Ordinance strengthens city's stand

All of us have our respective interpretation of the city's takeover ordinance. I think that it is more intended to strengthen the city government's negotiating stance on the Comprehensive Revised Reclamation Agreement. That became more evident with the City Mayor Evelio Leonardia waving the possibility that BREDCO can pursue its negotiations with the city government.

In short, despite the expenses involved, both sides may actually agree to let the court act as mediator or seek a third party to handle the problem of the CRRA. So, why should we overly worry about that expected prolonged suit between the city and the Bacolod Realty Estate Development Corp.?

The other possible problem is that Sammy Palanca, who is not getting any younger, may finally lose his patience with the city government which seems to be hounding him since he had been spending his own money (borrowed mostly) to put up a project that definitely has done the city good.

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Now we have Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye scoring outgoing Civil Service Commission Katrina David for her sweeping generalization over the overstaffed government bureaucracy.

He could have pointed out, as I myself believe, that it is only now that she is going out of government service that David had come out with her criticism of the President and Malacanang vis-à-vis the presidential appointees. She could have done it earlier. That may have put a stop to the proliferation she now scores.

Still, the removal or transfer from Malacañang by President Gloria Arroyo of some 20 officials in a grudging, albeit, puny response to the scathing David rejoinder on the abuse of her presidential powers.

Incidentally, in the past the President was confined to appointing only Cabinet secretaries. But since post EDSA II, even undersecretaries and assistance secretaries positions have become the playground of Presidents.

I recall that the Civil Service in the past had been strengthened because of that restriction on the appointing power of the President. That was supposed to strengthen the bureaucracy so that it remains free from the whims and caprices of political appointees. But over the years, the practice had been abandoned so that even regional directors are now the object of presidential or Palace caprices.

It was not an answer to David's questions when Bunye declared that “all presidential appointees must perform… it they don't, they have to go whatever their credentials may be.”

But Ms. David pointed out that “of the 3,500 career people that hold managerial positions in government, less than half have managerial capabilities.” Worse, these appointees do not pass through the approval of the CSC. And she came up with the additional observations – the laws also define the number of undersecretaries and assistant secretaries. There are no plantilla positions but they have the approval of the President.

While the President may exercise the powers under Presidential Decree No. 1 issued by former President Ferdinand E. Marcos allowing such appointments under “Exceptional situations,” it seems in most instances it has been exercised not only by the present incumbent but by others before her without regard to the term “exceptional circumstances.”

Now, you wonder why the government bureaucracy is in such a mess?

The transfer of 20 or more does not solve the problem. It does not even address it. It is what you call a PR move designed to make it appear that Malacañang heeds the rejoinders of Ms. David.

And we are supposed to applaud the Palace for that gesture of listening to a reminder that it has abused to a certain extent its powers.

That's what is wrong with the Philippines . Now the messengers ends up the culprits.

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That also highlights the PNP “witch hunt” for the scapegoat for the escape from the Manila Pen of Marine Capt. Nicanor Faeldon last year.

Dana Batnag, a reporter of the Tokyo-based Jiji Press, was caught by RPN's camera talking to Faeldon at the height of the incident.

A police officer had insinuated that she provided Faeldon the press card that enabled him to pass himself off as a member of media.

But the video did not show that the lady reporter had handed Faeldon her press card nor was there any voice clip that could have shed light on whether she really helped him escape. Even if she had handed her press card, since she was interviewing Faeldon, that could have merely been to show him that she was a legitimate media practitioner.

So, if the PNP is sure of their position (which some reportedly denied), Ms. Batnag should have been charged in court so that the whole thing can be clarified. Now, even DOJ Secretary Raul Gonzalez seems to have his own perception of the incident when he asked the police to come out with their evidence against Batnag. Instead, the innuendoes seemed more intended to cast doubts on the media as a whole.

It is for the courts to determine whether there really was an alleged complicity by Ms. Batnag in the Faeldon escape. Or is the police only out to erase from itself any responsibility for Faeldon's escape?*

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