Tama si Akbayan Party spokersperson Risa Hontiveros, dapat ay mapalitan na si Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez.
Itinulad ng dating kinatawan ng Akbayan si Merci sa isang napakabagal na pagong ang Ombudsman dahil sa napakabagal nitong pag-aksyon sa mga kasong tulad ng kahinahinalang pagkamatay ni Philippine Navy Ensign Philip Andrew Pestaño noong Sept. 27, 1995.
Pagkatapos ng napakabagal na imbestigasyong umabot ng limang taon, pinawalang sala ni Merci ang mga nasasakdal bagamat ang konklusyon ng Senado sa isinagawa nitong sariling imbestigasyon na pinatay si Philip.
Pero hindi ako naniniwalang tumpak na sabihing malapagong kumilos si Merci.
Katunayan, matuling tulad ng isang rabbit si Merci kung ang iaabsuwelto at poprotektahan ay ang mga katulad niyang die-hard supporter ni dating Pang. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Isa sa magandang halimbawa nito ay kung paano niya pinrotektahan si Maj. Gen. Carlos Garcia, na tinugis dahil sa pandarambong ng P300 milyon sa kaban ng Armed Forces of the Philippines noong siya ay comptroller pa sandatahang lakas ng Pilipinas.
Basta kakosa niya at ni GMA, siguraduhing matulin pa sa rabbit na ipagtatanggol sa pamamagitan ng pag-absuwelto o kaya'y sa ibang kapamaraanan ang mga nahaharap sa kaso.
Sabi nga nila, kung gusto may paraan, kung ayaw may dahilan.
Narito naman ang Letter to the Editor ni Risa Hontiveros na inilimbag ng Inquirer.net sa kanilang website at sa diyaryo na lumabas nitong Enero 10, 2011.
Outing a crooked Ombudsman
LIKE MANY people, I welcome the new year with much hope and passion. As I did last year which gave us ample opportunities to effect change, I look forward to this Year of the Rabbit to provide us with more avenues and possibilities to bring to fruition our clamor for meaningful reforms.
However, several old and horrible problems continue to badger us. One of these is the current Ombudsman, notorious for her exceptional turtle-paced conduct in prosecuting corrupt public officials and dispensing justice.
Proof of this is her inexcusable delay in conducting and concluding the investigation into the death of Philippine Navy Ensign Philip Andrew Pestaño on Sept. 27, 1995. After five years, the Ombudsman dismissed the Pestaño case, citing “lack of evidence,” even though a 1997 Senate investigation concluded that the Navy ensign was murdered. The Ombudsman’s decision was promulgated in June 2009, but it was received by the Pestaño family only in July 2010.
This turtle-paced behavior can also be seen in the low conviction rate that has resulted in the slow dispensation, if not out-and-out denial, of justice. A Sandiganbayan report showed that the Ombudsman lost nearly nine out of every 10 cases it filed in the first four months of 2010. It also said the Ombudsman scored eight convictions in 62 cases disposed of by the Sandiganbayan from January to April 2010, for a conviction rate of 12.9 percent.
Yet, while her office is sluggish in its performance to rid government of erring individuals, it is quick and prompt to protect the obviously corrupt. We are all witnesses to how the Ombudsman was used to obstruct initiatives to make Gloria Macagapal-Arroyo, her family and cronies accountable for their transgressions against the people. Take the case of retired Maj. Gen. Carlos Garcia, a known Arroyo ally accused of plunder, who was recently offered by the Ombudsman a lopsided plea bargain deal grossly disadvantageous to government.
This must not go on any further. A crooked Ombudsman has no place in the Year of the Rabbit. The rabbit represents quickness, energy and enthusiasm. In contrast, the current Ombudsman is nothing but a sad picture of sluggishness, incompetence and unfairness.
She and her protectors might say that the turtle won the race against the rabbit in a well-known fable; but may I remind them that the turtle won because of hard work and perseverance. Sadly, based on her own track record, the Ombudsman extremely lacks these values.
Hence, as we welcome the new year, I enjoin the public to renew our initiative to cleanse the government of people who serve as obstacles to reforms and change. Likewise, I hope the Aquino administration will remain steadfast in meeting the challenge of removing the incumbent Ombudsman from public service and in reforming the Office of the Ombudsman.
This year must see the appointment of a new Ombudsman.
—RISA HONTIVEROS,
spokesperson,
Akbayan Party,
36-B Madasalin St.,
Sikatuna Village,
Quezon City
1 comment:
no mercy kay merci! puno na ang salop!
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