The unbelievable acquittal of the Comelec officials and now this perceived "persecution" of local government officials who happen to be from the opposition are what this Ombudsman will be remembered for.

This week's hottest topic: the Iloilo assault. It was truly a historic occasion for our neighbors across the Guimaras strait, the day of infamy when 200 fully-armed policemen, brandishing M-16's and in close quarter combat formation, stormed a government building that was being barricaded, locked down, and occupied by dismissed governor Neil Tupas Sr.

In what many observers call an excessive display of force, the raiding policemen allegedly pointed their long firearms at unarmed civilians as they stormed the provincial capitol, "clearing" the areas that they treated as a hostile battle zone as they forcefully made their way to the beleaguered governor's office. Fortunately, a TRO that was issued in the nick of time prevented bloodshed and more serious injuries as it stopped the marauding policemen in their tracks and gave the Governor of Iloilo precious time to fight his dismissal order in court instead of in a bloody melee.

After the dust had settled, the supporters of the governor cried out that their human rights have been violated while the government officials who authorized the raid called it a success because nobody was killed or hospitalized during the raid. If that is the government's yardstick for success in an operation against unarmed civilians, then it must be a truly frightening time for us to be in. As usual, the communist-terrorist boogeyman was also brought up as part of the justification. A friendly tip to our activist readers: when the government starts to mention that they are receiving reports of communists and/or terrorists infiltrating the crowd, be prepared for violence as it is the easiest way to justify the excessive use of force in this brave new world after 9/11.

After the public furor over this wanton display of excessive force, it is fortunate that media was there to cover the event and provide an unbiased account of what really happened, because to appease the watchdogs, an investigation is sure to follow. To appease the angry mob, it is likely that those policemen who were caught on tape or positively identified by multiple witnesses as pointing their loaded rifles at terrified, unarmed civilians; will be given reprimands or gentle slaps on the wrists or the equivalent of 50 pushups. As usual, the senior officials who ordered the raid will most likely get off the hook Scot free or even get medals for their roles in this exercise of power.

Another issue related to this raid is the fishy timing of the Office of the Ombudsman in issuing the dismissal and suspension orders. It was timed just before the election law deadline for action against sitting elected government officials expired. It was also issued during a weekend, which effectively surprised the accused and gave them less time to react and consider their legal options. These underhanded maneuvers make this whole scenario seem politically motivated. Whatever pogi points the Ombudsman got for charging the President's pal Nani with extortion has been tainted by these series of questionable suspensions and dismissals.

The question is: why did the policemen, armed to the teeth, storm the provincial capitol of Iloilo while keep their distance in Makati? Could it be because Gov. Tupas is less recognizable to the general population than Mayor Binay? Maybe the people who authorized the raid didn't think it would get enough media mileage to get into the national consciousness yet at the same time make an example of Gov. Tupas and strike fear into the heart of any opposition local government official who would dare oppose the national government. Whatever it was they thought they could get away with; they apparently miscalculated the impact of their raiding party which has become a PR nightmare for the Arroyo regime.

Whether or not the governor is actually guilty of the crime for which he has been dismissed is the furthest thing on the minds of the people right now. The credibility ratings of the Office of the Ombudsman, the DILG, and the PNP, have rightly taken a huge hit from this fiasco. Never mind the DILG, which is undoubtedly under the finger of the president, or the PNP, which was most likely simply obeying orders from above. It is the Ombudsman that has lost a lot of credibility over this incident. An independent office cannot claim to be so if it unashamedly allows itself to be used as a political sledgehammer. Even after offering the sacrificial lamb of Nani Perez, the track record of our sitting Ombudsman leave a lot to be desired.

The unbelievable acquittal of the Comelec officials and now this perceived "persecution" of local government officials who happen to be from the opposition are what this Ombudsman will be remembered for. It seems that the lap-attack dogs of the president believe that this election season is critical to her continued political survival. Whether or not they are acting under her direct orders, one thing is for sure: expect more funny (but not haha funny) things to happen before May.

back to top