"Without individual rights, there would be anarchy."
"Without individual rights, there would be anarchy."
Headline news: “Pros outweigh cons in narcos.” The Palace says the Department of the Interior and Local Government will make public the list of narco-politicians next week.
Santa Banana, the logic of the President’s decision as enunciated by Spokesman Salvador Panelo, shatters everything I learned in school. The Palace says the public’s right to information outweighs all individual rights.
But does President Duterte not know that without individual rights which are God-given, there would be anarchy?
In the first place, the list of so-called narco-politicians is just a list, not something that has been validated and which could stand in court.
Now if the names have been validated and investigated, then the DILG should file the cases in court. That is the obligation of the state.
It was reckless on the part of Mr. Duterte to even consider making the list public. It tramples on individual rights.
Have we come to this, when the rights of individuals are trampled upon?
* * *
In my column yesterday, I wrote that when the name of the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos is mentioned, people almost always think of martial law and the atrocities associated with it.
The good that Marcos did, like issuing numerous laws that have been lauded by succeeding administrations, has been completely forgotten.
Some of these laws established: are (1) the Judiciary Development Fund, the basis of the financial benefits of the judiciary; (2) the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation; (3) the Export Processing Authority to attract foreign investments; (4) the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board that guards the young from violence and sexuality; (5) the Philippine Coconut Authority to develop and enhance production and exports; (6) the Philippine Tourism Authority as one of the engines to source revenues; (7) laws on socialized housing through a series of issuances on funding, lending, mortgaging and collection.
All the specialty hospitals like the Philippine Heart Center, Kidney Center, Philippine Children’s Center; (9) Establishment of Petron; (10) Establishment of the first nuclear power plant in Southeast Asia; (11) establishment of geothermal plants as a source of energy; (12) exploration and drilling of Malampaya oil and gas.
(13)The importance of arts in the life of the nation; (14) construction of the Cultural Center of the Philippines and the Philippine International Convention Center.
These are but a few of the significant undertakings of Marcos. Some sinister minds would like to expunge these.
These issuances are part of our legal system, and they continue to touch lives.
* * *
Non-commissioned poll surveys show that reelectionist mayors of Metro Manila have the edge over their competitors.
Among them are Mayor Abby Binay of Makati, who is said to have a 70-percent advantage over her brother.
I hope Junjun is still my friend, because I would advise him to weigh his options. He is so far behind his sister.
Mayor Abby has many notable projects, among them the construction of a 10-kilometer subway around the city which will give access to every nook and corner of Makati.
* * *
The biggest mistake of Otso Diretso is that most of them are newbies and only former Senator Mar Roxas has any chance of winning. They should know that in elections here, name recall counts for a lot.
Political observers say that if the opposition is lucky, maybe Bam Aquino can make it, too.
Pitted against reelectionists like Grace Poe, Cynthia Villar, Pia Cayetano, Sonny Angara, Nancy Binay, Koko Pimentel, Jinggoy Estrada, Bong Revilla, Serge Osmeña and Juan Ponce Enrile, their chances are dismal.
Philippine elections are about personalities. This is why the popular ones win even if they are not deserving.
* * *
I don’t know what some lawmakers like Rep. Danilo Suarez are trying to prove, but the threat that now-Bangko Sentral Governor Benjamin Diokno will still be summoned to explain “insertions” to the 2019 budget should be clarified.
Diokno is no longer the secretary of the Department of Budget and Management. More importantly, the General Appropriations Act has already passed the eye of the needle.
www.emiljurado.weebly.com