To the beautiful Ms. Denise Laurel

Ms. Denise Laurel, (or someone commenting on her behalf) made the following corrections on my blog entry The Honorable Doy Laurel viz;

Hello Mr. Bonoan, I read your blog through a friend a few minutes ago and although it is all of three months late, thank you for the kind words about my Papa Doy. However, please allow me to correct your information on the question that was asked during the game show. The question was asked about the year when my grandfather was Vice-President of the Aquino Administration and not WHO was the vice president of that term. Please review the footage carefully, instead of using me as a foil to make your point. I believe your guest Cielo needs to be sure about the facts before offering her comments.

I do not intend to make this as an erratum. I am torn between being an online journalist who should stand by his words and a gentleman who should concede to a lady. But I am more oriented towards my courteous inclinations. Moreover, as already blurted out, it has been three months since this specific episode was shown and my short memory does not serve me well to exactly recall what the actual question was. Nor do I have means to verify what I believe I have heard and watched that particular day. Nevertheless, these considerations are no longer necessary as what I have mentioned in the beginning, my polite leanings urge me to accept Miss Denise Laurel’s version of the story. To besmirch a Laurel, is not one of my intentions. Rather, I only wished to magnify the political prowess and career of one great man and that is, Miss Denise’s Papa Doy.

However, as I am sincerely extending my apologies to Miss Laurel, as an on-line journalist that I am, I am not letting this chance to discuss her latter assertions in her comment which are highly technical and legal. To quote, she wrote:

“The reason why I hesitated to answer the question on the date of his being a vice president was because there had been a bit of discussion on when he assumed the vice presidency. Some quarters say that he won as vice president during the snap elections against Tolentino and therefore should have been proclaimed prior to EDSA I. Others say that the revolutionary government which was proclaimed after Marcos left the country for Honolulu was the date to determine his assumption. And of course there is the oath taking ceremony. To date, the debate goes on. I hope this gives you a little more insight on who Denise Laurel is.”

As a fervent student of the law, I believe that this confusion had been finally settled in the case of Lawyers League v. Aquino (May 22, 1986) wherein the Supreme Court ruled that the Aquino government is revolutionary in nature. (see also Estrada v. Arroyo) Therefore, the oath taking which took place at the Club Filipino on February 25, 1986 serves as the reckoning period for the Aquino administration. (Be it noted that while Cory-Doy run as President and VP respectively under the auspices of the 1973 Constitution, they finished the race outside of it.)

I hope this misunderstanding will not in any way affect present or future relations with the Laurel family which I hold in high esteem.


NB: visit VP Doy Laurel's official website. Thank you to the Laurel Family for posting my blog entry.

Picture courtesy of pinoyfansclub.com