Mercy, mercy

It seems anomalous for a lawmaker to ask the administration to go easy on law enforcement.  If this request was granted, then we should ask him, why even be a lawmaker?  Why make laws, if those laws aren’t going to be enforced?  The very reason for the lawmaker’s existence would disappear, and so then should the lawmaker.

But this is exactly what the Congressmen in the minority are asking President Benigno Aquino to do.  At least, in the case of the deposed Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona.  According to House Minority Leader Danilo Suarez, ex-Justice Corona has already suffered enough, has been humiliated enough, and his career is over.  He is a “zombie.”

Therefore, the minority in Congress urge the President, let Corona go.  Don’t investigate him for graft or corruption. Don’t prosecute him for the tax evasion that he is suspected of committing.  Don’t forfeit what assets there are that may be proven to be illegally acquired.  Have some compassion.

With this declaration, the congressmen in question (and not just the speaker for the minority, but all those who support this indefensible position) have made themselves redundant.  We should interrogate them as to why they sit in their posts purportedly to propose and create laws, when they don’t even want these laws enforced?

Political posturing is expected from politicians, and grandstanding is common, but this utter disregard for the posts these Congressmen occupy, the responsibilities those posts carry, and the functions they are supposed to exercise, is ridiculous.  Perhaps, we should create a fourth branch of government, one dedicated to preaching to and critiquing the executive branch.  (I guess Facebooking won’t be enough for them.)  That way, all those politicos who need to dabble in the political arena can express their views on matters of national importance, be quoted by the press, and feel important.   We wouldn’t have to pay them a salary for supposedly crafting new laws to make our lives better.

(We can include in this fourth branch all the plagiarizing senators who copy speeches from the best minds of the western world, and after translating them into Tagalog, claim ownership and originality.)  Why do these politicians run for Congress if laws mean nothing to them? (Oh yeah, I forgot. The pork barrel funds).

The other alternative, perhaps, if these zealous Congressmen dare do it, would be to repeal the law.   Make tax evasion an online game, not a crime.  Then they can stop meddling in law enforcement and do what they’re supposed to do:  make policy. At least, they’d be consistent, right? (Wouldn’t all those tax cheats now serving in Congress breathe easy.)

One more thing about repealing the law would be, achieving parity.  No more complaints about the selective enforcement of the law, that the law only applies to the poor, but not the rich or powerful.  You repeal the law, then all tax cheats, rich or poor, movie actor, dentist, or plastic surgeon, get off the hook.  Not only former Chief Justices, whose undeclared million dollar assets are now in jeopardy.

The establishment is afraid.  Perhaps they see President Aquino’s campaign against corruption slowly turning into reality.  The noose is tightening, and the fall of one, means the others will be next.  If the public becomes used to cheaters falling from grace, then the easier it is to rally public opinion against the next target.

So, perhaps, the tactic is, delay the fall.  Drag this case.  Let this prosecution fail, and if it doesn’t, then let all the efforts and resources of good governance be spent on this one.  After all, nearly half the term of this President is come and gone.  By the time this is finished, hopefully, it will be election time.  And the next President, more malleable.

Meanwhile, let us focus on compassion.  Sucker.