Finally, our legislators will know the meaning of public service and the responsibility that comes with the high salary paid them from taxpayers money. It’s not all about perks, privilege and power.
Five members of Congress found themselves locked out of the House session hall for being late after the roll call . The five —Aurora Rep. Bellaflor Castillo Angara, Batangas Rep. Mario Brittorio Marino, Paranaque Rep. Gus Tambunting, Sultan Kudarat Rep. Suharto Mangundato, and Quezon Rep. Katrina Enverga.
Buhay Party-List Rep. Lito Atienza who heads the House watchdog committee on attendance welcomed the House rule that Majority Leader Rodolfo Farinas enforced to discipline late and absent lawmakers. The Ilocos Norte representative issued an order five days earlier that session hall doors will be locked after the roll call.
There are legal opinions, however, that the late legislators cannot be locked out as its is against the law to do so. Nonetheless, the new House rule had an instant effect on attendance as 226 out of 293 showed up on time for the roll call. Anyone who comes late is considered absent. So Angara et al were considered absent and hopefully learned their lesson like tardy schoolchildren.
But they are not school kids, and they cannot blame Metro Manila’s horrendous traffic problem. Every commuter has to deal with traffic and the five lawmakers cannot claim exemption. They, after all, have No. 8 plated cars that can weave in and out of traffic without the use of sirens.
The House session hall doors remain locked during deliberations to preclude the slipping out of some solons on the pretext of going to the cafeteria or meeting some constituents at their Batasan offices. More often than not, these congressmen leave and do not come back after the roll call. Meeting their constituents during session is no excuse. These legislators have full-time staff who can help them with time management and scheduling of appointments.
Joma, Digong word war
The word war between President Rodrigo Duterte and Communist Party of the Philippines founding chairman Jose Ma. Sison has escalated. Although oceans apart, the vitriolic verbal exchange between two has darkened clouds on whatever hope there is for the settlement of the longest-running communist insurgency in the world.
Duterte, in his trademark tough-guy demeanor, called off the peace talks with a parting shot of “I’m done talking, let’s fight.”
While Sison did not exactly dare Digong to bring it on, the search for enduring peace being held in Oslo, Norway was aborted again after a Presidential Security Guard convoy was attacked in Agusan by the communist New People’s Army.
“You want to kill me? Have mercy on Norway and kill yourself instead,” said Duterte, adding Sison is suffering from colon cancer.
Sison denied he has cancer. Not to be outdone, he suggested Duterte get the professional help of a psychiatrist.
The current GRP-CPP/National Democratic Front peace parley in Oslo is being held under the auspices of the Norwegian government which has been patiently brokering the on-and-off talks.
Sison, in turn, said it’s Digong who is sick and should come clean before the Filipino people by showing a medical certificate attesting to his health. He also explained that the attack on the PSG convoy was provoked when local government officials did not inform the NPA checkpoint that a government convoy was passing through NPA-held territory.
So it has come to that point the insurgents control a segment of Philippine territory and even have checkpoints for government to secure permission to pass through. Relying on government propaganda, we thought all along the communist movement was already a spent force and ready to fold tent.
But the reality on the ground is that the country is facing a war on three fronts. Aside from the recalcitrant NPA rebels, there is the Maute group reinforced by the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters and Abu Sayyaf axis backed by global terrorist ISIS sowing fear in Mindanao.
Then, there is the bigger external threat posed by China which covets the whole South China Sea , including the still-undeclared intent to take over the West Philippine Sea through a proposal for joint exploration of possible gas and mineral resources.
The Duterte administration it seems, is willing to placate China as long as financial aid and loans come in for its ambitious Build, Build, Build infrastructure projects.
The Chinese, meanwhile, are matching the foreign loans to Manila with their own Build, Build, Build of military installations in the Spratlys even as visiting Foreign Minister Wang Yi warned countries outside the region not to meddle in the South China Sea territorial dispute.
Is this the government’s idea of peace ? Not to be confrontational with our giant neighbor is adopting a policy similar to the silence of the lamb while being led to the slaughterhouse.