Ink drought

This government agency has one angry camper.

A former leader of one of the country’s sports federations is fuming after one of his requests is being ignored by a particular ranking official despite the sportsman having already stepped down.

“Yang t*****ang official na yan ayaw pang pirmahan,” he practically screamed.

As to whether his request will be approved remains to be seen.

China syndrome

What does Senate President Chiz Escudero have up his sleeve that he insists on deferring the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte?

According to Howard Calleja, a professor of law at Ateneo and La Salle, China is the unintended beneficiary of the delay.

Calleja said Escudero must have his own reasons for risking too much, including driving a wedge between himself and the Marcos administration which could cost him his post, “and that reason must really be important to him because the delay is not serving the country and the people but only Sara, the Dutertes and Escudero himself.”

“Any delay in the impeachment protects VP Sara and weakens the administration’s political position against the Dutertes. For as long as the Dutertes remain politically strong, China will have a foot in our political door,” he said.

Calleja advised Escudero to follow the Constitution to “forthwith,” or immediately, convene the Senate as an impeachment court after the House received the complaint on 5 February.

Instead, Escudero adjourned the Senate one hour after receiving the complaint although its legislative calendar still had up to 7 February to run.

“It is unfortunate that one man has shifted the discussion to legal procedures instead of to the issues of corruption and other high crimes,” Calleja said.

Bad politics is again getting in the way of the rule of law, he said, stressing, “the people deserve better.”