Even though I finished a degree in Philosophy in my Bachelor's, I'll still pursue it in the Graduate school and beyond because of love. I know, it's a corny reason, but love makes you corny, and loving wisdom makes me corny, so sue me.

Anywho, as the days pass and I grow older in this discipline, I realize the extent of my own stupidity. And realizing how big are these gaps, my appetite for knowledge is whetted all the more.

You see, the battle against ignorance and suffering is a life-long battle, and our only consolation, aside of course having the good life, is an ice-cold beer by the end of every week. Cheers.

Since Wikipedia wouldn't simply do.



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7th February 2012

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Sen. Francis Escudero 
Vetting justices
MANILA, Philippines - Sen. Francis Escudero, as a member  of the vetting body for aspirants to the judiciary, voted to include  Supreme Court Associate Justice Renato Corona in their shortlist for the  post of Chief Justice in May 2010. 
Escudero is the Senate representative in the Judicial and  Bar Council (JBC), which screens and nominates contenders to posts in  the judiciary. The JBC was put in a difficult spot in 2010 after another  member, then Quezon City Rep. Matias Defensor, said that the council  should start the selection process for Chief Justice amid an appointment  ban. 
The President is barred from making any appointments 2  months before the elections and up until her term ends on June 30, but  the SC eventually ruled that the judiciary is exempted from this ban. 
Before the Court ruled on the matter, Escudero said he  expressed the hope that the JBC submit its shortlist after the High  Tribunal rules on it. When it did, he said that he was “disappointed.”
In July 2011, allegations came out that Escudero accompanied retired  Court of Appeals Justice Artemio Tuquero to a meeting with President  Benigno Aquino III. Tuquero was one of the aspirants to the post of  ombudsman then. Tuquero is a member of the powerful religious  organization Iglesia ni Cristo, along with retired Supreme Court Justice  Serafin Cuevas, Corona’s lead counsel in his impeachment trial.  
Escudero also is a key ally of Vice President Jejomar  Binay, who is fighting an electoral protest filed by Mar Roxas with the  Presidential Electoral Tribunal that is headed by Corona.
Age: 42 
Profession: A partner in the law firm Escudero, Marasigan, Sta. Ana, Vallente and Villareal Law Office.
Fraternity: Alpha Phi Beta. One of his  fraternity brothers include retired SC Chief Justice Reynato Puno, Ramon  Esguerra, one of Corona’s lawyers and spokespersons, and Roan Libarios,  current president of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines. (The IBP  has expressed its support for Corona).  
Senate bloc: Escudero  resigned from the Nationalist People’s Coalition in 2010. He is  considered an administration ally, supporting then presidential  candidate Benigno Aquino III in the 2010 elections. But Escudero  endorsed then Makati  Mayor Jejomar Binay for the vice-presidency,  instead of backing Aquino’s running mate,  Sen. Manuel ‘Mar’ Roxas.  Roxas filed an electoral protest against Binay before the Presidential  Electoral Tribunal, which is also composed of the SC. The case is still  pending.  
Senate committee: Justice and Human Rights, Environment and Natural Resources 
Senate term: First.(Escudero is up for re-election in 2013). 
Political Party: Independent 
Role in previous impeachments: Escudero,  then an NPC member, signed the impeachment complaint against Chief  Justice Hilario Davide in 2003. His partymates Rep. Gilbert Teodoro and  Rep. Felix Fuentebella filed the complaint over the alleged malversation  of the Judiciary Development Fund.
Corona’s purported refusal to account for the JDF and the special allowances for judges is the eighth article of impeachment.  
Position aired and published on Corona and on issues related to the Articles of Impeachment: 
He said Akbayan, a  party-list group that supports Aquino, did not have the standing to ask  Corona to inhibit from the cases involving former President and now  Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
Akbayan urged Corona to inhibit from the cases questioning  the constitutionality of the watch list order issued against Arroyo and  the joint panel (composed of the Department of Justice and the  Commission on Elections) which investigated her on charges of electoral  sabotage.
Escudero agreed with the High Court’s issuance of a  temporary restraining order enjoining the DOJ from enforcing its watch  list order against Arroyo and her husband, Jose Miguel. Escudero said  that what the DOJ should have done was to file a case against her with a  court.
Palace insiders have said that Escudero tried to discourage President Aquino from pursuing the impeachment of Corona. - Rappler.com 
Sources: www.newsbreak.ph, inquirer.net

Sen. Francis Escudero 

Vetting justices

MANILA, Philippines - Sen. Francis Escudero, as a member of the vetting body for aspirants to the judiciary, voted to include Supreme Court Associate Justice Renato Corona in their shortlist for the post of Chief Justice in May 2010. 

Escudero is the Senate representative in the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC), which screens and nominates contenders to posts in the judiciary. The JBC was put in a difficult spot in 2010 after another member, then Quezon City Rep. Matias Defensor, said that the council should start the selection process for Chief Justice amid an appointment ban. 

The President is barred from making any appointments 2 months before the elections and up until her term ends on June 30, but the SC eventually ruled that the judiciary is exempted from this ban. 

Before the Court ruled on the matter, Escudero said he expressed the hope that the JBC submit its shortlist after the High Tribunal rules on it. When it did, he said that he was “disappointed.”

In July 2011, allegations came out that Escudero accompanied retired Court of Appeals Justice Artemio Tuquero to a meeting with President Benigno Aquino III. Tuquero was one of the aspirants to the post of ombudsman then. Tuquero is a member of the powerful religious organization Iglesia ni Cristo, along with retired Supreme Court Justice Serafin Cuevas, Corona’s lead counsel in his impeachment trial.  

Escudero also is a key ally of Vice President Jejomar Binay, who is fighting an electoral protest filed by Mar Roxas with the Presidential Electoral Tribunal that is headed by Corona.

Age: 42 

Profession: A partner in the law firm Escudero, Marasigan, Sta. Ana, Vallente and Villareal Law Office.

Fraternity: Alpha Phi Beta. One of his fraternity brothers include retired SC Chief Justice Reynato Puno, Ramon Esguerra, one of Corona’s lawyers and spokespersons, and Roan Libarios, current president of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines. (The IBP has expressed its support for Corona).  

Senate bloc: Escudero resigned from the Nationalist People’s Coalition in 2010. He is considered an administration ally, supporting then presidential candidate Benigno Aquino III in the 2010 elections. But Escudero endorsed then Makati  Mayor Jejomar Binay for the vice-presidency, instead of backing Aquino’s running mate,  Sen. Manuel ‘Mar’ Roxas. Roxas filed an electoral protest against Binay before the Presidential Electoral Tribunal, which is also composed of the SC. The case is still pending.  

Senate committee: Justice and Human Rights, Environment and Natural Resources 

Senate term: First.(Escudero is up for re-election in 2013). 

Political Party: Independent 

Role in previous impeachments: Escudero, then an NPC member, signed the impeachment complaint against Chief Justice Hilario Davide in 2003. His partymates Rep. Gilbert Teodoro and Rep. Felix Fuentebella filed the complaint over the alleged malversation of the Judiciary Development Fund.

Corona’s purported refusal to account for the JDF and the special allowances for judges is the eighth article of impeachment.  

Position aired and published on Corona and on issues related to the Articles of Impeachment:

He said Akbayan, a party-list group that supports Aquino, did not have the standing to ask Corona to inhibit from the cases involving former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

Akbayan urged Corona to inhibit from the cases questioning the constitutionality of the watch list order issued against Arroyo and the joint panel (composed of the Department of Justice and the Commission on Elections) which investigated her on charges of electoral sabotage.

Escudero agreed with the High Court’s issuance of a temporary restraining order enjoining the DOJ from enforcing its watch list order against Arroyo and her husband, Jose Miguel. Escudero said that what the DOJ should have done was to file a case against her with a court.

Palace insiders have said that Escudero tried to discourage President Aquino from pursuing the impeachment of Corona. - Rappler.com 

Sources: www.newsbreak.ph, inquirer.net

Tagged: sen. escuderoimpeachment trialcoronarappler

Source: rappler.com