Lawbreakers on the loose

By DUCKY PAREDES
MALAYA

‘Do laws apply only when following them is to our advantage but not when obeying them is an imposition that could result in a loss of position, income or prestige?’

This is the oath that the Vice President of the Philippines takes before he can begin discharging his duties: “I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully and conscientiously fulfill my duties as Vice-President of the Philippines, preserve and defend its Constitution, execute its laws, do justice to every man, and consecrate myself to the service of the Nation. So help me God.”

In fact, all public officers and employees of the government takes an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution; bear true faith and allegiance to it; obey the laws, legal orders and decrees promulgated by the duly constituted authorities as well as faithfully discharge to the best of his ability the duties of the office or position. The officer of employee also swears that he voluntarily assumes the obligation imposed by his oath of office, without mental reservation or purpose of evasion.

Thus, as simply a law-abiding citizen, I cannot see how a governor can be admired for reneging on her solemn oath to “obey the laws, legal orders and decrees promulgated by the duly constituted authorities,” when the legal order is for her suspension for six months.

Neither can I see anything good in three leaders – a former President, the Vice President (and, concurrently, a sitting cabinet member) and the Senate President – going over to the Provincial Capitol where the recalcitrant governor continues to hold office, contrary to law and her oath of office. The three visitors also took basically the same oath and were visiting to give succor and support to the law-breaker.

What is the worth of the oath that they have taken when they can simply ignore it, whenever this becomes an inconvenience? What message are they delivering to us law-abiding citizens? Is this what living in the Philippines is all about? Do laws apply only when following them is to our advantage but not when obeying them is an imposition that could result in a loss of position, income or prestige?

Worse, what does this tell us about our VP, the former President applying to be elected as mayor of Manila and a Senate President whose son (not known to have been a strict law-abider in his younger years) is now up for election as a Senator?

Do we have a gang of law-breakers no better than gangsters or the mafia who want to take over this country in 2016? Can they actually succeed? Is that the future of this country? One run by law-breakers with no respect for the law, the Constitution and even the solemn oath they take ending with the phrase “so, help me, God”?

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Too long have our leaders sought power by proving their machismo through their defiance of and utter disregard of the Law. Sure, there was a time when it seemed the more proper way to act since that was the time when those in power got there by brazenly defying the convention of legal processes through cheating and the use of the force of arms.

But that was a long time ago.

Of course, as long as our own leaders continue to act with total disrespect for the law and legal niceties and we Filipino citizens allow them to get what they want and do as they please even when what they want is contrary to law, then, we can never get away from these leaders who rely on naked and unbridled power, instead of what is fitting and proper under our laws.

Eventually, of course, a future government will have to act against these power-grabbers, in the way that President Aquino went after Corona and Gloria. The President must insist on the suspension of the governor since this went through the legal process. There was clear abuse on the part of the governor and a lot of other chicanery that are still being discovered even as you read this.

The only thing that will prevent such a future government from taking over will be if the same leaders who have no respect for our Constitution and our laws and will use their power to gain unlimited power and untold pelf beyond what we law-abiders can imagine are precisely the ones we will elect to form the new government that will take over in 2016.

Then, God help us! This country will definitely be doomed and nothing that we can do will ever make things right again!

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Listening to the radio during the coverage of the drug-crazed killer who shot up Batong Dalig, Tabon 1, Kawit, Cavite resulting in seven dead (including three innocent children) and injuries to nine others, one got only politics from the various interviews that the Cavite governor gave. He blamed everything on the fact that new police had come into the province without going through him.

Well, it seemed to me that, as governor, he had not given any real support to the municipalities of his province in their fight (if there ever was any concerted effort) against illegal drugs. Else, why would drugs be so easily available at the barrio level? Why was the Governor not even surprised that the killer could procure drugs so easily?

We can blame politics for a lot of things but I do not think that the killings in Cavite can be blamed on politics. If we’re looking to find anyone to blame, the Governor who seemed out of touch with his own province ought to be among those who should accept at least a large part of the blame.

You have been an awful and incompetent administrator of your province, sir! And shame on you!

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