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The Chiong Sisters Case Muddled by the Philippines' RAMBUNCTIOUS PRESS?

Here's a clip of the late Carlos P. Celdran and Teddy Boy Locsin Jr. from Michael Collins' YouTube channel. Until now, I still wonder if the director of that awful film Animal (2004) namely Federico "Toto" Natividad Jr. was also there during the Cinemalaya premiere. The film Animal (2004) was once entitled Butakal: Sugapa sa Laman in 1999, meaning Male Pig: Drunkard in Body. This clip talks about just how the whole media frenzy caused a double miscarriage of justice.  

Celdran, a known reformist and vocal anti-Duterte critic, voiced out the unethical making of a Maalaala Mo Kaya episode. Did I miss something back in the 1990s? All I remember was broadcasting an episode in The Calvento Files. Until now, the ABS-CBN YouTube channel hasn't uploaded it. How both Marty Syjuco and Collins got some clips of the film isn't specifically said. I believe Marty and Michael went to the late Tony Calvento, asked for his permission, and were given permission. I believe that Calvento was even interviewed during the making of Give Up Tomorrow. Marty was a brother-in-law of Paco Larrañaga's older sister, Mimi Larrañaga-Syjuco. However, there was more objectivity in it than the awful film Jacqueline Comes Home. Do we forget that Thelma Jimenea-Chiong was also related to the presidential secretary Cheryl Jimenea, and to the wife of Atty. Hilario G. Davide Jr.? 

Teddy Boy Locsin Jr. gives a totally different view here, from what was seen in Give Up Tomorrow (read updated here). Like many others, Locsin was misled to believe that Paco was guilty. Locsin gives what I believe is a heartfelt apology to Paco, the same thing that Niño Muhlach did years later. I wondered why Niño said sorry to Paco, many years later. It was because Niño portrayed Paco in that episode of The Calvento Files. I even learned that Paco was innocent several years after Give Up Tomorrow was released. I never even knew he was transferred to Spain or there was a run for him. It was all because I concluded that Paco was guilty, that's it.

The problem with Trial by Publicity reveals a lot of stuff. The late Lee Kuan Yew said this in his book From Third World to First:

Ramos knew well the difficulties of trying to govern with strict American-style separation of powers. The senate had already defeated Mrs. Aquino's proposal to retain the American bases. The Philippines had a rambunctious press but it did not check corruption. Individual press reporters could be bought, as could many judges.

LKY was still alive at that time. I'm afraid the book From Third World to First has been made unavailable because of sentiments towards the late Flor Contemplacion. It's upsetting how LKY is often mentioned against the Marcoses but the rest of his good advice is often ignored. LKY was right to call the Philippine press to be rambunctious. How can anti-reform people expect the media is "enough" to check on corruption--it can be easily bought as could many judges? LKY doesn't give advice from an ivory tower. LKY has given good economic advice. Two Communist countries took the advice and became richer. What's so sad is the Philippines didn't take LKY's advice. Not only did the economics not do much--the justice system was so badly done.

With the truth coming out all the more, it's only fair that the badly written movie called Jacqueline Comes Home flops. Not only did not give justice to the family of the bereaved (and please don't believe the claims that the two sisters are still alive)--it also continued to insist on the same narrative. The first four suspects already had their bad records. Paco and Josman Aznar admitted to being bad boys. James Anthony and James Andrew, the Uy brothers, were also known to be troublemakers. However, let's not give people a fault that isn't theirs. However, with the power of media, that's possible especially with a public crying out for justice too soon, without considering that, "There's still due process!" 

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