NOT ZERO. In vacating the dismissal of suspected drug lords, which created a national uproar, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre IV didn’t say which panel would decide the new inquiry. He said it’s not “back to zero.” How about “back to square one”?
Name-calling
u2018BLOCK, BLOCK, BLOCK.’ Should public officials sue for libel when in the course of disagreement among them unsavory words are used?
u25a0 Sen. Risa Hontiveros called Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aquirre IV “manufacturer of fake news” and “cook of fake news.” Aguirre hinted of going to court, saying they are defamatory.
u25a0 Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña in effect called Kenneth Cobonpue, co-chairman of Regional Development Council (RDC) and Glen Soco, head of infrastructure development committee, “incompetent,” saying all they do is “block, block, block.” “Incompetent” is a bit but is “block,” even if uttered thrice, scurrilous? Neither Cobonpue nor Soco is saying they will sue.
Power of RDC
REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT COUNCILS are creation of executive order and the Constitution. Under Executive Order #325 of 1996, which repeals and/or amends previous EOs, RDC’s functions over government projects and investments in the region are listed.
Its power, however, is merely recommendatory. A project or investment may still be approved by Congress even though it is not approved by the RDC. The lawmakers, specifically the House, hold the purse.
House members from the region are not RDC members. The EO says congressmen and congresswomen are only members of the advisory committee. And the committee merely “advises, assists and supports RDC.” And they aren’t counted unless they sign their intent to join.
That may explain why few House members are sighted or heard at RDC meetings. Rep. Raul del Mar attended last Friday, probably because he was consulted about his underpass projects before the meeting.
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