Monday, August 25, 2008 Mongaya: Respect rule of law By Anol Mongaya
TENSION has gone to feverish levels in the small town of Daanbantayan after RTC Judge Antonio Marigomen ruled that the erstwhile local powers that be - Mayor Sun Shimura and her mother Vice Mayor Ma. Luisa Loot - lost the election to challengers Augusto Corro and Jose de Leon.
I sensed from the statements attributed to Vice Mayor Loot during a press conference Friday that the Loot camp is so agitated and they are now after the neck of Judge Marigomen.
Rep. Benhur Salimbangon has reportedly extended moral and logistical support for Malou’s fight. It seems the Daanbantayan case will have a bearing on another electoral protest against the congressman in Congress.
But then, was it not Judge Marigomen who decided favorably for Salimbangon before the 2007 elections? Okay diay si Marigomen kon mopabor nila. Di na okay kon modesisyon pabor sa kontra.
Maybe, it is just strategy on the part of the Loots. I’m more worried after Malou, maybe in jest, said: “Kapatyunon ko og tawo.” Months ago, Corro’s candidate for councilor Renerio Arrogante was killed. The poor guy had filed a bigamy case against the Loots.
In contrast, the statements attributed to Corro and his camp had been calm. He even expressed support for Gov. Gwen Garcia and her programs.
The way I look at the Daanbantayan situation, the Loots have several options within the bounds of law. But whatever the eventual legal outcome, I’m sure readers will agree that they should bow down and respect it. They have no Torrens title to their present position at the municipal hall.
Surrounding the municipal hall with supporters in a bid to hold on to power will only make the situation worse for the Loots. We can only look back at that mistake then mayor Teddy Ouano committed when he barricaded the Mandaue City Hall last year. Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Boy Radaza, on the other hand, demonstrated respect for law and he won public admiration for the act.
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The Commission on Audit has finally released its report on projects carried out in preparation for the Asean Summit early last year. It seems the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and their top officials in Manila had more cans of worms that need to be opened. This reinforced my belief that the people in Manila who profited from the projects are free while local officials, the scapegoats, faced cases and got suspended.
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When our Olympians left for China, many Filipinos gave them the benefit of the doubt. Maybe, somebody will get lucky. As it turned out, the Philippine team achieved another zero medal load.
Being a poor country is not an excuse. Jamaica is poor but a Jamaican won gold medals in the 100-meter and 200-meter dash. Our Asian neighbors also won medals.
Because we cannot expect the sports officials responsible for this debacle to step down on their own, we should forcefully call for their resignation.
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Our 1983 hero Sen. Benigno ‘Ninoy” Aquino Jr. once said: “The Filipino is worth dying for.” He certainly believed in this. Thus he did not hesitate to face the assassin’s bullet that fateful August 21, 1983.
Some 25 years after, thousands of Filipinos don’t want to sacrifice for fellow Filipinos anymore. They would rather go abroad in pursuit of the almighty dollar.
Nonetheless, his Liberal Party led by Sen. Mar Roxas remembered. According to Sen. Roxas, Ninoy had fought and sacrificed for the Philippines. He certainly did not want a Philippines with lands known as Bangsamoro chipped off to become another state.
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Despite the outbreak of hostilities in Mindanao, I am glad that our leaders ignored calls for total war against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). The best policy is still drawing them into peace negotiations.
However, the Philippine Republic panel should correct mistakes committed that led to the memorandum of agreement on the formation of the Bangsamoro Juridical Entity.
This should also not be used to push for charter change before 2010. The move will only create more controversy for the country.
(Check out my blog “In Between Columns” at www. inbetweencolumns.wordpress.com)
