Jess Robredo of Naga City suspended on the basis of his questioned citizenship. Sounds familiar? The Comelec as a whole had dismissed the case; now a part of the whole, four years later, decides to suspend him on that flimsy basis, anyway.
The latest is that Makati City Hall is under siege as the suspension of Jejomar Binay has been ordered. Sounds familiar?
Update: things subsided by 1:30 AM, Saturday, but the next round will come on Monday.
Two laws seem to be in conflict here.
Republic Act 6770, the Ombudsman Act of 1989:
Section 24. Preventive Suspension. – The Ombudsman or his Deputy may preventively suspend any officer or employee under his authority pending an investigation, if in his judgement the evidence of guilt is strong, and (a) the charge against such officer or employee involves dishonesty, oppression or grave misconduct or neglect in the performance of duty; (b) the charges would warrant removal from the service; or (c) the respondent’s continued stay in office may prejudice the case filed against him.
The preventive suspension shall continue until the case is terminated by the Office of the Ombudsman but not more than six months, without pay, except when the delay in the disposition of the case by the Office of the Ombudsman is due to the fault, negligence or petition of the respondent, in which case the period of such delay shall not be counted in computing the period of suspension herein provided.
Batas Pambansa Blg. 881, the Omnibus Election Code, which says:
Art. 221, Sec. 254 (x) Suspension of elective provincial, city, municipal or barangay officer. – The provisions of law to the contrary notwithstanding during the election period, any public official who suspends, without prior approval of the Commission, any elective provincial, city, municipal or barangay officer, unless said suspension will be for purposes of applying the “Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act” in relation to the suspension and removal of elective officials; in which case the provisions of this section shall be inapplicable.
i don’t recall you mentioning it back in 2006? where did you say it?
the admin dropped the “ghost story” of brillantes back in 2006, and is now pursuing the withholding tax issue/angle vs. binay in 2007.
i do recall the ombudsman and DILG also had “evidence” and “witnesses” (brillantes and co.) that binay had “ghost employees”. just like victor corpus and rosebud had their “evidences” too vs lacson.
“I couldn’t care less about Binay, he’s screwing only Makati. Your Gloria Arroyo is screwing the whole nation and she’s still clinging to her throne in Malacanang. ” – tagabukid
Oh so its not really about corruption. Its all about Gloria. p
Personality based not principle based. No wonder itd not happening and at all!
0
I was thinking all along that there are three co-equal powers in Philippines Governance, that of the Executive which resides in the office of the President, the Congress (Legislative) and the Judicial which interprets and enforces the law and they are independent of each others. Now, it seems, that we can not separate each from one another.
Is Mayor Binay case a Judicial Matter? Or it is a Political Matter? Is the Ombudsman under the Judicial Branch or Executive? Or a Body by itself, the Fourth Branch? Pardon my confusion that for so long, under our Parliamentary system, where the legislative and executive is the Parliament and the Judicial is the Court, it is quite not that confusing. Wish it is as simple.
pleaseAb, abe, jusr convicrdy adw2222200200000000000222000000000000000000000
A squid tactic of evading the enemy.
Ano ito away ng bata?
Vic,
Under Article XI of the Charter, it states:
Section 5. There is hereby created the independent Office of the Ombudsman, composed of the Ombudsman to be known as Tanodbayan, one overall Deputy and at least one Deputy each for Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. A separate Deputy for the military establishment may likewise be appointed.
Section 6. The officials and employees of the Office of the Ombudsman, other than the Deputies, shall be appointed by the Ombudsman, according to the Civil Service Law.
Section 7. The existing Tanodbayan shall hereafter be known as the Office of the Special Prosecutor. It shall continue to function and exercise its powers as now or hereafter may be provided by law, except those conferred on the Office of the Ombudsman created under this Constitution.
Section 8. The Ombudsman and his Deputies shall be natural-born citizens of the Philippines, and at the time of their appointment, at least forty years old, of recognized probity and independence, and members of the Philippine Bar, and must not have been candidates for any elective office in the immediately preceding election. The Ombudsman must have, for ten years or more, been a judge or engaged in the practice of law in the Philippines.
During their tenure, they shall be subject to the same disqualifications and prohibitions as provided for in Section 2 of Article 1X-A of this Constitution.
Section 9. The Ombudsman and his Deputies shall be appointed by the President from a list of at least six nominees prepared by the Judicial and Bar Council, and from a list of three nominees for every vacancy thereafter. Such appointments shall require no confirmation. All vacancies shall be filled within three months after they occur.
Section 10. The Ombudsman and his Deputies shall have the rank of Chairman and Members, respectively, of the Constitutional Commissions, and they shall receive the same salary which shall not be decreased during their term of office.
Section 11. The Ombudsman and his Deputies shall serve for a term of seven years without reappointment. They shall not be qualified to run for any office in the election immediately succeeding their cessation from office.
Section 12. The Ombudsman and his Deputies, as protectors of the people, shall act promptly on complaints filed in any form or manner against public officials or employees of the Government, or any subdivision, agency or instrumentality thereof, including government-owned or controlled corporations, and shall, in appropriate cases, notify the complainants of the action taken and the result thereof.
Section 13. The Office of the Ombudsman shall have the following powers, functions, and duties:
(1) Investigate on its own, or on complaint by any person, any act or omission of any public official, employee, office or agency, when such act or omission appears to be illegal, unjust, improper, or inefficient.
(2) Direct, upon complaint or at its own instance, any public official or employee of the Government, or any subdivision, agency or instrumentality thereof, as well as of any government-owned or controlled corporation with original charter, to perform and expedite any act or duty required by law, or to stop, prevent, and correct any abuse or impropriety in the performance of duties.
(3) Direct the officer concerned to take appropriate action against a public official or employee at fault, and recommend his removal, suspension, demotion, fine, censure, or prosecution, and ensure compliance therewith.
(4) Direct the officer concerned, in any appropriate case, and subject to such limitations as may be provided by law, to furnish it with copies of documents relating to contracts or transactions entered into by his office involving the disbursement or use of public funds or properties, and report any irregularity to the Commission on Audit for appropriate action.
(5) Request any government agency for assistance and information necessary in the discharge of its responsibilities, and to examine, if necessary, pertinent records and documents.
(6) Publicize matters covered by its investigation when circumstances so warrant and with due prudence.
(7) Determine the causes of inefficiency, red tape, mismanagement, fraud, and corruption in the Government and make recommendations for their elimination and the observance of high standards of ethics and efficiency.
(8) Promulgate its rules of procedure and exercise such other powers or perform such functions or duties as may be provided by law.
Section 14. The Office of the Ombudsman shall enjoy fiscal autonomy. Its approved annual appropriations shall be automatically and regularly released.
Proof that the case against Binay is bogus
1. Malacanan lifted the garnishment orders
2. Malacanan postponed the suspension order until June 14.
Parang bata kung makipag-away ang malacanan
Abe.. Section 12 states: The Ombudsman and his Deputies, as protectors of the people, shall act promptly on complaints filed in any form or manner against public officials or employees of the Government….
I did not see any wording that the Ombudsman’s decision is required to concur with yours, nor with the President’s, nor with the governor of Laguna or a sultan from Mindanao.
I like that US Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald obtained a decision against White House adviser Scooter Libby, but I am also aware that a portion of the American population believes that Fitzgerald had overstepped his boundaries. I suppose for them, Fitzgerald makes a bad example for how the Philippine Ombudsman should behave.
[But what is the remedy for malfeasance by the Ombudsman? It is impeachment, isn’t it?
As for nonfeasance, I believe the Constitution provides a lot of “civil service protection” to the Ombudsman. ]
mb,
Since EDSA I, there’s been dangling like Damocles’ sword over the head of any despot wannabe in the Philippines. Whether we like it or not, Filipino’s People Power is there to hang for the long while. It’s probably all we have for now and it’s also there for the taking by the great one.
UPn,
Sa palagay ko, ang kailangan natin as Tanod ni Juan, hindi tanod ni Miguel.
. . . ay Tanod ni Juan, ng mamamayan, ng Bayan.
Read the news again. The garnishment is limited only to the actual liabilities so that other accounts were unfrozen.
Deferrment does not mean he’s innocent.
It is to avoid trouble caused by a mayor who rather hide behind his loyalists. What a coward.
Parang bata. Tapang lang pag may mga nakatakip sa kaniyang mga tao.
BTW, he agreed to let his vice mayor take charge of the administration temporarily.
justice league, sorry for this delayed reaction to your last post addressed to me. If Binay is found guilty of any charges against him, I don’t think he would ever have any choice on how he would vindicate himself. He would be a convicted criminal of a moral turpitude crime, and that’s that (regardless of “people power” or re-election).
Cat, you don’t seem to know what you are talking about.
When Marcos declared martial law, one American official was reported to have said that the Philippines is a country composed “of 40 million cowards and one son of a bitch,” claiming that not a single Filipino has risen to fight the destroyer of their freedom.
Indeed, during the dark days of the dictatorship, many Filipinos cowered in fear and many more Marcos turned into cowards. I have known personally Jojo Binay as a nameless human rights lawyer at that time defending victims of the tyranny.
Marcos might have hidden “behind his loyalists” but not Jojo because then, as now, he’s a son of a bitch even when fighting for his or others’ rights – by himself.
Baycas,
Mayor Robredo maintains he is a Filipino citizen all along, as his father is; so there is no need for the election route.
My latest post here notes the similarity between the grandparents of FPJ and Mayor Robredo; the only difference is that the former is Spanish, the latter Chinese, but both are Spanish subjects just the same.
The Inquirer editorial today explores the politics behind it all, and points out that there are actually no new evidence introduced.
Abe: I really feel that the Filipino people has to be more sympathetic to the Tanodbayan. The Ombudsman was chosen by the lawyers of the Philippines via the Judicial and Bar Council, and they were required to choose one of their own : one who for ten years or more, has been a judge or engaged in the practice of law in the Philippines. Surely the the lawyers and judges of the Philippines are capable of choosing a Tanod ni Juan / tanod ng mamamayan, would you not say?
Bencard,
That would be the scenario after the court has decided that he is.
But what we are discussing is “before” conviction. That scenario is actually in your 2nd paragraph when you stated:
“… for all practical purposes (political, in particular) a cloud of doubt has been created on Binay’s integrity just by “being charged” with with the offenses he is alleged to have committed.”
UPn, for one thing, the unenviable distinction of a country being perceived as the most corrupt in the region does not speak well of the performance of the current holder of the Office of the Ombudsman.
Abe… I disagree. The Tanodbayan is not the moral compass for Filipinos. Weak institutions make for underformance by the Tanodbayan (and by the country’s criminal justice system).
UPn, to a certain extent your disagreement makes some sense because the President herself, facing allegations of corruption and poll cheating, has severely tarnished the institution of the presidency.
justice league,
thanks for the post re: The Office of the Ombudsman and how was it created and I was thinking all along by an act of congress instead by the Provision of the Charter. On Paper the Power, Function and Duties of the Ombudsman as the watchdog of the people against their own servants look well and carefully drafted. Exemption, I always disagree on classification of citizens, as we in Canada had decided that we can only have one Class.
But until the whole Justice system is strengthened, and a truly independent Ombudsman is holding the office, beholding to no one in particular and the people as a whole, it’s constitutional power will be wasted.
Since its creation, has it resolve any significant case or cases within reasonable time at the satisfaction of the People? By reasonable time, we can assume the generally accepted timetable of a case brought to trial within a year and the case is heard until concluded.
But like I said in previous comment, it could have been much less complicated with only one Judicial System with different groups of prosecuting attorneys handling specialized cases. And different courts handling types of cases.
Ano ka nahihibang na si Binay lang ang matapang noong martial law.
Even if I do not like Cory Aquino now, I know for a fact that Benigno Aquino defied Marcos when he was in prison. He could have also escaped via backdoor before he was going to be arrested since his friends in the military had already warned him. But he chose to stay. One article of Max Soliven that I could not forget was about the incident when he warned Aquino that the prison cell where the were locked up was bugged. Instead of keeping quiet, the more Benigno provoked Marcos.
Aquino was the only one left incarcerated because he did not want the deals offered by the government. And the senator that many of you are insullting here as GMA tool, was the only lawyer left standing to defend Aquino, that was Joker Arroyo. Did I miss his name in all these books?
Di ba si Rene Saguisag din ay human rights lawyer and where is he now. Tuta ni Erap.
And when all newspapers were shutdown and the newspapermen were silenced, Joe Burgos was the only one who was brave enough to publish a paper that was anti-Marcos. One of the Tronqueds became my acquaintance when I was a student.
And the Filipino people did not really cower in fear. When Ninoy Aquino run against Marcos, Manila had the biggest noise barrage.
What I am seeing now is a Binay hungry for power that almost all his relatives, kulang na lang ang katulong nila
ang tumakbo sa Makati para gawin nilang kaharian.
Sino ang hindi alam ang history?
I do not have respect to any official who uses people power just so they can avoid arrest or suspension.
In my book that is cowardice. Wala silang respeto sa tunay na spirit ng people power.
What selective memories and poetic license do to history is known. It is not only the winners who have the prerogative to rewrite history.
SIDE TOPIC: I found a blogsite with some anecdotes on
Gawad Kalinga performance among Aetas.
Whew!!! so much air. Theoretically the rule of law is simply that theoretical. The actual process is where the devil lives.
Whether a country is a democracy, constitutional republic or whatever, the rule of law is in the application, pilgrims. Theory and practice.
The application is the practice. Historically the Philippines in the practice of the rule of law is well to be generous “all fucked up.”
For lawyers -speak it is ‘probable’, ‘it appears’ as everything is theoretical unless the facts that have to be established be done only within the narrow confines of a judicial system. Everything outside that process is not factual. Dispensation of justice is something else altogether. Every people perceive the system to be unjust then the actual reality will prevail.
What is a crime and tragedy is it appears lawyers most especially those that write in this blog are really living in a theoretical paradise which they seem to believe is reality.
Tis sad that most people still do not know the difference between democracy from a constitutional republic or other forms.
This is a contest of ideas and not persons. Reality is totally something else.
When you apply the theoretical base of the rule of law and due process, that theory must be laid beside the actual practice of the process.
The process used vs. Binay and Robredo stank to high heavens. That becomes the reality of the rule of law in these two cases.
So much for theory. How dumb can people get? Most especially lawyers.
Cat, I’m not sure if you understand what I have posted. The first son of a bitch alluded by the American official was Marcos. Of course the American was gravely exaggerating, because there were other son-of-a-bitches who stood their ground during the dictatorship as you said like Joe Burgos and Joker Arroyo and bigger names like Soc Rodrigo and Doy Laurel, and then nondescript human rights lawyer like Rene Saguisag, Jojo Binay, Jojo Cuevas, OD Melchor, Jun Curameng, King Rodrigo and a handful more, and student militants who went under many of whom were inspired by the heroic doggedness of Ninoy.
I’m not sure if Joker represented Ninoy before the Military Tribunal but I’m certain Juan T. David and Senator Tanada did. But when Ninoy dismissed all his private lawyers, some neophyte lawyers like Makati Prosecutor Phil Aspi helped prepare important pleadings for Ninoy submitted to the Military Tribunal and the SC on request of Lupita, Ninoy’s sister.
If you like the noise barrage Cat, then I would not mind being considered a son of a bitch too having been in the midst of those noise somehow.
Ca T,
Normally, I’d be happy to see Binay investigated. What leaves a bad taste in the mouth this time is how obviously selective the government is being in applying the law. As I said in an earlier post, why are they going after Binay, whose guilt has yet to be established, while ignoring and even defending the blatant vote-buying of Raul Gonzalez? I think you know the answer.
Ca T, only when you denounce Gonzalez in the same breath as denouncing Binay will I suspect you to be sincerely interested in the rule of law.
Your post seems to impress that it was Binay who is the only guy who was not intimidated by Marcos . Read again your post. I know the names of those people whose people power was really for the protection of democracy and human rights. Now the connotation of people power is for protection of politicians. pwe.
Yeah, he was nameless, I never read his name from the books I read, from the stories I heard from former activists.
If you have not read the book about Joker, the only lawyer who was there for Benigno Aquino, try getting hold of the books that were written shortly after people power 1.
Btw, if Binay is going to be evaluated as per his management style, he’s going to fail miserably as per the COA audit.
But who will understand the problem of cash per books that don’t balance with the cash in the bank.
Why were there advances that were not liquidated?
Who will understand why there is no system at all in procurement functions in Makati?
Who will understand whether the billion amounts of fixed assets are not fully accounted for.
SINO ? kayong mga bulag dahil sa pulitika.
Na dahil gawa sa lahat daw ay palilibrehin na ang inyong mga pulitikong hinahangaan imbes na suportahan ang imbestigaston hindi lang kay Binay kung hindi sa lahat nang may akusasyon ng graft and corruption.
Now you’re telling me that the American exaggerated. What about you? Are you not guilty of writing that statement, thinking that I am clueless of what’s happening in the country because I am not there. What if I tell you that I even have transcripts of Erap’s trial and the investigation of Oakwood mutiny where Trillanes was answering incoherently.
Erratum in my previous post: “suspect” should read “believe”
The Inquirer editorial today is clear enough and only a moron would not be able to understand that this is another attempt by Gloria Arroyo (represented by her fork-tounged pet, Luis Villafuerte) to install her party bets and control majority of the local posts.
Sino ang tunay na bulag sa pulitika? Baka kayong mga baliw na dahil hindi nyo na rin makita ang tahasan at garapalang pang-aagaw ng kapangyarihan at paglapastangan sa ‘rule of law’ na nasasambit nyo lang pag alam nyong kayo — sampu ni Gloria Arroyo at lahat ng sumasampalataya sa kanya — ang makikinabang!
Jesse Robredo — Ramon Magsaysay awardee, five-termer mayor, beloved by his constituents. Chinese citizen dahil hindi nya mapatunayan na sya nga ay Pilipino?! Mga tanga! Mga hangal!
“Ca T, only when you denounce Gonzalez in the same breath as denouncing Binay will I suspect you to be sincerely interested in the rule of law.”
Kahit wag na si Gonzalez e…his kidneys will do what the Opposition could not: shut him down.
Si JocJoc Bolante na lang and the Fertilizer Scam… has anyone heard about it lately? Wala na sa balita, wala na rin sa radar ng Ombudsman at kung ano pa mang legal body ang dapat umatupag sa kaso.
And how about Ben Abalos for botching the Automated Elections pati na rin ang billion pesos na nasayang sa anomalous awarding ng contract?
Of course, ayaw na rin pag-usapan ang Hello Garci..kasi “we all have to move on”.
E bakit di na lang “mag-move on” si Ronaldo Puno at tantanan na si Binay dahil ibinasura na ng korte ang mga kaso nya against Binay? Bakit kelangang i-derail ni Luis Villafuerte si Jesse Robredo dahil sa citizenship issue na makailang ulit na ring ni-resolve ng korte in favor of Robredo?
Kasi, “Binay has to vindicate himself” and “we have to follow the rule of law”.
Morons.
It is when this squid tactic that I hate. We’re talking about something else and you are reciting the sins of other people.
I know that Gonzales has already been charged of vote buying. So be it.
In the meantime, don’t digress.
Para kang bata na pinapagalitan ng nanay na sasabihin, bakit si ate,si kuya, si…
Grow up “young man”.
jackryan68,
the laughable brawner doctrine (as mareng winnie likes to call it) may be right on some points (probably among others i failed to note):
a. that their division is not barred to tackle the issue of jesse robredo’s citizenship,
b. that the implied election doctrine on citizenship is not applicable to jesse robredo’s case,
c. that the burden of proof of citizenship lies on the claimant.
both b and c were tackled wrongly, i think, by mareng winnie in the last paragraphs of her recent gospel you cited (to me, she somehow lost her credibility when she wrote that gloria won in 2004).
yes, mayor robredo should assert his Filipino citizenship, and rightly so, for the sake of his constituents who certainly were not governed by an alien (as all of us know…even non-Filipinos…except, of course, the villafuertes!!!). he should elevate this to the supreme court. it’s high time this flimsy issue by the villafuertes be put to rest!!!
Baycas,
The Supreme Court, of course, will always have the final say.
A cause of anxiety however is the time-lag between the executive’s first-mover advantage and the judiciary’s action.
The worst-case scenario here is (1) Mayor Robredo hangs on, (2) the Comelec disqualifies him from running after votes have been cast, (3) the City Board of Canvassers now loaded individuals identified with Villafuerte invalidates his majority votes, and (4) declares the next-highest vote getter, presumably Villafuerte’s nephew Jojo, the new mayor.
Vic,
Sorry but I have to defer on the reasonable time thingy and what is to be regarded as satisfying to the people.
Anyway, I’ve read about the case of Imelda Marcos and Jose Dans. They initially won that one but eventually lost it in the SC.
There is also a case of a female government employee who as far as I remember is the first one convicted of the Plunder law.
There’s definitely numerous cases out there but they will reach the SC so I’m not sure if those are what you had in mind.
Jackryan68,
Your scenario is very tricky. You didn’t indicate how long after the votes were cast and the disqualification was decided upon.
If the disqualification was done “sometime” after the votes have been cast(I can’t say how long is sufficient though or if a timeframe really matters), I think there have been rulings already on such that the 2nd placer will not get the office.
I reckon the votes must still be counted. The SC had this to say on such a matter:
“Section 6 of R.A. No. 6646 and section 72 of the Omnibus Election Code require a final judgment before the election for the votes of a disqualified candidate to be considered “stray.†Hence, when a candidate has not yet been disqualified by final judgment during the election day and was voted for, the votes cast in his favor cannot be declared stray. To do so would amount to disenfranchising the electorate in whom sovereignty resides.â€Â
Since the issue is the mayorship, I think the vice mayor becomes the mayor.
Oooooppps,
Just in case what the SC said is inapplicable, maybe the Local Government Code can shed light on who takes over when the winning candidate for the governor or mayor is disqualified.
if i may suggest…
withdraw from the race and let leni, his wife, run instead.
…just as Demosthenes fled so he can live to fight another day.
Ca T,
I think the point I made is very relevant. The government is not applying the same standard of justice to Gonzalez as it is to Binay. Si Binay, pinagbintangan pa lang, sinuspend na. Si Gonzalez, kahit kitang-kita na ng madla ang kanyang krimen, sinuspend ba ni GMA?
Susmaryosep. Wake up, lady.
justice league, i hate belaboring this point but i thought you agree that the best way for Binay to vindicate himself is to face the charges in a court of law (not through media propaganda or street protests, shouting the magic words “political harassment”, nor by rehashing the “legitimacy” mantra against the administration).
Once convicted, he won’t have the luxury of choosing how he will redeem himself.
Mike, do you know the “standard of the law” vis a vis Binay and Gonzales? Well, the charge against Gonzales doesn’t require “preventive suspension”, whereas those against Binay do. Hope that helps you understand what you are talking about.
Bencard,
Yes, I agreed with you but that is as far as the charges being in court already.
As with regards the complaint Binay is currently facing; it is still being investigated by the Ombudsman so it is definitely “not” in court yet.
If you are in court, the other lawyer can raise the question of relevancy when you bring up an issue that is not important in the case being solved.
And that is exactly YOU. It is jsut like telling the judge to declare the accused innocent because another accused seems to be given more preferential treatment.
But this example of mine is already for left-brained people. Saiyo yon pa ring example na hindi ka bibigyan ng baon ng iyong inay as punishment kaya kung sino-sino ang iyong idinadawit. pangbatang example baga.
this is fairly convincing…from lawyer dawin…
i take back what i suggested.
abe, i see why the C at was confused by your “one-son-of-a bitch” comment(5/7, 6:22 am). Every one knows that the American who said that was referring to Marcos. But the way you singled out Binay as another “son of a bitch” in addition to Marcos (making a total of two) out of “40 million cowards”, could easily induce someone to react the way C at did.
What has he done to prove that these are not ghost employees?
Why did he not remot the withholding taxes due to the BIR and deducted from the employees.
Sa Corporate environment, sipa talaga siya.
What did he do? One time, he wore a fatigue uniform as if he was going to aw. Gawa ba ng matinong leader yan?
Bakit ayaw niyang bitiwan ang Makati, dahil doon lahat umaasa ang mga anak niya. One was only fifteen noong nagsimula. Ano ang Makati, kaharian ng mga Binay?
and that is what he’s doing.
And that is what exactly these politicians are doing. Para bang pag-aari nila ang kanilang community na pag hindi siya ay ipapamana niya sa asawa, sa kapatid at pati sa mga bayaw at mga kamag-anak nila.
Ginagawa nilang employment agency ang gobyerno.
“What has he done to prove that these are not ghost employees?”
Cat,
Ang alam ko if you are the one being accused or charged with something you have no obligation to prove that what you are being charged with did not happen. The party charging should first prove his case such that the burden of disproving shifts to the person accused. Siguro may exception but this is the general rule.
Maybe, you should stick to things you know.
Bencard,
Let me see if I understand you. Binay is being suspended because he is SUSPECTED of padding the rolls of City Hall. This will be followed by an investigation.
Gonzalez, on the other hand, is clearly guilty of vote-buying, based on the definition of vote-buying as expounded by Abalos himself, and his widely reported actions which he himself does not dispute. The administration’s action? NOTHING, even though Gonzalez merely serves at the pleasure of the President who can suspend or fire him at any time.
You’re right. This is a very just situation, indeed.
Ca T,
Didn’t I say that I would normally be happy if Binay were investigated?
Once again so that you may finally understand: I am criticizing the SELECTIVE APPLICATION OF THE LAW by the government. Do you understand what that is? This is way beyond the inane comparison you insist on making. This means that there are some people who are above the law (like Gonzalez). Is that a situation you tolerate?
If this government were really serious about justice, then both Binay and Gonzalez would be prosecuted vigorously. But whereas the government is pursuing the case against Binay, it did not file a case against Gonzalez (that was done by the opposition). In fact, it doesn’t even have to file a case–GMA should fire him pronto. But this isn’t going to happen, is it?
In other words: the government should apply the law to all, not just to its political opponents. THAT IS JUSTICE.
I can’t BELIEVE how many times I’ve had to explain this to you. I don’t know if you are just slow, naive, or an all-out supporter of this regime. I’m hoping it’s not the last one, because then I’d have just wasted my time.