Colonel Querubin's crusade against Dona Victorina

UPDATE:

This explains the picture posted here and it is from Amiel Cabanlig who is in the picture:

Hi Paul!

I just read your blog.

First of all, let me tell you straight up that Sec. Mike Defensor has never heard of this Marine Colonel.

Victorina’s visit to the ISAFP compound was out of compassion for Gen. Boy Miranda whose wife is very sick.

Victorina raised funds to help the General’s wife.

Later on, I was able to convince Sec. Mike Defensor to visit the ISAFP detention center so he can HELP out with the Generals problem.

Please bear in mind that the Secretary’s cousin Lt.Col. Custudio Parcon (also a Medal of Valor awardee) is also a detainee.

Let me assure you Paul that there was so much handwriting on the wall- that’s why the wall fell down.

Sincerely,
AMIEL AGUILAR CABANLIG

----

I don't think I can really call myself a journalist as the term connotes a level of professionalism that even some reporters and their publishers or producers fail to live up to.

I am a writer and a blogger who merely attempts to distill some truth in the deluge of political news that comes my way.

And because this is a political blog with my personal views on political developments, you should expect to see a definite bias for or against personalities and issues.

I have no claims of being objective or impartial all the time. I do try to be fair based on my own assessment of what is fair.

Just recently, I received a message on Facebook from someone claiming to be Col. Ariel Querubin and it seemed to be a reaction to a post regarding Querubin's minions hacking/defacing the Dona Victorina Blog. To be fair to the person who had the courage to send me a message that he hoped would 'enlighten me' and since the previous post on Querubin seemed to disparage him, I posted his message to me on Pinoy Buzz.

I thought that would be the end of it.

However, "Querubin" began insisting on me including this picture (the one above) in the post and it carried this caption. "MGA KABABAYAN Mag isip-isip kayo kung bakit kailangang may sirain na tao na kasama nila sa loob pero hindi nakakasama sa kasiyahan tulad nito. SINO KAYA DITO SI SULBATZ AT REBOLUSYON NG BAYAN? ANO ANG GINAGAWA NG TUTA NI GMA? AT ANO ANG NAPAGKASUNDUAN NILA?"

I didn't post the photo and the caption right away, as "Querubin" requested. First, I thought that the caption was a bit cryptic and didn't make any sense at all. I could probably make a guess but that wouldn't be right at all.

Then Querubin sent me another message which sparked a series of exchanges:

Dear Paul,

I just visited your blog. I would appreciate it very much if you will also post the picture just like what you did with mine. So it would be fair and let the people make their own conclusions. Thank you and best regards. God bless

Col Ariel Querubin

To which I responded:

Colonel,

Perhaps you should come out with direct accusations against the people shown in the photograph here first. Then I'll consider posting it.

Paul

Thereafter, Querubin responded:

Paul,

I cannot speculate on what they have agreed upon. I don't need to accuse them. The picture paints a thousand words. I will just let the people who will see the picture conclude.

I will not go down to their level and dignify them. For as long as the truth is on my side, they can vilify my name to their hearts content but definitely, I'll never be cowed by people whose character and reputation are not at par with mine.

Character assassination is indeed the product of very corrupt people. As the saying goes "Birds of the same feather flock together".

I do believe that responsible journalism requires that both sides should be ask about any issue at hand before it is even printed. It should be thoroughly investigated.

The fact that you have taken the cudgels for these people who cannot even come out with their true names and who hide from anonymity and bases their accusation on lies and deception, bespeaks of how your work ethic is founded on.

Thank you and best regards. God bless.


Ariel

Then, to tell you the truth, I got a piqued by the last paragraph. First, he calls my friends a liar and then insinuates that by association, I am a liar too. And so, I fired back:

Don't talk to me about journalist ethics, I suffered to uphold them and I don't think you have.

I took the cudgels for the bloggers of Dona Victorina without regard for their position on you. An attack on one blogger, such as what was done to Dona Victorina, is an attack on all bloggers.

The bloggers of Dona Victorina have real names. You can look it up in their blog and they are accountable for what they write. They are willing to face libel and all manner of suits. They stand by what they say and do.

In any case, I'll publish the picture as you requested but I'll include this exchange of messages.

I'll let you have the last word, say what you want to say.

I waited for some time but to this day, no response seems to be forthcoming. And I am left to wondering what will come next?

But here's the thing, I don't like people who insult me and I have a low regard for people who violate what is supposed to be a sacred oath to the people to UPHOLD and DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION.

If Querubin is running for Senator in 2010, he should at least come up with some proof that he can really participate in the democratic processes of the Philippine Congress.

We already have enough boobs and nutjobs in the legislature, it's time that we elect real legislators who can wield the power of Congress and the Senate for the benefit of the people. Moreover, I'd hate to think that the Senate is becoming a refuge for people undergoing trial for corruption or rebellion.

We already elected two rebel soldiers into the senate. One seems worse than the other.

And here's another thing.

When you are elected as a Senator, you are supposed to abide and uphold all the laws of the land much more scrupulously than the ordinary citizen.

I just wonder if by some legislative magic, it became legal to walk out of a trial and stage what looked like another stillborn rebellion at the Manila Peninsula.

Come on!

That is the company that Querubin keeps and it doesn't add much to his character.

As for the bloggers of Dona Victorina, I hold them in high regard -- no matter what is said about them.