EDITORIAL : THE DAILY TRIBUNE, THE PHILIPPINES

 

Interesting times

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Interesting times are ahead for the nation, if the opposition pushes though with its plan to now take the offensive against the Noynoy administration and go into congressional investigations on allegations of corruption, as well as inefficiency, two of the focus points of Noynoy Aquino in going after his political foes, whom he refers to as his enemies and with whom he says he is at war.

With the political opposition being in the minority, it is pretty certain that any House committee that takes on the probe — and there has to be a probe based on the resolutions, since such is called for by the House rules — will be peppered with the majority members who will then try to kill whatever is to be exposed, since this time around, the allegations, or the exposés will delve directly on the Aquino administration.

Still, given the predicted behavior and moves of the Noynoy allies in the House, the public will at least be given the front seat on just how the allies of Noynoy — all of whom claim to be treading the “straight path” will be handling these probes and ensure that the “crooked road” is covered up.

It will not be suprising if Noynoy’s allies in the House of Representatives will suddenly put a stop to these probes or at least vote down — through sheer numbers — calls for the attendance of any and all Aquino officials who will be placed on the carpet, along with the subpoenas of certain records.

But if such is the way the majority will be handling the probes, its members will have proved that they are hardly walking the “straight path” which will then show up their hypocrisy.

What is just as likely, if such exposés hit Noynoy and his allies and cronies, is that they will be quickly absolved by Noynoy himself.

His track record shows it. Think of the Aug. 23 hostage rescue fiasco. Did he not absolve his target shooting buddy, DILG Undersecretary Rico Puno, of any and all accountability and responsibility for the botched rescue, as well as his allies?

Think Dinky Soliman and Teresita Deles who have been linked to the PeaceBonds scam. Weren’t they also just as quickly absolved by Noynoy, and without as much as a Palace probe?

Think other Noynoy appointees, who have been hounded by corruption allegations, such as the Customs chief who cheated at golf, and has been banned from playing in that golf club. Wasn’t he quickly cleared too, and by Noynoy himself? There were many more of the instances.

It is easy for an administration in power and position to run after Noynoy’s political foes, with Noynoy and his boys justifying their moves against their “enemies” as being the “stumbling blocks” to his fight against corruption and reforms in government. But as Noynoy and his allies portray themselves as the “good” fighting the “evil” since he regards his political foes and critics as such, it may not, however, be that easy for Noynoy and his allies to shake off exposés on corruption in his government, as well as inefficiency, especially as he can no longer hang on to the much too politically exploited yellow wave of sympathy that has waned, apart from his dwindling popularity, owing to his inability and incompetence to even come up with a clear direction for government and the nation, as he and the Palace boys focus merely on how to charge their political foes.

Yet there are so many problems affecting the nation, such as the high prices of oil, shooting up the prices of goods and services, with more and more Filipinos going to the poorhouse. And all he offers are band-aid solutions — including even a hike in wages, less than year from the last hike. This will naturally cause more companies to close down, or retrench their employees, which will mean a higher percentage of joblessness.

Of course, the yellow media are expected to downplay, if not kill such stories against Noynoy. Still stench always smells, and goes past the yellow media.