Check and Balance or Retaliation?

According to Inquirer.net: Malacañang has “unceremoniously” sacked the brother of Chief Justice Reynato Puno from the Commission on Higher Education, slashed by about P1 billion the 2008 budget for the judiciary, and disapproved funding for the Manila City Hall of Justice requested by Puno.

Well, as a democratic country, there is a system, of check and balance. Pero bakit mukhang retaliation ata ang nangyari? As Senator Pangilinan asked: Is Malacañang punishing the Supreme Court for calling the summit on extrajudicial killings? Is it exacting vengeance after the summit raised the issue of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s possible liability for the unabated killings?

Oo nga. Bakit ganun?

Pero teka, speaking of bakit, let us also ask: Bakit nagtatanong na rin si Kiko? Noted niya na rin ba ang mga nangyayari? Ba't ngayon lang ata siya nakahalata unlike in 2004 canvassing of votes for the presidential elections?

Bakit nga ba?

SK and Barangay Elections postponed once again?

While the Filipino youth are already busy and excited for the incoming Sangguniang Kabataan elections, Speaker Joe De Venecia phoned in Comelec Chair Abalos "to inform him that a growing number of congressmen want the village and youth elections deferred or altogether scrapped."

Screeecccchhhhhh!!!!! (Tunog ng kotse na biglang nagpreno!)

At eto naman ang mga kalakaran sa House of Representatives ayon sa ating insider (Tadaaannn!):

• Cong. Boyet Gonzales is pushing for HB 25 postponing the elections to 2010
• Cong. Al Bichara is pushing for HB 460 postponing the elections to 2008
• Cong. Pinggoy is pushing HB 722 postponing the elections to 2008
• Cong. Amante also has Resolutions No. 3 and No. 6 requiring barangay elections to be held simultaneously with the election of the ConCon delegates

Bichara has reasons. There are reports that he owes much from the Punong Barangays in the second district of Albay kaya niya natimbag ang political stalwart na si Carling Imperial. Maybe the same with other congressmen pushing for their respective bills. Pero dahil lang ba sa utang n loob kaya they are trying to make a mockery of democracy?

Elections are a hallmark of democracy. Pero di lang basta election. Me qualifier -- that elections are free, fair, honest and held regularly. Postponing and postponing ad infinitum the barangay and SK elections is not being true to the principles of democracy. Asan na ngayon ang declaration sa Article 2 Section 1 ng Philippine Constitution na "The Philippines is a DEMOCRATIC and republican state"?

Sabagay, Gloria in the Palace started the joke on democracy and elections. Kaya nga di pa rin tapos ang "Hello, Garci!" di ba?

Trillanes's continuing detention, not a voice of the people

Many looking for complicated arguments just to let Senator-Elect Antonio Trillanes go out of his detention cell and perform his functions as a member of the Upper House. Pero simple lang naman ang argumento diyan.

First, the President of the Philippines has a power to grant pardon and amnesty. Pero saan ba galing ang powers na yan? Sabi sa Article 2 ng 1987 Constitution:

Section 1. The Philippines is a democratic and republican State. Sovereignty resides in the people and all government authority emanates from them.

In a sense, the president cannot exercise his/her powers to grant pardon and amnesty without the blessing of the people.

Second, If the President is a delegatee of the powers to grant pardon and amnesty, it therefore follows that the people also has those powers. Sabi nga: One cannot delegate which he/she doesn't have.

Which boils down to the third proposition: The people elected Trillanes. This is despite the fact that there are 37 choices for the position. And this, despite the fact that Trillanes is facing charges for his "criminal acts". The very simple conclusion is that the people simply condones whatever acts Trillanes may have committed. O di ba?

Say ni Fr. Joaquin Bernas na isang constitutionalist? Kahit si Senator Brenda Santiago pa ang tanungin natin.