Law and order ‘most alarming’ under Aquino, says Pimentel

MANILA, Philippines—Former Senator Aquilino Pimentel Jr. believes that the country’s law and order situation is “most alarming” under the leadership of President Benigno Aquino III.

Pimentel made this remark as he enumerated the President’s dismal performance during his first year in office.

He noted, for instance, how Aquino seemed to favor the so-called KKK or kakampi, kaklase at kabarilan (partymates, classmates and shooting buddies) in government and his failure to regularly meet with his Cabinet to discuss the country’s pressing problems.

“President Noynoy is not a Hercules of course especially with his bad smoking habit, he will be disqualified from any sports contest,” the former senator said during a regular forum in the Senate on Thursday. “But he seems to give a message that he does not favor outright firing of people especially if they belong to his KKK.”

“And then I would also like to add that the President seems to be cavalier in his attitude towards presidential appointments. The prime example here is Jojo Ochoa. He might be the best man in the world to occupy the highest appointive office in Malacañang (but to give him with another task) would in effect reduce his effectiveness. Because for heaven’s sake even the Lord, Jesus Christ carried only one cross to the Calvary,” he said.

Pimentel was referring to Executive Secretary Pacquito Ochoa, who was also appointed head of the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission.

“And to top it all, the law and order situation in the country is most alarming and it’s not only journalists but simple Maria or plain Pedro, who is being abducted or killed daily in the streets of Metro Manila as well as in other parts of the country,” he said.

“He is not the police, he is the top cop of this country. As the chief executive, you can’t pass the buck to any other person,” he added.

Pimentel said the President should buckle down to serious work “to see the substance and not the superficiality of things.”