This one is an intriguing news report. We mean the difference in opinion of the Marcos Jr.’s administration Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Office of the Ombudsman headed by a Duterte appointee.
Yes, According to the DOJ there are evidence that support cases that can be filed against the Vice President. The same news report also said the office is further strengthening its gathering of more proof of the VP’s criminal liability for her alleged threat to the lives of the President, his First Lady and House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.
However, Ombudsman Samuel Martirez said in an interview that so far not a single case has been filed against VP Sara and based on what the DOJ has mentioned to be its evidence against the number 2 person in the government hierarchy, it’s far from sufficient.
Now come these two government prosecution agency having conflicting views on an act done by the Vice President which ambivalence could lead to the quashing of any case before it could even be filed against the potential respondent.
What is however, playing in the minds of Filipinos is that the DOJ Secretary is a Marcos, Jr. appointed guy while the current Ombudsman was appointed by former President Rodrigo R. Duterte.
Now can we blame if in the eyes of the ordinary Filipino, the name of the game is still politics? We however, still hope that it is not
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Well, this is where the challengers to the administration candidates at the local level polls have their disadvantage. That is, in Davao City where almost, if not all, of the barangays are run by village chiefs known to be under the Hugpong sa Tawo’ng Lungsod (HTL), all guests at any barangay activities are the incumbent elective officials who are also members of the home-grown political party.
In the many affairs that we have the opportunity to attend, we saw incumbent councilors, their office representatives, the Mayor and Vice Mayor are usually there or their names very often mentioned. Opposition members of barangay councils appear hesitant to invite their candidates for fear that their bets end up ignored or even chastised by pro-local administration barangay officials.
Moreover, the incumbent officials who are with HTL can have all the freedom to go to the barangays and attend their activities without fear of getting charged of early campaigning. They can always reason out that they are just doing their job as representatives of the barangays to the local law making body.
The opposition candidates, or even the new ones who align themselves with the local administration, can always be subject to suspicion that their attendance to barangay activities is already part of early campaigning which is prohibited by the law governing elections.
But of course, as the saying goes, “there are many ways of skinning the cat.” So, if the opposition or new candidates have the guts and shrewdness, they can always skirt the law and do their thing.
Today we are expecting the same observation in a barangay in the third district that will be celebrating its “Araw ng Barangay.” We are one hundred percent that not a single local opposition candidate, from Mayor, Congressman down to Councilors, will be there to guest in the celebration. Of course it is already expected that they would not be invited. Or, if they receive an invitation from an opposition barangay councilor/s or their leaders, they’d likely be having second thought if they’ll honor the same. They could stand the risk of being accused of early campaigning, or being snubbed by village officials who are known under the administration.
But if these local opposition bets are desirous to have a better chance of winning they can always confront the risk and proceed to do their thing. After all, by just being seen by the people is good enough to assure them that the candidates have the desire to belong and be identified with the constituents.
In fact at certain times it is even beneficial for local opposition candidates to “invite themselves” to some barangay or village activities where chances of bigger exposure is a possibility.
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After three years since the assumption of the incumbent Davao City Council we feel at a loss as to what or if there is any Ordinance relative to the enhancement and protection of the environment of this particular place in Mindanao.
Of course we have noted that under the amended City Zoning Ordinance, the local government has now designated certain areas far from residential communities as locations of poultry and swine farms. The purpose of course is to save village residents from getting annoyed by swarm of flies coming from the farms and the undesirable odor emanating from the chicken and swine waste.
The amendment to the Zoning law however, was done long before the assumption of the present Council. So, we are raising the question because we are not aware of any new ordinance on environment.
What we have instead are ordinances that help in its further deterioration like spot re-zoning to allow previously prohibited areas like the slopes of Shrine Hills, the hillsides of Magtuod and Cabantian to give way to the wishes of big-time residential subdivision developers to put up their costly residential enclaves projects.
This hillside conversion into high-end subdivisions is instead aggravating the flooding of the city’s low-lying areas. So, what has the City Council done for environment protection? Pray, tell the people.
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