Today’s Views

How to Bully Councilors and Get Away With It

It is the duty of the City Council to stick its nose into anything that concerns the people. Councilors should not allow one arrogant colonel to redefine what democracy mandates them to do.


Commentary: HACKLES By Carlos H. CondeDAVAO CITY ? Task Force Davao was created in 2003, in the aftermath of the bombings in this city in April of that year, solely for this purpose: to fight terrorism. Since then, however, it has metamorphosed into something else.

I?m not talking about the fact that the TFD, which is dominated by the military, has practically usurped the functions of the police, or that the ubiquitous presence of TFD troops has made the city look like a garrison. I?m talking about something far more pernicious.

(more…)

Continue ReadingHow to Bully Councilors and Get Away With It

The Real Stories in Camp Bagong Diwa

The families and the rest of the Muslim people will fight for justice for the slain innocent detainees. They suffered long enough in prison cell for crimes they did not commit.

COTABATO CITY — Families and friends of the Muslim detainees of Camp Bagong Diwa, as well as the officers and members of Suara Bangsamoro, were so elated when news came out that the Commission on Human Rights has finally released its verdict about the reported summary execution of some Muslim detainees who did not participate in the jailbreak by the Abu Sayyaf Group on March 15, 2006 at Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan, Taguig.

This is only the first step for the families of the victims of summary execution. Criminal cases should be immediately filed against former Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Angelo Reyes and Philippine National Police (PNP) director Arturo Lomibao.

With the CHR report in the hands of the DOJ, the burden of determining probable cause is with Secretary Raul Gonzales. However, with the way he is way handling the Subic rape case, Lomibao and Reyes might go scot-free. Judging by the initial reaction of Secretary Gonzales, he will surely squeeze the CHR and the families for the burden of proof.

(more…)

Continue ReadingThe Real Stories in Camp Bagong Diwa

Cha-cha and Corruption: A Shallow Solution to a Deep-Rooted Problem

The current ?people?s initiative? for Cha-cha is itself a mockery of the essence of genuine people?s governance because it reportedly involves bribing voters and local government officials — a classic example of graft and corruption.

By Antonio Tujan Jr.
Ibon Features

MANILA — The shift to a parliamentary system under the proposed charter change (Cha-cha) would ?significantly reduce? corruption in the political system, according to House Speaker Jose de Venecia.

De Venecia said the proposed shift would set elections on a five-year cycle and provide state funding to move the country towards a strong two-party system. He added that a parliamentary government tainted by corruption could fall through a no-confidence vote introduced in parliament but a presidential system offers only the difficult process of impeachment to remove a president.

But the proposed shift to a Parliamentary system is a shallow response to a societal problem that is more deep-rooted that government realizes, or cares to admit.
(more…)

Continue ReadingCha-cha and Corruption: A Shallow Solution to a Deep-Rooted Problem

With Great Power…

Commentary
By Carlos H. Conde
davaotoday.com

MANILA — I was sitting as a panelist at a forum called “Who’s Afraid of Media Freedom?” yesterday at the Ateneo law school in Rockwell when my cellphone went berserk with text messages warning of an impending police raid of the offices of the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism. I was stunned. Literally, I felt a chill crawling down my spine. Having no experience with media repression on the scale that my elder colleagues went through during the martial law years, I was actually afraid. Is this it? I asked myself silently. Are they really going to arrest Sheila Coronel et. al.? After them, who was going to be next? (Read Sheila’s account of what happened yesterday.)

I was going to speak after ABS-CBN’s Luchi Cruz-Valdez. While listening to her recount her experience covering the first Edsa, a thought crossed mind: Should I deliver my speech? What if the Arroyo regime would think it is subversive or that it might incite people to rebel?

Former vice president Tito Guingona was seated right next to me. A few minutes earlier, he exhorted the audience to “fight on!” Suddenly, I felt deeply ashamed. Here was this old civil libertarian, still at it, raising hell and battling water cannons — and there I was, actually anxious about the possible consequences of what I was going to say.

In end, I decided I was not going to give this regime the pleasure of intimidating me. So I raised a little hell myself.

Following is my short presentation. (You can listen to it here. Incidentally, Conrado de Quiros discussed the subject of my speech in his column today. You can also listen to the brilliant presentation by veteran journalist Vergel Santos of BusinessWorld and the Center for Media Freedom and Resonsibility.)

(more…)

Continue ReadingWith Great Power…