Reading Migz Zubiri

IN A recent news article, Migz Zubiri said the following, “As a guide, the President may refrain from appointing individuals who have pending cases in courts, particularly on graft and corruption cases before the Sandiganbayan and other courts and should appoint only individuals of proven competence, unsullied integrity and unquestionable honesty.” (Inquirer, 5/12/2011) While I fully agree that grafters and public officials guilty of corruption should be tried and punished, I felt a kind of repulsion when I heard Zubiri’s statement. For three reasons:

First, individuals who are charged before the regular courts are presumed innocent until proven otherwise. Zubiri’s statements directly attack the constitutional right of the accused individuals to due process. This is a very elementary information that even college students and non-lawyers are fully aware of. Is the “senator” ignorant of this fundamental right? Are those charged individuals already “guilty” of the offense while their case is being tried before the courts? Where is the respect for the rule of law here, Mr. Senator?

Second, technically, Zubiri is not yet an elected senator of the land. His counter-protest case is still pending before the Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET). If we go by Zubiri’s logic, then he should also vacate his Senate seat out of “delicadeza” or “simpleng hiya,” and allow Koko Pimentel to serve as senator. The SET recount already gave Pimentel a resounding margin of more than 200,000 votes. Where is “unquestionable honesty” here, Mr. Senator? I think, following your reasoning, a Senate resolution preventing individuals with pending cases at SET to sit as senator must also be passed/signed.

Third, the entire country is fully aware that there was massive cheating in Maguindanao in the 2007 elections. The votes from Maguindanao heavily favored and catapulted Zubiri to the Senate. And now Zubiri is delivering privilege speeches about “The Road Less Travelled: Ang Daang Matuwid”?

Where’s the “daang matuwid” here, Mr. Senator? Is cheating or being a beneficiary of cheating acceptable nowadays? Isn’t cheating not an equally deplorable act?

With all due respect, I think Zubiri is in no position to advise President Aquino on things involving honesty, integrity and accountability.

Honestly, I’m more inclined to believe in Willie Revillame when he speaks about “integridad” than listen to the “moralizing” of one Migz Zubiri. While my opinion may not matter at all due to the fact that I’m a nobody compared to Zubiri, I think the latter should be informed that he cannot fool all Filipinos all the time.

Be true to yourself “Mr. Zubiri,” you owe it to those who voted for you. Ito ang tunay at nag-iisang Daang Matuwid.

—JOHN A. DELA CRUZ JR.,

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