On Target
Lawyers make simple things complicated
By Ramon Tulfo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 00:02:00 05/01/2008
Filed Under: Local authorities
Lawyers are special people who make simple things complicated.
The more complicated they make of simple things, the brighter they are – or so they think.
Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, chair of the Senate blue ribbon committee, is a lawyer.
So he makes a simple thing complicated.
Cayetano said the investigation into the scrapped $329-million grossly-overpriced ZTE-NBN deal found evidence “leading to the Office of the President.”
But there is no direct testimony linking President Gloria to the scandalous project.
If there is evidence leading up to the Office of the President, then why is there no testimony connecting GMA to the scandal?
Her husband, Mike Arroyo, was directly implicated in the scandal by principal witness Jun Lozada.
Bedfellows tell each other secret things except about their marital infidelity.
Aren’t the President and Mike Arroyo bedfellows?
The President herself admitted she was told that the project was tainted with corruption, but she went ahead and signed the deal with ZTE Corp., anyway.
Earlier, former Socioeconomic Secretary Romy Neri alleged that he was offered P200 million by former Comelec chair Ben Abalos as his share in the grossly overpriced project.
So, how could the President not have been involved in the scandal?
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If Senator Cayetano thinks the public will take hook, line and sinker his virtual exoneration of the President in the scandal because of his legal gobbledygook, he’s wrong.
The citizenry is smarter than he thinks.
Please don’t make fools of us, the Filipino people, Mr. Cayetano!
* * *
One of the casualties in the impending revamp will be Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita.
If rumors are correct, he will be the next ambassador to Washington.
Ermita’s possible replacement is Interior Secretary Ronnie Puno.
Ermita lost out to Puno in their turf war – that is, if rumors turn out to be correct – v because the latter will be banished to Washington.
Oh, yes, the Washington Post is highly coveted, but still it’s a long way from Malacañang.
The President is about to lose a decent guy who hasn’t taken advantage of the No. l Cabinet position.
* * *
More likely, Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez will be retained because he’s become a valuable asset to the President.
Gonzalez has become the President’s lightning rod.
He diverts public anger toward the President because he rubs people the wrong way.
He doesn’t care what they think of him.
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