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St. Scho News

2001: Impeachment Odyssey 
by Cynthia Abad-Bondoc ('68)

Cynthia Abad-Bondoc, her husband Ed, and children have resettled in the Philippines after over 20 years' residency in San Francisco. While Ed attends to the family's construction business, Cynthia attends the daily hearings at the Philippine Senate. While the proceedings are serious business, Cynthia interjects her reporting with her own brand of tireless, timeless humour. With Cynthia's permission, and thru Mila Alvarez-Magno, our web angel, I am sharing her articles with you not only to keep you abreast of the goings-on in our homeland but also to once again reinforce the Scholastican brand of caring and involvement.

STUDENTS of St. Scholastica's College in Manila give President  Estrada the thumbs down during a rally in front of the Senate building (courtesy of Phil. Inquirer 1/15/01)

Myra Salonga

Part I

Happy New Millennium dearest friends! Yr gorgeous e-pal is back in her element after a short nap?

It almost wasn't Christmas for many Filipinos until Clarissa "Kissa" Grey Ocampo, BSC Management '77, a total "Kulasa" through and through, unleashed the bombshell that Jose Velarde & Erap were one & the same person. What joy, what bliss it was for those who had enough of Erap! At last the prosecution panel had something solid going on for them. Until Kissa's appearance at Joseph Ejercito Estrada's Impeachment Trial at the Phil. Senate, the killer Jose Velarde check exposed by Joker Arroyo had almost been buried by the bumbling prosecution team, notably Sergio Apostol & his funny english. (By the way, a special mass will be held for her at SSC HS Prayer Room tomorrow sat. 1/6/00 as our Chapel is currently being renovated (no fund-raising?). Alumnis r invited by Cecile Berenguer Gutierrez, the present VP for Academic Affairs).

Older folks say that this Christmas season was one of the saddest & bleakest holidays in our history, the others being the Christmases while we were at war or under some foreign power. As I reported before, there weren't enough lights in Makati buildings & streets to lend some cheer. Even at the Senate, their massive, imposing staircase was scantily decorated and their nondescript Christmas trees looking so pitiful. Even the individual Senators' office doors, a-twinkling and all, spoke sadly of pretense?

So for us or'nary folks whose lives stopped at 2pm daily to listen or to attend the impeachment hearings, it was a mad rush to the stores on the 23rd of Dec: saw copper-haired Maurice Arcache buying more Christmas tree lights at Landmark (cost for a plain string is Php 65 but Php 35 in Divisoria; sounds real cheap until u get home and the darn things don't light up anymore!) and many Senate "classmates" at Rustan's doing last minute things. Well, the traffic may have been horrendous but many stores at Glorietta complained of poor sales. Well, the money (& moneyed) went to the pockets of enterprising & hardwork-ing vendors (Dina Laurel Velasco & Carmen Ocampo Krausse, Munte del Rosario, Ging-Ging Rayos Lopez with daugthers Joy & Jamie among others) who patiently held booths at the popular bazaars in major hotels & to the now almost-permanent "tiangges" vendors in Greenhills and at Fort Bonifacio being supported even by those w/ lotsa moolah: Linda Trinidad Panlilio (she w/ hotel holdings) Mary Ann Lumen (! wife of NBC prez), Marita Romualdez (still a beauty like her infamous aunt Meldy Marcos), Myrna Panlilio Borromeo (Nayon Filipino head w/ effervescent daughter Mitzi) & many more 'socys' (short for 'sosyal' or socialites)?

It was back to my gallery seat after enjoying the glow of subdued New Year's fireworks at the Fort (Bonifacio) where many of the better gourmet restaurants are on its final legs? sad. Lively Martin Nievera & Paolo Bediones hosted a free bi-block party & concert. It wasn't as grand as last year's celebration where the Fort paved & built new roads to accommodate hundreds of party tents & food purveyors galore (w/ a Holy Mass & a rock concert in between!) for the million millennium partygoers that came. Kudos again to the Fort Bonifacio Development Corporation, esp. to Charlie Rufino, Senior EVP and his able project team (ahem, my son was one of them!) for having prepared the Fort so well then that now the Fort may well be a permanent institution for New Year's celebrations!?

So to the hallowed halls of the Senate Ed and I went... Was able to secure another precious ticket for a visiting daughter from Noo Yock so that she could feel the energy & electricity of the hearings and have a pip of Philippine History. We saw the ever-present, bussed-in & fierce-looking pro-Erap-pers (a.k.a. 'hakot' people) now darker & w/ more young kids & babies in tow. How sad. I thought, never mind the terrible traffic on Buendia Ave to get to the Senate. Never mind the pollution that's caused my year-long cough. But puh-leesse! Someone mind, the poor! There is just so much poverty in our country? Noticed the increase of late-model yuppie cars too (Miatas & Civics r faves) possibly belonging to the youthful anti-Eraps (brothers Jaza & Fernando Zobel, Bianca Locsin, Marco Alcantara, Mon Gana, Joey Cuisia, et al) in the gallery?? The new year brought a new face at Gallery B: Lupita Aquino Kashiwahara from Ess Eff, now into crocheting like eldest si! s Maur Aquino Lichauco (she finished a tiny, golden-hued bag while keeping a watchful eye over younger 'balato' sis Tessie Aquino Oreta!) Same hobby, different beliefs, I wonder??? My permanent classmates (Louie & Triccie Sison, Mercy Arrastia Tuason, Gina Vera Perez de Venecia, Teresa Feria Nieva, + more) have remained noisy & talkative in spite of Miriam's outburst (Boy, she does look like Roderick Paulate of the Petrang Kabayo fame w/ make-up!). Sorry Miriam, we've all decided to continue sharing our 'legal' expertise w/ each other, in gobbledigook legalese at that! Ha!

Hope u all had a wonderful Christmas time! We had an exciting one (daughter Cyndee arrived on the 24th & Thank God, on time for midnight Mass! Yippee!!) & we're still awaiting another member of the family? Saw Connie Montemayor Asuncion in sardine-packed Santuario de San Antonio Church in Forbes w/ pretty daughter Mara, also an NYU stude. Have been feasting on Holiday food and am tempted to send u guys a slice of Queso de bola in some Christmas cards soon, hahaha. (It remains to be a real favorite (Php 350 for a small ball; Php 700 for the bigger UNSOLD ones!). Since the trial began, have eaten enough chinese ham, morcon, chips n gourmet dips, gallantines to last me till Dec. 2001. Didn't buy a single 'paputok' this year to mourn the innocents who perished in last Saturday's bombing. Didn't do a-Hong Kong -during-the-holidays thing either due to a prevailing national sickness called "lampers disease" (short for wa-lang pera!) but treated ourselves to a darling wed! ding at Paco Park (air-conditioned now dears). Monina Ocampo & Bobby de Jesus' handsome soon-to-be-Doctor son Jovee & Karen Ablaza showered each other w/ a lot of loving "I Do's" & looked perfect for each other. For a moment, at the lovely reception at the Top of the Century (formerly Sheraton) Hotel, we were transported to another world! Everyone so well dressed (esp the groom's mom in her rocket-red, swarovski-strapped, designer long gown)? eating & drinking to their heart's content w/ one smart & good-looking banker lugging as much as 12 shots of vodka --- Diyoskopong bisita!?

To one & all, wishing u peace, good health & continued success in this 3rd millennium. Please pray for us here. We desperately need those three wishes I just wished you. Our country is in real trouble.

As ever, your luving e-pal, mcb

Ach tung World! Never cross a SS.tican! Part II  

Eating, breathing, sitting at the Senate continuously can be dangerous to your health. But who cares? We've thrown caution to the wind since September when 2 sis & I, all true-blue Kulasa-larks, Cita A-Dinglasan and BabyLing A-Panlilio started to attend the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearings to listen to Gov. Chavit Singson's 'songs' about the biggest jueteng Lord of all: Joseph Ejercito Estrada, a.k.a. Erap, Jose Velarde or Kevin Garcia… A bit of a respite came in the form of a special mass held for Clarissa "Kissa" Grey Ocampo, the Sstican who rescued the near-bleak Christmas holidays for us here in Manila! The very private celeb was held at the "new" SSC High-school prayer room, somewhere above the Parlor. Seeking divine intervention for Kissa & her family were her Class '77 buddies: Virginia Reyes Desiderio, Evelyn Pacis (sis of Edna & Toni), Irenea Coronel Abrogena, Cynthia Catalan, Florencia de los Santos, Patricia del Rosario & Bel Lopez Villavicencio, whose sis married Bernie Estrella Arellano's son Gelo. Whaaaat? Felt sooo old hearing this as Bernie's a chum & classmate! But regained my poise when VP-Acad. Studies, Cecile Berenguer Gutierrez commented that _ _ & _ _ (won't mention their names) were much much ahead of me when in fact, ahem, yours truly was older. Enough of Clinique commercial….

Also present at the prayer room were balikbayans Evangeline Laurel Mesa, hubby Nick & younger sis Elsa Laurel Javellana all based in Northern Cal. Seen also were beauties Simonette de los Reyes Feraren & Mila Quintos, younger sis of Ding2 Quintos-Cortez, Staten Island-portion owner & Anna Quintos. Missing was their classmate Susan Mendoza (now a lawyer & also married to an Ocampo from Nueva Ecija), one of Kissa's best friends. Cud it be that she was the daughter of "Dream Team" defense lawyer Estelito Mendoza & that all his facial muscles dropped like the big ball at Times Square when Kissa confirmed to the world that Erap's evil twin was Jose Velarde? I think I need a brain-transplant…

Everyone prayed piously for Kissa & loving stories shared by teachers Florina Feliciano Castillo, (now G.S. Principal), Sr. Lumen Dungca, Dr. Emy Villar & Bert Anido after brought tears to everyone. Kissa, (couldn't come but sent a missive) they said, was just 'one of the girls' in grade school & HS but was always known for her neatness (showed in the clarity of her answers at witness stand!). She applied herself in college where she earned a Business Management degree and added a "cum laude" after her name (hey Erap, she didn't get kicked out!). More stories about their class parties & sleep-overs at Susan Mendoza's house in Magallanes Village… Then I remembered her nice-looking son, a best friend of my nephew (+ the sons of Irene Marcos Araneta & Golden O.) at that school by the Marikina valley. Kissa & family r all safely guarded now, somewhere, someplace in _____… fearful of their lives… Not fair!!!

But back to the celebration for Kissa. Just like a typical Pinoy gathering, there had to be some "kainan" after the praying & singing. By the way, I sang our battecry "Come Loyal Benedictine Children" with gusto for all of you but you better believe this, ate 'daintily' the teenie-weenie ensaymadas, empanadas & cherry/chocolate bars, all sugar-satiated, lest the ABS-CBN cameras & Ces Orena Drillon catch me choking away!… Ces was invited by Juris Umali Soliman, again younger sister of Judy (where r you?) & Jane Umali, formerly Malacanan 's Supervising Media Relations officer… The shrieks & stories at the little reception area by the Chapel equaled the noise outside in the pergola. Would have made Wakamiya (remember him? The Japanese photographer Ninoy Aquino traveled w/ to Manila when he was killed.) scold everyone: "Why are u all 'rapping' & 'rapping' (laughing & laughing)?" As he couldn't understand our interesting culture of sharing pleasant vignettes upon someone's death, Wakamiya admonished us, the Ninoy Aquino Movement in SFO, this way a long time ago after Ninoy's sister Tessie-Aquino Oreta, now a jueteng balato-Senator, had shared a funny incident in Ninoy's colorful & robust life! Well, this too was a sad/happy celebration for Kissa, now a hero here! Let's continue praying that she & her family remain safe… Got real nostalgic hearing these Class 77'ers squealing. Thought I heard the boisterous, very-Social-Hall screaming & laughing from years past... Missed Sr. Caridad & 'em days… very SStican? Hahaha…

So dear world, beware. Thanks to Kissa's courage & bravery, we have proof that Scholasticans cud rule the world someday! Thank God, for our nuns who r forever at the rallies. God bless Maan H. & Mitch V. for frontlining them. Heaven pls send more Ssticans to the streets & help those who still accuse me of devoting too much time to these "non-productive" activities. Phew!!! (Wonder what they'll say about my essay-letter writing???) Paging dear SSC moms & friends in the U.S. & beyond: do come back to the Philippines someday (w/ yr kids!) & perhaps hv them consider government service. Josie Trinidad Lichauco & Cecilia Munoz-Palma did. Maybe not be in politics. But come & share yr talents -- we NEED HELP! Someone's gotta start the social change & reinforce whatever good we still possess. Let's get involved in purgative actions to cleanse our dear country. In my own little way, have asked Joker Arroyo & Senators met during the Impeachment Trial, to please pass a pronunciamento (law) 'up-ing' the President's salary & all government officials to that matter, to 'horrific' heights, (in US Dollars to avoid peso devaluation loss!) to completely cut-off corruption (& if, perchance, it is a male President we have, to do a "Bobbitt-job" on him. You know, cut off his … ) Someone warn Hillary that she just may encounter an Sstican female president from the Phils. someday…

Now a melange of funny mis-pronunciations, courtesy of our Senators & lawmakers to make u smile, as thanks, for reading my pronouncement & poignant plea. Apologies to Mr. Webster.

ConTRO'verZY - con'troversy (ziz one's a classic Miriam D-Santiago!)

ZANK-shen - whazziz? Sanction pala!

TesTI'mony - tes'timony

mob roll - nope, this isn't food - but rather mob "rule" !

deMEnor or DI-MEY-nor - sumayosep! demeanor

TRY-ple - triple

Finally, for the Visayans out there: We roll w/ laughter at Rep. Sergio Apostol's calling presidential crony as Anton Prito (for Prieto!) and dear Sen. Frank Drillon's contempt charges against the tricksters "Porton" (Fortun) brothers!

Cheers to all & continued prayers for us puh-leeese.

Not a 'kama-kamag-anak" nor a "kai-kaibigan" of Erap,

mcb, a faithful Scholastican

Part III:

Your Honors!  

Much as I would like to inform u all that the Impeachment Tribunal will soon be convicting Erap, (one has to be deaf & blind not to be overwhelmed by the devastating evidence of thievery, corruption & deception vs Prez Joseph Ejercito Estrada & his cohorts committed since inauguration day!), I hate to disappoint you but a massive "acquittal scenario" prep is now underway. Here r a couple of suspected Malacanan-backed scenarios, dissected-to-death w/ Senate hallway discussants: Sstican Chit Navarro Pedrosa, older sis of Laurie Navarro, classmate of an older sis & mother to CNN's Brit-accented Veronica Pedrosa; Sergio Apostol, self-appointed Waray-mouthpiece of the prosecution (remember his mispronunciation of calling Erap jueteng-collector Anton Prieto as "Anton Prito"? made us roll down the aisles!); 'date-na-bayan' Ed Joaquin, former Phil Tourism Authority's GM & 'bro' to pretty sisters Ssticans-all in gradeschool & incidental 'classmates' again at ! the Senate: Lindy J Joaquin now married to Joe Jalbuena, Tina J, now Mrs. Bobby Erum, Cecile J, wife to former SEC Chairman, "Hah-Vahd"-educated (Harvard) Perfecto "Jun" Yasay (speaking in perfect 'merican- english, natch, while at the "hot" witness seat) and youngest sis Charo, married to I-don't-know-who; Congressman Joker Arroyo, THE MAN-we-all-wished-were-the-head-of-the-Prosecution-team; current Mayor of Olongapo & former student leader, Amerasian Kate Gordon (Ladies, here's an excellent Senatorial material!) & brainy & insightful 'Maryknola' (rhymes w/ orinola! haha) Mano Morales:

1. With the appointmt of Edgardo "Ed / Edong" Angara as Executive Sec, Erap has abdicated the functions he was elected to perform! Edong, a former academician, certainly brings braininess to an otherwise brainless govrnmnt. But wait, r we talking 'brain transfusion' here? Whatever. In the meantime, hotly-contested Erap appointees at the Cultural Center, Gloria "Baby" Angara, Chair, & Armita Rufino, Prez, can breathe freely & party all night as the likes of Balthazar Endriga, Chinggay Diaz Lagdameo (wife of FVR's former Telecoms Sec Antonio L of the anomalous Amari deal) et al, can no longer bother them. Tra-la-la-la…

2. Ernie Maceda, the recent/past-designated driver of the Malacanan quash-the-enemy cum Acquit-Erap-movement, is back again as Erap's cunning strategizer! After being by-passed for the post of 'Little President' & losing the lucrative apptmt as Agri Sec, rumor has it that he is also official "yayo', oops official escort pala to Erap mistresses. He recently did a quick turnaround in Hong Kong when Malacanan beckoned him back to 'arrange' the quickie-trip for Laarni Enriquez & co-conspirator to escape inquisitive Manila & impeachment court! Fortunately for us Pinoys, in their rush-rush, their 'bagman' Sergio Mendiola, Jinggoy & Jude Estrada's school mate at Aquinas School in San Juan, was caught prior to boarding same HKG flight w/ P6,000,000 million in cash! "Sukli" lang daw ito ni Erap… (With Ernie back, poor Mike Toledo. This telegenic kid's been trying his best to make sense of all the nonsense he has been saying as acting Press Sec.!)… But watch out you n! ative Noo Yock-ers out there: Laarni has proceeded to NY for a medical check-up at Mt. Sinai! Can someone give us a feedback?

3. The pronounced 'body' language of anti- and pro-Erap Senator/Judges:

Trustworthy, solid anti-Erappers Party of Five: Raul Roco, Frank Drilon, Loren Legarda-Leviste, Teofisto Guingona & Rene Cayetano may now be just be party of four: Rene C, he of the loud ties & Pat Riley-slicked-back hair, has been just been implicated by Dante Tan, Erap's bosom buddy, to have made more than P70M in the BW stock scandal! Sad…

The Super-10-Erap-tutas hv flagrantly exposed their offensive behavior: Majority tuta Kit Tatad, sick, irrational Miriam D Santiago, so despisedJohnny P E, his sidekick Gringo H, wooden-figure Blas Ople, 'balato' twins Sonny Osmena & Tessie Aquino Oreta (the P1Million that she received from Chavit Singson is nothing compared to the gov't infrastructure contracts that she has cornered for her hubby Len's construction co.!) & recently-gifted-w/-a-tongue senators--- dumbo-three (apologies to Dumbo!): Ramon Revilla, his son-in-law Sonny Jaworski & Tito Sotto have now been taking their 2-minute floor entitlements to ask "heavy clarificatory" questions ! Oh wow… what a waste of time! Hence, I simply take my own '2-minute break' each time these guys rise to speak to walk about outside…

One off among the "Neutral" Sen/Judges: Juan Flavier -- izza partner pala of JPEnrile in a radio program, called "Juan-on-Juan" (one on one, clever!). Awful news…

Still-difficult-to-tell: 4 "neutral" Sen/Judges remain --- Senate Prez Pimentel, Jun Magsaysay, Serg Osmena, retired-Army Gen. Rodolfo Biazon (now rarely seen at the Navy golf course), have oft questioned witnesses but no indication whatsoeverof their anti- nor pro- leanings. Tagong-tago daw ang mga baraha nila! (They keep their cards close to their hearts!) Pray, pray, pray for them!

Pashmina-princess Nikki Coseteng, supposedly "neutral" as she resigned from genie-Erap's LAMP political party, recently threw a tantrum & even berated the Prosecution's slow poke-y Raul Gonzales when she spotted prosecution panel's witness former Phil. Stock Exchange Prez, Jose Luis "Nonoy" Yulo inside the hallowed hall while Ruben Almadro was enumerating w/ perfect clarity how Dante's BW 'Inferno' was going on… Come now Nikki, Nonoy was just dying to sit in the witness stand to contact other Stanford alumni! O-a na o-a ang dating 'aKERding' (according in Miriam's vocab)…

And lastly, still to be heard from, Sen. Bobby Barbers, still in the U.S. undergoing speech therapy in LAX. His non-voting could be a vote for Erap's acquittal. Pray that he gets back soon. Wife Virgie was a friendly caryatid at Sstican Guia Soriano Castillo's debuts, dancing evenings & whatnots at the Makati Sports Club & Harmony…

4. Terrorist bombings, free harassment of private citizens (Bubby Dacer remains missing), disappearing witnesses flying off abroad somewhere (key witness Ed Espiritu & wife flew off immediately to LAX after testifying due to death threats!), surreptitious departures of Erap's other muses & illegitimate children, the resurrection of the Mindanao conflict to divert attention… Attn Ms. new-Mom-in-law Monina Ocampo de Jesus! As a long-time Lozangeleno, have u spotted any of those mentioned in Lozangeles? Pray tell…

Add to the above my own observation that two precious words "RETRIBUTION & RESTITUTION" that Erap MUST DO are slowly being eradicated from our minds & vocabulary… Cardinal Sin, now having dialysis twice a week, will hopefully be calling on every street parliamentarian ("in" word for 'involved & civic minded citizens' like ahem…) to be ready to march to Malacanan if an acquittal happens!… His young deputy, Boy Apacible-lookalike Monsignor 'Soc' Villegas has been a brave frontliner…

* * * Dizziz all for now. My fingers r hurting and the puddytats r chewing on my espadrilles!… Now for a joke before I go: Did you know that Atong Ang, the divine conceptualizer of the legalized Bingo 2 Ball is Miriam Defensor-Santiago's cousin? The chinese name pala of Miriam kasi is: Bu Ang ('buang' in Visayan means crazy!) Hahaha.

Bye for now. Gotta help child # 3 weigh her bulging maletas for a trip back to Noo Yock. Can't wait till the classes of littlest one here in MNL end in March to be able to take off! Or if there's a coup here, will choose to remain … The feeling of change & empowerment is at our fingertips! Please continue praying for us…

CB - Not a 'kai-kaibigan' nor a 'kama-kamag-anak' of Erap, Jose Velarde & Kevin Garcia

Part IV:

Tonight at the Senate, the "TRAPOS, TUTAS & TORPES" * made up of:

Tessie Aquino Oreta
Francisco Tatad
Juan Ponce Enrile
Miriam Defensor-Santiago
John Osmena
Nikki Coseteng
Blas Ople
Robert Jaworski
Ramon Revilla
Tito Sotto III
Gringo Honasan

(*loosely translated into the "Devil's Devious Devices"!!!  hahaha) indicated through nominal voting (vs the voting-in-hiding which they did last time) their TRUE political colors & leanings by voting against the opening of the Prosecution Panel's 'second envelope' submitted by Equitable PCI Bank. Well, the DDD-Senators won 11 to 10… even the recently-installed Senate President Aquilino Pimentel resigned his position in utter disgust at how the above senators voted in such an obvious partisan (a.k.a. nabayaran) manner… and a major walkout by the private prosecutors & the gallery followed…

This second envelope is suspected by many to contain the damning information on the mysterious "Jose Velarde" Mother account which Joker & company of the Prosecution recently stumbled on when they were checking on the sources of two Jose Velarde payments, the account witnessed as signed as "Jose Velarde" by President Joseph "Erap" Ejercito Estrada by our own Clarissa "Kissa" Grey Ocampo. By the way, this account, contains a whooping Php 3.3 Billion and more than 100 other accounts have been unearthed by the Prosecution!!! 

The senators argued, pleaded & ranted for 4 hours their personal reasons for & against the envelope's opening. Senators Roco, Biazon, Guingona, Drilon, Cayetano, Loren L., Serg Osmena, Jun Magsaysay, Juan Flavier and Pimentel gave beautiful, patriotic reasons that the Filipino people had the right to know… But at the end, when the Senators voted, it was clear, as suspected, that the Impeachment Tribunal was but a mere "moro-moro" and that tonight's happening was a dress rehearsal my fearless forecast that Erap would be acquitted… Oh yes, I must mention to you that after the vote count, Tessie Aquino Oreta started jumping up & down, cheering away for Erap… Wow. Then she was seen talking to "someone" on her cellphone laughing happily, then passing the phone on to Nikki Coseteng. I hope the dailies carry out photos of her. It will make you vomit…

It's 1:15 in the morning. The lastest is that the Lower House Prosecution team headed by Joker Arroyo as well as the private prosecutors MAY ALL RESIGN according to Rep. Tanada. An indignation vigil & rally has been called by former President Cory (a Scholastican!) at the EDSA Shrine. Cardinal Sin is expected to say Holy Mass too. Noise barrages have started. Students r being asked to go to EDSA in the morning. People r now flocking to there… What happened at the Senate today was beautifully scripted by Erap & Ernie (Maceda)… Heaven help us. Something major is about to happen…  Is it EDSA II ?

I'm leaving for EDSA… PLEASE PRAY FOR US!!!!  c.a.b.