COA, merely a tool-4

The plan to file an impeachment charge against the Chairperson of COA, Gracia Pulido-Tan is no mean threat. A team of lawyers is preparing the articles of impeachment.

There are some sectors who said that this case will not succeed. This defeatist attitude is the root of all kinds of abuses of those in authority. We are made to believe, with plenty of help from skeptic media and paid hacks, that ordinary citizens cannot fight government but history tells us differently. A small spark, a candle in the dark, as Sir Elton John sang, can start a conflagration.

The turmoil now in the Arab world began with little candles lighted in the dark corners of dictatorships.

Who would have though of Saddam Hussein or Moshe Mubarak being dragged in the streets like dogs?

We know from experience and even a cursory reading of history that one man, then two, then three and then four and finally a deluge of people can change the direction of our destiny.

The defeatist attitude and culture is being propagated by those who have much to fear the anger of the citizens. Sadly the media and some important people, that include Vice Governor Lim-ao Alvarez, are trying to throw water into fires of the anger of the people because they will be beneficiaries if ever AyalaLand Inc. pulled out.

I will later expose the information how this scheme that involves dilatory moves by COA, is dictating the political direction and fortunes of some politicians in the province. The shadow play is slowly showing the hands of the puppeteers.

At this stage, I am just laying out what lawyers would say, the predicate of that scheme.

I can also understand when the lawyer of SM Prime would gloat with a condescending statement that SM “will take care” of us if ALI pulled out stakes.

That fitted well into this scheme of forcing ALI to get out and for SM to get in. That has been obvious from the beginning with the help of its willing tools.

Unfortunately for us there are politicians who, instead of uniting to protect our interest, are making hay in this scheme. They, too, are becoming tools of the puppeteers, like cardboard players in the shadow play except that they are showing their slips.

I am reminded of the politicians during World War II and how they tried to convince us of the benefits that Japanese occupation would bring. They accepted high positions in the puppet government but the people rejected them.

Again, I shall write about this matter why SM Prime is gloating because these all tie up with a grand scheme on how SM can recover from its mistakes in making misjudgments in this whole episode. The facts of the case are now becoming clearer, like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle that include men of power and wealth.

In fact the lawyer opened his mouth much earlier than I expected and provided another piece in the tapestry of business deals and nauseating political maneuvers that smack of dictatorship.

The tapestry of this power play will also include some rising stars in the Negros political firmament whose claim to power is based on wealth that… well, never mind for the moment. Greed, after all is the foundation stone of many successes but they all end up in disaster.

Am I talking in riddles? Sure, but soon, as the political campaign progresses, the riddles will become clear for our people to make the right choices in this crucial 2013 elections. I have already talked and explained to some people in strict confidence  how this scene will play out.

During the discussion of the plan in the special meeting of the Council of Past Presidents, we had only four articles but a radio man, not yet a president of the Negros Press Club, suggested the fifth.

What are the reasons for this impeachment charges?

The first is culpable violation of the Constitution. As we have been saying before and facts show that COA has not released its decision, 14 months after the papers were submitted to it when the Constitution limits them to 90 days.

The second is unethical conduct for continued refusal to answer the letters of the governor when the law mandates that government offices should respond in 15 days.

The third is conflict of interest which I had discussed here in detail – Pulido-Tan’s financial and professional relationship with SM.

The fourth is economic sabotage because her unreasonable actions have led to ALI’s withdrawal that cost thousands of jobs to be lost and lastly, betrayal of public trust.

When the articles of impeachment are out, these will be discussed in detail. In the meantime, we wait for the lawyers to take over.*

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