Jojo Binay’s juvenile tantrum
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has suffered its biggest humiliation at the hands of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).
The BSP rebuffed the Comelec on its ban on cash withdrawals of more than P100,000 from banks and other financial institutions.
The poll body said the ban, which would have taken effect yesterday until May 13, election day, was meant to stop vote-buying.
The BSP said the Comelec should not arrogate unto itself the power of the central bank over all commercial and savings banks.
The BSP is the only entity that has stood up to the Comelec’s “power trips.”
It has put the poll body in its proper place.
* * *
Among the Comelec’s power trips is showing to all and sundry who’s the boss during the election period by prohibiting the carrying of firearms even among citizens whose lives are under threat.
Comelec Commissioner Elias Yusoph, who is in charge of issuing exemptions to the gun ban, is so strict you’d think he is the king who holds life-and-death powers over his subjects.
He wants citizens applying for exemptions to the gun ban to kowtow to him even if these citizens are not running for public office or not connected to any candidate or political party.
Yusoph and his fellow Comelec commissioners are playing their temporary powers to the hilt.
So ordinary citizens like us should bow our heads when Comelec Chair Sixto Brillantes and members of his royal entourage pass by.
* * *
A construction firm has cornered over P1 billion in road projects in Central Luzon, according to my sources at the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
The firm’s owner, who is from Tarlac province, is reportedly a friend and political supporter of President Noy.
The firm is probably building a straight and narrow path—what P-Noy wants to call daang matuwid—toward Malacañang.
* * *
I watched with much amusement Vice President Jojo Binay lambasting Roxas City Mayor Angel Allan Celino, a supporter of his erstwhile political rival, Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, over a petty matter.
In an interview with TV reporters, Binay fumed over the mayor’s “lack of protocol” for not welcoming him at the Roxas City airport.
Binay may be the country’s second highest official but he can’t force people to treat him like he’s already the President of the Republic.
Binay’s juvenile tantrum was unbecoming of his lofty position.
* * *
The Bureau of Customs (BOC) should declare a failure of public bidding for its P500-million computerization project.
The project is called Integrated Philippine Customs System (i-PCS).
There were originally eight companies that submitted bids.
Only two bidders were deemed qualified, but one of them allegedly submitted fake notarized documents.
The BOC’s bids and awards committee, headed by Deputy Commissioner Peter Manzano, may as well declare a failure of bidding and call for another.
