Piercing Pens

An alliance of artists advocating human rights announced today that it will be holding a series of art exhibits on the political killings, starting this mid-November.

Based on data from the human rights group Karapatan, there have been 779 victims of extra-judicial killings under the Arroyo regime from January 2001 to Nov. 5, 2006. Of this number, 338 are with known political affiliations.

Dubbed Perspektiba, the series of exhibits by Tutok Karapatan (TutoK) will open on Nov. 21 at the Beato Angelico Gallery, University of Santo Tomas (UST) with live installation by Jeho Bitancor. (more…)

If your brother goes to death row without committing a crime, would you sacrifice your freedom and get locked in too so you could help him escape? Many of us would probably say no.

Michael Scofield is different. An intelligent structural engineer, he creates a very detailed escape plan, then robs a bank and asks the judge that he be incarcerated in the prison where his brother is jailed. Tattoos play an important part in his plan. The map of the prison–as well as other details needed in the escape–is tattooed in his upper body. When he gets into prison, his Prison Break adventures start.

Micheal is a TV character, by the way. He is played by actor Wentworth Miller in the hit TV series Prison Break, which is now in its second season in the United States.

There’s a new puppy at Oriah’s house. There used to be two, but the other one died. The puppy who lived used to have a different name, but when his brother died, his name was changed to Chocnut. (Chocnut is a popular, locally made milk chocolate that sells for around one peso per piece.)

Chocnut lives in a bayong, and goes out only when he is called, and he expects to be fed when he is disturbed. Because he is an askal, I believe Chocnut does not need formal dog obedience training like other puppies.

Yesterday marked the first anniversary of the controversial Subic rape case. A Filipina woman nicknamed by the media as “Nicole” alleged that Daniel Smith, a member of the US Marines, raped her on the night of November 1, 2005. Reports say while Daniel was raping Nicole, other servicemen were cheering him on. On December 27, 2005, charges of rape were finally filed against Smith and the others at the Olongapo trial court. The case has since been transfered to a Makati court, and it is now awaiting judgment.

It was a difficult fight for Nicole. Instead of defending Nicole, the Department of (In)Justice, from the very start, lawyered for the American soldiers. First, Raul Gonzalez downgraded the charges against three of the accused US Marines from principal to accessory. Then, the government prosecutors reportedly convinced Nicole’s mother to just agree to a settlement with the suspects. And when Nicole asked that the government prosecutors be replaced, Gonzalez denied her request. The same government prosecution panel, despite the opposition of one of its members, Atty. Hazel Valdez, decided to cancel the scheduled prosecution’s rebuttal. Last we heard, Valdez has been removed from the panel.

With the DOJ on the side of the suspects, Nicole could only rely on the Filipino people’s support. Let us all hope that the Makati court will hand down a decision in favor of our kababayan.

Related link: Online Petition: Justice for Nicole, Justice for our Nation