communicated their desire to remain at the military’s Camp Capinpin in Tanay, Rizal, where they are now detained. He is trying to make the AFP and its chief of staff appear more magnanimous than they actually are... READ FULL ARTICLE

GOV'T VIOLATES ELECTION LAWS BY FIELDING OWN PARTY-LIST GROUPS
Alexander Martin Remollino

Catholic priest Fr. Joe Dizon, convener of the anti-fraud and election monitoring group Kontra Daya, raised hell earlier this week over the Commission on Elections’s (Comelec) accreditation of a partylist group that is, by its own declaration, a project initiated by an official of the Arroyo administration and a prominent ally of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Father Dizon said the Comelec should not have accredited the partylist group that calls itself Batang Iwas Droga (Bida or Kids Avoiding Drugs), and called for the group’s disqualification from the May 2010 elections.

Bida describes itself in its website as “the brainchild” of Ephraim Genuino, chairman of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor). The Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) and the Department of Education (DepEd) are Pagcor’s project partners in Bida... READ FULL ARTICLE

2010 WATCHDOG URGES PEOPLE'S ACTION IN WORST-CASE SCENARIO
Alexander Martin Remollino

A 2010 election watchdog group launched yesterday is geared not only to monitor the upcoming elections, but also to rally the public to respond accordingly should the electorate’s will be frustrated.

Kontra Daya 2010, which was launched yesterday morning in Intramuros, Manila, has this early raised several fears about the May elections. These include the possibility of massive fraud and failure of elections.

“Our objective is to have credible and acceptable elections,” said former Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz, one of Kontra Daya’s conveners, in a press conference organized for the launch. “With the number of warnings and complaints we have received and signs (that are making themselves felt), there is every reason to be worried about May 2010.”

“We want to prepare the people to take action in case the worst scenario takes place,” said Fr. Joe Dizon of Solidarity Philippines, another Kontra Daya convener... READ FULL ARTICLE

PASASALAMAT
Alexander Martin Remollino

Sa ngalan ng “Morong 43” at ng mga nakikinabang sa kanilang libreng serbisyong pangkalusugan sa isang bansa kung saan pati yata hangin ay gustong pabayaran sa mga mamamayan, walang patlang na pasasalamat ang nauukol na ating ipaabot sa Armed Forces of the Philippines, lalo na kina Maj. Gen. Jorge Segovia at Lt. Col. Noel Detoyato... BASAHIN ANG BUONG TULA

RAPACITY IS NOT A TUB
Alexander Martin Remollino

You say he is as likely to steal
as a sheep is likely to kill,
because he has all the wealth in the world... READ FULL POEM

A HUNDRED FEBRUARIES AND MORE AFTER
Alexander Martin Remollino

A hundred Februaries and more
after Grayson fired those fatal shots... READ FULL POEM