Right way, wrong way FRONTLINE Ninez Cacho-Olivares 12/11/2010

Right way, wrong way

FRONTLINE

Ninez Cacho-Olivares

12/11/2010

There is a right way, or perhaps an acceptable way and a wrong way to do things.

It was probably right to get the case against the so-called “Morong 43” health workers, alleged by the military to be communists and caught at bomb-making activities, withdrawn by the Department of Justice (DoJ). After all, if the case is still under DoJ review, the complaint can be withdrawn, especially if the accused have not been arraigned in court, as technically, the court would still not have had jurisdiction over the accused.

But it was probably wrong for Noynoy Aquino to announce that he had ordered the DoJ to withdraw the case against the health workers, because he has set a precedent in the sense that it is he who now makes the decision on whether to have a case withdrawn or not — especially when the case is already in court and should be out of his jurisdiction.

What would have been a better way, was for him to have let his Justice secretary announce that she had directed her officers to withdraw the case against the Morong 43. The result would have been the same anyway, but as Noynoy probably wanted to act the hero, and during the Human Rights Day, he came forward to take full credit for the release of the health workers. Still, having been highly criticized by international human rights group for his boycotting the Nobel rites and bowing to China, Noynoy wanted to claim that he is a protector of human rights.... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101211com2.html