Head-to-head

E·N·Q·U·I·R·Y
DEMAREE J.B. RAVAL

Head-to-head
Sunday, 02 09, 2003

Abalos vs Concepcion: Commission on Elections chairman Ben Abalos and Namfrel chairman Jose Concepcion are engaged in a heated word war over whether the Comelec should prioritize the purchase of counting and transmission machines for the May, 2004 elections. Concepcion’s Namfrel is apparently threatened with extinction as an accredited “quick count” group by the cost cutting measures of the Comelec inter-phasing the counting machines with additional gadgets that would facilitate the transfer of elections result from different parts of the country to Manila. Abalos was infuriated by Concepcion’s insinuation during a meeting at Malacañang that the election body lacks the capability to implement the planned inter-phasing. Concepcion should do better than incur the ire of the Comelec; after all, Namfrel’s application for accreditation is still pending.

Braganza vs Tiglao: What’s in a bedroom? Presidential chief of staff Bobi Tiglao and hothead Press Secretary Nani Braganza are fighting over the former leader Marcos’ bedroom at the Palace. Both are reported to have engaged in a shouting match in the presence of President Arroyo last Wednesday. It took Executive Secretary Bert Romulo to prevent what would have deteriorated into fisticuffs. Braganza and Tiglao are involved with a new communications group out to refurbish the image of the Chief Executive, but with the way their silly and childish antics are getting in the way, they will be hard put refurbishing themselves to attain some credibility, at the expense of their client.

Magsaysay vs Angara: The debates on the proposed amendments to the Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA) are heating up. The deadline set by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is fast approaching, but Congress has yet to determine the threshold amount for covered transactions. At the Senate, Sen. Jun Magsaysay, instead of giving an answer to a very relevant question on the bill he was sponsoring, banged his hand on the rostrum and immediately turned his back on Sen. Ed Angara who was then interpellating. Magsaysay was visibly frustrated by the slow pace and the inability to adopt a common ground after months of deliberations. Angara, the author of the original AMLA, who is very vocal against the latest FATF impositions, had offered to rewrite the bill, which Magsaysay resented. The cooler heads intervened in that commotion, with Angara overheard saying to a pacified Magsaysay: “Hindi na ba mainit ang ulo mo? I only meant to help you.”

FATF vs RP: Countermeasures and sanctions are being foisted in the Philippines by the FATF, if the amendments to the AMLA are not enacted into law by Feb. 12. The Philippines is in the list of non-cooperative countries monitored by the FATF as keeping corrupt money. But it seems the FATF is singling out the Philippines, because the tight provisions sought to be adopted here are not being imposed in other countries, like Switzerland, a known haven for laundered money. Rep. Rudy Albano of Isabela is right in condemning the selective imposition of standards on anti-money laundering laws. Many members of Congress are indignant over this shabby treatment the country has been getting. Approval of the amendments to the AMLA by the deadline is clearly in jeopardy.

Catholic Church vs Flavier: The Catholic Church is unlikely to support Sen. Juan Flavier for president. Msgr. Hernando Coronel of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines has declared the Church faithful will be urged to support only those who are “pro-God, pro-family and pro-country.” This could translate to a negative campaign against those candidates who go against the teachings of the Church. Flavier is an advocate of artificial birth control, which the Church abhors.

Lacson vs Flavier: Remember Sen. Ping Lacson’s expose on the Department of the Underground, principally on the use of the PCSO funds for the 2001 senatorial elections? Should Lacson get the nod of the opposition as its standard bearer, and Flavier his opponent from the administration side, expect one of the issues to be raised against Flavier is his being the alleged beneficiary of the dreaded department. The Rivero affidavits and logbook mentioned Flavier and two other senators.

Con-ass vs Con-con: The filing by Sen. Bobby Barbers of a resolution calling on both Houses of Congress to convene in a Constituent Assembly to consider amendments to the Constitution poses a strong challenge to the resolution by Sen. Franklin Drilon calling for a Constitutional Convention. Barbers is harping on the use of the more expedient and more economical mode of amending the Constitution. A Con-con will take years to finish its task (and it could end up revising the entire Constitution), following an expensive election of delegates in 2004, organization of another bureaucracy, compounded by a budget of P2 billion a year for it to operate. In contrast, Con-ass is expected to cost only P89 million a year, ready with its output in time for a plebiscite preparatory to the May, 2004 elections, and to consider amendments only in vital areas like form of government and certain economic provisions on land ownership and natural resources. It will be interesting to wait for the report of the Senate committee on Constitutional Amendments, Revision of Codes and Laws chaired by Angara, now that the House of Representatives has already come out with its preference – the Con-ass.

War vs Peace: The coalition of members of Congress against involvement of the Philippines in the almost-certain war in Iraq to oust Saddam Hussein – its members calling themselves Legislators Against War (LAW) – is getting more adherents. They are pushing peace by not getting the country involved in that war in Iraq. Mrs. Arroyo had better rethink her commitment to involve the country. Involvement of the country in any war requires the concurrence of Congress. The President’s determined effort to help could boomerang against her: There is what lawmakers call “culpable violation of the Constitution” as a ground for impeachment.


For comments about this website:Webmaster@tribune.net.ph

The Daily Tribune © 2003