IF we are looking for proof to show how deeply rooted and pervasive government corruption has become, the case of the two immigration commissioners, who were caught in video carrying bagfuls of money amounting to P30 million, is instructive.
Santa Banana, Associate Commissioners Al Argosino and Michael Robles make me laugh. They say they received money through a middleman of fugitive gambling tycoon Jack Lam at the City of Dreams and Casino in Parañaque City on November 27, because they were gathering evidence.
This “evidence gathering” took place just hours after the same Lam middleman tried to bribe Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre and Pagcor chairman Andrea Domingo to protect Lam’s Fontana Leisure and Casino Report at Clark.
In law, when the briber offers a bribe, and the bribe taker accepts it, both of them are culpable.
I am surprised that both Argosino and Robles, both lawyers, came out with such a copout.
My gulay, it would have been an entirely different story if they conducted a citizen’s arrest of the middleman, Wally Sombero, a retired policeman, and brought him to the Department of Justice. They could have said that Sombero was bribing them to have the 1,361 undocumented Chinese arrested at Fontana hired by Jack Lam released.
If the two immigration deputy commissioners were not told that they had been caught on video carrying the money, would they have surrendered the cash?
The bribe money amounted to P50 million. P18 million of it was given to the BI acting intelligence chief Charles Calima, and another P2 million went to Sombero for supposedly setting up surveillance cameras to record the transaction, so he could prove to Lam where the money went.
The two BI officials’ claim that they received the bribe money in connection with an investigation to pin down Lam on bribery and economic sabotage is just baloney.
I can understand how Aguirre feels, “I am betrayed,” he said, since the two associate immigration commissioners are both his and President Duterte’s fraternity brothers from Lex Taliones at San Beda College of Law where they all graduated.
Both deputy commissioners were appointed by Duterte. If they have any delicadeza, they should resign and avoid the embarrassment of having the President fire them.
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Here’s an another example of a government bureaucrat who clings to her job despite the fact that the President, has lost all his trust and confidence in her.
I refer to Commission on Higher Education chairman Patricia Licuanan, who claims that her term is until 2018 despite the fact that she could no longer attend Cabinet meetings.
I can agree that government functionaries with a fixed term of office can be relieved for just cause. The law on civil service is clear on this. There are many precedents.
The very fact that the Mr. Duterte no longer trusts Licuanan makes her a useless alter ego of the chief executive.
How will the other commissioners respect her?
Again, this is one official who does not seem to have any self-respect.
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One of President Duterte’s alter egos in the Cabinet who remains unconfirmed by the powerful Commission on Appointments is Gina Lopez, an heiress of the Lopez political clan, as secretary of environment and natural resources.
When the President submitted to the CA names of Cabinet members to be confirmed, the name of Lopez was missing. Later on the President reappointed her.
According to unimpeachable sources, the President was reconsidering her appointment as DENR secretary because of the many complaints from businessmen and members of the Cabinet who are in mining. Lopez recently went on a rampage against mining even against those classified as responsible. She suspended as many as 23 firms in pursuance of her so-called advocacies.
In fact, in her audit of the mining industry, Lopez sought the help of a known anti-mining advocate group in an effort to practically kill the industry. As a result, the mining industry in the Philippines is now in limbo.
I believe President Duterte made a serious mistake in appointing Lopez. Her advocacy runs counter to the interests of the mining industry.
Since the President thinks that Lopez is acting in good faith, he refuses to listen to any advice, not even from Mines and Geosciences Bureau Chief Mario Luis Jacinto, a career official who knows the difference between unsafe and responsible mining.
Yes, there is a big difference. An example of unsafe mining is being done by gold diggers at Mount Diwalwal. But how come Lopez is not going after them? Is it because some powerful politicians are protecting them?
If the President thinks that by appointing Lopez, he will get the support of the powerful media outlet, ABS-CBN, he’s mistaken.
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With the lifting of the nationwide ban on firecrackers, happy days are back for those in the firecracker and pyrotechnic industry. We can expect more deaths and injuries on New Year’s Eve.
Malacañang has not totally banned firecrackers because the President wants to save the jobs of those peddling firecrackers. Is this more important than the lives of people?
The Palace has strange standards, I must admit.
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The 365 Club, now 43 years old, will have its traditional breakfast Christmas Party at the Holiday Inn Suites in Makati City on Saturday, December 17.
For the past 42 years, the 365 Club, which was founded during the proclamation of Martial Law in September 1972 has held its meetings at the Hotel Intercontinental.
It’s an organization of journalists, professionals, businessmen, and past and present government officials.
It has no rules except that it’s KKB (kanya-kanyang bayad). See you at the party!