Just recently, my Public International Law class had a little trip to the Senate to witness the hearing on the then pending concurrence of the Senate to the country’s signing of the Rome Statute. The said law established the International Criminal Court (ICC) which exercises jurisdiction over cases concerning crimes against humanity, genocide, war crimes and the like. To our disappointment, the Senate deferred voting for a day. Apparently, Senate President Juan Ponce-Enrile is in disagreement with its approval for reasons only we could guess. Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago obliged to elucidate us disclosing something about internal politics but I was too starstruck to catch her words and ended up noticing her accent more than her reasoning. I found out two days after that it has finally taken effect with 16 (or 17) yeas and a lone nay from Enrile. Finally, we are under the ICC’s jurisdiction making it feasible for us to bring cases to the Hague-based international court. So what’s in it for us? If and when domestic courts are unable or unwilling to prosecute and try national leaders and heads of state for felonies supposedly committed, we can elevate the case to the ICC. HENCE, national leaders who escape conviction domestically due to anomalous impunity can now be prosecuted and tried in the international court. That’s the beauty of it.
Dismal, however, is the inefficiency (if I may be permitted to express) of our government departments in the system or process of treaty-signing including ratification, transmittal from the Executive to the Senate, and the concurrence (or not) of the Senate to validate the treaty. Well, at least in this case. To my surprise, it took an estimate of 13 years for the Senate to actually vote and approve the Rome Statute as binding to the Philippines. So what happened in between? Politics, I guess. And lots of it.
The US wasn’t a signatory to the Rome Statute, though I am not certain if they already are at present. They did not agree to it precisely because the US is a great global bully that won’t take any form of condescension in the international scene. As far as they’re concerned, not an international court or internationally recognized laws can impose their jurisdiction upon them. And so because the Philippines is an infuriatingly loyal ally, in my mind, we must have maintained “allegiance” by adopting their position. I am tempted to consider this superfluous puppetry.
Our trip seemed futile apart from the en masse exit of our class from the Session Hall, which hopefully sent a signal to our Senators of our humble disappointment. Oh well, at least we got to have our picture taken with Madame Miriam. J
10 years. Has it really been? I was 13 then. By now, I thought I must have moved on. But I'm as beguiled as ever. The annals of my adolescent-hood will always have a special place for the phenomenon of the Boy Who Lived. The last production was the only one when my tears fell. There will be no more looking-forward-to-the-next-HP moments, only remembering and retelling and probably, rereading. It has reached the end and truly, it was epic.
Vienna: (paraphrase) I want my own Snape!!! Unwavering faithfulness 'til the end.
Aiken: (post post movie epiphany) Oh of course! I have my own Snape already! Genuine, faithful and unfailing love - through and through. 'Til death and beyond. Ah Jesus, You are everywhere and indeed, more than just a Severus :)
Vienna: (paraphrase) I want my own Snape!!! Unwavering faithfulness 'til the end.
Aiken: (post post movie epiphany) Oh of course! I have my own Snape already! Genuine, faithful and unfailing love - through and through. 'Til death and beyond. Ah Jesus, You are everywhere and indeed, more than just a Severus :)
Hindi ako mapakali kanina. Tatlong araw akong halos nakakulong sa dormitoryo dahil sa bagyo. Ikatlong araw ngayong walang pasok. Hindi ako mapakali. Dapat ay magse-“cell” ako ngayong araw. Pero dahil sinuspende nga ang mga klase, balik Huwebes na naman ang aming iskedyul. Hindi ako mapakali. Gusto kong lumabas at pangatawanan ang Acts 20:24. Ganito pala ‘pag nahanap mo na ang iyong “bakit” sa buhay – hindi ka mapakali hangga’t hindi ito natutupad. Nawawalan ng saysay ang katuwaang walang pasok. Pero masarap sa pakiramdam. Pag nakaugat na ito sa sistema mo, hindi mo ito maikakaila. Pigilan ka ma’y hindi ka papipigil. Sindakin ka ma’y hindi ka matitinag.
Sa tapat ng Sanggumay ang Kalay, kung saan ako dati’y nanirahan din. Sa tapat ko ang pangarap na magtanim ng bunga sa unibersidad na ito. May pangarap ako sa eskwelehan sa kung saan ako itinalaga ng tadhana – mas malayo, at tila’y dayuhan kung ako’y ituring. Ngunit ang puso ko’y tumitibok pa rin sa paaralang nagpalaki sa akin, sa institusyong kinamulatan ko ng katotohanan na akin ngayong minumutya. Higit diyan ay ang aking pamamalagi dito. Sapat na bang kadahilanang isipin na hindi ako pumasa para lamang mangatwira’y tinutupad nga Niya ang mga pangarap kundi dahil may itinakda pang gawaing kailangang tapusin sa pamantasan? Dati’y dalangin lamang, ngayo’y ramdam ko ang tibok ng puso. UP, para kanino ka nga ba lumalaban? Panahon na para isakatuparan ang iyong pahinungod na buong puso’y alay sa bayan. Ngayo’y dagdagan natin nang mas makapangyarihan: pahinungod para sa Diyos at para sa bayan.
Ako’y namulat, ika’y gigisingin. Walang kapahingahan hangga’t ika’y tunay ngang makamtan.
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