Ignorant of the Constitution

Why didn’t Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales include former President Noynoy Aquino in the case in the Sandiganbayan in connection with the slaughter of 44 police commandos in Maguindanao in what is now dubbed the Mamasapano Massacre?

Aquino then blatantly ignored the Ombudsman’s suspension order on the now dismissed Philippine National Police chief Alan Purisima, and directed him to supervise the operation to catch Zulfikli bin Hir, alias Marwan, an international terrorist.

Absolving Noynoy Aquino of responsibility in the Mamasapano debacle is suspect.

It brings to mind that Aquino recalled Morales from retirement as Supreme Court justice to appoint her as Ombudsman.

Can you blame some people who perceive that last year’s Ramon Magsaysay awardee is just paying a debt of gratitude—what Pinoys call utang na loob—to the former President?

President Digong claims that the operation to get Marwan dead or alive was managed by the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).

The President might want to check out rumors that two or three American elite troopers were killed along with the “SAF 44.”

The rumors seem to have basis because unmanned US aircraft were seen at the massacre site after the debacle.

If there’s a party-list organization that should be disallowed to field candidates in the congressional elections, it is the Kabayan.

The Kabayan party-list group unseated former University of the Philippines professor Harry Roque, a press freedom advocate, for calling on the Senate to remove Sen. Leila de Lima for her alleged ties to drug syndicates when she was justice secretary.

The Kabayan is grossly ignorant of the Constitution and has no business taking part in elections to the House of Representatives.

If that’s not a violation of Roque’s right to free speech, I don’t know what it is.

The provision in the Constitution giving marginalized groups—like those of security guards, vendors, persons with disabilities, or teachers—seats at Batasang Pambansa should be scrapped in the proposed constitutional convention or assembly.

Most people selected by party-list groups to represent them at the House don’t belong to the marginalized sector as they are rich or influential.

For example, why does Buhay, a group headed by well-known preacher Mike Velarde and which maintains an anti-abortion stance, have a seat in the House when it cannot be considered powerless or marginalized?

Revenue Commissioner Caesar Dulay has ordered the investigation of Mighty Corp., an all-Filipino cigarette manufacturer, for allegedly using fake stamps on its packs.

But why is Mighty Corp. being singled out and its competitor, which manufactures foreign brands, excluded from the probe of the Bureau of Internal Revenue?

Why is Dulay playing favorites?