In Medias Res Archives | Page 22 of 26

Saint George as the dragon

TO THE English philosopher Edmund Burke we owe the observation that among the three Estates (the Aristocracy, the Clergy, and the Commons) in Parliament is a Fourth: the Press. While not a physically visible presence in the benches, said Burke, the Fourth Estate is a power nevertheless, and "more...

A walking smoke bomb

ANY NEWS subject who likes to hide simply cannot abide Raissa Robles: she’s a walking smoke bomb. And she has never been so challenged, she herself admits, as during the impeachment trial of the chief justice, Renato Corona. In fact, even now that Corona already has been judged guilty and...

Media and Leaks

No need to review the decision of the Senate Impeachment Court. The law is clear. “The Senate shall have the sole power to try and decide all cases of impeachment. When sitting for that purpose, the Senators shall have the sole power to try and decide all...

The media and human rights (Updated)

A PHILIPPINE delegation headed by Justice Secretary Leila de Lima has left the country for Geneva, Switzerland to attend the second cycle of the United Nations Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of the human rights situation of the Philippines and to defend the Philippine human rights record.

Misplaced sympathy

NO MATTER if brought upon oneself, misery is bound to attract sympathy. It all seems a natural arrangement, one that tends even to affirm such innate goodness of man as man likes to believe. But carried to such lengths as giving misery the company it precisely courts, and proverbially...

Corona’s Cheek

I found it difficult to listen to the lengthy remarks of Renato Corona, besieged Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, who on the 40th day of the impeachment trial had taken the stand as a witness for the defense. I was primed to have the witness be treated as...

Media as politics

POLITICS IS the never-ending story in the Philippine setting, where, as one election is concluded, the politicians are already building alliances and filling their war chests for the next one. The elections of 2010 may have been over only 24 months ago, but preparations are already under way for...

Moment of truth

WHEN HE comes on Tuesday (May 22) Chief Justice Renato Corona will be appearing at his own impeachment trial for the first time. He did come on its opening day, on Jan. 16, but sat in the privilege boxes, looking more like one of the famous in the gallery...

Again, into the fray!

I would have preferred to leave the brawl in the baggage area of NAIA 3 (Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3) involving media and showbiz personalities without much more comment than Center for Media Freedom & Responsibility’s monitor which focused mainly on the treatment of the incident as front-page...

Censorship in disguise

RESPONDING TO widespread public criticism of the on-the-air veiled threats, curses and macho posturing of the mainstays of one of their highest-rating “public service” programs when they were commenting on the May 6 airport scuffle between Philippine Daily Inquirer columnist Ramon Tulfo and the group of actor Raymart Santiago...