‘Twisting in the wind’

Opinion

By Ramon J. Farolan
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 05:13:00 11/15/2010
p. A15

http://opinion.inquirer.net/inquireropinion/columns/view/20101115-303313/Twisting-in-the-wind





LAST SEPTEMBER, in the wake of the hostage crisis at the Luneta, I mentioned that Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse M. Robredo, Undersecretary Rico Puno and PNP chief Jesus Verzosa had to go if we are to maintain the respect and confidence of the international community.




Well, Robredo and Puno are still around while Verzosa retired from the service earlier.

More than two months after the fiasco, three things have become quite clear to our people:




First, the level of respect and confidence of our neighbors is best reflected in the recent travel advisory of Japan. While the advisory did not mention the possibility of a terror attack in the Philippines, Japanese Ambassador Makoto Katsura explained that it was a reminder for their nationals “to take safety measures against any security concerns like robbery and kidnapping.” That was a mouthful and says a lot about their confidence in the ability of police agencies to maintain peace and order in the country.




Second, Undersecretary Puno is going to be around for some time regardless of what he does or fails to do in his job as chief of the PNP chief. All policemen from the lowliest private, to the director general of the organization, now know who will be calling the shots when it comes to police matters regardless of who is the interior and local government secretary. After all, with Puno touting himself as one of the few individuals capable of “taming” the President, who in his right mind would dare cross swords with him?

Third, Secretary Robredo remains in limbo as the Palace tries its very best to explain why he remains in the Cabinet as interior and local government secretary.

Consider the following presidential statements or announcements regarding Robredo’s status:




In an interview on ABS-CBN’s “TV Patrol,” P-Noy declared that Interior and Local Government Secretary Robredo and Environment Secretary Ramon Paje would soon be replaced. In particular, he said “I still do not have clear plans for Robredo ... We have programs for informal settlers so a new group may help out on this subject which is really along Robredo’s expertise.”




The following day he seemed to backpedal a bit, denying that a Cabinet revamp was in the offing. He clarified earlier remarks that suggested that Robredo was being transferred to head another agency. “Jesse Robredo can head that agency but as of now, there are no plans to transfer him because the matter is still being studied.” This was followed up by Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte, saying that the Palace was “exploring other possibilities” for Robredo.




Perhaps, it would have been more prudent and less humiliating for people if the proposed agency was in place before announcing any possible personnel movements.

The last word on Robredo is that President Aquino did not submit his name to the Commission on Appointments for confirmation.




So, is Robredo staying or going? All indications point to his departure and this may be only a question of time. Until then, he remains in his post, “twisting in the wind.”




Let me repeat what I said earlier. Jesse Robredo, a 2000 Ramon Magsaysay awardee for Government Service, has much to offer in terms of serving his country. It does not have to be in a government position. A Cabinet post involves having the complete trust and confidence of the appointing power. It was obvious from the start of the hostage crisis that Robredo did not possess this vital requirement.




* * *




On the amnesty issue.

In early August of this year, President Benigno Aquino III publicly declared that “Trillanes may have been a victim of injustice.” My reaction was that in his own time he would do what is right to correct the injustice.




Last month, the President signed Proclamation No. 50 “granting amnesty to active and former personnel of the Armed Forces and their supporters who may have committed acts or omissions punishable under the Revised Penal Code, the Articles of War, or other special laws committed in connection with the Oakwood mutiny, the Marines’ stand-off and the Manila Pen incident, and related incidents.”




One of the reasons cited by the President for the amnesty proclamation was to “promote an atmosphere conducive to the attainment of a just, comprehensive and enduring peace, and in line with the government’s peace and reconciliation initiatives, there is a need to declare amnesty in favor of the said personnel of the AFP.”




Concurrence by both houses of Congress is expected shortly. Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, along with 16 other senators, has expressed support for the proclamation. In the House of Representatives, House Resolution No. 524 is expected to push through with the majority supporting the presidential proclamation. Rep. Rodolfo Biazon, chair of the House Defense Committee, proposed returning the proclamation to Malacañang for corrections.




Incidentally, Armed Forces spokesperson Brig. Gen. Jose Mabanta Jr. said the military was consulted before President Aquino issued the amnesty proclamation. He went on to say that “the military through Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin had recommended amnesty for the officers and soldiers...”




With regard to Biazon’s proposal to return the proclamation to the Palace, Senate President Enrile declared that although the House has the right to study the problem, he believes Congress should “respect the policy established by the President. The President has issued a proclamation and it will be impolite for the allies in the house to negate his proposal. I believe in the end they will have to approve it.”




Personally, as I have indicated in the past, I support the amnesty move of the President. I believe these officers have already paid a high price for their idealism and opposition to a government they believed was corrupt and illegal. In the case of Sen. Antonio Trillanes, he has been in jail for seven years, four months—just three months short of the imprisonment of Sen. Benigno Aquino Jr. who was detained for seven years and seven months before being allowed to leave the country. Let me also remind our people that Trillanes was elected by the votes of more than 11 million Filipinos in the 2007 elections, besting some of the most powerful candidates of the Arroyo administration. It is time for their elected official to be heard in the halls of the Senate.




In the case of Jose Ma. Sison and his cohorts, they were granted amnesty and one of the justifications given for the amnesty is that they supported the movement to overthrow President Marcos.




Let’s not kid ourselves. Their main objective was to abolish our democratic way of life, replacing it with a communist dictatorship and if the fall of Marcos was necessary to attain this objective, they were only too happy to lend a helping hand.