The high court’s big joke on the Filipino people
This has reference to the letter of Annalee Lauder (“Missing in action: ‘delicadeza’ among Philippines’ traditional politicians,” Opinion, 5/25/16) about AMA (“Ang Mata’y Alagaan,” duh!), the party-list of Supreme Court justice Presbitero Velasco Jr. whose wife and daughter are its front and mainstays.
There seems to be no doubt that the Supreme Court approved that ridiculous party-list as a favor to one of them, Justice Velasco. Of course, Velasco inhibited and said he had nothing to do with its acceptance by his colleagues in the Supreme Court. To that we say, “Tell that to the Marines!” (Our apologies to our more honorable Marines.)
With that dubious party-list being now well-entrenched in the electoral scene, we would not be surprised if party-list groups like “Ang Tenga’y Alagaan,” “Ang Ilong’y Alagaan,” “Ang Bibig’y Alagaan,” “Ang Pusod’y Alagaan,” “Ang Bilbil’y Alagaan,” etc. started organizing to capture their own seats in Congress in the next elections!
The Supreme Court has opened the floodgates for such inanities. What a big joke it has foisted upon this country! The late President Cory Aquino, during whose revolutionary government the party-list idea was pushed to give those who have less in life a better chance of being heard in Congress, must have turned in her grave many times over!
—MARIA MARGARITA AYTONA, [email protected]
