One of the biggest changes in the 1987 Constitution was the creation of the Judicial and Bar Council. This was the brainchild of the late Justice JBL Reyes, one of the framers of the charter. The idea was to remove political influence in the selection of judges and justices.
Before this, members of the judiciary had to go through the wringer of the Commission on Appointments, which was made up of politicians.
As it turned out, the JBC itself became an anomaly. It was not beyond influence and corruption. Some incompetent and corrupt judges and justices were appointed!
This is why the consultative commission now tasked to propose amendments to the charter is looking at abolishing the JBC and returning the task of appointing members of the judiciary to the CA.
Why abolish the CA? The best argument would be what happened in the appointment of former Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno. The JBC put her in its shortlist for the top judiciary post despite her failure to complete the requirements for such.
The JBC knew that Sereno had failed to submit a complete set of Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth. And yet it forwarded her name to then-President Benigno Aquino III. Why? It knew Aquino would choose Sereno over the others on the list!
I know all too well how the JBC has been corrupted. When I was pushing for the judgeship of a relative (by affinity) in Cagayan de Oro City, he complained to me that the JBC required him to get the endorsement of the provincial governor and city mayor. Why, I asked. Wouldn’t that make the judge beholden to politicians? In any case, this relative was finally appointed by then-President Fidel V. Ramos.
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Another anomaly is the appointment of certain “special envoys” for this or that concern.
There was even a time when ambassadors-at-large were appointed. Ambassadors without any jurisdiction or host country? To me, this is an abuse of the Foreign Service Act. There is no appropriation in the national budget for such special envoys. And yet they carry diplomatic passports and are accorded special attention by foreign embassies.
I think this is an insult on the foreign service itself. Such envoys often interfere with the functions of political and career ambassadors.
President Duterte should really stop this practice.
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As of latest count, there must now be at least 30 members of the Cabinet, appointed as secretary of this or that, but without portfolios. Even the spokesman, Harry Roque, enjoys Cabinet rank and is addressed as Mr. Secretary!
The most anomalous is the innocuous Climate Change Commission, composed of its chairman as secretary and the members all designated as undersecretaries, with the corresponding ranks and salaries!
President Duterte himself frowns on excessive government spending. This is an abuse of government funds.
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One of the most disgraceful things that can happen to a person is be labeled a hypocrite, a sanctimonious, holier-than-thou individual who goes to great lengths to appear righteous—but who is actually rotten to the core. The most popular examples of this kind are the Pharisees, whose way of life was so far from what they preach.
Unfortunately, there are still modern-day Pharisees. They live among us. Take the case of this controversial pastor from a well-known Christian Church based south of the Pasig River. Before going into the details of his current notoriety in legal circles, let’s start with the obvious contradictions in his life.
First, both he and his Church are vehemently opposed to homosexuality. Oddly enough, the pastor’s own brother is openly gay, and was involved in a same-sex, live-in relationship for 10 years. Even while this pastor was bashing gays in his homilies, he would enjoy the company of his brother and his brother’s lover without any objections. Talk about double standards!
Next, Pastor Pharisee often speaks to business owners about uncompromising integrity and righteousness in the workplace. How ironic—he reportedly owns a store at a high-end mall that sells smuggled luxury items on the sly, and without any receipts.
Finally, this is what takes the cake for me. His Church, which is strongly closed to any form if marital dissolution (divorce, annulment, etc) appointed him marriage counselor. There were more than a few raised eyebrows because his own sister is currently on her third marriage.
It goes deeper.
Sources say the pastor and his sister ostensibly run a marriage scam. Sister hooks a rich and eligible bachelor, and after some time charges him in court for a number of outrageous offenses. Pastor Pharisee then uses his connections to make sure that the ex-husbands are legally pressured and eventually give in to conjugal demands.
Just how good are the pastor’s connections? When his sister tried the same modus on husband number three, the case was dismissed. Undaunted, she filed the case again and it was dismissed a second time. This was when the pastor worked his magic in another city, and refiled the case there. My gulay, the twice-dismissed case was miraculously accepted!
A number of concerned members of the pastor’s Church has brought the activities of the pastor before the leadership, complete with evidence. Strangely, the Church has chosen to treat the matter with kid gloves by conducting a half-hearted “internal investigation.”
They may not realize it, but the feudal-type protectionism, which I hope does not lead to a cover-up, has been the downfall of many organizations both sacred and secular.
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Haven’t you noticed that many tycoons now sport the title “Doctor” affixed to their name?
This is so because they have been conferred an honoris causa degree by some university.
I, too have been conferred an honorary doctorate many years ago by the Angeles University Foundation, but I do not use it. It is just awkward.
