As we  celebrate  the 26^th anniversary of  EDSA One, the Filipinos' show of  People Power, I look at Senate  President Juan Ponce-Enrile and can't help but be amazed by how he has participated in the different phases of   the Filipino nation's  political life, including one of  its darkest,  and  be regarded  with respect and a source of wisdom and stability.

Sitting as the presiding judge in the impeachment trial of Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona, Enrile's competent handling of  one of the biggest legal events in the country  assures the public that whatever  the decision of the senator-judges,  whether Corona would be acquitted or convicted, Philippine democracy would be enriched.

Enrile was very much part of the two-decade Marcos regime in various capacities in the department of justice,finance, and defense.

As defense minister, he was an enforcer of martial law declared on Sept. 21, 1972, that saw the arrest of  thousands of Marcos political enemies including members of

Aquino's Corona obsession

Editorial cartoon by VINCENT GO, VERA Files

The impeachment trial of Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona has entered its fifth week, with President Benigno Aquino III saying there will be no let up in his crusade against the country's top magistrate.

To be sure, running after crooks in government and putting them away where they could do no further harm is a task citizens would expect of a just and responsible government. When that government targets the big fish, it deserves public support.

But the Aquino government has been after Corona (and the person who appointed him, former president Gloria Arroyo) with apparent single-minded obsession, that some sectors have accused the President of neglecting other equally important duties.

Last Feb. 14, farmers affiliated with Task Force Mapalad snuck into Malacanang to get the President to pay them some attention. The farmers are concerned that the agrarian reform program will lapse in 2014, its mandated deadline, with government

Cathy married a South Korean truck driver from Gongju.

By Malte E. Kollenberg, VERA Files

(Conclusion)

Women's rights and migrant advocates in South Korea say complaints of domestic abuse are not uncommon here, and the story of Cathy Deocades is no exception.

Cathy's story started out as a hopeful search for a better life in South Korea, whose cultural exports like K-Pop-music and Korean dramas often paint a picture of domestic harmony. Cathy met her husband, who turned to the Philippines in search for a woman he could not find in South Korea, through a marriage broker. Shortly after the two met for the first time they got married. The couple did not have time to get to know each other.

In South Korea, domestic abuse in multiethnic families is not unusual. But the incidence has gone down in recent years, says policewoman Kim Gyu-ree who works in the foreign affairs division in Cheonan, a city with a higher than average migrant population.

Cathy's case, however, is the only one that ended in death among the estimated 8,000 Filipinas

The village in Gongju where Cathy lived. Photo by Malte E. KollenbergBy Malte E. Kollenberg, VERA Files

GONGJU, South Korea —Two and a half hours south of Seoul by land lies the farming village of Tapgok-ri, a remote part of the city of Gongju. Here, in the middle of nowhere, is where Cathy Deocades lived. It is nothing like the glittery and glamorous world shown in Korean dramas and K-Pop music videos, which are increasingly popular among Filipino women.

Gongju is no Seoul, Busan or Daegu. The houses here are small; hardly any building is higher than two floors. Encircled by mountains, the village is blanketed in snow in winter—and becomes gloomy and depressing—when the temperature drops to far below zero. Beside a cold wind blowing and the occasional dog barking, there is only stillness.

Here on Jan. 11, 2011, Cathy Deocades, 24, was found hanging from a wooden bar in an abandoned house several meters from her home. The police came and concluded suicide. Investigations stopped and the case was closed.

Cathy's family in the Philippines could not

sagayan

By Amiel Mark Cagayan, VERA Files

There's more to Maguindanao than election cheating, violence, armed conflict and disasters.

Maguindanao's first Sagayan Festival showcased the rich cultural heritage of this conflict-ridden province in southern Philippines, proving that Maguindanaons could extend the hand of peace to their adversaries to do just that.

Maguindanao Gov. Esmael "Toto" Mangudadatu said the recent five-day festival   showed the cultures and traditions of ethnic Maguindanaons were meant to propagate harmony, foster inter-community cooperation, and inculcate subservience to Allah among the natives.

Sagayan, which is a Maguindanaon word, is one of the ancient, unchoreographed dance forms in the world that still exist to the present. It is a war dance that has always been part of the merry-makings during special occasions and weddings among ethnic Maguindanaons.

The ethnic dance is performed by the Maguindanaons and Maranaws of Lanao del Sur, where dancers depict the ferocity

Ruben Ines Vallejos

By Leilanie Adriano, VERA Files

Ruben Ines Vallejos hardly blinked an eye while staring at the lineup of visitors at the visual arts exhibit he and 16 other artists from indigenous tribes of northern Philippines put up through the help of the Kalinawa Art Foundation (KAF).

The 44-year-old painter who hails from the interior village of Adams, Ilocos Norte said "it's a dream come true" to be a part of the second Indigenous Peoples' (IPs') visual art exhibit held recently at the Ilocos Norte Capitol auditorium.

Seeing his art portraits of fellow indigenous people doing their craft, such as traditional wine making using wild fruits which are abundant in his village, walis (soft broom) making, weaving and basketry, made  him proud of his roots.

Also on exhibit was a giant oil canvass of the Masi hanging bridge and the magnificent waterfalls surrounded by thick forest. From an artist's eye, they come alive.

And who says fine arts is only for the rich?

Well, not in Vallejos' case.

"They say

Upi Mayor Ramon A . Piang, Sr. wearing his Teduray native costume.

By Amiel Mark Cagayan,VERA Files

Upi, a town snuggled in a valley, in the province of Maguindanao, is connected to the rest of the world via  the Internet.

Initiated by the  local government, the Internet has transformed the way of life in Upi. Aside from the vast number of students using the Internet to aid them in their studies and other needs,  professionals and business  are taking advantage of the benefits provided by the technology.

The transformation of the once sleepy  Upi into a vibrant community has caught the attention of  Galing Pook Awards, a pioneering program that recognizes innovation and excellence in local governance.

Upi was one of the awardees for Outstanding Local Governance Program for 2011 and the citation underscored the town's program on information technology through its rural community e-center.

Upi Mayor Ramon A. Piang, Sr., together with his delegation, received the award from President Aquino at the Rizal Hall in Malacañang last January.

The winning

By Ellen Tordesillas

Just when we were getting excited by another set of accounts by Chief Justice Renato Corona with the Philippine Savings Bank, Katipunan branch, totaling some P36 million which were withdrawn on Dec. 12, 2012, the day the House of Representatives approved the impeachment of the Chief Justice, bank manager Annabel Tiongson, dropped another information that brought us back to the fascinating tale of the "small lady" that has regaled us the past days.

Nineteen days of impeachment trial have revealed that Corona has not been truthful in the declaration of his Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Networth.

Corona stated in his statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) for 2010 that he had only P3.5 million in cash and investments. Yet his five peso accounts at the Philippine Savings Bank showed he had P19,728,555.39 while his checking account at the Bank of the Philippines Island, Ayala branch contained P12,024,000.67 or a total of about P32 million as of