Sinking, sinking

From Ernie Maceda:

Picked up, confirmed. The Tribune has been accused by Malacañang as being an accomplice of destabilizers but as time passes by, whatever is reported or written by us, is picked up and confirmed by other news writers and columnists.

We have long been complaining about corruption and continuing disregard of the Constitution in this administration. In Sunday's Philippine Daily Inquirer, no less than retired Justice Isagani Cruz wrote the following:

“Mrs. Gloria's husband and son are accused as the major beneficiaries of the jueteng payola. The Venable contract and the Northrail project are being investigated by the Senate for certain surmised irregularities. While venality during marital law was hogged only by Marcos and his privileged co-conspirators, now it is widespread and no less avaricious. It infects every level of society from Malacañang to the barangay.”

The checkpoints are back, together with unwarranted warrantless arrests and torture of suspected criminals. Amnesty International has rated the Philippines among the countries least respectful of human rights. The old policy of maximum tolerance of peaceful assemblies has been replaced with “calibrated preemptive response,” or the use of violence against peaceful legitimate grievances. We are now under a de facto martial law without the safeguards of the Constitution. Amen.

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Another nail. Even before her anti-media speech at the 31st Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas Top Management Conference in Baguio, Reporters Sans Frontiers said the Philippines ranked 139th among 167 countries in the World Press Freedom Index. The report pointed out the continued killing of journalists which has reached 69.

With the KBP speech, which practically called members of media allies of destabilizers, we should go lower. Another aspect of the diminishing freedom of journalists under GMA is the practice of appointing many of them or their spouses to government boards and the use of Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. and Philippine Charity Sweeptakes Office funds for favored media outlets.

GMA has also suspended an earlier decision to sell three government TV stations.

Yes, the Philippines deserves its bottom 20 percent bracket ranking because of a President that delights in suppressing freedoms, including freedom of the press.

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Not serious. There has been a reliable report that GMA is set to appoint Merceditas Gutierrez, a Mike Arroyo protegé who is backed by the firm, the Villaraza Angangco law office, as Ombudsman. Will she file the case against Nani Perez?

This indicates once again that GMA is not serious in her anti-corruption campaign.

Isn't this the same Merceditas Gutierrez that refused to cooperate with the Swiss authorities on Nani Perez money laundering activities? Jeez.