Pero huwag akalaing pati ako’y nanlamig at walang ginagawa sa buhay. Buhay na buhay ang mokong na ‘to. Bantayan ang aking:

• Multiply
  
• Facebook

Ayown. Takits sa mga blog ko diyan.

Isa ako sa mga Staffer ng UPNWW 2009. Kasama ko sa Secretariat sina Butch Guerrero (head), Vic Nierva, at Eva Garcia-Cadiz. Si sir Rio Alma (Virgilio S. Almario) ang Workshop Director sa taong ito.

Heto ang opisyal naming press release (hindi updated ang unang lumabas sa Panitikan.com.ph):

Fellows of the 48th UP National Writers Workshop Announced

The University of the Philippines Institute of Creative Writing (UP ICW) announces the fellows to the 48th UP National Writers Workshop to be held from April 12 to 19 in Camp John Hay, Baguio City. The fellows and associates of the UP ICW selected twelve writers in mid-career to participate in the annual workshop. This year’s workshop director is National Artist for Literature Virgilio S. Almario.

This year’s fellows for English are Angelo Suarez and Carlomar Daoana for Poetry, Felisa H. Batacan and Francis Dean Alfar for fiction, and Criselda Yabes and Carljoe Javier for creative nonfiction.

Fellows for Filipino are Mikael Co and Ayer Arguelles for tula, Jing Panganiban and Vlad Gonzales for sanaysay, and Norman Wilwayco and Alvin Yapan for kuwento.

The workshop panelists are all advisers, fellows, and associates of the ICW. Aside from National Artist Almario, the panelists are National Artist for Literature Bienvenido Lumbera, ICW director Jose Dalisay, Jr., Gemino Abad, Cristina Pantoja Hidalgo, Neil Garcia, Charlson Ong, Conchitina Cruz, Jun Cruz Reyes, Victor Carmelo Nadera, Rolando Tolentino, Mario Miclat, and Romulo Baquiran, Jr.

Unlike most national writing workshops, the UP National Writers Workshop is only for advanced writers. The UP ICW is the only institution that holds a workshop of this kind in the country. The current workshop format was borne out of the need to address the dearth of venues for writers in mid-career to exchange ideas on their craft and their current literary projects.

Prior to the new format, the UP ICW has held the annual UP National Writers Workshop for the country’s most promising beginning writers since the 1960s. Through the years other writing centers of other universities have instituted their own workshops for beginning writers, thus freeing the UP ICW to address other concerns.

To qualify for the workshop, writers must satisfy the following requirements. (1) must be writers in English or Filipino; (2) must have attended at least one creative writing workshop (national/regional, including the UP National Writers’ Workshops), or earned a degree in Creative Writing/Malikhaing Pagsulat, or won at least one national/international literary award; (3) must have published at least three poems or two short stories or two pieces of creative nonfiction (e.g., essays, memoirs, profiles) in reputable collections or anthologies, journals, magazines (including campus publications), or refereed Internet web magazines, or have had a play staged.

The UP ICW is setting up a blog hub to keep the public abreast of the developments in the workshop. The hub will bring together blogs of the panelists, fellows, and staff. It will also contain more information on the workshop participants. The blog hub, which will soon be accessible, is accessible at http://upwritersworkshop09.tk.

Alas singko ng umaga bukas, Linggo, ang alis namin mula UP Diliman papuntang Baguio. Sa 19 ang uwi namin. Ikatlong balik ko ‘to sa City of Pines sa loob ng walong buwan.

Bantayan niyo lang ang official blog hub ng UPNWW ‘09 (na pinaghirapan namin ni ser Vic). May wi-fi sa Igorot Lodge kaya magiging daily ang updates sa blog. Sisikapin ko ring maglagay dito sa aking Multiply ng ilang pics at balita.

(Mula sa aking Multiply blag.)

POETRY
Ed. Mark Strand, 100 Great Poems of the English Language (The Golden Ecco Anthology), Php 115

YOUNG ADULT FICTION
Mordicai Gerstein, The Old Country, Php 10

MISC.
Dennis O’Neil (Intro by Stan Lee), The DC Comics Guide to Writing Comics, Php 239.50 (from 479)

FANTASY
R.A. Salvatore, Transcendence (Book II of the Second DemonWars Saga), Php 50 (from 325)  — pirmadong kopya ni Salvatore; taena ang tanga lang ng nagtapon/nagbenta ng librong ‘to.

SCI-FI
Ed. Keith R.A. DeCandido, Star Trek: Tales of the Dominion War, Php 50 (from 100)

FILIPINO FICTION
E. San Juan Jr., Tinik sa Kaluluwa at Iba Pang Akda, Php 35 (from 180)

Lumabas na po ang ikalimang isyu ng Bulawan Online, tampok ang mga tula, sanaysay, pagsusuri, at panayam nina Roberto T. Añonuevo, Romulo P. Baquiran Jr., V.E. Carmelo D. Nadera Jr., at Virgilio S. Almario.

Magpunta lamang po sa www.bulawanonline.com.

Patuloy naming hinihikayat ang mga batikan at nagsisimulang makata at manunulat na magpasa ng kanilang mga akda sa lathalaan. Nais naming magtampok ng mas maraming akda sa dalawang susunod na isyu ng BUL-OL bilang pagdiriwang sa nalalapit na unang anibersaryo ng magasin sa Hunyo.  

Mula sa mga editor:

ISYU BLG. 5. Ipinagmamalaking ilathala ng Bulawan Online sa isyung ito ang katangi-tanging mga akdang pampanitikan sa mga buwan ng Pebrero-Marso 2009.

Tampok din sa isyung ito ang retrato ni Phillip Kimpo Jr., ang The Spring of Spring / Unang Sibol (Manaoag, Pangasinan).

Mga sipi mula sa mga akda:

Pag-Ibig, tulang tuluyan ni Roberto T. Añonuevo:

“Tagak sa gitna ng putikan ang maglalaro sa iyong guniguni. Lilipad ang ibon at darapo sa iyong balikat. Mapuputikan ang iyong balikat, at ang iyong balikat ay waring likod ng matandang kalabaw na nalulungkot dahil nawawala ang kaibigang kalakian.”

Lipat Ospital, sanaysay ni Romulo P. Baquiran Jr.:

“Sa matino ba ako inilipat? Bakit puro may tattoo ang mga katabi kong pasyente? Hmm. Napasok ako sa ward ng mga kasangkot sa gang. Susme, mga literary gang lang ang alam ko. Sabi agad ni Manong sa katabing kama na itago ang maganda kong cellphone at baka agawin. Sa loob ng ospital? Okey, inilagay ko sa bulsa ang phone.”

Ang Kalaparan ng Kapalaran Ayon Kay Khavn de la Cruz, pagsusuri ni V.E. Carmelo D. Nadera Jr.:

“May kalaparan ang kapalaran ni Khavn. At nanganganib nga lamang siya na maging kalat ang kanyang pagkalat, kung hindi man sabog ang kanyang pagsabog, sa kanyang mga kapangyarihan bilang artista o artiste!”

Pormula ng Romansa sa Dulang Pantelebisyon, pagsusuri ni Roberto T. Añonuevo:

“Walang pinagbago ang pormula ng romansa sa dulang pantelebisyon, lalo sa dalawang pangunahing network. Inuulit-ulit lamang sa panibagong disenyo, usapan, at artista ang lahat ng kumbensiyonal na kuwento, ngunit ang esensiya ng salaysay ay nananatiling panahon pa ng kopong-kopong.”

Katahimikan, Pagnanasa at Etika ng Babae sa ”Ang Mundong Ito ay Lupa”, pagsusuri ni Romulo P. Baquiran Jr.:

“Sa isa sa pinakahuling nobela ni Edgardo M. Reyes—Ang Mundong Ito ay Lupa—may mga puwang sa salaysay na puwedeng sinadyang ginawang gayon upang hayaan ang mambabasa na siyang maglagay ng interpretasyon. Magsisilang ito ng mga katanungan at pagpapakahulugan na puwedeng nasa mismong nobela ang kasagutan. Ngunit posible ring nasa mambabasa na ang desisyon (sa pagsulat ng akda, tapos na ang trabaho ng nobelista) kung alin ang mas angkop na pagbuo ng kahulugan.”

Saan Ba Nagmula ang Panitikan?, panayam ni Virgilio S. Almario:

“Sa katà nagmula ang makatà—ma+katà, ang ibig sabihin, “marami o mahusay sa katà.” Dito natin mauugat ang popular na haka sa makata bilang sinungaling (“manlulubid ng buhangin,” “manunungkit ng bituin”) kung hindi man mapangarapin (“lumilipad ang isip.” “laging nakatuntong sa ulap,” “lumilikha ng wala”). Sa isang bandá, isang sumpa ito sa mga mambebersong bolero at matamis ang dila at ginagamit lamang ang tula upang mang-aliw ng madla o mang-akit at manlinlang ng dalaga.”

Nilalaman din ng bagong isyu ang mga bahaging:

• Mula sa Inyo — “Nabasa ko po…ang mga panukalang batas na magpapatibay sa Ingles bilang wikang panturo sa paaralan…Nakikipag-usap po ba ang mga [kapisanan ng mga manunulat] sa ating mga mambababatas upang mahimok silang tangkilikin o, kahit man lang, kilalanin ang potensyal ng Filipino bilang wikang pangkomersyal at akademiko?”
• Rio Almanac — Alamin kung sino sa mga pinagpipitaganang manunulat at makata ng Filipinas ang isinilang sa Pebrero at Marso.
• Buklatan –  Mga bagong aklat na pampanitikan o sa panitikan.

Paanyaya para sa LIRA Poetry Clinic 2009

Pormal na manunumpa sa ika-5 ng Marso ang siyam na bagong kasapi ng Linangan sa Imahen, Retorika, at Anyo (LIRA). Naging bahagi sina Mariane Abuan, Teofilo Catanyag, Perfecto Edilo, Noel Fortun, Deborah Nieto, Willester Robles, Renato Santillan, Natalie Sepe, at Ryan Tanauan ng taunang klinikang pampanulaang isinagawa ng LIRA na naglalayong isulong at paunlarin ang panulaang Filipino.

Kasabay nilang manunumpa ang bagong halal na Pamunuan ng LIRA na binubuo nina Phillip Kimpo Jr. (Pangulo), Francisco Monteseña (Pangalawang Pangulo), Vivian Limpin (Kalihim), Enrique Villasis (Ingat-Yaman), at Ynna Abuan (Tagapag-Ugnay).

Bukas nang muli ang LIRA sa mga nais magpatalâ upang lumahok sa klinika. Ang mga regular na klase, Sabado at Linggo mula 9:00 n.u. hanggang 5:00 n.h, ay tatagal mula Hunyo hanggang Agosto, subalit magkakaroon pa rin ng mga klase hanggang Disyembre.

Upang makapagpatala, magpadala ng isang Word Document file na naglalaman ng mga sumusunod: isang pahinang bio-data, ID picture, numero ng telepono, at limang tula sa Filipino sa palihan@liraonline.org. Maaari rin mag-iwan ng isang sobreng naglalaman ng mga kailangan sa pigeon hole ni Prof. Vim Nadera sa UP Institute of Creative Writing, 2/F Faculty Center, College of Arts and Letters, UP Diliman. Ang huling araw ng pagpapatalâ ay ang ika-30 ng Abril, 2009.

Ngayong 2009 ay 24 taong gulang na ang LIRA, isang samahan ng mga makatang nagsusulat sa wikang Filipino. Ang LIRA ay itinatag ni Virgilio S. Almario (mas kilala bilang Rio Alma), Pambansang Alagad ng Sining para sa Panitikan, noong 1985, at kinabibilangan ng mga premyadong makata tulad nina Roberto at Rebecca Añonuevo, Romulo Baquiran Jr., Michael Coroza, Jerry Gracio, Vim Nadera, at Edgar Samar.

Para sa dagdag na kaalaman tungkol sa LIRA, magtungo lamang sa www.liraonline.org.

* * *

Call for Submissions: LIRA Poetry Clinic 2009

On March 5, the nine new members of Linangan sa Imahen, Retorika, at Anyo (LIRA) will be formally sworn in. Mariane Abuan, Teofilo Catanyag, Perfecto Edilo, Noel Fortun, Deborah Nieto, Willester Robles, Renato Santillan, Natalie Sepe, and Ryan Tanauan are products of the yearly poetry clinic being held by LIRA in pursuit of its mission of championing Filipino poetry.

The newly elected officers of LIRA will also take their oaths alongside the new members. They are Phillip Kimpo Jr. (President), Francisco Monteseña (Vice President), Vivian Limpin (Secretary), Enrique Villasis (Treasurer), and Ynna Abuan (Public Relations Officer).

LIRA is now accepting sign-ups for its next poetry clinic. All those interested must submit one Word Document file containing the following: one-page bio data, ID picture, contact numbers, and five (5) poems in Filipino, to palihan@liraonline.org. An envelope containing the requirements may also be dropped off c/o Prof. Vim Nadera at the UP Institute of Creative Writing, 2/F Faculty Center, UP Diliman, 1101 Quezon City. All submissions should be in on or before April 30, 2009.

The regular clinic period is from June to August and will be held every Saturday and Sunday from 9:00 AM until 5:00 PM. Classes will continue until December.

Celebrating its 24th anniversary this 2009, LIRA is an organization of poets in Filipino. It was founded by National Artist for Literature Virgilio S. Almario (a.k.a. Rio Alma) in 1985 and counts among its members award-winning poets such as Roberto and Rebecca Añonuevo, Romulo Baquiran Jr., Michael Coroza, Jerry Gracio, Vim Nadera, and Edgar Samar.

For more information about LIRA, visit www.liraonline.org.

Gaya ng sinasabi ko sa mga kakilala, marami kang matututuhan mula sa LIRA workshop kahit English writer ka, o kaya nama’y fictionist, essayist, playwright, o anuman. Kahit nga ang non-writer (i.e. teacher) ay maraming mapupulot na kaalaman.

Excited na rin ako sa Workshop 2009, dahil (1) ito ang unang workshop ko bilang Pangulo ng LIRA, at (2) gusto kong makita kung mahihigitan o mapapantayan ba ng mga bagong salang ang nagdaang Batch Aranya, na pwedeng tawaging ‘exceptional’ sa kasaysayan ng LIRA.

Magpasa na sa LIRA Workshop!

Mula sa National Bookstore:

ART
Karl French, Art by Film Directors, Php 100 (from 665)

DRAMA & FICTION
Harold Pinter: Complete Works 1, Php 50 (from 525) - Nobel Laureate!

FICTION
Thomas Mann, Death in Venice & Other Stories, Php 50 (from 475) - Nobel Laureate!
Jesus Q. Cruz, Games & Other Stories, Php 20 (from 240)

HISTORICAL NONFICTION
Antonella Salomoni, Lenin and the Russian Revolution, Php 100 (from 829)

FANTASY
Alan Campbell, Scar Night (Volume One of The Deepgate Codex), Php 100 (from 785)

Mula sa Booksale:

NOVEL
F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, Php 45

FICTION & POETRY
William Carlos Williams (compiled by Robert Coles), The Doctor Stories, Php 45

SCI-FI
Orson Scott Card and Kathryn H. Kidd, Lovelock (Book 1 of The Mayflower Trilogy), Php 10

Ang ganda ng batch na ‘to. Halong classics, general info, at bagong dugo.

POETRY
The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson, Php 99
Linda Gregerson, Waterborne, Php 45
Charles Bernstein, Rough Trades, Php 45
Harryette Mullen, Sleeping with the Dictionary, Php 75
Rio Alma trans. Marne Kilates, Isang Sariling Panahon (A Time of One’s Own), regalo para sa Pasko ni ser Rio

MEMOIR
Paul Laric, My Bowl of Cherries, Php 20

SCIFI
L. Ron Hubbard, Voyage of Vengeance (Mission Earth Volume 7), Php 50
Joe Haldeman, Worlds, Php 45

FANTASY
David & Leigh Eddings, Crystal Gorge (Book 3 of The Dreamers), libre (buy 1 take 1)

PROSE
Woodrow Ohlsen & Frank Hammond, From Paragraph to Essay (Third Edition), Php 75

Nauna pa ang aking pagiging bagong Pangulo kesa sa 1st year anniversary bilang member. Di ko inakala.

Malupit talagang manggulat ang Maykapal.

Isa lang ang masasabi ko, at sasabihin ko nang paulit-ulit: Nasa huli ang biyaya.

(Sa mga di-nakakaalam, ang LIRA ay isang samahan ng mga manunulat at makatang Filipino na itinatag ng National Artist for Literature Virgilio S. Almario a.k.a. Rio Alma nong 1985.)

Mga kaibigan, ang bagong Pamunuan ng Linangan sa Imahen, Retorika, at Anyo:

• Pangulo (President) - Phillip Kimpo Jr.
• Pangalawang Pangulo (Vice-President) - Francisco “Kiko” Monteseña
• Kalihim (Secretary) - Vivian “Beng” Limpin
• Ingat-Yaman (Treasurer) - Enrique “En” Villasis
• Tagapag-ugnay (Public Relations Officer) - Mariane Amor Romina “Ynna” Abuan

[Para sa mga retrato namin, magtungo sa orihinal na blog post sa Multiply.]

Mabuhay ang bagong Pamunuan ng LIRA!

Nais naming magpasalamat sa mga outgoing officers. Sila ang naglatag at naglunsad ng maraming magagandang proyekto para sa organisasyon. Nawa’y pagpalain sina Beverly Siy (pangulo), Raul “Tata” Funilas (pangalawang pangulo), Maureen Gaddi dela Cruz (kalihim), at Pamela Maranca (ingat-yaman) sa kanilang mga susunod na gawain sa buhay. (Si En ang PRO dati pero naglilingkod uli sa Pamunuan ngayon.)

Nais din naming batiin ang mga bagong pasok na kasapi ng LIRA:

Mga Ganap na Kasapi

• Mariane Abuan
• Teofilo Catanyag
• Perfecto Edilo
• Noel Fortun
• Deborah Nieto
• Willester Robles
• Renato Santillan
• Natalie Sepe
• Ryan Tanauan

Probationary Member

• Gigi Constantino
• Sheila del Mundo

Aaminin kong kinakabahan akong magsilbing pinuno ng isang tanyag na organisasyon, lalo na’t bata pa ako at isang taon pa lang mula nang nanumpa ako bilang kasapi. Ngunit kasabay ng kaba ang pananabik — labis akong natutuwa sa lineup ng officers pati na rin sa bagong dugo ng LIRA, at gusto ko nang makatrabaho ang mga kaibigan kong ito para sa pagpapaunlad ng panitikan sa Filipinas.

Sa mga nagsisimulang makata at manunulat, bantayan lang po ang aming website dahil malapit na po kaming magbukas ng Fellowships para sa LIRA Poetry Clinic 2009. Kita kits sa Hunyo para sa simula ng mga worksyap!

Ang bilis ng isang buwan.

Noong Bagong Taon, nagsisimula pa lang ang pinakamasaklap na yugto ng buhay ko — ang pagkakadawit ni Dad sa “panunuhol” sa Alabang Boys case. Ang hirap talaga, sobrang hirap ng mga pinagdaanan namin. Nagawa ko ang mga bagay na di ko sukat akalaing magagawa ko — ipagtanggol si Dad sa diyaryo, lunukin ang ‘pride’ at magpadala ng sangkaterbang text at email sa kahit di ka-close, magpa-interview kay Ces Drilon, at kung ano-ano pa.

Langya ‘yan. Di ko rin sukat akalain na lahat ng iyon, maipapanalo rin ang laban.

Nagawa ko.

Kaya ko pala.

At panulat lang ang naging sandata ko. Kaya kahit matagal ko nang tinatawag ang sarili kong manunulat, nitong buwan ko lang talaga naisapuso ang kasabihang “the pen is mightier than the sword.”

Sa ibang panahon na ako makapagsusulat ng isang mas mahaba at ‘tunay’ na sanaysay tungkol sa mga nangyari, kaya heto ang isang summary:

• Umabot pala sa kung saan-saan ang liham kong nagtatanggol kay Dad. Nabasa ng mga congressmen, ng mga pulitiko, ng mga abogado, ng mga pulis, ng kung sino-sino.
• Sa mga congressional hearing at imbestigasyon ng NBI, lumabas na walang basehan ang mga alegasyon kay Dad. (Kung meron sa ibang opisyal/piskal, wala na akong pakialam doon.) Sabi nga ni Ynna, para na ngang ‘non-existent’ si Dad sa mga huling hearing at mga balita.
• Binuksan ni Dad ang kanyang mga bank account sa Congress. Sinabi niya ang laman ng isang account: mga 3000 pesos (oo, tatlong libo) lang. Napatawa ang mga tao. Sabi ni Tita Baby, nagpalakpakan sila sa kanilang office sa puntong ito.
• Nang nabasa daw ng boss ni Tita Baby (sa Bangko Sentral) ang liham ko, ipinaskil nila iyon sa bulletin board para mabasa ng lahat.
• Nag-waive na si Dad ng kanyang bank secrecy rights. Pwede nang busisiin ng gobyerno ang laman ng lahat ng bank account niya. Baka mapatawa lang ang mga magbubusisi, dahil nga sa halip na “unexplained wealth,” “unexplained poverty” ang makikita nila.
• Sumikat ang bulok naming kotse dahil nabigyan ng media exposure. Hehe. Di na namin ibebenta ito. Pang-museum piece na!
• Naaalala niyo si Major Marcelino? ‘Yung militar na nasa PDEA na tinanghal na bayani sa media noong simula ng kontrobersiya? (PDEA ang naging katunggali ng DOJ sa kasong ito.) Sa isang hearing, lumapit siya at nakipagkamay kay Dad. Sabi niya, “Ser, nabasa ko ang letter ng anak mo.”

Ayun lang muna. Basta, masaya ako. At sa tingin ko, panahon na na ibalik ko sa normal ang buhay ko.

Isang buwan ng katarantaduhan ang pinagdaanan ko, pero sa pagsimula ng bagong buwan (Pebrero), para bang binigyan ako ng Diyos ng isang sumisigaw na mensahe: “Eto, LIRA president ka na. Tagumpay ‘yan. Kung di mo inaasahan ang Alabang Boys issue, di mo rin inaasahan ang ganito kalaking biyaya. Pambawi ‘yan sa pinagdaanan mo, and more.”

(Naks nagta-Taglish ang Diyos.)

Salamat sa lahat, sa lahat, sa lahat, at sa lahat. Mula sa Maykapal hanggang sa langgam. Sa lahat ng nagpakita ng suporta, susubukan kong magpasalamat sa inyo isa-isa, pero maniwala kayo, tinatandaan ko kayong lahat. Mahal ko kayo.

Enero 2 nang may sinulat akong liham na di ko akalaing napakalaki nang magiging epekto. Ngayon, Pebrero 5, tatapusin ko ‘tong blog post na ‘to kung paano ko sinimulan ang liham.

Eto si Phillip Kimpo Jr., 23, manunulat, makata, blogger. Nagsisimulang maglingkod sa panitikang Filipino bilang Pangulo ng LIRA…at nagsisimulang muli.

(At simulan na ang pag-a-upload muli ng nakabinbing photo albums!)

(Note: Portions of this letter appeared in the Jan. 5 issue of The Philippine Star, in Mr. Jarius Bondoc’s column at page 11. It’s a reaction to the Jan. 2 column of the same writer. It can also be found online at: http://thecorsarius.multiply.com/journal/item/42/My_Letter_to_The_Philippine_Star )

Dear Sir Jarius Bondoc,

May you have a blessed 2009! Please let me introduce myself. My name is Phillip Kimpo Jr., 23, a writer, poet, and blogger. I am a member of the LIRA Filipino poetry group and of UMPIL (Writers Union of the Philippines).

If my name sounds familiar, maybe it is, albeit for the wrong reason. I am the only child of Senior State Prosecutor Phillip I. Kimpo, one of the prosecutors falsely and unfairly involved in the alleged Php50-M DOJ bribery attempt.

First, a disclaimer: I am not writing on behalf of my father. I believe that he would discourage me from writing this if he knew. He would not let me get involved in matters of his work. I am writing this as a son who deeply cares for his one remaining parent, a son who has lived a simple and sometimes difficult life because his father maintains to this very day an honest lifestyle. (I even like to call him “honest to a fault.”)

I have always regarded you as a journalist and columnist of high integrity. Thus, it came as a painful shock to read your January 2 column in The Philippine Star.

Being a writer myself, I know that it is perfectly right to express one’s opinion, especially in one’s own newspaper space. But it was very disheartening to read your own take on the matter:

“As it turned out in the case of the ‘Alabang Boys,’ the narcs were dedicated to duty. But not the prosecutors on whom they relied for the requisite criminal proceedings…The PDEA found out that P50 million changed hands for the three suspects to get out of jail before Christmas…It is likely that the prosecutors did mess up the case.”

You wrote of the changing of cash as if it were historical fact, not mere allegation. As far as I know by keeping tabs on the news, PDEA has yet to present proof of the alleged bribery attempt.

On the other hand, there was strong evidence for the case’s dismissal, as stated in the investigating prosecutor’s resolution. Quoting Inquirer’s own January 2 news article:

“The resolution dismissed the case because of the illegal warrantless arrests and warrantless searches on the vehicles of the three suspects.

The resolution also noted the excessive use of force against the respondents, pointing to several grave improprieties of the PDEA agents such as the mauling of Brodette while his hand were tied and the shooting of the right front tire of a Honda Accord. It also pointed to seven other bullet holes.

In their sworn statements, the respondents complained to the DoJ that one of the PDEA agents said that if the operation happened outside the posh subdivision in Alabang, they would not be alive.

“Kung sa labas ito nangyari at walang witness, tigok na sila (If it happened outside [the subdivision], and there were no witnesses, they would have been dead),” the PDEA agent was quoted as saying.

The resolution particularly noted that Joseph was “under the control of the PDEA agents without the presence of any counsel when information against respondent Tecson was extracted from him.”"

For the record: my father NEVER received any bribe money for the “Alabang Boys” case. In fact, he has NEVER received any bribe money in his entire career. If he did, we would now be wallowing in wealth instead of driving an old car and renting an apartment unit. Kahit tingnan pa nila ang laman ng mga bank account namin, wala silang makikita. We have nothing to hide. Even my dad’s fellow public servants at the DOJ know of his incorruptible character.

While we haven’t exactly lived a hand-to-mouth existence, we have followed a modest life all these years. It is very heart-wrenching to see all our sacrifices tarnished by false allegations. I never imagined that one day, I would be a writing a letter such as this.

At the risk of getting soppy, there was a time in my childhood days when our apartment unit was the only one along the street that was lit by candles. (Unpaid electricity bills.) There was a time when we had to settle for Maggi-and-egg dinners, on loan from the nearby sari-sari store. Nililista lang, walang pambayad e. There was a time when my only entertainment were books and radyo-nobelas, because we had no money to fix or replace our broken TV. (Of course, these problems do not compare to the poverty experienced by millions of Filipinos, but these are problems you wouldn’t expect to find in the homes of people of high position.)

If my dad wanted to give me a more comfortable life through unethical deeds, he would’ve already done it back then. But he stuck to his principles, principles I dearly believe in and espouse through my literary works.

Our financial situation only took a turn for the better when I became a scholar in the Philippine Science High School, which was followed by UP Diliman. The free tuition took a lot of the burden off the shoulders of my father. Even in UP, I worked as a Student Assistant, carrying computers despite my asthma, so I can chip in my meager Php 2,500 monthly salary to our finances.

I am currently working at home as a freelance Internet writer while finishing my first book. Now, because I’m able to help with the bills, the belts around our waists aren’t as tight as before…which is another reason why my father does not need extra money obtained deeply against his values. Who needs millions when you can have a peaceful, guilt-free life?

We rent an apartment unit in Galas, Quezon City, and this is the only home I’ve known in my whole life. Our car is an old, dented, second-hand Mitsubishi Lancer whose headlights are nearly falling off their sockets and whose paint is cracked and flaking. We have stuck with this car because we don’t have the luxury to buy a new one, and also because why would we? It’s not a necessity to have a great car. Our old Lancer, while a tad embarrassing to ride in, suits our needs just fine. We don’t feel the pressure to have a shiny model to park side by side with other government officials’ more grandiose cars.

(If you have doubts about this tale of mine, I will gladly meet you so I can ‘tour’ you around our apartment unit and show you our car. My contact details are at this letter’s end. My main website is also there; my life is kind of an open book in my online journals.)

To be honest, I am not expecting a response from you — after all, who am I to elicit a reply from one of the country’s top columnists? Still, I am hoping that my letter will somehow urge you to take a second look at your views upon the matter, and that you will share this with your many readers. Yes, people, there are honest prosecutors in the Philippines. Hopefully, your column will be a medium with which to spread that message.

Sir, you too are a son like me, so you understand my pain and my personal intentions. As a journalist, you have championed the truth for years probably longer than my young lifetime. We are both writers. I was a campus journalist. I also believe in the truth, and I pray that it will come out soon so that my dad and I can go back to living a simple — and quiet — life.

Thank you very much for your time. May God bless you.

Kindly yours,

Phillip Kimpo Jr.
http://phillip.kimpo.ph