Our leader

By REY O. ARCILLA
MALAYA

‘Noynoy is supposed to lead by example.’

SENATE President Juan Ponce Enrile, he who could not seem to make up his mind about whether or not he was really ambushed prior to the declaration of martial law by his erstwhile boss, says the P1.6 million he gave to some senators was a gift, not a bribe. (A gift at the expense of the people?)

That may be so, but one thing is for sure – he and some of his colleagues have been depriving over the years their bosses, the people, of money that should have been put to use for the betterment of their sorry lot instead of lining the honorable senators’ pockets. To begin with, those savings should have been returned to the national treasury.

As one senator reportedly said, “Why do we need additional MOOE at the end of the year?” Yes indeed, why?

Enrile then dismissively asked, “What else is new?”

What is new, Sir, is that this is the first time that the obscene, odious and reprehensible practice became public knowledge.

And when Enrile gave a much smaller amount each to four senators, it showed his vindictive character.

Curiously, perhaps stung by the strong negative reaction to his “generosity,” Enrile did not show up at the vin d’honeur hosted by Malacañang which, by the way, opted not to comment on the matter claiming that it is internal to the Senate. As keepers of the till, that was an obvious copout, inconsistent with “daang matuwid”.

The lower House is no different from the Senate. Each congressman reportedly received P500,000 each as yearend bonus. That amounted to a whopping P120 million, approximately. Maligaya ang kanilang Pasko!

Meanwhile, it has been reported that poor lowly employees from the Department of Agriculture, National Housing Authority and other government corporations have been asked to refund their bonuses.

Ano ba ‘yan?!

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President Noynoy Aquino is our leader. He is supposed to lead by example.

With the passage of the sin tax law which is also intended to discourage the people from smoking, he can lead by stopping the habit himself. (I will too, if he does. I promise.)

He can also give up the use of guns for recreation in the wake of the great public demand for a more stringent gun control law.

I don’t consider target shooting with a gun a sport. The only thing that it “exercises” in your anatomy is one lousy forefinger. Neither does it require any brain power.

Noynoy should perhaps engage in something else that would approximate the same thrill that he gets from shooting guns at inanimate targets. Archery, for instance. Pwede na rin siguro ang darts. Same principle, di ba? You hit the bull’s eye.

And I don’t see why Noynoy should be exempted from the gun ban during the election period. What good would it really do him to be carrying a pistol when he goes on election sorties? Will he be carrying it cowboy style? Will he see his target first? Will he be fast enough on the draw?

The government is spending millions on his security guards. They are there specifically to protect him from possible assassins. And they have been quite effective. They have not lost a president in the short history of the nation.

***

True to form, Albert “Amboy” del Rosario’s DFA quickly echoed the cock-and-bull story concocted by the US government on the drone recovered from the waters off Masbate.

At first, it was reported that the drone was fired during an Americans-only portion of a military exercise recently staged in the country.

Did Del Rosario ask for some credible evidence of the US’ claim? I doubt it.

Then he said his Department is continuing with its investigation of the matter. That’s an insult to our intelligence. Who will believe him – after he had already accepted the US story hook line and sinker? Please!

Well, as I have been saying all along, Del Rosario is not an Amboy for nothing. Sad.

Oh, is he aware that those drones have killed thousands of innocent civilians in Pakistan and Afghanistan? US relations with both those countries have soured because of, among other reasons, the indiscriminate use of drones to kill suspected US enemies.

***

When, I wonder, will Noynoy realize that a foreign secretary such as the one he now has is not good for the national interest.

… a foreign secretary who has often shown his bias for the US position on matters that involve our foreign policy and national interest.

… one who has not, as far as I can tell, demonstrated in his sorties in the international arena impressive skills in diplomatic negotiations work.

… one who has tried to impress other people by his unnecessary trips to areas in the Middle East to show his concern for stranded OFWs (who isn’t?).

… one who does not even deign to speak in the national language

… one who, in my view at least, apparently thinks he can win the loyalty and respect of DFA staffers by giving them the paltry sum equivalent to $10 every Christmas from his salary. (Little is he aware it seems that the vast majority of even the rank-and-file in the DFA are nationalistic who, if given half a chance, will tell you of their honest opinion on foreign policy decisions that hue to that of a foreign power.)

… one who obviously tolerates irregularities in his turf by allowing a staffer, Michael Macaraig, to get away with mishandling and not returning money owned by members of the DFA Personnel Association.

… one who has kept on a future ex-undersecretary for administration, Rafael Seguis, who is a remnant not only of the unlamented Arroyo regime, but also of the so-called Aguado Foreign Office run by the late Kokoy Romualdez during the Marcos regime; violated RA 10022 concerning OFWs by having his brother own and operate a recruiting firm; and as head of administration, allowed the maintenance of rented embassy premises in Baghdad where we have not had a diplomatic mission for about eight years, until last year.

In short, do we have a foreign secretary who adheres to Noynoy’s “daang matuwid” principle? That question is, of course, for Noynoy to answer and act upon without intervention from any external sources.

Incidentally, being an excellent and fond user of Pilipino in his speeches and public pronouncements, has Noynoy ever tried speaking with Del Rosario in the national language? Does he or would he not feel uncomfortable or even annoyed if the latter kept replying to him in a foreign language? Just asking.

***

Funnyman Senator Tito Sotto wants members of the Senate to be included in the list of those who should be allowed to possess and carry licensed firearms. The next thing you know, the congressmen would want to be exempted too.

Under the proposed bill on gun control, the following is a curious list of those proposed to be exempted: lawyers, accountants, journalists, cashiers, bank tellers, businessmen and, would you believe?… priests, ministers, rabbi, imam, doctors, nurses, engineers!

I am for a total ban on carrying of licensed firearms with the obvious exception of soldiers, policemen and members of other security agencies. Look at Japan. Because of strict gun control laws, she has one of the lowest crime rates in the world, as opposed to the US which has one of the highest.

***

Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) head Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa denied “Coplan Armado” had the commission’s approval. However, the plan’s supervisor, Police Supt. Glenn Dumlao, admitted earlier that it had.

The plan led to the shooting death of 13 people, alleged to be involved in jueteng, in Atimonan, Quezon recently.

Has Ochoa ever heard of command responsibility?

Meanwhile, Noynoy said he is worried about the rising violence and criminality in the country. Has he asked Ochoa, his crime czar, why and what he has done and is doing about it?

***

Reminders (for Noynoy’s action):

1) Filing of charges against of­ficials of the National Food Administration (NFA) during Arroyo’s illegitimate regime. Noynoy himself said on several occasions that there is documentary evidence to prove the venalities in the past in that agency.

Ironically, after two and a half years of inaction on Noynoy’s part, his erstwhile appointee as head of the NFA is now under Senate investigation for alleged anomalies during his stewardship of the agency.

2) Investigation of reported anomalies in the GSIS during the watch of Winston Garcia.

Now that there appears to be a falling out between the Aquino administration and the Garcia family of Cebu (its governor is still resisting her suspension from office for six months), it is hoped that an investigation of Winston Garcia, a brother of the suspended governor, would now proceed.

3) Facilitating the investigation of rampant corruption in the military and police establishments.

4) Expeditious action by the AFP on the case of Jonas Burgos.

***

Today is the 254th day of the sixth year of Jonas Burgos’ disappearance.

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From an internet friend:

More choice quotes on politicians:

* We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office. ~ Aesop

* Those who are too smart to engage in politics are punished by being governed by those who are dumber. ~ Plato

* Politicians are people who, when they see light at the end of the tunnel, go out and buy some more tunnel. ~ John Quinton

* Politics is the gentle art of getting votes from the poor and campaign funds from the rich, by promising to protect each from the other. ~ Oscar Ameringer

* The problem with political jokes is they get elected. ~ Variously attributed to Will Rogers and George Bernard Shaw

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Email: roacrosshairs@yahoo.com