Get the mayors at all costs

Jess Robredo of Naga City suspended on the basis of his questioned citizenship. Sounds familiar? The Comelec as a whole had dismissed the case; now a part of the whole, four years later, decides to suspend him on that flimsy basis, anyway.

The latest is that Makati City Hall is under siege as the suspension of Jejomar Binay has been ordered. Sounds familiar?

Update: things subsided by 1:30 AM, Saturday, but the next round will come on Monday.

Two laws seem to be in conflict here.

Republic Act 6770, the Ombudsman Act of 1989:

Section 24. Preventive Suspension. – The Ombudsman or his Deputy may preventively suspend any officer or employee under his authority pending an investigation, if in his judgement the evidence of guilt is strong, and (a) the charge against such officer or employee involves dishonesty, oppression or grave misconduct or neglect in the performance of duty; (b) the charges would warrant removal from the service; or (c) the respondent’s continued stay in office may prejudice the case filed against him.

The preventive suspension shall continue until the case is terminated by the Office of the Ombudsman but not more than six months, without pay, except when the delay in the disposition of the case by the Office of the Ombudsman is due to the fault, negligence or petition of the respondent, in which case the period of such delay shall not be counted in computing the period of suspension herein provided.

Batas Pambansa Blg. 881, the Omnibus Election Code, which says:

Art. 221, Sec. 254 (x) Suspension of elective provincial, city, municipal or barangay officer. – The provisions of law to the contrary notwithstanding during the election period, any public official who suspends, without prior approval of the Commission, any elective provincial, city, municipal or barangay officer, unless said suspension will be for purposes of applying the “Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act” in relation to the suspension and removal of elective officials; in which case the provisions of this section shall be inapplicable.

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Manuel L. Quezon III.

139 thoughts on “Get the mayors at all costs

  1. In other words: the government should apply the law to all, not just to its political opponents. THAT IS JUSTICE. – Mike

    exactly. and not just suspend officials who failed to submit their transcript of records. i am not saying it is wrong, my point is, mas marami pang malalaking isda ang lumalangoy sa karagatan, bakit ung mga dilis ang pinagdidiskitahan?

    i dont know what power gonzalez has over PGMA. but i know its not doing her anything good.

  2. “i dont know what power gonzalez has over PGMA. but i know its not doing her anything good.” – Janie

    Actually, Janie, it’s quite clear. Gonzalez doesn’t even have to say it out loud, but everyone knows the implicit threat: “If I go down, I’m taking everyone with me.” If you doubt it, remember: he threatened to cancel the Iloilo Team Unity rally if the administration decided to gag him. Kung gag pa lang, he reacts like that already, what more if GMA fires him?

    That is a huge problem with this administration: in its quest to preserve its power, it has become beholden to too many powerful individuals. So these persons now act as if they can do anything they want, because, under this adminstration, they can indeed.

  3. and that is what he’s doing.

    And that is what exactly these politicians are doing. Para bang pag-aari nila ang kanilang community na pag hindi siya ay ipapamana niya sa asawa, sa kapatid at pati sa mga bayaw at mga kamag-anak nila.

    Ginagawa nilang employment agency ang gobyerno.

    And let the Villafuerte nephew take City Hall without a fight, and without giving Naga residents a choice? That’s your idea of leveling the playing field?

    If Robredo really had that in mind, he would have done it in 1998 when he was term-limited: let his wife run for mayor and he for congressman. But both of them did not do that.

    The Naga and Makati contexts are different. Better check your facts first before firing blanks.:)

  4. “The Naga and Makati contexts are different. Better check your facts first before firing blanks…”

    Wala syang facts jan, kasi transcript ng trial ni Erap at interview ni Trillanes ang hawak nya.

    We have to be considerate din sa mga ignorant people.

  5. Janie,

    Yeah, that would be a truly delicious thought: Gonzalez becoming GMA’s Chavit Singson. 😀

    Unfortunately for the country, I think GMA’s too smart to let that happen. Palagay ko, the only one who can make GMA let him go is George Bush, GMA’s favorite boss–and maybe not even him. Sayang, Dubya could have had her dump Gonzalez after the latter’s stupid remarks about Julia Campbell. A missed golden opportunity. Or maybe they both like arrogant lawyers named Gonzalez who have only contempt for human rights.

  6. Maybe Gloria Arroyo also cheated in Iloilo? Who knows?

    Hindi nga ba insult sa intelligence ang matagal nang sinasabi ni Mike Defensor na tunay na si Gloria Arroyo ang nanalo kasi sa Mindanao lang naman nagkadayaan? Ibig bang sabihin hindi sila nakapandaya sa Iloilo? sa Baguio? or sa Cebu? Di ba 1 million yata ang lamang nya kay FPJ sa Cebu?

    But back to Gonzalez, i think a probe was set in motion by Abalos to look into the issue. Si Benjamin Abalos ang mag-iimbestiga. Yeah, right.

    As Justice Secretary, baka si Gonzalez naman mismo ang mag-initiate ng impeachment against Abalos for the Comelec scam.

    That would definitely be a spectacle!

  7. i don’t recall you mentioning it back in 2006? where did you say it?

    Why don’t you review mlq3’s post about Binay’s suspension in the archive,

  8. I can’t BELIEVE how many times I’ve had to explain this to you.

    Because, like Binay, Gonzalez is also entitled due process. Even the criminals who signed admission for crime still go on trial.

    Do I have to teach you PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION to let you know that cases are not resolved in the media. And you just can’t tell people to fire people colmunists say so. Gawd, ano ka batang nagtatantrum.

  9. Wala syang facts jan, kasi transcript ng trial ni Erap at interview ni Trillanes ang hawak nya.

    We have to be considerate din sa mga ignorant people.

    Taga Naga ako and I know what happen to Robredo.

    Hindi mo nga alam na asawa na niya ang pinatetake over niya sa kaniyang kandidatura.

    We are talking about the issue of citizenship of Robredo. Ang mga logic ng tao ay dahil ibinoto ng tao ay hindi na dapat questionin. Ang pagboto ba ng mga tao sa isang foreigner ay magbibigay ng automatic citizenship sa tao?
    Remember citizenship is a basic requirement for candidacy.

    Kung citizen nga siya ng Pilipinas, walang siyang dapat ikatakot at walang basehan ang mga pagdisqualify sa kaniya. Passport lang naman at proof ng election ng Filipino citizenship pagdating ng 21 ang kailangan. Kagaya ng aking kaibigan na intsik, dito ipinanganak ng mga magulang na intisk pero pagkua niya ng CPA Board, pinamili siya kung Filipino o Chinese ang kaniyang citizenship.

    Kailangan ng tsokolate ng tagabukid para mainitindihan ang simpleng bagay na ito.

  10. But back to Gonzalez, i think a probe was set in motion by Abalos to look into the issue.

    Panay kasi kayo dada, hindi naman nagbabasa ng balita ksi ang binanbasa lang ay mga balitang makaalis kay GMA. Maghintay kayo sa 2010.

  11. Ca T,

    We are not even talking about prosecuting Gonzalez–we are only talking about suspending him the way they want to suspend Binay, for the duration of his investigation, on account of the suspicion of guilt! Sanamagan.

    Mga kaibigan,

    Wala talaga. Hardcore na talaga ito. There are none so blind as those who will not see. Ipagdasal na lang natin.

  12. Mike, but just who are you to make that kind of judgment – that Gonzales is GUILTY? Your opinion and flawed perception have no value except to yourself and, maybe, your partners in this hate-Gloria blog. Gonzales “guilt” must be proven in a court of law, not by the consensus of those who hate him.

    Again, preventive suspension is specifically mandated by law in Binay’s case. The same is not true in the case of Gonzales. Is that too hard to understand?

  13. Bencard,

    Go ahead and delude yourself all you want about this suspension not being a political move. You may also want to contemplate the question: why did they suddenly drop it?

  14. We are not even talking about prosecuting Gonzalez–we are only talking about suspending him the way they want to suspend Binay, for the duration of his investigation, on account of the suspicion of guilt! Sanamagan.

    Mga kaibigan,

    Wala talaga. Hardcore na talaga ito. There are none so blind as those who will not see. Ipagdasal na lang natin.

    We are talking about Binay and suddenly you will bring Gonzales to the discussion as if they have teh same case. Sino ba out of order. Sino ba ang hardcore dito?

    I am not even saying not to prosecute Gonzales. I was the one who wrote the news that there is an investigation initiated against him. Eh kayo nga ito ang hindi updated. You are arguing withouy any knowledge of the latest for Gonzales.

    Binay’s case was discussed in this forum long before Gonzales issue. Read the archives of MLQ3 and it had already been discussed.

    My discussion here was a follow-up of what I wrote months or weeks ago. This did not happen only this week.

    Sino ba ang hardcore? yong magsusulat tungkol kay Binay na siya lang ang pinakamatapang dito sa Pilipinas. Ano ka ba mouthpiece ni Binay o pr?

  15. Mike, but just who are you to make that kind of judgment – that Gonzales is GUILTY?

    Yan ang mga klaseng tao na akala nila ang pamamahala ay basta na lang aalisin ang isang nagkasala dahil malakas ang sigaw ng mga taong kilala namang mga oppositionista. Pabago-bago ng pangalan, yon din naman.

    I wonder kung nagmanage na ito ng tao na sa sumbong at sa mga pambubuyo ng mga nakapaligid sa kanila ay basta na lang aalisin ang tao. Kya isang sigaw lang , alis kaagad ng tao. Ang mga manager na ito ang makikitid ang isip.

    Gaano kaya kakitid?

  16. Well it seems that what the SC stated on the matter on who gets to sit as governor or mayor when the winning candidate for such has been disqualified does hold even with the Local Government code.

  17. Kung foreigner si Robredo, unquestionably a pride of the Filipino people, e ano yung pusang salin?

  18. Mike, delude myself? Look who is talking. The problem with people like you is that you treat perception as fact, suspicion as guilt, and mere possibility as a done deal. My…, talk about one-track mind!

  19. “Taga Naga ako and I know what happen to Robredo.

    Kung citizen nga siya ng Pilipinas, walang siyang dapat ikatakot at walang basehan ang mga pagdisqualify sa kaniya. Passport lang naman at proof ng election ng Filipino citizenship pagdating ng 21 ang kailangan.”

    If taga-Naga ka and you know ‘what happen’ to Robredo, why the hypothetical question about Robredo’s citizenship?

    Ano ba ang facts mo? Kasi ang facts ko is according lang to The Inquirer, kasi taga-Maynila lang ako at isang hamak na magbubukid. And according to the Inquirer, the citizenship issue against Robredo has been resolved by the Comelec itself in favor of Robredo not once but several times.

    Maybe you want to revisit the Inquirer editorial here?

    At saka kung totoong taga-Naga ka, napakalaking ingrato mo naman! Baka di mo pa alam, Robredo was bestowed the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Government Service in 2000 because of his outstanding performance as Mayor of Naga. Here’s a snippet from the RMAF website:

    ” In electing Jesse Robredo to receive the 2000 Ramon Magsaysay Award for Government Service, the board of trustees recognizes his giving credence to the promise of democracy by demonstrating that effective city management is compatible with yielding power to the people.”

    And if Conrado de Quiros’ story is to be believed (and i dont have any reason not to), Robredo was the first person at the crack of dawn na nagpala at naghukay ng dumi after a typhoon devastated your beloved Naga. Maybe you havent seen Naga in a million years kaya di mo pa nakita ang progress na inihatid ni Robredo?

    Kung ipipilit mo pa rin na foreigner nga si Robredo, I cant help you, you might be beyond help na. Tsaka baka Villafuerte pala ang middle name mo.

    :p

  20. Bencard,

    Are you are the type of person who, if you witnessed a murder, would wait for the court to hand down a verdict before considering the perpetrator a killer? For Pete’s sake, man: all the facts regarding Gonzalez’s vote-buying are there for you to see! Not even Gonzalez disputes them! He says it’s not vote-buying, but you, being a lawyer, would know better.

  21. Mike, and how did you come to the conclusion it was “murder” huh? Suppose it was in self-defense?

    By the way did Gonzales actually buy vote, or did he just say he would buy some votes if he had the money? What specific crime did he allegedly commit? You, being not a lawyer, should not pretend to be one.

  22. Kung ipipilit mo pa rin na foreigner nga si Robredo, I cant help you, you might be beyond help na. Tsaka baka Villafuerte pala ang middle name mo.

    What is complicated with what I said. Bakit na naman ang daming sahog sinabi mo an ingrato ako.. blah blah.

    SIMPLE. Kung ikaw ay inaakusahang foreigner, ipakita mo ang iyong naturalization paper and that’s it. Sa States, isang card lang yon.

    Bakit kailangan pang maraming mga testimonials ng maraming tao?
    Kung napatunayan na hindi nga siya foreigner noon pa, bakit hindi ilabas yon.

    Nakukuha ba ng utak mo yan?

    Ano naman ang kinalaman ng RM award niya sa akin? Ano naman ang kinalaman ng RM award sa kaniyang citizenship. Masyado kayong madrama sa buhay.

  23. At saka kung totoong taga-Naga ka, napakalaking ingrato mo naman! Baka di mo pa alam, Robredo was bestowed the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Government Service in 2000 because of his outstanding performance as Mayor of Naga. Here’s a snippet from the RMAF website:

    Bakit ako magiging ingrato? Utang na loob ko ba ang gawin niya ang dapat niyang gawin bilang mayor? Utang na loob ko ba nagpursigi siya para magkaroon ng award.

    It’s high time na eelevate na naman ang sarili ninyo. You owe nothing to these politicians. THEY OWE YOU BIG TIME for putting them there, giving them salaries, giving security to their families.

    PAkidampot nga ninyo ang Respeto ninyo sa inyong Sarili.

    DUH!

  24. Very good, cvj. they really are different concepts according to our janitor. i must say you really have a rare talent for detecting the obvious.

  25. Taga Naga ako and I know what happen to Robredo.

    Baka naman taga Naga, Cebu pero ngayon na States na. Kaya ang kilalang Robredo, si Tommy na tennis player, hindi yung mayor namin dito.:)

  26. Baka naman taga Naga, Cebu pero ngayon na States na. Kaya ang kilalang Robredo, si Tommy na tennis player, hindi yung mayor namin dito.:)

    Yan ang pigsasabi mi sa Bicol na mga utak biya. I did not know the Penafrancia is now in Cebu. duh

  27. The Municipality of Naga is situated at the southern part of Cebu City. It is about 22 kms from the Provincial Capitol. It is Bounded on the North by the Municipality of Minglanilla; on the South by the Municipality of San Fernando; on the West by the Municipality of Pinamungahan and Toledo City; and on the East by Bohol Strait.

    Click here to explore Naga in Cebu.

    Have a safe journey! 🙂

  28. Yan ang pigsasabi mi sa Bicol na mga utak biya.

    But Penafrancia has and always been associated with Naga. Even my Cebuano friends know that. C’mon, you certainly should have more beyond the patroness of Bikolandia.

    Garo permi kang anggot sa kinaban manay. Depisil an puro sana ngiyaw. Taga ngirit man daw dyan.:)

  29. Garo permi kang anggot sa kinaban manay. Depisil an puro sana ngiyaw. Taga ngirit man daw dyan.

    Dae ako anggot sa kinaban, manoy. Anggot ako sa mga tawo na dae nag-iisip. Anggot man ako sa tawo na nagsasamba sa mga pulitiko saka nasisilaw sa mga awards. Kung ang pamilya mo ipinangaqui sa Magarao saka nag-aradal sa Santa Isabel, sa Ateneo de Naga at saka sa University of nueva Caceres, taga Cebu ka ba.

    Kung ang sarong tawo, harayo na sa Naga pero nakakataram pa man ng Bicol, anong huna mo sa tawong yan.

  30. Anggot ako sa mga tawo na dae nag-iisip….Kung ang sarong tawo, harayo na sa Naga pero nakakataram pa man ng Bicol, anong huna mo sa tawong yan.

    Binsido na, manay.:) Maray man ta dai ka anggot sa kinaban.:)

    My point is, your absence here and being US-based made you apply American standards (e.g. the naturalization card) to local issues.

    You should know that a citizenship case in the Philippines is not as simple as that. If it were, the Supreme Court would not have come up with decisions that are material to Mayor Robredo’s case.

    Pero garo dai mo yan naisip.:)

  31. Kung ang sarong tawo, harayo na sa Naga pero nakakataram pa man ng Bicol, anong huna mo sa tawong yan.

    Tawong bakung pula…ngiyaaw.

  32. Kung ang sarong tawo, harayo na sa Naga pero nakakataram pa man ng Bicol, anong huna mo sa tawong yan.

    Tawong bakung pula…ngiyaaw.

  33. Easy lang mga tungag. Nasa Naga, Cebu ako karon. Let’s speak in a language majority can understand. Hasta mi, mga bisdak kasabot.

    There’s no doubt JRobredo has been a Nagueño for so long. We’ve been schoolmates in NParochial Sch- he was in gr. 6 when I entered kinder. I agree he might be an effective leader during his many terms.

    But isn’t there more mauurag na mga tga naga who can take the reign of the city? JR has been monopolizing his mayorship of naga city for so long. Cat is right: we don’t owe him anything and to cite “Robredo was the first person at the crack of dawn na nagpala at naghukay ng dumi after a typhoon,” is too shallow. It shows how we buy a politicians propaganda.

    No to the villafuertes tho – aside from overstaying in power/dynasty, luis is a trapong balimbing, jukebox & an exploiter.

  34. dapat my pagkakaisa parin tyo…kasi nasa iisang bansa tyo…
    kahit na mahirap basta dapat peace parin tyo..
    stop rally,stop corruption
    ]

    4thyr:liceo de san pedro

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