"Hindi kami ang nagsimula ng gulo, sila ang nagsimula niyan sa pamamagitan ng hindi nila makataong
pagtrato kay National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales. Nagsimula ito ng bastusin si Gonzales," Presidential Spokesperson
Ignacio Bunye said in a press conference in a tone that sounded quite close to -- well -- a spoiled brat's.
This was their reaction to the criticism being hurled in their direction because of the controversial
and unconstitutional EO 464.
That Executive Order instructs all government officials to asks permission from the President (?) before
testifying in Congress. Bunye defends it by invoking the separation of powers doctrine. Also, the official liar of the administration
insults Congress by claiming that the ongoing Congressional investigations on several issues, like the Garcillano tapes and
the North Rail project, are mere investigations "in aid of destabilization" -- which seems to be the favorite scare phrase
of this administration, just like terrorist used to be.
But how in heaven's name could these investigations aid destabilization if the administration has nothing
to hide? If it is clean and innocent of any wrongdoing, then no amount of muckracking by Congress or any other entity could
possibly destabilize the administration.
Besides, the right of Congress to call upon members of the adminstration in power is enshrined in the
Constitution. How could Congress perform its oversight responsibility without asking members of the Cabinet or their representatives
to appear before them? And is it not stated in the 1987 Charter that the government shall adopt and implement a policy of
"full public disclosure on matters of public interest (Art. II Sec. 28)?"
Clearly, this is another culpable violation of the very Constitution this adminstration swore to uphold
and protect. If this keeps up, thousands of people will fall in line to be the first to file an impeachment complaint when
the ban expires. (Let us hope that the first one will not be an administration puppet.)
Bunye retorts that all the EO mandates is that the government officials ask the permission of the President
(?) before appearing before Congress. Oh, so the scenario goes like this: "Ma'am, pwede po ba akong magtestify bukas? Sasabihin
ko lang na binayaran nyo si Garci n'ong nakaraang eleksyon."
Executive Order 464 is yet another one of the Arroyo adminstration's tricks to hide the truth from
the public.
But we have come to expect as much from these bunch, haven't we?
What is particularly surprising is the arrogance being shown by the administration. Where is the supposed
civility in government affairs. particularly between two co-equal branches of government? Do the clowns in the Arroyo administration
realize that when the budget hearings come, they will need the cooperation of these people they are insulting now?
Maybe they are just plain stupid. Or, more likely, they just do not care if the budget gets passed
since they can always resort to the last fiscal year's budget and take advantage of all those allocations that have no more
use because the projects for which they were alloted for were already finished. Think of all that cash!
It is perhaps time to end this farce. We cannot have a so-called democracy with a President (?) like
this one.
And please, please stop acting like a spoiled brat.
All that hubris will only lead to downfall. Pride goeth before the fall, remember?
I pray that they do not take this nation down with them...
