“A President who needs to give specific case-by-case instructions is a President who protects her cronies and her operatives against the State’s police forces and fosters the culture of impunity.”
by Ducky Paredes
The national campaign for candidates voted at-large by the whole nation (President, Vice President, Senators and Party-Lists) officially begins February 9 (Tuesday next week). Not that no one has been campaigning. In fact, many of the candidates may have already spent more than what is allowed by law in the period leading up to the start of the official campaign period. In fact, many of us have even already made up our minds about who to vote for. Others have narrowed down their choices to two or three.
I have my choices; but don’t expect me to campaign for anyone. I am happy being a journalist and wish to remain as one, after this election. Thus, I will comment on the campaign, hopefully, without compromising myself. It is in this light that this present column has been written.
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In a forum at the De La Salle University in Manila, the master of ceremonies (Ted Failon) asked the presidential hopefuls: “Is there something for which President Arroyo should be held accountable? How should she be made accountable?”
Gilbert Teodoro, presidentiable from the Lakas-Kampi found himself in a bind: “Just think about it, if I participate in efforts to prosecute her, people would say `lulutuin mo lang’ . If I don’t participate, people would say I did not work for justice.
“In the end, anyone with reason to file a case against her should just do it. I should not interfere.”
Failon told Teodoro that he and seven other presidential candidates—Senators Benigno Aquino III, Richard Gordon, Jamby Madrigal and Manny Villar, John Carlos de los Reyes, Nicanor Perlas and Eddie Villanueva—were required to answer “yes” or “no” to the question.
Gibo did not answer as the moderator wanted him to : “If I say ‘yes,’ I might be accused of riding on the popular sentiment against a party mate and former boss in the Cabinet. If I say ‘no,’ I would be depriving myself of the objectivity I need as President.”
As expected, all of the other presidentiables answered as expected – they would give GMA’s conviction their full attention.
Later, Senator Jamby Madrigal wanted her pound of flesh from Gibo
After Gibo answered: “Utang na loob means paying goodness with goodness. But if it’s otherwise, nothing is worth staining my reputation.”
“So, did the President shower you with goodness?” Madrigal asked.
“Justice should prevail,” Teodoro said. “We have a judicial process and it should be observed.”
Actually, to my mind, at least, Gilbert Teodoro gave the only correct answer to the real question of how much time the next President would devote to going after Gloria Arroyo, His answer. In brief: Not much.
If we elect the right President, it will certainly not be someone who will devote prime time to going after Gloria Arroyo. Not that Gloria Arroyo ought to be let off the hook but aren’t there prosecutors, the Ombudsman and the Department of Justice whose responsibility is to go after those who have violated any of our laws?
In fact, to my mind, the right president is not someone who will tell the police to stop crimes or to go after the latest kidnappers, rapists or bombers. He should have, at his installation, chosen the right person to head up our police forces (PNP), the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) so that he does not need to lift a finger to see that they do their work.
A President who needs to give specific case-by-case instructions is a President who protects her cronies and her operatives against the State’s police forces and fosters the culture of impunity. A President who has no hidden agendas will expect the police and the DOJ to do what they are expected without his telling them.
What I expect from the next President is that he will choose his cabinet well from among the best available to him. Then, he should tell them to do their jobs as well as they can, with honesty and transparency, with the admonition that they should not expect him to tell them how to do their jobs and that, should he have to remind them what they are expected to do, this will be a point against them.
Then, maybe, we can have policemen who will do their jobs and only their jobs and taxmen who will only collect taxes and nothing more.
A President who is forever telling the bureaucracy how to do what they should be doing cannot be a good President.
A President who does not need to remind people what they should be doing has to be a good president because it shows that he chose all the right people to do what must be done.
Being President does not mean that one has to do everything or that he should be telling her people what to do.
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Look at the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG). This was created by President Cory Aquino on February 26, 1986 and was to last only for a few years; yet, it is still with us today. How much good has it done and what evil has it visited on the nation with the pettiness of its administrators and commissioners and their peccadillos and shenanigans? It may well be that if the PCGG had never been created, we may all have been better off.
At least, we would not have created for a few good men temptations beyond their capability to resist.
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Of all the presidentiables, Dick Gordon is the most forward looking. He says: “After I am President, after that exposure, [Bayani Fernando, his vice president] can be President. Then we’ll have to look for somebody else who will continue.” Aim high, Philippines!
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hvp 01.31.10
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