ICC correct in junking ‘probe suspension’

By Herbert Vego

THIS writer agrees with the decision of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to go on with its investigation into the killings during the Duterte administration’s bloody “war on drugs”.

Having already affirmed its jurisdiction despite the Philippine government’s arguments to the contrary, the ICC has no alternative but to junk the latest appeal of Solicitor-General Menardo I. Guevarra to suspend its probe on the pretext that the justice system in the Philippines remains functional.

Guevarra was Justice Secretary in the Duterte cabinet.  But his plea before the ICC is untenable because, even now when Rodrigo Duterte is no longer President, nothing has been done to prosecute him over the extra-judicial killings and other criminal acts that transpired in his six years in office.

Based on data from the Philippine National Police (PNP), over 6,000 people were killed in the Duterte administration’s “war on drugs.” Human rights organizations, however, say it’s around 30,000.

Recently, a Navotas City court convicted a former policeman of killing teenagers Carl Angelo Arnaiz and Reynaldo “Kulot” De Guzman during the “drug war”. It is only the second known murder conviction of a police officer in “drug war” operations.

The first conviction meted three police officers up to 40 years in prison each for the killing of 17-year-old Kian Delos Santos in 2017.

I personally believe that another attempt to appease the ICC has surfaced in the recent order of the Office of the Ombudsman preventively suspending for six months 33 past and present officials of the Department of Budget and Management and Department of Health over multi-billion-peso irregular transactions with Pharmally Pharmaceutical for COVID-19 test kits in 2020.

So, would the solicitor-general’s call for a belated pursuit of justice deter the ICC from doing a more credible investigation?

No! Article 17 (2) of the Rome Statute states that ICC may still rule “unwillingness” by a State if the “proceedings were or are being undertaken or the national decision was made for the purpose of shielding the person concerned from criminal responsibility for crimes.”

In the context of the extra-judicial killings in the Philippines, the “shielded” one is anybody’s correct guess.

-oOo-

WINNING FOREIGN INVESTORS, A LAME CHA-CHA EXCUSE

NOW it can be told that “opening the economy to more foreign direct investments” is not the main reason behind the yearning of our legislators for Charter change (cha-cha), whether through constitutional convention or constituent assembly.

It is more probable that senators and congressmen in favor of cha-cha would stand to benefit from the “rider” or secondary motive, which is to make available 100% land ownership to foreigners.

To his credit, Senate President Migz Zubiri has already expressed apprehension that it would inflate land prices, hence detrimental to Filipino land buyers.

That is also the fear now hounding two major business organizations – the Makati Business Club (MBC) and the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines (Finex).

Even the ordinary Juan dela Cruz would naturally resist the thought of being edged out by the foreigners in the mad scramble for real estate.

But of course, the Villars would have a heyday selling subdivision properties at higher prices to foreigners, especially the Chinese retirees who are not allowed to own private land in China.

Our legislators are not known for crafting laws that collide with their personal interest. In fact, they are accountable for ignoring Article II, Section 26 of the prevailing Constitution that says, “The State shall guarantee equal access to opportunities for public service, and prohibit political dynasties as may be defined by law.”

Sad to reiterate, all bills that have been filed in pursuit of internal rules and regulations to define an anti-dynasty law have ended up in the waste can.

-oOo-

D.A. KEEN ON ANOTHER ‘MISSION IMPORTATION’

INSTEAD of helping local piggeries survive the outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) in the country, our bright boys at the Department of Agriculture (DA) are salivating over the prospect of importing 46,104 metric tons of pork in June this year.

Bakit kaya? Do they stand to gain from DA-initiated importation? Itanong natin kay Ma’m Liza?

No less than Assistant Secretary Rex Estoperez of the DA seems to be mind-conditioning us of that possibility when he predicted the quoted number to represent pork shortage based on projection by the National Livestock Program (NLP) that the demand for pork in that month would hit 145,849 metric tons.

Shortage spikes prices. At the moment, the retail price of pork liempo ranges from P340 to P420 per kilo and kasim from P270 to P350 per kilo.

NLP director Ruth Miclat-Sonaco, in a meeting with DA officials, foresaw a shortfall of the local pork. She predicted that in June, the country would have at least 39 days of shortage in the pork supply, and the only way to compensate and prevent a spike in retail prices is to import.

Shame on you, Madam Auring!

-oOo-

MORE ON THE MORE POWER-CENECO PARTNERSHIP

THIS writer agrees with Bacolod-Based colleague Erwin ‘Ambo’ Delilan, who opined that the proposed joint venture between the Central Negros Electric Cooperative (Ceneco) and MORE Power would “level-up the delivery of electricity (attuned in time) to more than 200,000 consumers within Ceneco’s distribution turf.”

It would be in keeping with the mandate of the National Electrification Administration (NEA), which is to strengthen the technical capability and financial viability of the rural electric utilities.

Electric cooperatives are private businesses owned by the member-consumers within the vicinity covered by the said entity.

Ceneco will not be abolished but will simply merge with MORE Power through a joint venture agreement being crafted.

Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez has welcomed the joint venture as the way to boost the reliability of the cooperative as a distribution utility.

In fact, according to a reliable source, Ceneco has evolved from the gradual merger of small private firms in Central Negros in the 1970s. So why not let it grow much bigger?