Let her go

DOJ Sec. Leila de Lima has announced a decision that there is no immediate necessity for GMA to seek medical treatment abroad. She based her decision on an opinion of DOH Sec. Enrique Ona that GMA was recovering well. She admitted it was not a purely medical issue, but also legal and political.

This is a golden opportunity for President Aquino to show statesmanship and compassion. Overrule Sec. De Lima and allow GMA to go abroad for much needed medical treatment.

Recall that President Ferdinand Marcos allowed his father Ninoy Aquino to go abroad for a heart bypass operation even if it could have been performed here at the Heart Center.

President GMA had already given her word that she’s going to return after her treatment abroad. That’s good enough. There’s no reason to disbelieve her. History will condemn her if she decides not to return.

Len Bautista Horn, GMA’s spokesperson, challenged Sec. Ona to produce a metabolic bone biopsy doctor in the Philippines. She insisted there is none and therefore, it can only be done abroad.

The action of Sec. Leila de Lima smacks of ingratitude since it was GMA who gave her a break by appointing her Chair of the Commission on Human Rights.

*      *      *

GAZMIN SURFACES. . . Three weeks after the Al-Barka massacre, the invisible Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin appeared at a command conference at Westmincom headquarters in Zamboanga City and pledged to get MILF Commander Dan “Laksaw” Asnawi.

Meanwhile, Dean Marvic Leonen and the Philippine peace panel reported the massacre of 19 soldiers was being discussed with the MILF panel in Kuala Lumpur. Why discuss it at all if the government is convinced that the arrest warrant for Asnawi is legal and should be served?

Gazmin emphasized that Asnawi had a pending arrest warrant in connection with the 2007 ambush and killing of 23 soldiers also in Al-Barka, Basilan. He also declared the Al-Barka ATS agreement has expired.

So, why the delay of the Basilan operation? It took them only two days to mount the Payao Zamboanga Sibugay operation against Waning Abdulsalam.

Former Defense Secretary Juan Ponce Enrile said in a radio interview that immediately after the October 18 carnage, Gazmin should have issued an order immediately for a major all-out hot pursuit of Asnawi and the other rebels who ambushed the 41 Special Forces soldiers.

*      *      *

EXCESSIVE PROFITS. . . While 21.5 million Filipinos are suffering, bankers, telephone companies and oil industry executives are raking it in. The combined net profit of all banks rose 28 percent the first half of the year. Oil companies doubled their profits.

Banco de Oro (BDO) led the banks with a 19 percent net income over last year. Petron is doubling its income to P12 billion for 2011. PLDT reported P30.6B in profits for the 1st nine months of 2011.

The incredibly high profits are proof the banks, telcos and oil companies are charging excessive rates. How about some more corporate social responsibility, sirs?

*      *      *

MORE CORRUPTION. . . Once again, a syndicate was able to get hold of checks of $1,000 each intended for victims of the Marcos regime ordered by a US court.

Every time the government distributes money, there are leakages, there’s corruption. This is true in CCT funds, the rebel returnee funds, relief funds and goods. There are also ghost employees, ghost dead employees, ghost veteran pensioners. The culture of corruption is certainly well entrenched in the bureaucracy.

The sad fact is that these acts of corruption can only happen because of corrupt government functionaries.

*      *      *

FAILURE. . . The Jathropa alternative fuel project has been declared a failure by the Department of Energy. The P1.4 billion invested, mostly funded by government loans has been lost.

To be fair, the Jathropa alternative fuel program was initiated by the GMA administration. Once again, we are witness to government incompetence resulting in a major financial debacle.

Let us see what happens to P-Noy’s P100 billion CCT five-year program. DILG and DSWD are now investing a loss of P25 million in cash for work funds in Sultan Kudarat and Leyte.

*      *      *

NO COORDINATION. . . POEA and DOLE have announced an employment ban on 41 countries led by India with more under consideration. Malacañang approved the ban.

But, DFA Sec. Albert del Rosario has come out to ask for deferment so he can talk to the 41 countries to avoid a diplomatic misunderstanding.

Question — why no coordination again between two government departments? POEA Administrator Carlos Cao and DOLE Sec. Rosalinda Baldoz should have known that DFA should be consulted on an issue that will affect our diplomatic relations with countries affected.

*      *      *

TIDBITS. . .The investigation of one of three cases of graft filed by Pagcor against Ephraim Genuino and several others has started at DOJ. It involves the diversion of 300 MT of rice donated by Aruce, a Japanese investor in a gambling casino at Pagcor City. Soliciting a donation from a franchisee is itself a case of violation of the anti graft law.

The candidates of Canada and Denmark Rizza Santos and Maya Celeste Padilla Olesen in the Miss World contest are half Filipino. Atty. Juris Echiverri, son of Caloocan Mayor Recom Echiverri passed the New York state bar exams. A UP graduate, he finished his Masters of Law degree from the University of Pennsylvania.

Charice Pempengco admitted to Karen Davila of ANC that her father Ricky went downhill because of drug addiction. Condolences to the family of movie director Boots Plata who died of cancer.

Greetings to Maross Claudio who now uses her maiden name Maross Ancheta and is a VP of Security Bank, not RCBC.

Birthday greetings to our Batangas readers Dr. Ludy Atienza, Dr. Alex Palines, Dr. Mon Barrion, Eddie Ambida, Jun Villena, Atty. Tonying Pastor and Atty. Diego Atienza.