Judging from the way groups behind Noynoy Aquino’s campaign are behaving, it would not surprise me that counter-elite groups are preparing for a showdown in the coming weeks or months ahead. The possibility of a destabilized Second Aquino administration is high, judging from the behavior of groups of the winning ticket. Aquino has not been proclaimed yet, but groups within his winning campaign team are behaving like hungry rats, nibbling the spoils and imagining themselves becoming rich for the next six years.
The infighting between members of the Hyatt 10 and the Kamaganak Incorporated is old hat already. There is another group, more sinister and hungrier than the first two. And it is no other than The Firm, yes, the Firm.
I’ve been hearing a lot of talk from members of the “Firm”, the nefarious group which supported Mrs. Arroyo and the First Gentleman. One of my classmates in the Ateneo law says The Firm is offering juicy positions to members of their firm and their closest associates in the Second Aquino cabinet. Remember that the “Firm” was reportedly involved in high-stakes influence peddling during their honeymoon period with Mrs. Arroyo. It had since estranged its relations with the Arroyos a few years prior to the elections and partnered with the Liberals. Reason–the Firm was, allegedly, unable to get juicy contracts from the Arroyos.
Fact is, if former Solicitor General Frank Chavez is to be believed, the Firm is now maneuvering itself as the biggest and the strongest law firm in the country. It is now asking Noynoy Aquino to appoint some of its partners and associates in two critical positions: the Ombusman and the Chief Justice. The Firm is even interested in fielding their man in the Department of Justice post.
The Firm is said to be at the forefront of the Chief Justice fight simply because it wants its former partner, Associate Justice Antonio Carpio as Chief Justice. That’s why Avelino Cruz, a senior partner and Nonong Marcelo, another senior partner are raising hell over Mrs. Arroyo’s appointment of Chief Justice Renato Corona. The Firm has another “C” for a candidate and theirs is simply no qualms over his intention to become the Highest magistrate of the land.
Call it immoral. Call it a midnight appointment. Call it a desperate move. The fact is clearly stated—the Supreme Court decision, whether erroneous or not, is now part of lex terrae–or the law of the land. As a part of jurisprudence, every single one should respect it.
The Firm is again creating destabilization by its attempts at using the incoming Chief Executive as a platform to attack a co-equal branch of government. The Supreme Court, with its flaws and warts and all, is an independent body. Tradition states that respect should be accorded the court. As a co-equal branch, the Executive is bound by democratic principles to respect whatever the Court has decided. As what another legal principle says stare decisis et non quieta movere.
By creating dissent, these people, especially members of the Firm, are trying to weaken the institution of justice in this country. The Firm has its ulterior motives and simply, for the Court to succumb to its wiles. There has to be a counter-force to maintain societal equilibrium. What the Firm wants is for Aquino to have total control of government. Are they creating another dictatorship, similar with what Arroyo did?
We have barely crossed the difficult elections and here we are, facing a possible repeat of the same old mistakes of the previous administration. Aquino has promised us change and we expect real change to happen.
What is happening is the unraveling of sinister forces within the ambit of Aquino’s team all angling for a slice of the power pie. These forces have shown brutality and a total disregard of democracy before when they were in power and they are now on the verge of regaining power and destroying our Nation.
This is the problem—when our leaders think of change as something cosmetic and something personal. When Filipinos say “pagbabago”, we simply mean total, radical change, something better than the previous dispensation, not just a re-tooling or a simple change of personalities. Government is an institution and its preservation lies not on parsonages but on democratization. How then will democratization proceed when the old faces who created old problems are now poised to occupy Malacanang?
There is still time to correct these mistakes, and this rests on Noynoy’s shoulders. Will Noynoy succumb to the trapo way and reward his generals with positions, though these generals were previously aligned with the former dispensation and were involved in high-stakes influence peddling and graft and corruption? Or, the good and humble president-elect will tread the right way and appoint new faces in government?
Noynoy is facing his own crossroads, like what he said in his commercials. He promised that he will lead us from the crooked road to the safe and right path. Will he, now that he’s in the company of snakes and rats? The snakes have peeled their old skins, but they are still as venomous as before, while the rats are messing the place.
Popularity: 5% [?]
I’m lost in the tangle of legal, moral, and religious assertions in this thread by blackshama so I better get out of the tangle before I drown in them and started gasping additional rants myself.
My simple take about the subject is that Noynoy should take his oath before an elected Barangay Captain if he so wishes simply because doing that is legal according to the new midnight Supreme Court Chief Justice himself. On the other hand, the legality of taking the oath from the new midnight Supreme Court Justice is still in question because there might still be some unresolved court cases questioning that move, while some authoritqtive constitutionalists tnink that that move is unconstitutional therefore might be illegal too.
There is doubt that the standing of Noynoy sitting as president might be compromised if the final outcome would be that taking the oath from the new midnight Supreme Court Justice will finally be resolved as illegal.
As reason would dictates…it’s better to be safe than be sorry, God or no God.
Bakit dito napunta ito? Sorry, Pat, doon ito sa thread ni Blackshama, :).
Pat,
I’m hoping that Noynoy is aware of who are the snakes, the rats, the vultures,and the crocodiles in his camp. I think that following the dictates of his gut, Noynoy will know just the correct path to follow in running the country, :).
How about that, Abe?
Bert,
Don’t forget, we are also in knee deep in alligators. We need a new judiciary systems, and fast.
He may know and he probably already knows these people but the question is, does he have what it takes?
He can’t even do something about his smoking.
We’ll see. Even if I don’t believe in Noynoy I still would like him to succeed as it will be for the good of the country.
oh well kanykanyang miobo langnaman talaga yah eh..ID rather have Corona as CJ rather from soemone coimh from the Firm
Ulterior motives or vested interests aside, Frank Chavez also thinks the SC erred in granting the “midnight appointment” to gloria. He even suggested a test case of issuing an Executive Order (by the incoming president) nullifying Corona’s appointment.
I still go with the lone dissenter Associate Justice Conchita Carpio Morales on this…though I don’t exactly know the remedy to an “infallible,” last “orbiter” of an SC we have.
knowing the rats, snakes, voltures, crocs…will be very difficult and easy for Noynoy…difficult if he will take the oath from Corona and easy if he take oath from other persona like Barangay Tanod or from a CBCP…pwede din kay Quiboloy hihihi…why…he will not be able to identify rats, snakes etc because he will become one of them if Corona will be the one take his oath…pero kung hindi…nasa tamang daan siya at makikita niya ang mga ULUPONG at daga sa kanyang paligid kasi hindi siya katulad ng mga taong nag-vow kay GMA!
Si Chief Justice Hilario Davide po ang nag-vow kay GMA… So yeah.
Patricio,
“The fact is clearly stated—the Supreme Court decision, whether erroneous or not, is now part of lex terrae–or the law of the land. ”
There is a pending motion for reconsideration. That means nothing has been established yet! The SC decision is not final until all motions regarding it are settled.
So your attack on the Firm is premature. Wait for the Court’s FINAL decision and then the Firm’s reaction to it before you criticize.
There are enough strawmen in the political arena, Kamag-anak and Hyatt 10, so another one, the Firm, is not necessary at this point. Wait for Aquino to sit, qait for his cabinet appointments and then criticize if you don’t like his appointees. But now all that speculation just plays in to the grand design of Gloria to distract the people from the meaning of Aquino’s overwhelming electoral victory.
Just call it premature screeching :-)
Is the “Firm” and actual law firm known by name? If so, why are we being coy and not naming the company and its heads? Are we afraid of getting sued or what? I’m for facts, and attaching the proper asterisks if we are only reciting rumor that itself may be more damaging than anything the Firm is cooking up, if the rumor is wrong.
How can we get from reality show gossip to facts? I’d feel better about facts on something this profound.
Joe
RP’s Most Influential Law Firm Regains Top Lawyers from Government
So that’s why Simeon Marcelo has been fuming about the Corona appointment. He made pronouncements in public as president of the Philippine Bar Association, warning Justice Corona from accepting his appointment. It turns out he’s also a senior partner of The Firm. It makes sense.
http://www.gmanews.tv/story/190834/corona-warned-vs-accepting-appointment-as-chief-justice
It doesn’t make sense that he is president of the PBA that happens to be a member of that firm?
Thank you.
I believe IBP and the private lawyer group position is the wisest advise for Noynoy
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20100518-270611/Private-lawyers-urge-Aquino-recognize-Corona-as-CJ
You may want to read this interesting bit of history regarding corona’s appointment,
CLICK HERE
Wife to resign:
New chief justice asks wife to resign from govt job
Corona’s wife quits govt job to avoid controversy
Earlier…
Arroyo’s ‘desire letters’ positioned Corona’s wife
GOTCHA By Jarius Bondoc (The Philippine Star) Updated March 03, 2010 12:00 AM
I do not know if sprinkling this sentence with Latin phrase makes your argument more compelling but there is very basic error in this which does not require Latin fluency to recognize.
The SC decision is just that – a decision. Because they do not make the law of the land – they interpret the law of the land. It is this business of interpreting which makes them vulnerable to error.
I suppose that the law of the land we are referring to here is that constitutional prohibition on midnight appointments, yes? Please read MB’s link above and discover that the Narvasa court made an entirely different interpretation of the same controversy than the present day Arroyo court.
When he voted in favor for the approval of the draft Philippine Constitution on October 12, 1986, Constitutional Commissioner Adolfo S. Azcuna said:
Did the 9 associate justices (who allowed the “midnight” appointment) guided the right course? I’m pretty certain former CJ Narvasa understood the document well and directed the right path.
what about that possible election fraud: sending fake results ahead of real ones and blocking the real ones.
Whoever these faceless people are. It is the Filipino way of power struggle. Same Old people, same Old political traditions, same Old opportunists. Who work to get the best positions, even the asministration has not yet sworn in. Whoever says “pagbabago” is deceiving himself/herself. The more things change; the more they stay the same. I have lived long enough to know this. Watch for more political bufoonery in a few months. These bufoons will be acting up again.
Antipinoy.com told you so even before the elections. Told you so, told you so.
One of the many reasons why a Noynoy Presidency is not the best for the country…Too many baggages, too many legacy issues, too many special interests embedded in a supposed Moral Campaign to Lift the Country from all its ills …
This blog should have helped clarify all this during the campaign … :(
Peping Cojuangco is already flexing his muscles.
We have just completed the jigsaw puzzle. We have a “Company” in the country (a government within a government). Is ABSA-CBN and these two questionnalble survey groups Pulse Asia and SWS (owned by the Conjuangcos, Noynoy’s side)part of the FIRM?
Pat:
What would we expect from this old elite group of snakes, rats and crocodiles who gave their all to make Noynoy win? Just sit down and cheer? The very reason why they supported Noynoy was that they thought he was the only winnable candidate who would easily succomb and could not say no to their pressures or wishes. Its payback time, huh!
Jerry
“Call it immoral. Call it a midnight appointment. Call it a desperate move. The fact is clearly stated—the Supreme Court decision, whether erroneous or not, is now part of lex terrae–or the law of the land. As a part of jurisprudence, every single one should respect it.”
I strongly disagree. Thia ia the kind of reasoning that infuriates the people againts the Marcos dictatorship and GMA’s corruptocracy. Pray tell, if this decision is immoral, a midnight appointment or a deperate move why should we respect it. The people has the right to disrespect and find ways to remove this abominable decision and the people including those who benefited from it and including the author of this statement. I will support any collective action to oveerturn this decision. There are so many ways to do this.
1. People should write and petition the SC Justices to overturn this immoral act.
2. People should write the congressmen and the senators to initiate impeachment proceeding againts the Justices who made this immoral decision.
We should find ways to ascertain the people’s displeasure to petition directly the SC to reverse this immoral act.
For me i condemn any statement that because the immoral decision already forms the law of the land we have to respect.
The whole thesis of this author urging the people to respect an immoral act, a midnight appointment and desperate move is totally unreasonable and illogical and no person in his right mind will accept.
This is the trouble of Noynoy Aquino, using Press Relation people to
make his rating sour to high heaven. They create imaginary things like: The Firm, Corona appointments, and others. To distract our focus on how they can solve our problems. Their skulls are too thick, that no sensible thoughts can settle in.
It’s like the U.S. Former President Bill Clinton’s claim that there was a “Right Wing Conspiracy”, to remove him from the Presidency. This claim was bolstered by his wife, Hilary Clinton to the Media. The only conspiracy that came out was: U.S. President Bill Clinton,and the White House Intern, Monica Lewinsky; doing “Oral Sex” in the White House Oval Office. And Bill Clinton using his Cigar as a Dildoe, on Monica Lewinsky. What conspiracy will come out from the Noynoy Aquino Presidency? Maybe Kris Aquino can surpass the act. Who knows.