Beleaguered former PNP Comptroller Director Eliseo dela Paz snubbed the Senate hearing called by Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago. In his stead, Dela Paz sent his lawyer, Atty. Noel Malaya. As expected, Santiago crushed Malaya in the floor and asked for the immediate arrest of Dela Paz. Santiago also lambasted DILG Secretary Ronnie Puno and PNP Chief Director-General Jesus Verzosa.
In less than two days, Santiago immediately released a draft report, urging for the filing of charges against the Euro generals. Meanwhile, Senator Nene Pimentel asked PNP Chief Verzosa to voluntarily inhibit himself from the PNP. A preventive suspension is in order, says Pimentel. As this happens, the PNP kept its silence. No one in the organisation is moving. And dela Paz is still at large despite Santiago’s order of arrest.
Question–why is there a seeming nonchalance on the part of the PNP leadership on this? Are they still convincing Dela Paz to turn as a sacrificial lamb to preserve the leadership of the organisation (now dominated by PMA Class 1976)? Or, are they just shrugging off Santiago’s tirades, after having the assurance from the palace that Verzosa etal, still enjoys the confidence of the palace?
In this country, you can get away with everything if you have that palace assurance of protection. It is as if that assurance is a license for you to do anything you want. You can snub the representatives of the people. You can go on pretending that nothing happened. You can even go on television, saying things like there’s nothing illegal since everything were “above-board” (case in point: those involved in the ZTE deal)
Some years past, a similar situation happened that changed the course of our history. Former Director General Roberto Lastimoso resigned his post after he allegedly committed a great gaffe. Lastimoso received all kinds of brickbats and when he felt the heat, the good general tendered his resignation. He later on took part in events which led to the ouster of his friend, former president Joseph Estrada.
It’s quite far-fetched, yet, do we see a similar act, this time on Verzosa’s case? Lastimoso’s case did’nt even involve an alleged “malversation of public funds”. That did’nt even involved his wife going on a “junket” with generals and their spouses.
In other countries, such a situation would have resulted to the immediate resignation of the Top Cop. In our country, where we pride ourselves as a honourable and a people with ” hiya”, such a scenario of resignation is not immediately considered, given that people in power always think that ” they owe their positions to the President.”
Verzosa is just one of many so-called leaders of this country who go on their cavalier ways, ever forgetful of the dictum that government officials are accountable not to Malacanang, but to the people. We remember former AFP Chief of Staff Hermogenes Esperon shrugging off resignation calls by ” i serve at the pleasure of the president”. This has been the oft-repeated refrain in this regime–i serve at the pleasure of the President. I can do whatever I want. To hell with the People.
Popularity: 1% [?]
There are days when I wished the Americans didn’t liberate us from the Japanese. I would have expected these jokers to commit seppuku.
mikey,
wala na nga talaga tayong hiya.
Corruption runs deep in our country. It is a metastatized cancer. Every fish, some politician once said, rots from the head. Our fish head rewards her fleas and barnacles by giving them ever fresh opportunities for graft and grand larceny on the public coffers.
So it is with us. Which is why change of leaders through regular democratic elections is the most important process. No matter how good or how bad leader is, their time must be strictly limited because of the old adage that absolute power corrupts absolutely.
And so the difference between Erap fanatics and GMA fanatics is not one of principle but of personality and personal preference.
I am always amused by those who really do not get it about Democracy and are stuck in their primitive, personality based politics.
They have not evolved and will surely vanish from the scene.
GMA is the most vacuous of our leaders. She believes only in herself, nothing more which is like thinking there is someone in the mirror, when all there is, is a shallow half micron of a delusion.
yes, spot on djb!
by the way, CBCP just called on the people to revolt and oust Gloria now. All the bishops and archbishops were there. Is it the start of a New Morning? Will we see the last of Hpos’ kind?
I doubt it. I heard the news report also. I think they are just posturing to make sure she vetoes the Reproductive Health Bill. She may be evil, but she isn’t stupid, so she inevitably will. They will quiet down when they get what they really want. Put your faith and your strength in defense of the 2010 elections.
yup. that’s my suspicion.i already posted something of this sort over at my site.