Although it is kept in the background, the most important aspect of the PDAF and DAP scandals is what the moneys were used for. For now, the eyes are on the senators and congressmen of PDAF when it was discovered that they helped themselves to their assistance funds to fake foundations with the help of Janet Napoles.
The daylight robbery is shocking even to a country used to government graft and corruption. Warrants of arrest are out for three opposition senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Jinggoy Estrada and Bong Revilla.
Because of the Napoles revelations, the anger of the people have been focused on the PDAF or what is more commonly known as the pork barrel. It was the deception and the outward brazenness that people could no longer stomach. The members of the Supreme Court felt the heat and came out with a decision of 14-0-1 against the PDAF quickly (by our justice system’s standards).
* * *
The Supreme Court’s decision on PDAF was the easier task. It came quickly because the target was opposition senators anyway who may be a threat in 2016.
The harder one, and still to come is the Supreme Court’s decision on the DAP (Disbursement Acceleration Program). The Supreme Court has postponed its decision twice but a date has finally been made — July 1. That could be our version of the Ides of March. So beware.
The DAP is more explosive because it will certainly bring President himself into the picture as the briber with no regard for the rule of law. (All the talk of his honesty will go down the drain.) However, the decision will go, President Aquino has no escape. Because it has been postponed twice, the talk is that some justices are still being persuaded (through money or otherwise) to declare it constitutional.
But if the justices stand their ground and abide by their patriotic duty and declare it unconstitutional, then President Aquino is finished.
At press time, a compromise was said to be in the process of being worked out. DAP would be declared unconstitutional but not apply retrospectively (what kind of animal is that?). Or as Budget Secretary Florencio Abad said it in the court hearing, we used DAP but we don’t anymore.
An unconstitutional act is unconstitutional as long as the Constitution is in force, unless it has been amended or ignored. So any compromise will itself be unconstitutional and the justices will have committed hara-kiri (Japanese ritual of suicide).
Ironically, for this, the public has Senator Jinggoy Estrada to thank for. In his privilege speech he admitted that P50 to P100 million each were distributed by the Palace among senator judges. He admitted he did receive money but so did other senators. It is believed that the bribes were taken from DAP because the President needed the money badly and quickly to oust Chief Justice Corona. By hook or by crook.
President Aquino was so victorious with his mission he was congratulated upon arrival by President Obama when he visited the United States “for a job well done,†specifically citing the ouster of CJ Corona. Why? Did he have a deadline?
* * *
It was reported by reliable sources that majority of justices will declare DAP unconstitutional. A soft vote took place last week and it was said that at least nine out of the 13 justices would vote DAP unconstitutional.
The issue is whether savings from the three branches of government and the Ombudsman could be spent for other purposes other than what it was intended for under the General Appropriations Act.
Petitioners asked the question during the Supreme Court hearing on DAP. Information was rife that it was allegedly used to augment the “pork barrel†funds of senators who voted for Corona’s conviction.
* * *
I was glad to be out of Manila when Facebook could not be accessed for almost 30 minutes last Thursday afternoon. I am Facebook dependent because I use it not only to keep in touch with my children who are mostly abroad but also because I get news and opinions I would not get from traditional sources of information.
FB did not give any reason for the mishap. “Sorry, something went wrong. We’re working on getting this fixed as soon as we can,†the social networking site said in a notice.
The Guardian reported “it is the first time that a Facebook outage affected all of its website, smartphone and tablet apps all over the world.
“Various news sites across the globe have reported the crash.†Good warning. Facebook users should be ready with alternative sources should it happen again.
* * *
And speaking of using my FB as my contact for my children abroad, I will indulge in a little nepotism and write about my daughter no. 1, Al-Jazeera correspondent Veronica Pedrosa. She is right in the midst of the troubled area of Thailand, Cambodia and Myanmar.
Here’s a comment from one of her admirers that would not come out in the news otherwise except in FB.
“Respectable Veronica Pedrosa. We noted your humble attitude towards humanity that was compared to none during our hard times in Thailand in 2013. Your humanitarian service was recorded beyond your journalism .You rushed to the remote areas IDC Nong Khai as soon you had received my call where Rohingya boat people detainees broke the prison and demanding UNHCR presence.
The situation was so tense and I called some NGOs and colleagues including UNHCR representatives. Finally your team was the only one at the spot to serve the dying Rohingyas.
You were very well aware that how the UNHCR Representative finally broke her word of honor and failed to show up there.
I felt at that time that if I requested those people to go to Geneva, USA, UK, EU etc with first class air tickets to represent the PLIGHT OF ROHINGYAS, I would definitely get positive response from all. I spent some money on phone and energy calling for help but in vain.
You are the friend in deed for helpless needy people. You are cordially invited to continue humanitarian work especially for Rohingya. Rohingya really love and respect you .You are in our thoughts and prayers. I also take my hat off to John Sparks and the team of Channel 4 who did for my community beyond imagination .May God bless you all.†See why even 30 minutes without FB can matter so much to me.