AS a law dean, this priest from San Beda should stop making comments such as calling senators childish.
First of all, as a law dean he should refrain from making comments unless he speaks for the whole San Beda law school. As a priest, he should reserve his comments to himself unless he wants to go into politics. As a regular reactor to news publications, he should do so but not under the cloak as a priest or as a dean. Then I will welcome his comments.
Please don’t mock your school name or your students. And calling the senators childish reminds me of my teachers in grade school. Yes, we deserved then to be called childish but calling the senators at this time childish for doing their jobs is a behavior that this priest dean has not overcome yet, his being at one time a grade school teacher. If you want to be a regular critic for or against political issues, unless you want to compromise your position as dean, then stop addressing yourself as priest dean.
Meanwhile, the reaction of the senators to the Supreme Court decision is normal since the Senate is a co-equal body under our Constitution. The SC decision drew a lot of reactions from the public as well as private sector. What I have learned from my political science professors is that the SC ’s role is merely to interpret the law and to keep in mind that the rationale behind such law is to protect the Constitution and to protect the interest of all and not one person who in this case is the appellant. The SC decision unless reversed will send signals from hereon that it’s all right to report a crime and then cover it up by invoking executive privilege.
Under our present laws, if you deliberately engage in a cover-up of a crime then you are equally liable for it even though you did not commit it. I rest my case and I hope this priest dean would do the same.
– Franklin Ysaac, Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue, Makati City, Philippines (via e-mail)
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April 1st, 2008 at 12:37 am
This priest is a Law Dean? Poor San Beda students, he seems not to know the real role and rights of a senate.
In a bicameral system, the senate is in duty to check the administration and even the congress when issuing laws and ordinances. The more, if an administration os so deep and frequently mared with anomalies and irregularities.
The Neri decision cannot be correct, since there is and was no checking if his talking with GMA really involves diplomatic and national security danger. What national security is endangered when Neri tells GMA about bribes and price manipulation in a deal with a chinese firm? And why China should react with diplomatic trouble if the senate investigates why Pilipinos requested bribes from a chinese firem? To proof the danger of publishing the discussions, the SC would have to invite maybe the senate president and the chair of the investigating commitee, Neri has to disclose the discussion and if it is found a danger, all who knows now about should be ordered to not to mention it anywhere. But not just claiming a danger which nowhere is proved. This is clear for nothing than to protect GMA. And at the same time it is a proof that the matter stinks, because if all is legal, no Filipino and no Chinese would ever block any questions.
That a priest is now banging on the senate is easy to understand, some bishops do the same. In good church tradition, it is always with those in power or expected to come into power. That was why there have been the many calls for truth and protests when it looked as if GMA would soon be out. Now, when they think this will not happen, they change their mind. Whoever will win the battles, the church can always say “we have been with you”. Look back in tne recent history, if Italy’s Mussolini, Germany’s Hitler, Poland’s communistvregime, always the church encouraged any opposition but at the same time dealed, open and secretly, with those in power. Remember Pope John Paul, a polish, he praised and encouraged the worker’s opposition under Lech Walenza, but visited Poland without just to to allowthem to see him. Of course, when Lech became President, he was very welcome to John Paul.
And remember that Radio Veritas has been very vocal in calling militay not to come to Manila since Marcos is already out of the country when in reality he was still in Malacanang. Veritas means truth, but if there is no truth then it is also OK if it is in favor of the church. One can think about the churchwhatever he or she wants, but at least partly, the church acts like a political party, and not always in favor of the poor believers.
March 31st, 2008 at 11:20 pm
Mr. Isaac,
Somehow, I agree with your bloggers. The San Beda Law Dean, just like you, was just merely expressing his opinion or perception of a particular group, in his case the senators. Everyone is entitled to his own opinion and has the right to express their views and comments as long as it effectively and constructively criticize obvious shortcomings and incompetencies. For my part, I would say that there are good and bad senators and to label some of them as “childish” has some considerable amount of truth in it. Just look at the credentials of some of your admired senators and you will realize that most, if not some of them does not even deserve the title “senator”. I respect your views as well as I respect the San Beda Law Dean’s. Right now, the senate has been focusing only on a specific issue which is all about GMA but the country’s dilemma is not just about GMA but both the country and its people. The systemic problem that plagues the nation cannot be resolved by just expressing our hatred and distrust of one’s leadership but more its our willingness to change. Its a collective effort and commitment that is next to impossible at this time. But yes, lets give the honorable senators the benefit of the doubt and we’ll see if the end justifies the means.
March 31st, 2008 at 10:59 pm
In a democracy… everybody is entitled to express his/her opinion. You may or may not agree with his opinion, but let us respect it, like you want yours.
As far as the senate is concerned, it appears that they have become a dog and pony show, every investigation they conduct takes a long time, everybody wants their share of the “pogi points” attached to that investigation. In the meantime, legislations that affect the country are pending while they perform in the circus. If the senate’s intent is to prevent future occurence of this anomalies, then maybe preventive legislations is more in order than dragging these investigations to the point that they are as almost a telenovela. “secret witness” anyone? additional week or two of pogi points airtime.
March 31st, 2008 at 10:50 pm
Don’t everyone get it? People who find something wrong with the comment or opinion of this San Beda law dean react that way because this law dean’s opinion did not jibe with theirs. Had this dean joined the shrill voices now singing in chorus castigating the SC decision, the comments here would have been different. At least, in the many issues which this Dean gave his unsolicited opinion, I find his comments generally fair and unbiased. Look at the other law professors from other law schools who love to hug the limelight. They cannot hide their partisan opinions passing them off as legal treatise. They can find what is not obvious but fail to see what is displayed. Not every Filipino hates the government and the opposition should accept this fact.
March 31st, 2008 at 9:53 pm
I think the Dean called a spade a spade here. He is right on the border between serving the clergy and fulfilling his own needs of the morally “right.”
Personally…. if all 12 Senators whose terms come due in 2010 got replaced I would be doing the “Happy Dance!”
The latest Pulse Asia survey shows 66 % of the countries’ population thinks they are very poor. The price we pay for taking a few mere pesos for a vote cast! We have the Government we deserve!