FPRRD wins big electoral jackpot

FPRRD wins big electoral jackpot | Daily Tribune

Amid the furor that came on the heels of the kidnapping of former President Rodrigo R. Duterte are the scandalous and anomalous transfer of vital funds of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation and the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation; the sale of 25 tons of gold bars which was part of the country’s international reserves, and the insidious blank spaces in the General Appropriation Bill.

This heap of stinking issues was quickly buried deep in the din of the nation’s anger and protestations following the arrest and surrender of former President Duterte to the custody of the International Criminal Court. By his own revelation, DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla said the plot was planned and executed by President Bongbong Marcos, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, Security Adviser Ed Año and himself. But this is altogether another incendiary issue so we will leave it at that.

Before the virtual kidnapping of FPRRD, the burning issues were the GAB that was later signed by Marcos as the General Appropriations Act with, lo and behold, the blank spaces filled in with figures in the billions of pesos. This act which would have taken the magical expertise of Houdini — along with the PhilHealth, PDIC and impeachment of VP Sara Duterte issues — were parked in the Supreme Court.

At the time, when nothing could possibly stop the House of Romualdez from programming and allocating funds for Ayuda, AKAP and other funnels which the House of Representatives alone has the authority to disburse, the Supreme Court intervened like a knight in shining armor. It became the last bulwark of Philippine democracy which had been weakened by the most virulent virus of corruption and insatiable greed for power.

What is disturbing, however, is that amid the nation’s rage over these legally actionable issues, the people appear to have forgotten what had been hauled before the High Court. What is doubly disturbing, too is the rescheduling of oral arguments on the PhilHealth and GAA issues for later months.

But then it is a consolation that the SC has stood in the way, thus stopping the heist of whatever is left of the dwindling government coffers, the PhilHealth, PDIC and Maharlika funds, to name a few. This should stop Congress from using the people’s money to buy votes in the guise of “ayuda” and force the Marcos government to use a reenacted budget for the government bureaucracy to stay alive.

These issues that have been raised before the Supreme Court are vital to every Filipino whether one is an incorrigible idolater of the Marcos family or a diehard Duterte supporter. These have a severe impact on every Filipino family, thus we should not lose sight of these issues which have a crippling effect on the nation’s economy.

Former President Duterte is now in the custody of the ICC. If it was the intention of the present dispensation to diminish the sway of Duterte in the coming midterm elections, it committed a grievous mistake for the backlash is on against its favored Senate and local candidates.

FPRRD’s lawyer, Nicholas Kaufman, says he is very confident Tatay Digong will be acquitted.

In Davao City that assurance has doused cold water on the dwindling supporters of Karlo Nograles whose propagandists cannot hide their wish that the man who cleansed Davao City and the country of organized crime syndicates will be disqualified.

Duterte, who is running for mayor, has not uttered a single word pertaining to his bid. He had been campaigning for the PDP Laban Senate slate nationwide. These days he need not mount the stage or strain his voice in speeches. The throngs of angry people that have gone out to the streets since he was shanghaied to The Hague are doing it for him.

FPRRD will win a big electoral jackpot courtesy of BBM and his associates.