Deeper trouble

We would like to believe that what we hear and read in news reports — both in mainstream and social media — on the government’s stand on the ICC are not fallacious. Sadly, however, what we have before us appears to be the exact opposite.

Filipinos were very much at ease hearing, a couple of years earlier, that our leaders were consistent in telling the whole world that the Philippines would not cooperate with the International Criminal Court (ICC), particularly on the much-ballyhooed mass murders alleged by bogus human rights lawyers and advocates. These people conspired with the biased international court which, by the way, can only go after small and weak nations like the Philippines.

As we’ve written before, the ICC is inutile in enforcing warrants of arrest against the likes of US President Donald Trump and mass murderer Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who, up to now, continues his assault on Palestinians, Yemenis, Lebanese and Syrians.

Listening to the Cabinet officials who appeared before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations chaired by the President’s elder sister, Imee, will certainly not give any good moral or values education or model to the youth and others. Their behavior — the false and evasive statements and responses, the obvious and patented lies — taught us the negatives, nothing more, nothing productive to be exact.

Listening to Ambassador Markus Lacanilao deny knowledge of former President Duterte being brought before a competent Philippine judicial authority, as stipulated by the Constitution, was stomach-turning. Obviously lying, the committee was forced to cite him in contempt. Lacanilao undoubtedly deserved it. Perhaps the President should fire Lacanilao to reduce the heat and mess that he contributed to the issue.

As a matter of fact, it should be admitted that the lies we’ve heard from the Cabinet officials at Imee’s Senate committee hearing only deepened the divisions and trouble affecting this nation. How long this crisis will last depends on the capacity of the national leaders to resolve these concerns.

The Filipinos’ concern on the issue has risen in peaceful assemblies, not only here but in almost all places where there are Filipinos. That’s unprecedented in our entire history as a sovereign nation. Never has an issue concerning a beloved leader galvanized our people to come together and express indignation over his forcible turnover to a foreign power. Pretty obviously, FPRRD was denied due process under our laws.

Going back to the hearing, it seemed to most Filipinos that the trend among the resource persons was to evade the questions and/or lie. We’re sad about this because, as it is, nothing good is in sight.

On another hot issue, it’s good that the new PhilHealth president, Dr. Edwin M. Mercado, is on top of the improvement of health insurance benefits. As it stands, the additional benefits based on recent decisions are still considered peanuts because that’s not what we — over a million members — truly deserve from the insurance agency.

There is nothing better than having all PhilHealth members get out of the hospital with a zero balance. Nothing less. There were enough funds proven intact before DoF Secretary Ralph Recto took away the “idle funds.”

That’s another issue to resolve, which is now the subject of oral arguments before the Supreme Court. Listening to the justices gives us the impression that the snatching of PhilHealth’s P90-B fund was illegal because the insurance agency’s monies are solely for the benefit of the members.

We’ll see how the highest tribunal will decide on the complaint filed by Dr. Tony Leachon in the fund hijacking case.

For comments, billyandaltulay@gmail.com.