Face the problem

The execution of Sally Ordinario Villanueva, Ramon Credo and Elizabeth Batain in China for illegal drug trafficking, with 73 other Filipinos on China’s death row, is the clearest proof that drug syndicates are operating with impunity in the country.

It should now motivate the President to accord the highest priority to this very serious problem. PDEA, PNP and DOJ must triple their efforts. The Bureau of Customs must stop drug smuggling, too.

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BETRAYAL OF PUBLIC TRUST. . The House of Representatives’ Articles of Impeachment in Resolution No. 105 has presented six grounds to charge Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez for betrayal of public trust.

The four major articles gave the following specifics:

Article I. The Fertilizer Fund Scam

“Ombudsman Ma. Merceditas Navarro-Gutierrez violated her constitutional and statutory duties, as protector of the people, to act promptly on complaints against public officials or employees of the government and enforce their administrative, civil, and criminal liability in every case where the evidence warrants in order to promote efficient service by the Government to the people, and has betrayed the public trust by inexcusably failing (1) to act promptly on the complaints filed and (2) to file the appropriate cases in court against high ranking government officials involved in the anomalous use of the P728 million ‘Ginintuang Masaganang Ani’ (GMA) program or the ‘Fertilizer Fund Scam’.

“Notwithstanding the filing of complaints and the findings and recommendations in the Task Force Abono Reports in 2006, the Senate Committee Report No. 54 in 2006 and the Commission on Audit to file the appropriate charges against then Agriculture Secretary Luis ‘Cito’ Lorenzo and then Agriculture Undersecretary Jocelyn ‘Joc-Joc’ Bolante, among others, Ombudsman Ma. Merceditas Navarro-Gutierrez has inexcusably failed to act promptly on the complaints pertaining to the ‘Fertilizer Fund Scam’ for more than five years and failed to file the appropriate cases in court. This is contrary to the Ombudsman’s duty to give priority to complaints filed against high ranking government officials and/or those occupying supervisory positions, and complaints involving grave offenses and large sums of money and/or properties.”

Article II. The Euro Generals Scandal - “Ombudsman Ma. Merceditas Navarro-Gutierrez violated her constitutional and statutory duties, as protector of the people, to act promptly on complaints against public officials or employees of the government . . . . and has betrayed the public trust by inexcusably failing to file the appropriate cases in court against Philippine National Police (PNP) Comptroller P/Dir. Eliseo De la Paz of the ‘Euro Generals Scandal,’ despite the latter’s public admission under oath of a criminal offense and the findings of criminal liability by various government bodies.”

Article III - The Mega Pacific Deal

“Ombudsman Ma. Merceditas Navarro-Gutierrez violated her constitutional and statutory duties, as protector of the people, to act promptly on complaints against public officials or employees of the government . . . . and has betrayed the public trust by absolving from any criminal liability the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) officials and private individuals involved in the anomalous billion-peso contracts for the automation of the 2004 elections known as the ‘Mega Pacific Deal.’”

Notwithstanding the findings of the Senate and the Supreme Court in Information Technology Foundation of the Philippines, et. al. vs. Commission on Elections et. al. (GR No. 159139, January 13, 2004), that “COMELEC and its officials concerned must bear full responsibility for the failed bidding and award, and held accountable for the electoral mess,” Ombudsman Ma. Merceditas Navarro-Gutierrez has absolved from any criminal liability the COMELEC officials and private individuals involved in the “Mega Pacific Deal”.

Article IV - The NBN-ZTE Deal

“Ombudsman Ma. Merceditas Navarro-Gutierrez violated her constitutional and statutory duties, as protector of the people, to act promptly on complaints against public officials or employees of the government . . . . and has betrayed the public trust by using the powers of her high office, personally and through her subordinates and agents, to wrongfully exclude President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo from investigation and absolve her husband, Jose Miguel Arroyo, a former classmate of the Ombudsman, from criminal prosecution stemming from the scandalous NBN-ZTE broadband contract (the “NBN-ZTE Deal”).

“Notwithstanding the evidence presented before the Office of the Ombudsman implicating former COMELEC Chairman Benjamin Abalos, National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Romulo Neri and Jose Miguel Arroyo, the Office of the Ombudsman indicted Benjamin Abalos and Romulo Neri but absolved Jose Miguel Arroyo in the NBN-ZTE Deal, and displayed gross incompetence by inexcusably failing and refusing to investigate President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.”  

Conviction on anyone of the grounds is sufficient to remove her from office.

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CIVILIANS BOMBED. . . NATO bombs hit a hospital in Mizda, 104 kilometers outside of Tripoli hurting 13 civilians. Far from protecting civilians, the US led bombing of Libya has gone farther than envisioned by the UN Resolution 1973. Something’s wrong here. Eighteen Filipino nurses in the bombed hospital now want to be rescued and go back home. Tigas ng ulo kasi!

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TIDBITS. . . The House passed the bill authored by Pasig Rep. Roman Romulo requiring hospitals to post a price list of all its services and products sold. Why do hospitals increase their fees by 10-15 percent every year? Why should an MRI by an old machine now cost P38,000? Even doctor’s fees which used to average P500 per consultation now average P800 per visit? Score one for Rep. Romulo.  

COA Chairman Rey Villar’s Toyota Fortuner was carjacked by a lone gunman Tuesday in BF Homes, Parañaque.

Our thanks to the following friends who also greeted us on our birthday: Dr. Mike Jacalan, Johnny Uy, Dalmacio Lim, Ellen Bocalan, J.V. Bautista, Lee Amurao, Fenny Tatad, Bing de Villa, Manny Garcia, Cherry Lagman, Alma Mortel Encarna-cion, Nimfa Magno, Jeffrey Campos, Gen. Raul Bacalzo, Gen. Nick Bartolome, Gen. Benjamin Belarmino, Cora Tibayan, Albert and Vivian Yang.