“If you wish to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first invent the universe.”

Joc Joc a big joke

The Fourth Estate, or tri-media, even has to misbehave upon Joc Joc’s arrival at the NAIA such that a stricter policy has to be issued to serve public notice that because of such disturbing scuffle, security for media will be at its worst come another similar event.Offhand, shouldn’t NAIA to be blamed for trying to apparently hide Joc Joc from public view and for that matter, within arm’s length from media that already stayed vigil one day ahead?

Compared however to how institutions misbehave as well, NAIA dwarfs in comparison.Senate engages in a tug of war with the Department of Justice as to who should issue arrest order and to take custody of Joc Joc.Ironically, it is St. Lukes that stole the thunder with the possibility that Joc Joc stays in the hospital for as long as either the patient or the doctor so desires.This has been truly anti-climactic to the false excitement stirred.

For another, Senate is trying to pull the rope again – at least, a second time around – from the Ombudsman that has already the jurisdiction over the case when the Senate already transmitted its report.Senator Angara thinks that the SC should step into the case believing that even a single SC justice can in fact issue a temporary restraining order.

Bottomline, the question is on which legal radar screen must we find Joc Joc?Is Senate the proper forum or is it more likely the Ombudsman?Should DOJ still join the fray like some private law firm on a generous retainer fee?Will the Supreme Court step into the picture in some impromptu decision as to whether the case ought to be reopened and therefore be reinvestigated by the Senate?Should the case be initiated now at the Ombudsman as the proper forum after Senate’s own report has made conclusive its findings on Joc Joc’s guilt on the fertilizer scam?What is the sense of the SC on the matter?

There seems to be of a legal problem on how things could really begin but suffice it to say that St. Lukes has become an asylum of sort.While in the hospital to buy time, Joc Joc should be about ready to dispose self whoever takes him next and where.Senate has already prepared the ‘guest room’ for Joc Joc complete with decent amenities – free board and lodging, at taxpayers’ expense.Depending on which institution takes higher precedence, the Sergeant-At-Arms of the Senate or the NBI of the justice department or the agents of the Ombudsman – whoever – could in fact arrest Joc Joc is no longer of any moment to the viewing universe.

We are into a new kind of legal rigmarole.Is there anything else that the Senate should feast on in the case of Joc Joc?What stones, if any, were left unturned, when Senate already officially and with finality issued its committee report thereby endorsing to the Ombudsman appropriate legal action on Joc Joc?It can effectively mean that the earlier report is set aside if that were at all possible to pave the way for a new and final report after Joc Joc could have been made to appear before the Senate investigation committee and answer all questions – live on TV.And again, if viciously, Senate will transmit report to the Ombudsman that should now initiate proper legal proceedings.St. Lukes, at anytime of the investigation period, can provide convenient alibi for the inability of Joc Joc to further testify.What do we have next?

Generally speaking, there seems to be nothing more to know than has already been revealed or made public by way of all sorts of news reports and that of the Senate.It should be Joc Joc who should run after our institutions if he were bent to redeem himself, if he can, from the seeming persecution he experienced – in and out of the country.He should present himself voluntarily and with conviction in every public forum available to clear his name, if it were possible at all under the circumstances and weight of evidence offered by the Senate committee or by COA’s own audit report.

That Villar appears to be pressing the ball to the disgust of Ping Lacson by announcing he will yet to call a caucus and yet did not yet call one.That the Ombudsman is yet to be in any indicative mood to take jurisdiction over the case and to set a self-imposed deadline to make its disposition over the case complete after some reasonable time is equally disturbing.The House of Representatives might also want a piece of the cake however unthinkingly.

For want of Joc Joc, nothing will be known.There are legal experts who think Joc Joc can opt to speak or not speak.Not few think, the matter has yet to be decided as to who should take jurisdiction and until this can be drawn, Joc Joc is a freeman.By the time one legal loop has been untangled, a new Gordian knot ought to be untangled as to whether Joc Joc, now not an official of the government, can be compelled by any official government body or persona to appear than disappear.Things have become more complicated than simple and that gave Joc Joc a lot of redemption value.Is this part of a higher order of things?Well, maybe yes.

Whether Joc Joc is malingering to be suffering from any kind of illness to evade arrest or further legal action against him is deemed beside the point.Senate, DOJ, Ombudsman, House of Representatives, SC – in running after Joc Joc – are all caught in a legal stampede and where any of these institutions chokes to its death, figuratively speaking, serves as an indication of our damaged psyche.In the end, even with Joc Joc telling us all what he knows, the point is that the beneficiaries have already run away with the loot and are in fact, Scot-free and one poor Joc Joc just provides the immunity blanket for all the thieves in a grand thievery.Where will all this lead us to?Nowhere, just nowhere and Joc Joc will bring us no comfort even if he be found guilty.Pray tell, the present agriculture secretary will not be another Joc Joc in our troubled midst.

Nor would we rather have Joc Joc get to tell all he knows whoever gets hurt and transformed himself as another Jun Lozada or another young Jose de Venecia.If ever, it will only add up to the long list of political wannabes come 2010 who make their fleeting overnight celebrity status a jumping board for political success.Enough, just enough – Jun Lozada, whistle-blower Joey de V – will not make it out of nothing thanfalse publicity gimmick.Any class of nuns in our religious world should stop tinkering with the idea of coddling Joc Joc as they have coddled Jun Lozada for clear political ends.This form of madness must come to an end.Not one of these guys could be classed as the underdog – they are all part of the bourgeoisie – shame on them.

(For comments, email nielsky_2003@yahoo.com)

When “Joc Joc” is a joke

The Fourth Estate, or tri-media, even has to misbehave upon Joc Joc’s arrival at the NAIA such that a stricter policy has to be issued to serve public notice that because of such disturbing scuffle, security for media will be at its worst come another similar event.Offhand, shouldn’t NAIA to be blamed for trying to apparently hide Joc Joc from public view and for that matter, within arm’s length from media that already stayed vigil one day ahead?

Compared however to how institutions misbehave as well, NAIA dwarfs in comparison.Senate engages in a tug of war with the Department of Justice as to who should issue arrest order as to take custody of Joc Joc.Ironically, it is St. Lukes that stole the thunder with the possibility that Joc Joc stays in the hospital for as long as either the patient or the doctor so desires.This has been truly anti-climactic to the false excitement stirred.

For another, Senate is trying to pull the rope again – at least, a second time around – from the Ombudsman that has already the jurisdiction over the case when the Senate already transmitted its report.Senator Angara thinks that the SC should step into the case believing that even a single SC justice can in fact issue a temporary restraining order.

So the question is on which legal radar screen must we find Joc Joc?Is Senate the proper forum or is it more likely the Ombudsman?Should DOJ still join the fray?Will the Supreme Court step into the picture in some impromptu decision as to whether the case ought to be reopened and therefore be reinvestigated by the Senate?Should the case be initiated now at the Ombudsman as the proper forum after Senate’s own report has been transmitted thereby making conclusive its findings on Joc Joc’s so-called P700 fertilizer scam?What is the sense of the SC on the matter?

There seems to be of a legal problem on how things could really begin suffice that St. Lukes has become a subway station.While in the hospital to buy time, Joc Joc should be about ready to dispose self whoever takes him next and where.Senate has already prepared the ‘guest room’ for Joc Joc complete with decent amenities – free board and lodging, at Senate or taxpayers’ expense.Depending on which institution takes higher precedence, the Sergeant-At-Arms of the Senate or the NBI of the justice department or the agents of the Ombudsman – whoever – could in fact arrest Joc Joc is no longer of any moment to the viewing universe.

We are into a new kind of legal rigmarole.Is there anything else that the Senate should feast on in the case of Joc Joc?What stones, if any, were left unturned, when Senate already officially and with finality issued its committee report thereby endorsing to the Ombudsman appropriate legal action on Joc Joc?It can effectively mean that the earlier report is set aside if that were at all possible to pave the way for a new and final report after Joc Joc could have been made to appear before the Senate investigation committee and answer all questions – lived on TV.And again, if viciously, Senate will transmit report to the Ombudsman that should now initiate proper legal proceedings.St. Lukes, at anytime of the investigation period, can provide convenient alibi for the inability of Joc Joc to further testify.What do we have next?

Generally speaking, there seems to be nothing more to know than has already been revealed or made public by way of all sorts of news reports and that of the Senate.It should be Joc Joc who should run after our institutions if he were bent to redeem himself, if he can, from the seeming persecution he experienced – in and out of the country.He should present himself voluntarily and with conviction in every public forum available to clear his name, if it were possible at all under the circumstances and weight of evidence offered by a Senate committee report or by COA’s own auditing job.

That Villar appears to be pressing the ball to the disgust of Ping Lacson by announcing he will yet to call a caucus and yet did not yet call one.That the Ombudsman is yet to be in any indicative mood to take jurisdiction over the case and to set a self-imposed deadline to make its disposition over the case complete after some reasonable time is equally disturbing.The House of Representatives might also want a piece of the cake however unthinkingly.

For want of Joc Joc, nothing will be known.There are legal experts who think Joc Joc can opt to speak or not speak.Not few think, the matter has yet to be decided as to who should take jurisdiction and until this can be drawn, Joc Joc is a freeman.By the time one legal loop has been untangled, a new Gordian knot ought to be untangled as to whether Joc Joc, now not an official of the government, can be compelled by any official government body or persona to appear than disappear.Things have become more complicated than simple and that gave Joc Joc a lot of redemption value.Is this part of a higher order of things?Well, maybe yes.

Whether Joc Joc is malingering to be suffering from any kind of illness to evade arrest or further legal action against him is deemed beside the point.Senate, DOJ, Ombudsman, House of Representatives, SC – in running after Joc Joc – are all caught in a legal stampede and where any of these institutions chokes to its death, figuratively speaking, serves as an indication of our damaged psyche.In the end, even with Joc Joc telling us all what he knows, the point is that the beneficiaries have already run away with the loot and are in fact, Scot-free and one poor Joc Joc just provides the immunity blanket for all the thieves in a grand thievery.Where will all this lead us to?Nowhere, just nowhere and Joc Joc will bring us no comfort even if he be found guilty.Pray tell, the present agriculture secretary will not be another Joc Joc in our troubled midst.

PRIMER C. PAGUNURAN

(For comments, email nielsky_2003@yahoo.com)

Watching JDV cry wolf?

There ought to be sufficient enough legal and political basis for JDV’s final endorsement of the impeachment complaint against PGMA as would conveniently meet the requirements of form and substance considering that he knows all the rudiments of legislative proceedings despite not being a lawyer but one consummate legislator of unparalleled record in congressional history.So it is only expected that this impeachment complaint will hit ground – tearing as it does at the very thin moral fabric – of our social existence.The higher dictate of conscience appears to JDV’s first and last battle cry – win or lose.If he wins, GMA walks down the river like those proverbial ‘bankang papel’ drifted by the political current of the times.If he loses, JDV has enough in his survival kit to put steel bars behind his back.No matter the legal intramurals – JDV does not jail.

Everyone knows where JDV is coming from.As blood is thicker than water, old Jocomes to his son’s rescue who blew the lead in an apparently dubious financial transaction in what was the so-called ZTE scam that involves $329 million and saw the hands of top government officials in the cookie jar, matter-of-factly.The retaliatory act of an offended government resulted in JDV being unseated from the speakership of the House of Representatives and losing his crown from the leadership of his own political party, LAKAS.The retaliatory act of an offended queen of the Palace – likewise – has resulted in his son being charged with certain crimes relative to the ZTE controversy with JDV himself not off the hook.Fact is, JDV will be implicated in the $1 billion North Rail project, a transaction that is reported to have been syndicated by no less than him.

JDV is in a clear moral and political dilemma – he cannot cast the first stone.Paradoxically, not one columnist, broadcaster, editor has embraced JDV’s new found crusade – to expose corruption or wrongdoing in government.Nor will his endorsement create a ripple in our political waters.Rather expectedly, his endorsement of the impeachment complaint against GMA whom he has redeemed from all constitutional coups to unseat her – will not change the voting configuration – in the Lower Chamber.JDV has to swallow the bitter pill – as he is given the dose of his own medicine – to be himself the victim.He certainly knows that in that “Old Boys’ Club’ that is the House of Representatives, the notoriety of numbers is king.Reduced to numbers game, there is no room for conscience at all and therefore JDV’s ill-attempt to espouse moral conviction will all be for naught.There is no such thing as higher national interest at the House of Representatives come to think of it.

Is JDV merely sourgraping? Partly, he is.Is JDV under attack?Partly so, pray tell.Will Congress put him in the witness stand, be crossed or re-crossed?It might be a waste of time so far as the Big League sees it.Will he be expelled as a member of Congress? There are tricks in the book that can allow it.At the very least, JDV’s son might be jailed that will pressure him to kowtow to the whims of Malacanang.Who will erect the wall of conscience beyond partisan politics?At both Senate and the House, no one can.Always, JDV can work out of the box.Perhaps, interfaith religions as well as significant segments from international community can give him the tap at the back.No matter how JDV figures in the likely event he loses in this ‘power play’, still his presence matters, his statements will gather adherents.What could my good friend Noel Albano be doing as a damage-control assistant?It bears watching.

JDV must have already waged a secret signature campaign in the ranks of Congress.But stripped of power and influence, he can only do so much.Nor can he possibly have any other offer higher than what Malacanang can likewise offer.If JDV will not make any dent in his endorsement of this impeachment complaint, it is simply because it does not look like there is any higher national interest here.There is no such thing as bound by a sense of duty here – to expose corruption or wrongdoing in government.There is no such thing as the courage to speak out no matter who gets hurt.Much less is there a thing like conscience or reason in so far as legislators is concerned where patronage politics is the name of the game.

In both chambers of Senate and House, JDV has lost all his former protégés and allies.Ironically, they will not come to his aid – he will be disowned.Chiz Escudero dismissed JDV’s act as entertainment when in still in Congress, he is one of JDV’s resident operatives to strengthen the culture of political gangsterism.Everything for JDV is bound to fail – it will backfire.At the end of the day, JDV has lost a lot – a house burned, a child killed in the fire of a bullet-proof house, a status of ‘primus inter pares’ as speaker of the House of Representatives embargoed via a coup, unseated as president of LAKAS-CMD, stippled of all power and authority.

Where signs indicate, JDV will not tilt the balance of power to his side.PGMA remains unbootable.The First Gentleman has always been fully insulated from his perceived wrongdoings in government however seemingly overwhelming the evidence are against him.Everyone loyal to PGMA always receives the lifeline, when they need it.Joc Joc, Neri, Esperon, Abalos, Villar, to name a few, are sacred cows in our body polity – immune as they do – from all accountability.And definitely, even if JDV withdraws his endorsement, accepts an offered concession, he will be unable to extricate himself from the snake pit.Poor JDV, he lost.

What Senate probe?

With the main character in a supposed-to-be grand zarzuela – not being present – what Senate probe can begin than a classic exercise in futility?Virtually, the whole officialdom of a rotten bureaucracy came to the feast, matter-of-factly, upon the invitation of the lady senator known for her candor (euphemism for notoriety). That police officer Dela Paz did not appear has just violated Miriam Santiago’s self-fulfilling prophecy.No doubt the gentleman will be cited for contempt that a warrant of arrest shall be issued shortly.Truly, this incident has no parallel in history – a summon, a subpoena, an invitation – not being honored by an officer of the PNP.Unless otherwise the absence of Dela Paz is shown to be borne out of justifiable cause, the PNP shall receive a mere peso in the next budget cycle as the retaliatory act of a wounded ego.

For reasons known only to her, lady Miriam invited practically all agencies and officials of government that an average mind may tend to think that if repeated, over and over, this might pose clear and present danger, national security wise.Is the Senate suffering from institutional neurosis as to have allowed an event that would bring together various heads of agencies on too trivial a matter – inquire into a Moscow incident – as though this is extremely remote in happenstance?What really is the point of everyone getting invited to the Senate for the act of an officer who went to the 77^th Interpol General Assembly held in Russia?Common sense dictates that this is a useless overkill (euphemism for grandstanding).

Ironically, everything ought to have been clear upon Dela Paz’ arrival in Manila.He held a press con, briefly owned to his lapse in judgment.Was not the same line uttered by no less than the PGMA herself before a viewing Filipino public in the infamous Hello Garci scandal?What else is there to know about the money that was never probably spent because it was held frozen by the Russian custom or immigration authorities?When Moscow has let him off the hook, why do we have to throw another noose to Dela Paz in a manner designed to attract overwhelming public attention?Do we have a demented national psyche to even as much as allow an entirely useless trivia to unfold as though it deserves to be a big media event?What kind of national IQ do we have here?

Paradoxically, all sorts of accusations have already been heard from our politicians even before Dela Paz would have been allowed his day in court to say his piece, when crossed?A whole host of theories have been laid down that can explain the euro cop scandal in Moscow but probably none of them would be true as soon as the police officer opted to speak, scripted or not.Why this orgy?Is this the kind of scheme and scene that our politicians truly want to show to the younger segment of our population and for that matter to the world stage?What’s happening to the lady senator?

From where I stand, nothing is the matter with the comptroller of the PNP who is part of the delegation to the Interpol to have carried with him more euros than may be necessary as a contingency fund for the whole Filipino group in this global conference, bonded as he was as designated special disbursing officer of the PNP.That he failed to declare the amount to Russian authorities upon his arrival or departure, whatever, is probably not exactly a crime that would warrant detention in a foreign land – surely not in this case as such supposed-to-be expenditure is directly related to a participation in a global convention.Mathematically enough, if such amount of money or the P6.9 million is divided equally to 12 PNP participants for their fare tickets, hotel accommodations, meals, per diems or other authorized expenditures, then such amount is just about the average.

In fairness, Dela Paz has already clearly explained his position – it was a lapse – and he was apologetic for whatever embarrassment it could have possibly stirred.No one knows what that euro money is except him – be that contingency fund, cash advance, public money or private cash.No one knows for certain if that came from jueteng lords or a payola for the whole PNP delegation except him and it does not look like he will fail to explain in the clearest way possible.Truly, Dela Paz will cut clean, matter-of-factly except that the DILG secretary probably has thrown ink into the clear pond.Everyone in the bureaucracy, when caught on the spot, can offer only very limited explanation precisely because only Dela Paz can best explained what really happened.At the end of the day, what is important is that the money can be all accounted for, returned to the cash vaults of the PNP treasury if need be.

As FVR once said, let us all buckle down to work.That to me is the business of public service.So pray tell, Senate will now stop this whimsical probe and deem it closed.At the very least, nothing in aid of legislation can come out of it – just nothing.Candidly, let us first wrap up the 200 million peso Senate scandal involving the Senate President himself and make the report itself available in all public libraries.It’s politics stupid!Let us stop this political Russian roulette – now – so nothing can be the cause of national shame.

When RH bill becomes a law

When the latest SWS survey indicated that seven of every 10 respondents do favor the reproductive health bill, chances are, CBCP is correct in thinking that indeed there ought to be money circulating around from a foreign lobby group, this despite SWS’ claim that the survey is of its own initiative and therefore not a commissioned one in particular.True or false, it is all beyond us.Polling circuits can sometimes do push-polling job at every turn, anyway.

One bishop is reported to have said that polling circuits are into this mode – they issue some kind of mind-conditioning surveys with the end in view of influencing how people accept or reject the RH bill.It remains of doubtful validity whether or not the findings are reflective – at least beyond being merely a statistical trend – of how the population looks at the proposed reproductive health bill.It will always be valid to ask whether the respondents have the capacity to understand how they reply to the questionnaires.

Suppose that in fact, HB 5043 was unanimously approved at the House of Representatives when Members voted today on Third and Final Reading.Consider further that when transmitted to the Senate, it was likewise approved through a counterpart Senate bill and that in a subsequent bicameral conference, this 14^th Congress would in fact have approved the bill for PGMA’s final signature and approval.Ergo, we have a new law.

What would the days be after today when the law would have been firmly erected to govern the lives of families, married couples, parents, women, children, adults?What will schools, churches, hospitals do?What will be the evolving new moral order?What kind of sociological phenomenon will evolve among the population that will be affected with the new law?Will not an unfolding scheme and scene be invasive of our psyche?Whose economic holiday will it all be?Will drugstores be the first beneficiary?Will new clinics open to accommodate post-abortion cases?Will doctors have more patients that they ever thought there will be?

Truly, contraceptive pills will flood the market to the extent that perhaps, young girls can buy them at the nearest sari-sari store in much the same way that young boys can buy every kind of condom from every nearby outlet that perhaps, even cigarette vendors may have to sell condoms as they sell candies and cigarettes in the streets.Pharmaceuticals will produce millions of contraceptive pills per day as they would sell like hot potato.Industries into the sale of silicone or rubber as a raw material will experience a boom.Beauty parlors might even have to sell condoms, pills as well if not in fact have services for IUDS, whatever.

The intellectual culture in all educational settings, be them – in the campuses of elementary schools, high schools, colleges or universities – will dramatically adopt to certain changes brought about by what the law can permit or allow, more than what it cannot permit or disallow.There will be changing attitudes and beliefs that will indicate themselves in changed behavioral patterns from as early as children in their Grade III or Grade IV levels.They shall be exposed to a kind of compulsory sex education.

By making condoms or pills very much available from every outlet, students in high school will have little to worry about getting into teen-age or pre-marital sex since the law has opened the door wide open for so-called ‘freedom of choice’.This simply means that children have the right over their bodies and this literally enough, includes that right to have an abortion in case they somehow get pregnant and they know their parents would not approve of it.Young boys feel safe and therefore think they can engage in teen-age sex with anyone in the opposite sex comforted with the thought that in using condoms, they don’t have to get the girls impregnated.

What then will be the resulting moral norm in so far as their young lives are concerned?What about other young couples, women who also would like to have a piece of the action?With pills, even married women can comfortably make love with men other than their husbands, can’t they?Or so with men with some packs of condom in their pockets?Who would fear sex with anyone when the law would have opened wide so-called “freedom of choice”?The RH bill has successfully blurred the traditional notion on when pregnancy begins.It has successfully blurred the traditional notion on when human life begins.How can the law pretend to think that the fetus in the mother’s womb may not yet be a human being?

Even the field of medical science has been invaded by pseudo-theories of pregnancy or conception.Even the thin moral fabric of our existence has been torn with a kind of attitude that the law will want to popularize.Even the rubric of our traditional social orientation has been altered.USA did not transform itself into a better union, did it?Nor did Europe?Now, RP is the citadel of Christianity, supposed-to-be, but if this law be erected, what would it leave us to?A new “world war” has just been launched and our nation is under attack.From our parishes to the Papacy, are we still afforded with strong moral moorings so that we don’t have to go astray?

A whole compendium of literature has already been documented proving how this contemporary social orientation has destroyed the homes, families, marriages, youth, children, women, parents.Are we here to let this happen to our own national domain?The first five years after the law is erected, futuristic wise, will tell just how bad we have gone with the RH bill enacted into law.Then and there will the framers, lobbyists, apologists, beneficiaries, patrons of the bill will realize that in the next generation of children – their very own – have just become the victims.So for a few pounds of money, why risk a future?Without risk of being wrong, the embryo is a human being!

SC reigns supreme

The brewing imbroglio over whether or not the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain that would, in effect, create a Bangsamoro Juridical Entity as a state within a state has finally come to a close with the Supreme Court voting 8-7 against the Palace, or so it was.This decision of October 14, 2008 may very well be a milestone in legal history where the Highest Tribunal appears to have overcome the imprimatur (euphemism for intimidation) set forth by Malacanang through earlier official pronouncement from Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita and more so of the presidential adviser on the peace process himself.

At that voting configuration, one can still believe, beyond the legalese, that the action of the Supreme Court is still slightly offensive of a prevailing moral worldview.Serious observers of trends awaited this decision as a test of the independence of the judiciary, in this case, the Supreme Court itself from any degree of political influence.And therefore, apparently the High Tribunal has passed the litmus test.If the Supreme Court could have voted otherwise, not few quarters would have mourned the death of justice in this country.In the manner it has decided in the case, it appears that this branch of government has invoked its full independence.

Central to the theme is really the matter on whether executive privilege could have been invoked, as it was apparently invoked owing to the circumstances surrounding the crafting of the MOA-AD and negotiations undertaken with the MILF that had been hidden from public view.Thus, weighed against the right of the public for general information on matters that affect, say 700 barangays in Muslim Mindanao, the Court has opined thus, that – “The furtive process by which the MOA-AD was designed and crafted runs contrary to and in excess of the legal authority, and amounts to a whimsical, capricious, oppressive, arbitrary and despotic exercise thereof.It illustrates a gross evasion of a positive duty and a virtual refusal to perform the duty enjoined”

Certainly, the finer points of the decision itself are for legal scholars and practitioners to review or for Members of Congress to look into in aid of legislation.Suffice for us to know that the Supreme Court, as we should have expected, decided in the manner it did, declaring as unconstitutional the MOA-AD.It provided soothing comfort to the tendency of the present dispensation to approach matters of grave societal concern via this vicious ‘violate now, validate later’.It sets dangerous precedent.With our national sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic having been defended against such dubious agreement or compromise, this comeuppance ought to usher well for RP’s realpolitik in the international scene.Not remotely, the image of the bench has been raised some notches higher in the bar of public opinion.

With this development, let it serve public notice that from hereon, no one official or officials in the Executive Department should even tinker with the Constitution which should be preserved for all time. There is reason to believe that the image of all other courts lower than the High Tribunal should regain the high trust ratings they deserve.It is time to trust the judicial branch of government in an institutional if normative scheme of check and balance as well as separation of powers in the three co-equal branches of government.

There is even further reason to hope that cases will not be decided based on patronage politics.For now, people ought to be consulted on matters that affect them, directly or indirectly.Absent this democratic criterion, any agreement, compromise, or law that will be erected may be deemed unconstitutional.The decision of the High Tribunal shall serve as a lamp post to guide other agencies of government, officials and personages within the ambit of authority and power as they go about their official functions and mandate.

Viewed within the periphery, there are still some crucial cases to be decided upon by the High Court.Again, how it will decide on these cases will be cast in the realm of public opinion.Nothing can seem to be hidden from public view owing to the sensitivity and the social consequences of any given judicial question.As the final arbiter of all questions judicial in nature, the position as would be embraced by the Supreme Court via a scheme of majority rule – ought only to be respected.This is how democracy works.

The perceived paralyzing effect of too much politics, too much patronage – thought to have even infected the judiciary – is proven wrong with this 14 October decision.In the end, there cannot be an independent Muslim state, a separate justice system, a separate police force. There cannot be a Bangsamoro Juridical Entity.To do so, would be tantamount to judicial overstretching, or so I think.God bless RP that subsequent decisions will have to be decided according to prescribed norms of law as well as of the higher dictates of conscience.Now we can be sure, it is not easy to put square pegs in round holes as Malacanang through the actuation of some of its officials in government appear to indicate.More power to the High Court!