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Friday, March 29, 2024

The war on corruption

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When former President Benigno Aquino III started going after his political enemies but protected his allies, we derided him for selective justice. For example, he had former Chief Justice Renato Corona impeached and tried, using the so-called Disbursement Acceleration Program to ensure the conviction.

We also said Mr. Aquino dispensed selective justice when he had his political enemies Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, Senator Jinggoy Estrada and Senator Bong Revilla jailed.

I hate to say this, but is President Rodrigo Duterte any different?

What we are seeing now is the same thing—selective justice and double standards.

When Mr. Duterte launched his war on corruption, we hailed him as a decisive leader who could, for the first time, occasion the change we desperately need. He looked like somebody who had the resolve to do things at which his predecessors have failed.

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But now I am not so sure. When it came to the likes of former Tourism Secretary Wanda Tulfo Teo, or Cesar Montano, and now Solicitor General Jose Calida, the President appears soft. He tells us that Calida was only doing what was right, and that he is good at his job. In effect, in justifying what Calida has done, the President seems to be telling us, “What’s wrong with somebody getting into business?”

Did the President exhibit the same attitude when he fired a small fry like Rudolf Philip Jurado on national television and even called him son of a whore? What was Jurado’s fault? He expressed an opinion that the Aurora Economic Zone can operate outside its jurisdiction under certain conditions that its operation shall only be with a Peza-authorized zone. He was of the opinion that a casino within the zone can have a franchise for 75 years.

In any case, the Commission on Audit fired the lawyers under Jurado for getting allowances of more than 50 percent of their annual salaries. This is a clear violation of the law.

A lawyer, one Adel Abillar, put it so well when he wrote a commentary that small fry were indeed not in the same league as the big fish.

The lawyer said it did not seem to be enough that Jurado was fired. The way it was done was akin to burning him at the stake.

It’s on record that Jurado turned down the P500,000-per-month offer for him to keep silent on the CoA’s findings on the lawyers’ violations. If Jurado had accepted that bribe, he would have received more than what Calida did. And yet the President says Calida is good.

The fact that Calida’s security agency had more than P200 million in contracts with various government agencies without him divesting his holdings is a clear conflict of interest because he enjoys Cabinet rank.

If Calida had any self-respect left, he should resign now. Or, the President should fire him. Mr. Duterte should realize that this case damages the credibility of his war on corruption.

(Disclosure: Rudolf Philip Jurado is my nephew, the son of my late older brother, former Court of Appeals Justice Desiderio Jurado.)

* * *

My sources tell me that the eight justices who voted to oust Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno have decided against reversing their judgment on Sereno. The majority ousted Sereno on the basis of the quo warranto petition filed against her by Calida.

Sereno did not submit a complete set of Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth, starting from when she was a professor at the University of the Philippines College of Law. This amounted to a violation of the Constitution, a betrayal of public trust.

The majority decision disregarded Sereno’s argument that she could only be ousted through impeachment.

From the start, there have been doubts that the motion of reconsideration filed by the Sereno camp would succeed, according to my sources.

* * *

That President Duterte kissed an overseas Filipino worker on the lips when he met with the Filipino community in Seoul has gone viral. Netizens are lambasting the President for conduct unbecoming.

I agree, even as the President insisted he had no malice in mind.

Mr. Duterte is seen as a maverick, disregarding protocol. But this is different.

* * *

The proposal of San Miguel to extend the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway to Ilocos Sur or Ilocos Norte is being welcomed by Ilocanos. It will be a boost to business and tourism.

Incidentally, to make Boracay more accessible to mainland Aklan, Ramon Ang is also building a 1.5-kilometer bridge to provide Caticlan Airport immediate access to Boracay. San Miguel also has plans of putting up an 800-room hotel.

With this bridge, Ang plans to bring potable water and build a sewerage system so that waste can be taken out of Boracay.

* * *

Public schools opened yesterday with the same problems facing some three million enrollees. Every year, the Department of Education is faced with the same problems every year. Why does it seem that nothing is being done about them?

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