June Duterte
I could sense deeply here a certain kind of pattern in the recent series of charges levelled against certain personalities whose common denominator is their friendship, allegiance or their prior attachment to the former Chief Executive of the country, President Rodrigo Duterte.
For why will there be series of prosecutions against Dr. Lorraine Badoy, Ka Eric Celiz and on the franchise of Sonshine Media Network, Inc. (SMNI)?
True enough that there may be differing reasons for the accusations hurled against them but I am wondering and just thinking aloud here: Is there any likelihood of a powerful unseen hand here calling the shots, surreptitiously orchestrating all these moves against them and wielding the baton in these seemingly malicious machinations to demolish their objects of assault?
Consider these: Why will the Lower House detain and incarcerate Badoy and Celiz only to release them on ground presumably of humanitarian considerations and supposedly in the spirit of Christmas?
Since when has Congress’ power of contempt taken paramount importance over and above our much-cherished constitutional right of free speech, of expression and dissent, to think freely as freemen do and not as bond servants?
Dautan ba diay kung mangutana si Celiz asa nahapunta ang P1.8B travel expenses ni presidential cousin House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez?
The last time I checked with my law books, the statutes remain unchanged: Public offfice is still very much a public trust. Ergo, dapat lang ipahibalo ni Romualdez unsay detalye sa iyang mga byahe sanglit kwarta man kini gikan sa kaban sa nasud, dili iyang kaugalingon.
Are they not familiar of a ruling that pointedly ruled: Legislature may have the power to cite for contempt uncooperative invited guests or panelists in its Congressional hearings but it should not be wielded at the expense of due process and equal protection of the law?
Here’s a simple unsolicited advice to lawmakers from an outsider looking in: Kindly revisit the old Sotto Law on non-disclosure or non-divulging of media’s source, for your greater enlightenment.
There ought to be transparency in all organs of government and in the actuations of all government functionaries from the lowest Kapitan to the highest occupant in Malacanang Palace.
Why will the hordes in Congress forcibly ram through the gates and the franchise of Suara Sug SMNI and browbeat this media outfit on allegations of fake news and red-tagging as averred by the militant block in the House?
While the task to regulate media’s power via government oversight role be considered sacrosanct, it must be fully understood that bamboozling the network’s legislative franchise would be tantamount to muzzling the press constituting virtual prior restraint akin to naked censorship, a direct affront surely to our claim that ours is a modern, free society that is able to accommodate a contravening viewpoint.
The last time the incumbent tightened the noose on free press was during the regime of the father of the present Palace occupant.
Are we seeing here therefore the resurrection from the grave of draconian rules that were once upon a time armaments of past dictators, ushering in another era of media suppression and the thwarting of the public’s right to know?
Let it not be said that this administration has levelled its fiery guns on that media entity solely on the fact that it has provided space to the former president to ventilate his tirades against the Romualdez-led House on the very volatile issue of Confidential Intelligence Fund, among others.
I think in all these cacophony of voices, Romualdez et al must clarify to the nation: Are they waltzing and ‘sleeping with the enemy’ as it were, when they joined forces apparently with the militants obviously to curry favor very early on for the much-coveted presidential trophy come 2028?
Are we seeing here the open dynamics and unhindered body language of somebody who aspires and salivate for that highest position of the land five years hence?
You be the judge, I am just asking. (June Duterte)