By: Villamor C. Visaya Jr.
(Published in its print edition on April 5– 11, 2025)
IT sounds ridiculous to hear the news that the Cabinet officials under President Ferdinand Marcos will not attend at the Senate hearing as Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin claimed that the topics fall under “executive privilege.”
It pains to see Bersamin, a former Supreme Court, has his hands tied up with the attendance regarding the issue on the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
Well, we know that the executive privilege has been enshrined under our law and jurisprudence which allows high-ranking officials to withhold sensitive information.
Yet, being a former SC justice knows that the insufficiency of information must be addressed so that any issue must be tackled.
As to the sub judice rule, he was saying, the Senate, for one, may not go beyond the ongoing ICC hearing.
This is another turnaround to Malacañang’s earlier stance that it would not prevent officials from participating in the hearing.
Fickle-mindedness, huh?
*****
As the country is reeling from the effects of unemployment and lack of income, people in the communities find ways to earn money right within their backyards or inside their homes.
One laudable action was that of environmentalist-forester Frederic Tomas of San Jose, Baggao, Cagayan who put up his do-it-yourself hydroponics and aquaponics to earn by raising lettuce and catfish.
Besides, the produce would be inorganic or not laced with chemicals.
Even with no farmland, we can start having our own.
Take it from Mr. Tomas.
*****
Buffering the military hardware is one big deal that the Philippine government must do.
The move to ensure the possible sale of 20 F-16 fighter jets to the country from the US State Department to the tune of $5.58-billion is a smart one.
This ongoing negotiation, if finally becomes official, would be beefing up the depleted facilities of the military.
Better be ready than sorry.#
