The Philippine Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) is afflicted with congenital infirmity because President Rodrigo Duterte created it out of spite and vengeance.
It is flawed from the beginning since no less than Duterte himself projected the establishment of the PACC after the Ombudsman ordered the investigation of the unexplained wealth of Duterte and his family.
The House Committee on Justice put the cart before the horse when it precipitately and prematurely voted that there are sufficient grounds for the impeachment of Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno based on the pleadings even before any discussion was conducted on the alleged grounds.
Why are Ferdinand Marcos’ heirs being perceived by some people as not liable for the horrors of the past martial rule, and being presented as such?
“Ano kasalanan nila? What wrong did Bongbong and Imee do?” President Duterte, for one, said last week of two of the Marcos progeny.
It was not so much a curious as a rhetorical question, directed at those critical of his friendship with the family and his apparent intention of burnishing its name and the dictator’s legacy.
“At the time, Bongbong Marcos was a young man, only about seven years old,” Mr. Duterte said of the former senator. “Bata yang sila lahat. Ang matanda lang doon si Imelda pati si Ferdinand. (All of them were young; the only adults were Imelda and Ferdinand).”
H.B. No. 5745 entitled “An Act Establishing the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Trust Fund and Providing for its Management and Utilization” was recently approved on third reading.
I voted for the measure after the final version of the bill included my following amendments to ensure full protection and benefits to marginalized coconut farmers:
The impeachment proceedings against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno and the threatened investigation and impeachment of Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales, both apparently at the behest of President Rodrigo Duterte, are dubious and malevolent attempts to wreck democratic institutions.
The constitutionally guaranteed independence of the Supreme Court and the Office of the Ombudsman is under siege without legitimate anchorage.
