ANG KORTE SUPREMA. BOW!!!
Dahil sobrang pagod na ako sa araw na ito. Na kahit ako'y hilong-hilo na dahil sa epekto ng mahiwagang tableta na kung tawagin ay valium, na subalit kahit na hilong-hilo na ako, ay hindi pa rin ako makatulog dahil mainit sa 'aula' ko sapagkat sira ang aking makinang pampalamig ng hangin. Ikwekwento ko na lang ang mga naganap sa araw na ito.
Enough of Tagalog, I'm running out of words... This is every law student's dream. To meet the members of the Supreme Court EN BANC! Ok, we've been assigned by her Excellency, Samantha Camitan to perform the 'extra-judicial' function of USHERING at the misnomered Davide Lecture at the Thomas Aquinas Research Complex. But before that... we had to dig in at some yellow cab pizza at the Council Office to give us much needed energy. NOT! Why mismonered? (BTW, there is no such word as misnomered. I just coined it to suit my sentences.) Because he wasn't the one who was lecturing. The project was merely initiated by him, so the name stuck on. The lecturer was Former Senator JOVITO SALONGA, now already 85 years old and hard of hearing, but still a sharp jurist and a knight of the old order. (I should have brought my Public International Law Book and had it autographed!)
We we're there nervously waiting at the TARC Gate at least an hour before three o clock. Then around 2:15, guess what... Don Jovito Salonga already arrived. Frail and Fragile. Slowly getting out from his car. Our first glimpse of an eminent jurist and authority in law, in a long line to come, which shall I say, the Thomasian Legal Oscars.
One by one they came. I was assigned to assist Justice Consuelo Ynares-Santiago. Carrying the quasi-sash/quasi medallion/quasi lei that I shall place around her neck while saying GOOD AFTERNOON MADAME JUSTICE, WELCOME TO JOLLIBEE! But she, along with Justice Minita Chico-Naszario and Justice Gutierrez were almost the third to the last to arrive. Another vehicle came in, with plate number 10Phlja. Sabi ni manong SUPREME COURT ADVANCE PARTY Security Guard, si Justice Herrera daw yun. Huh?! Taga-saan siya? Court of Appeals? Sandigan? BUT WADAPAK! Nobody was there to welcome Retired Justice Herrera. Quick thinking Jason... push me over the steps. GOOD AFTERNOON MA'AM, WELCOME TO UST. I'M... (What's My Name?!!!) ROMMEL, I'LL BE ASSISTING YOU TO YOUR SEAT. (gasp!!!!)
Yes, the grand old lady was someone I know. She's someone whom I felt like I knew before. From the SCRA. Actually, she looks like one of the actresses in the JOY LUCK CLUB, ten or fifteen years after the film. So firm and regal like a dowager augusta. Her grey hair blending with her grey 'Queen Elizabeth' type power dress and a grey shoal. My first major guest to assist on to their places at the imperial purple covered seats at the congested but hi-tech auditorium. Siya pala... the One, the only, AMEURFINA MELENCIO-HERRERA. Even typing down her name gives me the shivers. AMEURFINA MELENCIO-HERRERA.
Second guest to assist... well, a nobody. Just a professor from the UE College of Law.
Mind you people, we know the Justices of the Supreme Court by NAME only. We read their decisions, and we admired and/or hated their writing style and how they ratiocinized the ratio decidendi or the obiter dictums, separate, dissenting or concurring opinions. We are not familiar with their faces. Except of course for the CHIEF. So, we got ourselves computer printed pictures which were probably taken five years ago or what.
One by one they came. Azcuna, Callejo, Garcia, Tinga, CA Presiding Justice Brawner, etc. Then the ultimate lord of all. CHIEF JUSTICE HILARIO DAVIDE, JR. with his wife, arriving in a Black Camry (wow!) with plate number J-1. I was side swept by the wretched groupie of mine who wanted to either take a closer look or wanted to creep away because of the divine legal light emanating from this man. He exuded a warm personality. He shook hands with all the usherettes. I was at the back. Opportunity missed.
A few minutes later, came Toyota HiAce Van with J-10 plate number. The rest of the Madames has arrived. Justice Chico-Naszario in Pink, Justice Consuelo Ynares-Santiago in Ocean Blue and Justice Gutierrez in Mint Green. Wow. Powerpacked. These women are the ones whom we render hyperdoulia. Madame Ynares-Santiago was nice. So grandmotherly. They didn't mind us 'cam whoring' when the official photographers asked them to pose. Why did we do it in the first place? Eventually I realized I wouldn't be getting a copy of that picture anyways. :P
So there, we had to cut ourselves across Dean Aligada, Justice Lantin and several other old people just to assist them to their seats. It was like a reunion for them. We couldn't get them to sit down then and there because they had to make beso-beso with every other person. I felt like a twirp.
The work wasn't done. We had other problems. The Culling kids have arrived. Bwiset. Napuno tuloy ang auditorium. Ang ingay nila. They ain't supposed to be there. But what can we do? It was Severus Snape who invited the whole house of Slytherin.
Because of the number of people, we had to improvise and get an AV in order to show the proceedings outside. Lakad dito lakad duon. Lakad lakad, kabit ng ganito, alisin ang ganuon. Alalayan si Inang Ameurfina palabas ng pinto at baka mabasag.
It was tiring. But it was worth it. I've seen the members of the Supreme Court. Like, I've been to law student heaven.
The other characters... I must mention...in attendance was Atty. Palacios a.k.a Lolo Pepe, Judge Oscar Herrera a.k.a. Redford White, Justice Japar 'Japs' Dimaampao, Justice Lantin, Justice Bernardo Pardo, Friendster Ricky Buko de la Cruz, Atty. Hector Culilong a.k.a feeling masyado, Judge Philip 'Fashion Police' Aguinaldo, and of course, Atty. Rene Gorospe... who was mangled alive by the Justices during the oral arguments of the recent E-VAT Law, R.A. 91something.
When the event was over, I had to hold the door so that everyone could get out. I was stupidly saying to every justice and lawyer 'THANK YOU FOR COMING'. Where in hell did I get that? Why the fuck did I say that? Jollibee syndrome? But hey, it's but proper ain't it? Protocol...
Then Lo and Behold, He walks alone. After almost everyone have left the auditorium.
Thank You Sir!' Staring Blankly at his sublime face. Then he nodded at me. With a slightly controlled smile. Saying Nothing. Raising his right hand to me. Slowly I raised mind to receive him. And with a firm grasp, he shook my hand.
I shook hands with CHIEF JUSTICE HILARIO DAVIDE.
Stunned. Gawking. Amazed was I.
He walked away after that. Slowly. Looking to the crowd. I turned my head around in order to see Sen. Salonga and Justice Melencio Herrera as they walk out.
After five minutes. Tyrol who was six feet away from me at the exit area told me:
"Muntik nang matumba si chief justice."
"Hah?! Baket?!"
"Akala niya hagdanan yung ramp."
END.
Enough of Tagalog, I'm running out of words... This is every law student's dream. To meet the members of the Supreme Court EN BANC! Ok, we've been assigned by her Excellency, Samantha Camitan to perform the 'extra-judicial' function of USHERING at the misnomered Davide Lecture at the Thomas Aquinas Research Complex. But before that... we had to dig in at some yellow cab pizza at the Council Office to give us much needed energy. NOT! Why mismonered? (BTW, there is no such word as misnomered. I just coined it to suit my sentences.) Because he wasn't the one who was lecturing. The project was merely initiated by him, so the name stuck on. The lecturer was Former Senator JOVITO SALONGA, now already 85 years old and hard of hearing, but still a sharp jurist and a knight of the old order. (I should have brought my Public International Law Book and had it autographed!)
We we're there nervously waiting at the TARC Gate at least an hour before three o clock. Then around 2:15, guess what... Don Jovito Salonga already arrived. Frail and Fragile. Slowly getting out from his car. Our first glimpse of an eminent jurist and authority in law, in a long line to come, which shall I say, the Thomasian Legal Oscars.
One by one they came. I was assigned to assist Justice Consuelo Ynares-Santiago. Carrying the quasi-sash/quasi medallion/quasi lei that I shall place around her neck while saying GOOD AFTERNOON MADAME JUSTICE, WELCOME TO JOLLIBEE! But she, along with Justice Minita Chico-Naszario and Justice Gutierrez were almost the third to the last to arrive. Another vehicle came in, with plate number 10Phlja. Sabi ni manong SUPREME COURT ADVANCE PARTY Security Guard, si Justice Herrera daw yun. Huh?! Taga-saan siya? Court of Appeals? Sandigan? BUT WADAPAK! Nobody was there to welcome Retired Justice Herrera. Quick thinking Jason... push me over the steps. GOOD AFTERNOON MA'AM, WELCOME TO UST. I'M... (What's My Name?!!!) ROMMEL, I'LL BE ASSISTING YOU TO YOUR SEAT. (gasp!!!!)
Yes, the grand old lady was someone I know. She's someone whom I felt like I knew before. From the SCRA. Actually, she looks like one of the actresses in the JOY LUCK CLUB, ten or fifteen years after the film. So firm and regal like a dowager augusta. Her grey hair blending with her grey 'Queen Elizabeth' type power dress and a grey shoal. My first major guest to assist on to their places at the imperial purple covered seats at the congested but hi-tech auditorium. Siya pala... the One, the only, AMEURFINA MELENCIO-HERRERA. Even typing down her name gives me the shivers. AMEURFINA MELENCIO-HERRERA.
Second guest to assist... well, a nobody. Just a professor from the UE College of Law.
Mind you people, we know the Justices of the Supreme Court by NAME only. We read their decisions, and we admired and/or hated their writing style and how they ratiocinized the ratio decidendi or the obiter dictums, separate, dissenting or concurring opinions. We are not familiar with their faces. Except of course for the CHIEF. So, we got ourselves computer printed pictures which were probably taken five years ago or what.
One by one they came. Azcuna, Callejo, Garcia, Tinga, CA Presiding Justice Brawner, etc. Then the ultimate lord of all. CHIEF JUSTICE HILARIO DAVIDE, JR. with his wife, arriving in a Black Camry (wow!) with plate number J-1. I was side swept by the wretched groupie of mine who wanted to either take a closer look or wanted to creep away because of the divine legal light emanating from this man. He exuded a warm personality. He shook hands with all the usherettes. I was at the back. Opportunity missed.
A few minutes later, came Toyota HiAce Van with J-10 plate number. The rest of the Madames has arrived. Justice Chico-Naszario in Pink, Justice Consuelo Ynares-Santiago in Ocean Blue and Justice Gutierrez in Mint Green. Wow. Powerpacked. These women are the ones whom we render hyperdoulia. Madame Ynares-Santiago was nice. So grandmotherly. They didn't mind us 'cam whoring' when the official photographers asked them to pose. Why did we do it in the first place? Eventually I realized I wouldn't be getting a copy of that picture anyways. :P
So there, we had to cut ourselves across Dean Aligada, Justice Lantin and several other old people just to assist them to their seats. It was like a reunion for them. We couldn't get them to sit down then and there because they had to make beso-beso with every other person. I felt like a twirp.
The work wasn't done. We had other problems. The Culling kids have arrived. Bwiset. Napuno tuloy ang auditorium. Ang ingay nila. They ain't supposed to be there. But what can we do? It was Severus Snape who invited the whole house of Slytherin.
Because of the number of people, we had to improvise and get an AV in order to show the proceedings outside. Lakad dito lakad duon. Lakad lakad, kabit ng ganito, alisin ang ganuon. Alalayan si Inang Ameurfina palabas ng pinto at baka mabasag.
It was tiring. But it was worth it. I've seen the members of the Supreme Court. Like, I've been to law student heaven.
The other characters... I must mention...in attendance was Atty. Palacios a.k.a Lolo Pepe, Judge Oscar Herrera a.k.a. Redford White, Justice Japar 'Japs' Dimaampao, Justice Lantin, Justice Bernardo Pardo, Friendster Ricky Buko de la Cruz, Atty. Hector Culilong a.k.a feeling masyado, Judge Philip 'Fashion Police' Aguinaldo, and of course, Atty. Rene Gorospe... who was mangled alive by the Justices during the oral arguments of the recent E-VAT Law, R.A. 91something.
When the event was over, I had to hold the door so that everyone could get out. I was stupidly saying to every justice and lawyer 'THANK YOU FOR COMING'. Where in hell did I get that? Why the fuck did I say that? Jollibee syndrome? But hey, it's but proper ain't it? Protocol...
Then Lo and Behold, He walks alone. After almost everyone have left the auditorium.
Thank You Sir!' Staring Blankly at his sublime face. Then he nodded at me. With a slightly controlled smile. Saying Nothing. Raising his right hand to me. Slowly I raised mind to receive him. And with a firm grasp, he shook my hand.
I shook hands with CHIEF JUSTICE HILARIO DAVIDE.
Stunned. Gawking. Amazed was I.
He walked away after that. Slowly. Looking to the crowd. I turned my head around in order to see Sen. Salonga and Justice Melencio Herrera as they walk out.
After five minutes. Tyrol who was six feet away from me at the exit area told me:
"Muntik nang matumba si chief justice."
"Hah?! Baket?!"
"Akala niya hagdanan yung ramp."
END.
posted by ohme at 11:53 PM
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