| DIE HARD III |
 |
| Herman Tiu Laurel |
05/18/2012
The fundamental impediment to the credibility of the impeachment
proceedings against Chief Justice (CJ) Renato Corona has been the
violation of the Rule of Law from the very start.
Committed by the most
rabid of instigators, including but not limited to the prosecution, the
campaign was recently amped up in a most blatant manner by the BS
Aquino-appointed Ombudsman.
As questioned by several
interrogators, Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales did not obtain the
consent of the alleged Foreign Currency Deposit Unit (FCDU) account
holder or any of the courts as required by law, nor were there specified
predicate crimes that would have allowed the Anti-Money Laundering
Council (AMLC)’s purported information to be released and publicized.
Despite
the “spotless” Ombudsman’s protestations of not acting as “a tool for
personal vendetta” on the pretext that she is not about to “jeopardize
(her) 40 years of government service,” in the eyes of many people, she
actually did just that. Considering the way she treated the law so
cavalierly while showing manifest partiality for the position of BS
Aquino III, the conclusion of texters such as Ferdie P. is that
Carpio-Morales is simply “Carping and Moral-less.”
If the
anti-Corona galleries are harping about the questionable circumstances
of Corona’s ascendance to his post, similar questions are being raised
about Carpio-Morales. Esteemed constitutionalist, lawyer Alan Paguia,
whom I consider a practicing martyr for the Rule of Law, recalls that
the current Ombudsman’s appointment smacked of conspiratorial intent and
nepotism.
BS Aquino III’s immoral deal absolving former Ombudsman
Merceditas Gutierrez from the allegations of graft and corruption in
exchange for her quiet resignation was meant to ensure that the already
retired Supreme Court (SC) Justice Carpio-Morales could be appointed
with inevitable gratitude to the appointing power — especially since she
was chosen over hundreds of equally, if not more, capable, younger and
incontrovertibly independent legal luminaries of proven integrity. So
now, unlike other retired SC magistrates, Carpio-Morales continues to
enjoy all the perks and power of a high office, and the limelight to
boot.
The recent Senate testimony of BSA III’s Ombudsman seemed to
establish the “82 dollar accounts” of the CJ as beyond doubt. But, as
it was later corrected to be just five alleged accounts, the whole drama
has become as confusing as the earlier allegations involving alleged 45
Corona properties that were whittled down to five.
There is
clearly this pattern of using “shock and awe” to produce massively high
impact, derogatory headlines to leave the lingering impression on the
impressionable public that the hyperbole is a fact, when it is nothing
but a lie.
We don’t know how much of the allegations are true;
thus, we have to await Corona’s testimony if we are to ensure that no
one is taken for a ride.
Already, some major newspaper opinion
writers have been jumping to conclusions, with large print column titles
that say “The boxing game is over for Corona,” implying that the
Carpio-Morales testimony dealt a death blow, despite the Corona camp
carrying on the fight to the last round.
Most people, pundits and
serious analysts among them, believe the Senate will convict Corona even
if no proof of guilt is shown. The reactions range from “It’s all
partisan and the ruling party will have the votes,” to “It’s the money
that talks,” with rumored amounts in cash of “pork barrel” or whatever
deals Malacañang can offer.
It is all “moral-less,” believe me;
and the more I watch these senators trying to convict Corona, the
sillier the effort by these pots to picture the kettle black become.
Still, even if guilt is established at all, it would not be a surprise
either because the system that prevails today is completely “moral-less”
and success in life is determined not by the old values of integrity,
honesty, and industry but by “abilidad” or wile and guile to outrank the
good.
Doubtlessly, most of these accusing congressmen, senators,
“evil society” and big business people, like the Makati Business Club
rooting for Aquino III, cannot be outdone in their mastery of the
“moral-less” system — especially not by the CJ.
That is why in the
midst of increasing misery, the system even gifts big business
oligarchs with continuously escalating profits and consolidating
corporate powers.
Last May 8, it was headlined that “Philippine
hunger incidence hit a record high in March as more Filipino families
reported… (experiencing) hunger in the past three months,” (with the
SWS) “nationwide poll conducted from March 10 to 13… (disclosing) that
23.8 percent of respondents or an equivalent of around 5 million
Filipino families reported that they did not have anything to eat at
least once” in the said period.
Contrast that to this news, “Power
distributor Manila Electric Co. recorded profits for the first quarter
of 2012 rose 58.2 percent from the year before,” and this,
“conglomerates post higher profits,” which cited among others that Lopez
Holdings Corp. “reported a 192-percent increase in first quarter net
income to P2.63 billion from P902 million registered in the same period
last year” and you’ll get the picture.
Evidently, like what’s
going on in the halls of the Senate, the Lower House, Malacañang, and
all other institutions of society, it’s a “moral-less” conduct of
affairs everyday; and it will persist unless some radical change comes
over the nation.
(Tune in to 1098AM, dwAD, Sulo ng Pilipino/Radyo
OpinYon, Monday to Friday, 5 to 6 p.m.; watch Destiny Cable GNN’s HTL
edition of Talk News TV, Saturdays, 8:15 to 9 p.m., with replay at 11:15
p.m.; visit http://newkatipunero.blogspot.com for our articles plus TV
and radio archives)
(Reprinted with permission from Mr. Herman Tiu-Laurel)
Source: The Daily Tribune
URL:
http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20120518com3.html
