A powerless commission FRONTLINE Ninez Cacho-Olivares 07/01/2010

A powerless commission

FRONTLINE Ninez Cacho-Olivares 07/01/2010 Noynoy Aquino will be creating what he calls “The Truth Commission,” where he claims all allegations against the Gloria government will be probed. This commission is to be headed by former Supreme Court Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr., and the body, as claimed by Aquino, if evidence warrants, will be filing cases against whoever was involved in scams, if there were scams at all. Truth is, that commission can’t do much by way of investigating mainly because it can’t possibly have the power to summon witnesses or the accused to appear before the body under pain of contempt — unless of course, Congress grants that body the powers to probe, summon and prosecute whoever is indicted. It is doubted that the 15th Congress will be giving that body such powers, as like it or not, even if Liberal Party Rep. Sonny Belmonte becomes the Speaker of the House of Representatives and even when the Lakas-turned LPs are with him, this won’t come to pass. Neither is the Senate likely to grant that body the powers it seeks, since Congress has that mandate to probe whatever it wants to probe. And giving this task to the commission merely duplicates Congress’ function, apart from the duplication of the Justice department and the Ombudsman’s office.... MORE Source:  The Daily Tribune URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20100701com2.html

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