The fishy smell of E.O. 464....

The other day, Malacañang issued Executive Order No. 464 (download a PDF file of the Executive Order here), which, in effect, prohibits cabinet members, police and military generals, senior national security officials, and "such other officers as may be determined by the President" from testifying before hearings held in aid of legislation in Congress or the Senate.

Smells fishy, if you ask me.

As if it wasn't enough that the rights of citizens to peaceable assembly had been curtailed by the "Calibrated, Preemptive Response" (CPR) initiative launched by the Office of the President in order to put in check street protests, now we have what amounts to be a gag order which seriously compromises the authority of the legislative branch from conducting inquiries in aid of legislation.

It all started from that dang Gloriagate scandal which first reared its ugly head more than three months ago. This controversy had its climax only a few weeks ago when in a dramatic turn of events, Congress has voted to thumb down the impeachment complaints filed against Pres. Arroyo (see previous post here).

Then came the issue over the mysterious RP-Venable LLP lobby contract which saw National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales suffer a stroke (is it a real stroke or just a ruse?) after being grilled for two hours in a Senate investigation regarding the circumstances of that agreement. For some reason, Gonzales has refused to disclose any information of import, such as his contacts to Venable LLP, the identities of the "private donors" who are footing the bill of the contract, and how payments had been made.

Then came the "CPR" order preventing public demonstrations.

It was followed by rumors of the imposition of Martial Law.

Then allegations of corruption in the $503 million NorthRail project.

Now the Executive Order which prevents key public officers in the executive branch from offering testimony in congressional hearings.

Yeah. Something does smell fishy.

Little by little, we see our fundamental rights gradually being stripped away, and the checks and balances institutionalized by our Constitution and by the existence of the three branches of government also slowly being whittled at.

And most disturbing of all...our right to information...our right to know the truth.

For the life of me, I cannot fathom how we can tolerate a government that is bent on hiding the truth at all costs and that insists on perpetuating itself in power despite the loss of its moral ascendancy to govern and multiple allegations of various acts of impropriety.

Can you?

It just seems that Malacañang is making more and more enemies everyday. Something has to give sooner or later. And to be honest, that scares me a lot.

Quaere Verum.

Links:

Gov't execs need Arroyo OK to appear in congressional probes
Constitutional crisis looms due to gag order

Comments

rain said…
alam mo scary talaga...baka before we know it, we're caught in a middle of a different kind of 'revolution'...
Anonymous said…
>until the "opposition" really unite as one, one cause, one spokesperson, one agenda (etc, etc..) the declared election winner stays in power. marching down the streets no longer works, bring everything in the proper forum or to the courts

>until such time that senate & congress do their real jobs, instead of conducting those hearings,which are a waste of money and resources,
what else is the supreme court for, or the entire dysfunctional judiciary branch is for, for that matter? these senators and congressmen hide behide the banner "in the aid/interest of legislation".. yeah, my glutues maximus. they are all just showing off, but nothing is ever resolved. only the little fish are fried..

they are all making a mockery of our impoverished country

>until those people who have been around since marcos' days and are still in power up to this very day, finally set their personal interests aside, our country might progress..

>until then i continue to hope that one day... one day we all wake up from this very bad dream...

these, my friend, are just my humble thoughts.

set your fears aside.. sooner or later, the fates are bound to favor the Filipinos..

:D
Anonymous said…
I remember what Ninoy once said (after the imposition of Martial Law), that de Quiros echoed in spirit yesterday in his article: "I was right about Marcos, but I was wrong about the Filipinos."

We know what's bound to happen next, with GMA and her tyrannical tendencies. Fate doesn't favor those who just wait. You're right, GMA has lost the moral right to rule, and all of us should be very afraid.
Ronald Allan said…
Ms. B*tch, I do sincerely hope you're right. Ultimately it is the Filipino citizen who has fallen victim to all this political bickering, as countless opportunities for progress and for improving our economy have fallen by the wayside, victims themselves of politics.

I really do hope we wake up from this nightmare.

Rain and jorge, the possibilities are indeed scary...but we should not lose hope that this political cauldron that we now have simmering before us doesn't reach the boiling point...if it does, none of us will benefit from it...

And the country will take a few more steps backward towards oblivion and further away from progress...

Popular posts from this blog

Commonwealth Ave. lot for Lease

Is aspartame safe?

Peddling Snake Oil - The Khaos Super Turbo Charger