SHOOTING STRAIGHT
By Bobit S. Avila
The Philippine Star
By Bobit S. Avila
The Philippine Star
When the Supreme Court ruled on the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) two weeks ago, President Benigno “P-Noy” Aquino III disappeared from the limelight. Then last Monday, P-Noy surfaced for his nationwide TV tirades against the Supreme Court ruling, and after Typhoon “Glenda” passed through Metro Manila, I overheard over the radio pundits asking, where is P-Noy? Hmmm did he disappear again or he just didn’t want to brave the storm to help the typhoon victims?
For sure, Malacañang must have quietly thanked Typhoon “Glenda” for visiting Metro Manila and taking away all the bad news stories about P-Noy attacking the Supreme Court on the DAP. P-Noy also issued a call for his minions to wear yellow ribbons to support his cause. But apparently everything has backfired on the President. I didn’t see a single person in Cebu City wearing a yellow ribbon. Perhaps it is because this ribbon has become a symbol of incompetence and arrogance that has characterized the Aquino presidency.
Troubling reports have also surfaced that Malacañang impounded and diverted P14.5 billion allocated by Congress for 22 airports and using it instead as pork barrel. This accusation is serious as it can now be proven that the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) had an allocation of P1.6 billion for renovation and the monies for this was diverted to DAP. This resulted in NAIA getting the unenviable tag as the “Worst Airport in the World” and you can pin the blame right on Malacañang’s doorstep!
Meanwhile, it’s quite comforting to note that SC spokesman Theodore Te issued a statement for and in behalf of the SC Justices…saying, “The court will do its job and wait for the motion for reconsideration. They will let the rule of law prevail, not the rule of men.” In short, the Justices are not cowering in fear by the threats and intimidation of P-Noy.
So if the President listens to my unsolicited advise…he’d be better off not sending that motion for reconsideration because I suspect that the SC would throw it out of the window. So what we have here is a classic Mexican standoff! Since those “narrow minded” Supreme Court Justices aren’t blinking…the next move is P-Noy’s! Quo Vadis P-Noy?
* * *
Incidentally, also last Monday, July 14, just a few hours before that nationwide television speech of P-Noy lambasting the Supreme Court…there was a conference held at the Club Filipino in Greenhills, which had Zamboanga Archbishop Romulo de la Cruz, Archbishop of Lipa, Ramon Argüelles, Batanes Bishop Camilo Gregorio, Protestant Bishop Efraim Tendero and Pastor Art Corpuz who revealed that they had a two and a half hour visit to pork scam celebrity Janet Lim Napoles.
Apparently, on June 17, Archbishop de la Cruz received a letter from Napoles and I have a copy of this letter seeking the support of her friend the Archbishop who hails from that part of Mindanao where Napoles comes from. As her letter is quite long, let me reprint its most important part.
“Your Excellency: With God’s strength, guidance and support, I HAVE DECIDED TO TELL THE TRUTH, THOUGH IT HURTS, regarding the present controversies on the allege abuse and misuse of PDAF, Malampaya, DOTC, Funds and the likes.” Honestly, I thought she already wrote everything in the affidavit she wrote when she met Department of Justice (DoJ) Sec. Leila de Lima? Hmmm so she must have left out the juicier parts… or should I say… the most damaging parts of her testimony.
Napoles continues, “It is for this reason, Your Excellency, I would like to seek for your prayers and support to help me in this endeavor. I am committed in the pursuit of revealing the truth and fight the evil that is corruption. The path bestowed upon me by our Creator is hard and treacherous, Your Excellency, thus I pray for your support and help as I travel this path. Please help me, Your Excellency, I won’t be able to do it without your support. Please help me, Your Excellency, to be able to tell the truth amidst the resistance.”
From this letter, you can sense that Janet Napoles is fearful for her life. I don’t blame her. Life in this country is so cheap; it is easy enough for anyone who she named in her affidavit to send an assassin to silence her. But for the sake of what’s left of this nation, we must ensure her safety.
As of today only a handful of politicians who stole the people’s money have been detained. There are many more who should be similarly indicted. In fact, the Supreme Court ought to create an Agrava type commission to handle the Pork Cases so it can focus on this issue only. Lastly, what I really would like to know directly from Napoles (or did the Bishops get this info?) herself is…whether or not she excluded the name of Pres. PNoy when she surrendered to him in Malacañang? I have always suspected that she got some kind of deal in surrendering to the President last Aug. 28,2013.
* * *
For email responses write to vsbobita@mozcom.com or vsbobita@gmail.com.
No comments:
Post a Comment