A tale called impeachment

By EJ LOPEZ

MORE than a few articles of this column dwelled on issues pertinent to the present hot copy, the impeachment of the Supreme Court’s CJ. Much as I would have wanted to cease further commentaries on the issue because it has become superfluous and has turned into a focal point of the newsstands daily argument, the hastened interests on the topic have gone to a high level that other more important concerns seem to take a backseat. It looks inevitable therefore to grab the opportunity to air my two cents worth to contribute to the fair shake of what the truth is all about. To quote Henry Anatole Grunwald, “Journalism can never be silent: that is its greatest virtue and its greatest fault. It must speak, and speak immediately, while the echoes of wonder, the claims of triumph and the signs of horror are still in the air.”

These circumstances must need come to a pass no matter who gets to be mortified by incessant display of palpable deception. The chance finding of a photocopy of the CJ account, then the personal initiative to go to the bank and plead for information pertinent to that manna from heaven that found its way in the driveway. This was kept to himself by the “saintly” member of the house and never exposed to his impeachment conspirator until accidentally uncovered by a member of the Senate. This fairy tale that was hatched to soften theimpact of the poison fruit from a poisonous tree is now complementing the tale of the small lady.

The government obviously is now using everything at its dispensation that includes throwing the kitchen sink to ensure the conviction of the CJ. With the current bunch of alibis presented by the prosecutors, it is a foregone conclusion on what they want to achieve in the guise of the “common good.” Again to quote Albert Camus, “The welfare of the people in particular has always been the alibi of tyrants.”

We need not speculate on whether the intention is really to uncover the truth surrounding the CJ. This is because even prior to the start of the impeachment trial, the verdict has already been liberally tossed in the air with the end in view that the non-conviction of the CJ could ignite another People Power revolt. This seems to be the call and order of the day despite the absence of undisputed proof against the CJ. The so called “truth” uncovered by the prosecution seems to have come from a “divine intervention” granted to the saintly personality and further affirmed by that tale from the small lady. Are we seeing the last of the judiciary’s independence?

OFW remittances keep us afloat

Remittances from overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) hit a new record high of $20.117 billion in 2011, 7.2 percent or $1.254 billion higher than the $18.763 billion in 2010, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) reported. The year 2011 can be seen as a golden year as far OFW remittances is concerned. To a certain level it has offset the anemic growth rate of the GDP as well as GNP.

The inflow of foreign remittances to the country has stabilized our foreign currency reserves much to the benefit of our international trading transactions. The growth reflects the increase in labor services exported to other countries. However, the net effect to economic effect benefits has an inverse or negative effect to our social order. Considering the physical absence of the bread winner of the family,the emotional as well as the psychological effect to the family and the bread winner itself is a state irreplaceable by any amount of money. This however was traded for the prospect of a better future in lieu of his moral responsibility as the head of the family.

Translated into local advantages, the increased remittance can be indirectly interpreted as additional savings and investment for the country. Added to this is the stabilization of our foreign currency reserves, a major component of economic stability. Despite perceived political snag brewing between the Executive and the Judiciary, the Philippines’ global credit rating may be raised to investment grade within a year following five “positive actions” from credit watchers in 2011, according to the central bank. The positive swing in credit rating that could altogether been brought by a confluence of several factors like increased remittances that could increase the purchasing power of the people ultimately leading to economies of scale and may be perceived as a positive indicator by would be and existing investors.

All things put together, the earlier the impeachment trial concludes,the better will be for the Philippine economy because it could lead to an early realization of economic development sans political squabble.

(For comments email, doc.ejlopez@gmail.com with cc to opinion@manilatimes.net).