If the Speaker has done the Senate wrong, then by all means eject him from his seat. But if he is to be replaced because he did the President wrong, then please, let’s raise our hands and cover our ears: we’ll be in for some nasty word wars and bribes.
The continued investigation into the ZTE Deal is causing another uproar, this time, spilling madness in the Speaker’s direction. For months, talks have been going around that some legislators, mostly the administration dogs, are taking up arms against him because their pseudo Majesty, the FG, has been painfully scorned by the Speaker’s son, Joey, in his testimony in the Senate inquiries.
The power struggle between Nograles and the older De Venecia is one crazy, if not, outrageous move showing how the government would do anything in their capability to hang on to power. The administration is one ugly scheming machine poised to rid it’s enemies by fishing out money they probably stole from wherever and spreading black propaganda.
In one side, the Speaker should be under scrutiny for his son’s involvement in the proposal for the NBN Deal. If the NBN contract was awarded to Amsterdam Holdings Inc., then I believe Joey would have held his tongue on the anomaly of overpricing and grease money. And if Joey had kept his silence, I think the Speaker would still be safe in his throne and will still be in the Palace’s graces.
The problem with Joey is his intent: why he came out and told everyone on the FG and Ben Abalos et.al. He lost the deal, not because his company’s proposal was bad, but probably because the ZTE Corp. offered more money to the ones in authority. Another way of putting it is that he’s being a sore loser and he’s out for revenge.
W hat’s wrong here?
(1) The Senate Speakership is in danger because of a corruption scandal; and
(2) The Senate is in an outrage because the government’s powerhouse couple says it should.
PGMA and FG are two of the scariest enemies any politician could ever make. The new star witness in the ZTE inquiries is Rodolfo Lozada, the CEO of Philippine Forests and the one whom Romy Neri asked to evaluate the NBN proposals. Joey said that Lozada would be able to fill in the blanks because he was in more meetings than him. But sadly, Lozada had to go to Hongkong on the eve of his appearance in the Senate due to official government business. Joey said that Lozada was being harassed and has received numerous death threats that’s why he has refused to appear in court. Irked by Lozada’s and Joey’s no show on today’s hearing, Enrile has motioned that Lozada be arrested to force him to testify. Lacson, on the other hand, countered Enrile’s motion by petitioning for Neri’s arrest as well. But citing EO 464, Enrile said that Neri’s inability to answer the questions is well within his legal rights as a government official. Cayetano defended Lacson by saying that EO 464 only prevents Neri from answering questions, not his attending the hearings.
The root of this problem is corruption and that infamous cliche in the Philippine politics, LESSER EVIL VS. EVIL. Heck, it could also be bitterness on the loser’s side. But whatever truly spawned this hilarity on a very serious matter, may the Senate be there for the people and not for the pseudo president.
We all know that corruption is a major problem in our society. In fact, the Philippines is one of nine countries in the world most affected by petty bribery. This is according to the Report on the Transparency International (TI) Global Corruption Barometer 2007. The full report is here:
http://www.transparency.org/content/download/27256/410704/file/GCB_2007_report_en_02-12-2007.pdf
I hope that our next president will lead the way in solving our pervasive corruption problem. I’ve often heard people say that during Marcos’ time, corruption was only at the highest levels of the government. After Marcos, things are worse because even corruption has permeated into the lgu’s and even at the Sangguniang Kabataan levels.
lester cavestany:
thanks for the link.
if the next president is one good man, then i hope your assumption will come true. actually, we’re all hoping for the same thing.
thanks for dropping by!
I sometimes worry that we’re past the point of no return when it comes to these things. What if the system is rotten to the core? These political turf wars have really destroyed lots of peoples’ faith in most elected officials.
if only corruption were the answer to all our problems, we should be first-world country by now.
nice insights there.
johanns:
id like to think that our core values are still intact and that the polticians handling our system are the ones who need mending (in the head).
barrycade:
if only…if only haha. thanks.
thanks for dropping by guys!
i think those people who are always having a rally are crazy,,, They do not help the country,think they must go home and let the due process be followed not by always rushing the government.. That lozada is just gaining symphaty to the people..