By Ade S. Fajardo Without kickbacks would legislators be interested in the implementation of infrastructure projects? A legislator’s principal function is precisely that — to legislate, meaning to review or enact laws. But why is there an upsurge in the number of public work contractors in the hallowed halls of Congress? Is it the function …
Come To Think Of It
Losing the fight against corruption
By Ade S. Fajardo Before PBBM could lament corruption in his State of the Nation Address, there had already been reports of P142.7 billion in “bicam insertions” added in the late stages of the 2025 national budget process. The topmost beneficiary of the largess is Bulacan, home province of Senator Joel Villanueva, which is reportedly …
Did Escudero violate the law?
By Ade S. Fajardo Section 95 (c) of the Omnibus Election Code provides that no contribution for purposes of partisan political activity shall be made directly or indirectly by “natural and juridical persons who hold contracts or sub-contracts to supply the government or any of its divisions, subdivisions or instrumentalities, with goods or services or …
Is Sara vulnerable to plunder?
By Ade S. Fajardo Before July ended, the Supreme Court came out with its decision declaring the articles of impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte unconstitutional. In early June, the House of Representatives’ committee on good government and public accountability recommended the filing of criminal charges against Sara Duterte and other officials who were with …
Impeachment overhauled
By Ade S. Fajardo Before the articles of impeachment against Sara Duterte even reached the Senate, the University of the Philippines College of Law had already published its “Impeachment Primer and Frequently Asked Questions.” The Primer is available online despite the Supreme Court’s recent promulgation of Duterte vs. House of Representatives. Excerpts from the Primer …
Will the Senate also seek reconsideration?
By Ade S. Fajardo The Supreme Court had stopped an impeachment only two times before the currently sizzling case of Sara Duterte. In 2003, it declared some provisions of the House of Representatives rules on impeachment unconstitutional, and halted the hearings against former Chief Justice Hilario Davide. A status quo ante order was issued while …
Cosmetic development
By Ade S. Fajardo People have not forgotten the dolomite beach project of the previous administration. Almost P400 million was spent to whiten half-a-kilometer of shoreline of Manila Bay. The published intention was to comply with the continuing mandamus issued by the Supreme Court directing government to rehabilitate Manila Bay. *** The Metro Manila Development …
De Lima concerned over ‘judicial overreach’
By Ade S. Fajardo Mamamayang Liberal Party-list Representative Leila de Lima has expressed concerns over an order issued by the Supreme Court en banc last week requiring the submission of documents and other information, mainly from the House of Representatives. First, De Lima says this action might be proffered as an excuse by the Senate …
What will the bank accounts show?
By Ade S. Fajardo Can the impeachment case against the Vice President sustain the public’s curiosity before the Senate tries it in August? News feeds are now swamped with Atong Ang and a purported whistleblower’s narration that can lead to a fishing expedition in Taal Lake. Or is this the hope of some defenders all …
Hypocrisy in drug war
By Ade S. Fajardo The House of Representatives quadruple committees investigating the Duterte war on drugs will reportedly reconvene today. Congress will probe further into the drug smuggling activities that were allowed during the previous administration, and hopefully uncover the sheer hypocrisy beneath its law-and-order platform that resulted in tens of thousands of mindless deaths …