Robredo spokesperson Hernandez, right, supposedly in Marawi while her boss was partying in Los Angeles, California,
MARAWI CITY, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles, Davao Bureau) – Leni Robredo herself has said that the “only power of the Vice President is to wait for something to happen to the President.” So why is she sticking her finger in every issue and criss-crossing the country and the world as an official Philippine representative?
Well, Robredo’s spokesperson, Georgina Hernandez, has the answer: Robredo is actually a “Second” Philippine President.
“The framers of our constitution designed it that way — that our country will have two presidents — the President and the Second President,” Hernandez said. “That’s the reason Leni is called “Pangalawang Pangulo,” which all Filipinos know to translate to “Second President.”
MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles, Manila Bureau) – In a little-known class action law suit filed recently by a group of constitutionalists, the Philippine Supreme Court has ruled that Rappler, the online news source, is “unconstitutional.”
The adverse verdict is a devastating blow to Rappler CEO Maria Ressa who, in a counter-petition asked the high court to allow her to “take back the Internet.”
The ruling was largely based on a constitutional provision that expressly prohibits foreign equity in mass media, except recording (Article XVI, Sec. 11).
It is no secret that one of Rappler’s investors is Omidyar Network, the fund created by eBay founder and entrepreneur Pierre Omidyar and his wife Pam to help businesses use markets and technology for social impact. Omidyar is also CEO and publisher of Honolulu Civil Beat, a local news service in Hawaii.
No less than Rappler announced the foreign investment by Omidyar way back in 2015.
But Ressa is known to never easily give up on anything.
Taking advantage of the loophole in the constitutional provision that exempts recording form foreign mass media investments, Ressa announced today that she is converting Rappler into a recording company with a unique concept:
All its news and commentary will be sung by recording artists which will practically shield the online news source from the investment prohibition.
As of press time, it wasn’t clear whether Ressa or Rappler’s star reporter Pia Rañada will be among the recording artists that will be featured in the new, improved company.
MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles, Manila Bureau) – In a rare but poignant moment in Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno’s career as adjudicator of the law, she sat down one-on-one with The Adobo Chronicles to address criticism about her recent speech at her alma mater, Ateneo University.
Here’s the unedited transcript:
AC: Thanks for giving us this opportunity to talk to you, Madam Chief Justice.
Sereno: Oh, it’s my pleasure. With so much misinformation and fake news that’s out there today, I felt I needed to talk to a reliable, non-partisan news outlet to address some issues relating to a recent speech of mine.
AC: Yes, in that speech you said and we quote, “The culture of impunity is on the rise.” What do you mean by that?
Sereno: Aha! That was the first misquote about my speech. What I said was that the culture of IMPURITY is on the rise.
AC: Can you elaborate?
Sereno: In the atmosphere of divisiveness in our country today, I really question the purity of thought of many of those who are opposed to our President, Rodrigo Duterte. I feel that they say and do things that they themselves do not believe in. All they want is to paint a horrible picture of our president and country so that they can get back in power. To this day, they are still in denial that they have lost the trust of the Filipino people and that they no longer have the moral ascendancy to govern. All they see is what comes to them through their yellow-colored lenses.
AC: In your speech, you also urged the graduates to, and again we quote, “speak out with truth even against the overwhelming tide of popular opinion and reach out to the oppressed and disenfranchised.” Who are these “oppressed and disenfranchised?”
Sereno: Again, I was misquoted. I didn’t say “tide.” I hate Tide. I’m more of a “Surf” person. My laundry is cleaner and smells fresher with Surf. Tide is so 20th century. Surf is now the popular choice among Filipino housewives.
AC: And by “oppressed and disenfranchised” you mean…
Sereno: The likes of Jim Paredes, Cynthia Patag, Leah Navarro, Raissa Robles and Carlos Celdran. For heaven’s sake, the beating they are getting on social media is so oppressive. I mean, they are just exercising their constitutional right to free speech. It doesn’t matter that what they say is dumb. We should all defend their right to say it.
As for the “disenfranchised,” I was referring to Maria Ressa and Rappler. I mean, the Internet has been taken away from Ressa, and we should support her in her demand to “take back the Internet.”
AC: Any comment on Senator Bongbong Marcos’ petition to take back the Vice Presidency from Leni Robredo?
Sereno: Sorry, I cannot comment on pending cases before the Supreme Court. You just have to wait for our final verdict.
The Adobo Chronicles 
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