Rep. Edcel C. Lagman
House Minority Leader
03 December 2011
0916-6406737 / 0918-9120137
 
          Instead of focusing on how he would arrest the deterioration of the economy, President Aquino continued to harangue the Supreme Court and persecute former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in his address during the 30th anniversary celebration of the Makati Business Club the other day.
 
          Members of the Makati Business Club were disappointed when the President failed to outline his immediate economic agenda in the wake of the country’s anemic 3.2% growth rate in the third quarter.
 
          Moreover, concerned citizens expressed via social networking their disgust and condemnation of the President’s predilection for castigating the Supreme Court and Arroyo.
 
          Neither the Supreme Court, a judicial tribunal, nor Arroyo, who laid down strong economic fundamentals for the country, is the culprit in our current economic woes.
 
          Only the Aquino administration can be blamed for the dismal economic performance because it has prioritized partisan vendetta over sound economic policies.
 
          The Supreme Court, as the final arbiter of justiciable issues, cannot be blamed for acting with judicious dispatch when civil liberties, like the right to travel and the tenet of due process, are bastardized by the Executive Department.
 
          Fault-finding and engaging in the blame game are the trademarks of poor governance and are convenient smokescreens for lackadaisical performance.