Exercising your right to vote
October 29 - Another milestone for Philippine Politics. According to the papers, the just concluded Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections were largely peaceful. Well, a school just went up in flames and a number of people killed in so-called “isolated outbursts of violence” throughout the country… Hmmm… peaceful, don’t you think?
It makes me stop and think what “largely peaceful” means… With the recent violence caused by the over zealous candidates and their cohorts coupled with say a bottle or two of beer… If this is what “largely peaceful means”, it makes me cringe to know what “somewhat peaceful” may mean.
Anyway, according to news reports, over 60% Filipinos exercised their rights to vote. Not bad… What happened to the other say 35-40%? Sad to say but I am a part of the minority, I was not able to vote because of very valid reasons. I know I should vote, if only to exercise my rights. But…
Voting is very important especially in a country such as ours. With all those maleducated* public officials, we simply need to use our votes to vote them out of position. I know there is no such word as maleducated, but I simply couldn’t think of one single word that perfectly defines public officials who are very educated but lacks the ability to use that education into something good for the country, they use it for their own good only.
*FYI: For those who may not know it the prefix mal- indicates wrongness, badness or illness.
You may have your own reasons for not voting as I do, but to those people who did not vote because they simply do not care… Shame on you! Everything bad that is happening in our country right now should be blamed on you. “Not caring” is like cancer spreading throughout the Philippine Archipelago, I wonder how much time it will take before it engulfs everything in its path…
To everyone, start to care, let your votes count to make our future count. I may be too late for the barangay election but not too late for the next election. Its never too late to start caring.
Erap granted Absolute Pardon by President Macapagal-Arroyo
Here is a transcript of the Grant of Executive Clemency given to deposed former President Ejercito Estrada by President Macapagal Arroyo:
Whereas this administration has a policy of releasing prisoners who have reached the age of 70,
Whereas Joseph Ejercito Estrada has been under detention for six and a half years,
Whereas Joseph Ejercito Estrada has publicly committed to no longer seek any elective position or public office,
In view hereof, and pursuant to the authority conferred upon me by the Constitution, I hereby grant executive clemency to Joseph Ejercito Estrada, convicted of plunder by the Sandiganbayan of plunder and imposed the penalty of reclusion perpetua.
He is hereby restored to his civil and political rights. The forfeitures imposed by the Sandiganbayan remain in force and in full, including all writs and processes issued by the Sandiganbayan in pursuance hereof, except for the bank accounts he owned before his tenure as President.
Upon acceptance of this pardon by Joseph Ejercito Estrada, this pardon shall take effect. Given under my hand, at the City of Manila, this 25th day of October, in the year of our Lord, 2007.
Signed,
Gloria M. ArroyoAttested,
Ignacio R. Bunye,
Acting Executive Secretary.
According to the Philippine Constitution(1987):
Absolute Pardon is the total extinction of the criminal liability of the individual to whom it is granted without any condition; it restores to the individual his civil and political rights and remits the penalty imposed for the particular offense of which he was convicted.
To be considered for Absolute Pardon a convicted person must first serve his maximum sentence or granted final release and discharge or court termination of probation. However, the Board may consider a petition for absolute pardon even before the grant of final release and discharge under the provisions of Section 6 of Act No. 4103, as amended, as when the petitioner:
(1) is seeking an appointive/elective public position or reinstatement in the government service
(2) needs medical treatment abroad which is not available locally
(3) will take any government examination
(4) is emigrating
Now out with the legal hullaballo, what the heck are they thinking?! I have expected an absolute pardon for Erap say maybe a year after but not this!
What happened to those millions of pesos spent trying to convict Erap of his crimes? What happened to those years spent “reviewing” the case? And what happened to that so-called “triumph for Philippine Justice” day, the day when Erap was finally convicted? They are all for naught, all those money, all those time… Such a waste. And to think that those pesos are from the pockets of the Filipino people makes it a lot worst.
Correct me if I am wrong but I thought that Absolute Pardon comes with a full admission of guilt. According to the law, I am right. But since clemency is a discretionary power of the President and is almost limitless… Thus, a president can make the terms of the clemency as generous as she wants it to be.
President Macapagal-Arroyo must be feeling very generous for offering Erap Executive Clemency tailored to what he wants: No admission of guilt.
Now, what do you think of the Philippine Government and its Judicial System?
Philippine Politics + Bribe Money + a Priest = A Recipe for Disaster
They’re at it again. Just another disastrous concoction straight from the annals of Philippine Politics. A Priest turned Governor turned in half a million peso worth of “gift” money with a big question, “What is it for?”
Are they for real? Bribing a Priest and all that? Well, ladies and gents, its just another day for Philippine Corrupted Politics in action. Seeing the news on TV, it made me disgusted with Philippine Politics anew but in a way, it made me smile. At least, someone in the murky waters of Philippine Politics is doing the right thing. Gov. Eddie Panlilio, priest turned Governor of Pampanga, is now number one in my list of favorite people in Philippine Politics. And mind you, it takes a lot to make it to my list. To do what he did takes a lot of courage and it would do our country good if we have more government officials like him.
I did not approve of the church entering politics before but if all priest turned officials would be like Gov. Panlilio, I would be the number one supporter of those church leaders who are planning on entering politics. Maybe this is what our government needs, a “faith transfusion” to counter all those evil lurking in the hallways of our government. I only have one thing to say to those trying to bribe a priest, “Shame on you!”
