So many people and events made the news both in our country and internationally this 2009. There were many celebrity deaths, scandalous political alliances, sex scandals, celebrated marriages, babies, unwanted pregnancies, and of course, adulterous affairs.

The most recent affairs that whose elements were shredded by the media were that of two sports legends–both in golf and boxing. And that would be Tiger Woods and our very own Manny Pacquiao. Tiger Woods’ marriage to Elin Nordegren fell apart after the vehicular accident that he figured in near his home. Thankfully, Pacquiao and wife Jinkee has weathered the recent storm named Krista Ranillo in their lives.

The death of the King of Pop Michael Jackson sent the whole world into mourning. His death shadowed the passing of another Hollywood actress, Farah Fawcett. Patrick Swayze succumbed to cancer too, and in the local scene, Francis Magalona also passed away but his legacy of Francism lives on through his family and friends.

Freedom fighter former President Corazon Aquino also died because of cancer but with her passing came the birth of the Yellow Army and the political career of son Noynoy Aquino was catapulted to the presidential arena. The senator is now campaigning for the highest position in the land with Senator Mar Roxas as his running mate.

Perhaps the most talked about weddings this year are that of Judy Ann Santos and Ryan Agoncillo and Senator Mar Roxas with Korina Sanchez.

There are the births of the babies of Vina Morales and Angelika dela Cruz whose babies were born around the time I gave birth to mine.

We also remember the death of talent manager to big stars, Douglas Quijano, and director Johnny Delgado.

This was also a big year for Marian Rivera, not only for her career, but for her love life, as she and leading man Dingdong Dantes finally hooked up together, leaving Karylle loveless. Karylle moved to ABS-CBN and found a new lease in her career and in her love life.

But of course, the biggest events are those that took the lives of many people, such as typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng and the Maguindanao Massacre.

I cannot remember everything. But so many things have happened. Looking back, we can only say that our lives are just a speck in eternity. No matter how famous or rich we are, our lives are meaningless without God because when we die, our lives just end there.

Live to the fullest. Live with God in our lives.

The last time I wrote about this topic, the death toll was only 47. And were already horrified. Now it is already 57, are we just counting numbers here?

Nobody really knows how many people were killed. There are still some people missing. I think there are still more, after all, the police are just counting based on the people they dug up in shallow graves.

The MILF said that they had nothing to do with the killings. It was all politically motivated, something that stirred up between rival clans–the Ampatuans and Mangudadatus of Maguindanao.

How many more lives will be sacrificed in the name of politics?

I saw some pictures last night, some of them included pregnant women. Most of the women were shot in the genitals, so the police suspect that they were raped first before killed. Shooting their genitals probably masked the seminal fluids that could have been present there for evidence. The suspects did not  bother to wear condoms apparently.

I denounce the killings, but I will not call the perpetrators names. Only God has the right to judge them. However, they should be subjected to the law of this land and the punishments that await those who do such atrocities. God please, bring the killers and the masterminds to justice.