THE ANTI-CRIME CZAR: PRESIDENT AQUINO NOW CONTROLS AGENCY VS CRIMES
MANILA, APRIL 18, 2011 (BULLETIN) By GENALYN D. KABILING - President Aquino is now the anticrime czar as the Palace takes back direct control and supervision over a government unit dealing with transnational crimes for a better effort against criminal activities.
In Executive Order No. 35, the President transferred the supervision of the Philippine Center for Transnational Crime (PCTC) from the Department of Interior and Local Government to the Office of the President.
The PCTC, created in 1999, is assigned to craft and implement a concerted program of action of all law enforcement and intelligence agencies, in coordination with other government agencies, for the prevention and control of transnational crime.
The anti-crime center used to be attached to the OP until 2008 when it was transferred under the wing of the DILG.
Aquino, in EO 35, emphasized there was a need to improve the coordination among government agencies for a "whole of government approach towards a more efficient, coordinated, collaborative, and synergized effort against organized transnational criminal activity."
It was also imperative to link national efforts with international agencies and institutions directly involved in the global campaign against transnational crime, said the President.
"In order to ensure the effective implementation of government efforts at combating transnational crimes, there is an urgent need to return to the Office of the President the direct control and supervision over PCTC," the order read.
EO 35, signed last April 11, will take effect upon publication in a national newspaper.
The latest presidential directive was issued amid government intensified efforts to combat transnational crimes such as illegal drug trade, terrorism, and trafficking of persons.
FROM THE STAR
Opposition to Noy: Be more decisive in dealing with crises By Paolo Romero (The Philippine Star) Updated April 18, 2011 12:00 AM
MANILA, Philippines - Opposition leaders yesterday urged President Aquino to be more decisive in dealing with various crises confronting the nation.
Lawmakers from the minority stressed they wanted Aquino to succeed but he should learn from the mistakes of past administrations.
Maguindanao Rep. Simeon Datumanong and Davao del Sur Rep. Marc Douglas Cagas in separate interviews said what is needed now is for all political groups to reconcile to allow the nation to move forward.
"Even if I'm with the opposition, I want the President to succeed," Cagas said.
"Enough of blaming each other, waging vengeance and quarrelling. If I were PNoy (Aquino), I'd be wary of those trying to get in his good graces and sucking up to him just to promote their selfish interests and agenda."
Cagas said Aquino should initiate moves for reconciliation and make concrete and long-term solutions to the problems that struck administrations past.
"PNoy would do so because he is the ultimate patriot and statesman as President," he said.
Datumanong, for his part, said the best would be to help the President in the efforts to help the country and the people "instead of throwing mud at each other."
Earlier, senior opposition leader Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez told reporters that the opposition got marching orders from Lakas-CMD president Sen. Ramon "Bong" Revilla to go on the offensive against the administration.
But Revilla denied the allegations with House Minority Leader Edcel Lagman (Albay) who said the House minority bloc has been "reasonably critical of the haphazard policies and lackadaisical performance of President Aquino and some members of the Cabinet."
Revilla said the opposition "is going to maintain this tempered posture and not engage in virulent and baseless opposition."
Malacañang earlier bristled at the warning of former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo of a "vacuum of leadership" in the Aquino administration.
Lakas-CMD spokesman Raul Lambino welcomed Secretary Herminio Coloma's statement recognizing the value of the opposition in a healthy democracy.
"This is why we also welcome Secretary Coloma's challenge to keep our criticism 'issues-oriented,' even though-I must point out-it is the administration that has been engaging in demonization of our colleague in the House, Congressman Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, and those whom they perceive to be her allies," Lambino said.
"Nobody else wishes more than us for the success of our elected leadership. This is why, as Congressman Arroyo recently warned, we are truly alarmed by the emergence of a 'vacuum in leadership' at the top. This is a problem that can be solved by paying more attention to the issues that matter to our people, and less on personalities and politicking," he said.
In the heat of political debates, Lambino said the country's political leaders must always endeavor to serve the people, especially the disadvantaged and poor.
For Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago, whatever problems or defects perceived by critics on Aquino would not count for much because it is the will of the people that would still count the most.
Santiago admitted it would be difficult to find support on criticisms against the President considering that he secured his mandate legitimately and without any question from his opponents.
"Well he has this great moral capital in the sense that people rallied to his cause although he was a late coming candidate. He was a latecomer and yet he still won. This means that the people really like him and if that is the case then my rule of thumb is to let the people's will prevail," Santiago said.
"I'm always ready to grant presumptions to a new president and always ready to trust his judgment provided that he is a clear winner. If he was the one chosen then whatever his failures, liabilities or defects, we just have to follow the will of the people," she added.
Santiago said she understood where the statements of her former ally were coming from because it was only natural that people from opposing political sides would criticize one another.
Like a script, Santiago noted Arroyo would say that she left the country in excellent shape and that her successor did not make good use of what was handed over to him.
On the other hand, Aquino as the successor would blame Arroyo for whatever failures by saying that he merely inherited all of his troubles.
"But we have to give all presumptions to an incumbent President. In political science, the rule is when it comes to executive decisions, we have to trust the President because only he, of all the officials in government, including the judicial and legislative branches, only the head of executive branch has full knowledge of what is taking place (in the country)," Santiago said.
Santiago said "the best rule of thumb is just trust your President because he has a lot of information that is not available to us as laymen or even to us as senators." – With Marvin Sy
EARLIER NEWS REPORT
GMA warns of leadership vacuum By Paolo Romero (The Philippine Star) Updated April 16, 2011 12:00 AM Comments (31)
[PHOTO - Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo answers questions at her La Vista home yesterday. BOY SANTOS]
MANILA, Philippines - Former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo warned yesterday there is a "vacuum of leadership" in the Aquino administration, which she said has failed to address various crises and is leading the country toward economic disaster.
In an interview at her residence in La Vista, Quezon City, Arroyo said she chose to break her silence and speak out on President Aquino's handling of various crises, including the Manila bus hostage tragedy and the spiraling prices of food and fuel, because the administration did nothing but "demonize" her.
Arroyo issued the statement a day after House Senior Deputy Minority Leader and Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez disclosed that the opposition, believing it was being repeatedly used as a scapegoat for government failures, would go on the offensive against the Aquino administration.
House Minority Leader and Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, however, stressed the opposition bloc would continue to maintain a "tempered posture" and not engage in "virulent and baseless opposition."
Mrs. Arroyo's spokesperson, Elena Bautista-Horn, refused to comment on Suarez's statement and said she only learned of his statement when reporters sought her comment.
"Every administration deserves a honeymoon even though I never had one of my own. So in the initial months, I was praying for the success of the new administration, taking a low profile would be convenient for the administration," Arroyo said.
She said she thought keeping a low profile "would be a gesture of goodwill for the (Aquino) administration."
"But eventually, the vacuum of top leadership has been emerging. First, the hostage crisis, and subsequent crises, so of course the minority has the duty to step up its profile," Arroyo said.
When asked whether she sees too much politicking in the efforts of Malacañang to remove her appointees and dismantle or re-label her key projects, she said: "Yes, yes."
"I've given this presidency all the courtesy that a former president should give an incumbent but much of what the administration has done is to demonize me," the Pampanga lawmaker said.
"Meanwhile, prices are rising sharply, poverty and hunger worsening, even the corruption index is rising. We should be focused on the governance of today, and the government should lead rather than divide," she said.
The US-trained economist said while "much remains to be done," she was able to turn over to the President in June last year a country with sustained growth, reduced poverty, and automated elections.
She recalled that during her presidency she was "waking up every day and working hard" and making unpopular decisions just to break the cycle of economic stagnation, in an apparent dig at Aquino's perceived laid back management style.
Lagman said since day one of the Aquino administration, the House minority bloc has been "reasonably critical of the haphazard policies and lackadaisical performance of President Aquino and some members of the Cabinet."
He said the opposition "is going to maintain this tempered posture and not engage in virulent and baseless opposition."
However, self-imposed temperance will not dissuade the leadership and membership of the minority from exposing the failure of the Aquino administration to comprehend and confront the basic problems of escalating poverty and hunger, deteriorating corruption index and worsening economic indicators like high inflation rate, increasing unemployment, and diminishing investor and consumer confidence, Lagman said.
"The Aquino administration's agenda of vengeance and fault-finding as well as populist propaganda cannot replace resolute performance and meaningful solutions," he said.
He said Sen. Ramon "Bong" Revilla, president of Lakas – the main opposition party – and himself would continue "to pursue critical cooperation with the Aquino administration for the national interest but would resist being ensnared in partisan adventurism."
Davao del Sur Rep. Marc Douglas Cagas took exception to Suarez's statement. He said he would continue to debate on issues, policies and principles.
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