The Ombudsman's Declaration to investigate Abad on DAP and PDAF is Doubtful and "clearing" the President is Dubious
Posted on Friday, 2 October 2015
The Ombudsman’s
Declaration
to
Investigate Abad on DAP and PDAF is Doubtful
and
“clearing” the President is Dubious
By Apolinario Villalobos
Every time the Chief of the Department of
the Budget Management (DBM) releases a certain fund, he has to secure first the
approval of the President of the Philippines which is a standard operating
procedure. The President on the other hand is supposed to have been briefed on
the details surrounding the fund as explained by the Chief of the DBM before
the former signs the pertinent documents. Where is the logic then, in the
declaration of the Office of the Ombudsman that while it absolves the President
on the issues of the PDAF and DAP, the DBM Chief will be investigated? Why is
the principle of the command responsibility not applied in this case? On the
other hand, the President has a full knowledge of what he was approving, so he
cannot just wash his hands.
The act of the Ombudsman is tantamount to a
“moro-moro” which is just for show. It is obvious that there is a concerted
effort from all sectors of the administration to “clear” the President before
he steps out of Malacaἧan in 2016. At the last minute, he even changed his tune on the
issue of the Mamasapano, although, it is also doubtful if justice can indeed be
reaped while he is still around. His declaration on the Mamasapano massacre
also shows another act of washing of hands, and passing of the buck to the
incoming administration. Even the Maguindanao Massacre case still has to step
on the first base as in the game of baseball, although, the president has made
statements about his “giving instructions” to expedite the investigation which
just raised the eyebrows of the skeptics.
The Office of the Ombudsman is clearly
doing a hectic clearing effort to prevent the filing of cases, or at least
reduce their number, as Pnoy will definitely suffer the same fate of Gloria
Arroyo, as soon as he steps down. The objective has been implied when the
Palace made a follow up statement to the Ombudsman’s declaration, that it has
to be “respected”.
Lately, the DBM Chief has sort of
complained when he said that he is just recommending and that the President has
the final say…so, the picture is clear as regards the guilty party. Could this
mean that the latest washing of hands of the President will cause a rift
between him and his long-time trusted friend Abad? This happened between
Vitangcol, the former chief of the MRT and his boss, Jun Abaya, chief of the
DOTC, when the former was suddenly dropped like a hot potato, after a graft
case was filed against him. Abaya eventually complained, “bakit ako lang?” (why
single me out?, or why only me?), insinuating that all final decisions come
from Abaya.
That’s how “colorful” and “suspenseful” are
the happenings in the administration of President Pnoy…as he leads the country
towards his “tuwid na daan” (straight path”. I just hope that the road does not
end at a precarious cliff!
Discussion