One standard for all
FRONTLINE |
Ninez Cacho-Olivares |
A standard for one should be the standard for all, and no buts about it.
Yet even as a new chief justice for the Supreme Court is being mulled over by the Judicial and Bar Council, there appears to be opposition from some government officials to the JBC’s suggestion that the candidates/applicants to the post should submit their waivers to the confidentiality of their bank accounts. But they say that they should not be made to do so, because the case of the convicted CJ is a different one, since he had questionable assets not included in the statement of assets, liabilities and networth (SALn).
If such was the standard, then the only time the SALns of SC justices — CJ or not, or for that matter, the President of the Republic — would be only if and when they face impeachment — and in the cases of elected and appointed government officials, without waivers, they can never be made to account for anything, at least in the realm of graft and corruption as well as ill-gotten wealth.
The nation then would merely rely on what they claim they have as assets.
Surely, that can’t be right, if this government and its officials claim to be taking the straight path and adhere strictly to the principles of honesty, transparency, accountability and truth..... MORE
Source: The Daily Tribune
URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20120606com2.html
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