Unsolicited advice

Batas Mauricio       

IF the warning that both houses of Congress are once again being turned into a “rubber-stamp” legislature, ready and salivating to do every bidding of the Duterte government, did not come from the Liberal Party, I would have chimed in and agreed wholeheartedly. But coming from the party that was itself the prime “rubber-stamp” during the Aquino government, the warning was nothing but mere sour-graping.

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And now that the 48-hour deadline imposed by newly installed Director General Ronaldo dela Rosa of the Philippine National Police for ranking police officers who are sidelining as drug lords to surrender lapsed without anyone giving himself up, it is now his duty to name names, and perhaps even kill likewise, the generals he had implicated in the illegal drugs business. Otherwise, he should just shut up, too!

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By the way, here is an unsolicited advice for the Duterte government: it maybe prudent for all of them at this point to refrain or altogether stop announcing grandiose plans such as ridding the country of crime, corruption, and of the drug menace in the first six months of their term, so that people will not get disillusioned with them if nothing happens by December 2016, and thereby encourage the thought that they are no different from their incapable predecessors, after all.

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With due respect to Communications Secretary Martin Andanar, something stronger than issuing a statement of condemnation has to be done to minimize, if not altogether stop, the rash of media killings and assassinations under the Duterte government. To me, issuing condemnations was the work of lesser presidents and weaker governments.

To make a point, Andanar should retrieve the recordings of broadcasts of broadcasters who have been killed or attacked, and then investigate who were the personalities who were the subject of the broadcasts. These personalities are the only ones who will ever have the motive to kill or injure the broadcaster or the newsman.

The Duterte government should thereafter make an “example” of these possible suspects, by using all its resources to unearth evidence against them and, if the evidence warrants, to prosecute and then jail them. If any of these suspects, no matter how rich or powerful they maybe, will dare escape, or try to fight police authorities, then the Duterte government should not hesitate to kill them, mercilessly if need be. Then, media killings will stop.

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To me, the real importance of the June 30 turnover ceremonies at Malacanang where the presidency got transferred from Aquino to Duterte did not come from Duterte’s dramatic election and installation as the 16th president of the Republic of the Philippines.  The transfer of power from Aquino to Duterte was significant for all Filipinos in that it symbolized the continuing capacity of the Filipino nation to effect a peaceful change of leadership anchored on an electoral process which, though marred by claims of fraud particularly in the vice presidential contest, was generally reflective of the true will of the electorate. It also showed Aquino as a true leader who did not cling on to power.

I am someone who frequently disagreed with Aquino, both Noynoy and her mother, the late President Cory, on many issues about the welfare of the country and its people, I am willing to concede that if there is any legacy of the Aquinos we all have to be thankful for, it is the peaceful and orderly transfer of power from one president to another. Mabuhay, President Benigno Aquino III, mabuhay, President Cory Aquino!

E-mail: batasmauricio@yahoo.com