PNoy’s resignation

There are sectors of Philippine society that are demanding the resignation or impeachment of President Benigno Aquino III for his alleged mishandling of the killing of 44 members of the PNP Special Action Force last January 25. There are eight groups including those of Congress that are investigating this massacre, unprecedented in the history of the Philippine police force.

I just hope for the sake of the Aquino administration that their findings and conclusions are credible because a flawed report, one or more conflicting with the other, would be another rope to hang the incumbent government.

The call for his resignation included some bishops among them Archbishop Oscar Cruz, emeritus Archbishop of Lingayen who predicted three years back that PNoy will not complete his term. Will his prediction come to pass? Other bishops, however, have held their peace to avoid perhaps inflaming the national disgust.

Senator Koko Pimentel is quick to throw cold water on the demand for the resignation of the President. If that happens* the next constitutional successor is Vice President Jejomar Binay who is probably glad that the Mindanao massacre came at the most difficult time of his life. The investigation of his alleged ill-gotten wealth had been set aside to give top priority to the SAF inquiry. Moreover the nation’s attention is now riveted in the flurry of activities to pinpoint responsibility of the fiasco.

Pimentel’s defense of the President is therefore understandable for his political survival. Imagine what will happen to him and the other two senators, Alan Cayetano and Antonio Trillanes, including other “prosecutors” of the Vice President who attempted to destroy him. The proposal of Pimentel is therefore a matter of self-interest and not of the nation.

It would also be for the survival of resigned PNP chief Alan Purisima that President Aquino should remain in office. The PNP chief did not resign as a member of the PNP even if he wanted to. Under our laws his resignation cannot be accepted because he is facing a criminal case before the Ombudsman. The President being in office will be a great help to him although President Aquino has just about 18 months left in office and, at the crucial moment thereafter, he will be on his own and anything can happen. We have the case of several police generals who are on the dock. These generals were of the days of Gloria Arroyo who is also facing plunder cases and is now in detention.

Those who fall from power with no more political patrons are helpless.

It is also vital for the President’s men that he remains in office for as long as possible because there are already poised criminal charges that will fly their way once Aquino leaves office. Among these are the unconstitutional Disbursement Acceleration Fund and the Priority Development Assistance Fund where hundreds of the Aquino’s retinue in government had dipped their fingers. The Ombudsman, even if Aquino completes his term will still be after them. If Aquino’s successor belongs to his team, their cases may yet be dismissed.

A great loser without Aquino in office would be DILG Secretary Mar Roxas whose presidential ambition becomes darker by the day. He needs President Aquino in office, not only for the logistics, but more so the influence of the President that can spell votes.

On the other hand, if the President leaves office before the 2016 election he will be on his own, or worse, a disgraced President will be a liability to Roxas. His future hinges on the President staying in office during the elections.

Thus we can understand the way Roxas answered the questions during the Senate hearing on the death of the 44 SAF last Monday. He was evasive when the thrust of the questions appeared to link the issue to President Aquino and his feelings on the failure of the PNP command to inform him of the operation hours after the operation had already been under way.

But truly, would it be to the nation’s interest that Aquino is removed or resigned prior to July 2016? The answer depends on which side of the fence one sits. The Liberal Party will be thrown into turmoil because Senate President Franklin Drilon has many rivals waiting in the wings in the event the President, as the head of the party, is toppled. In fact, the political equation will be changed dramatically and the outcome of the 2016 elections will be difficult to predict.* 

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