BREAKING NEWS: PBS reported, “The U.S. House of Representatives plans to hold a formal vote Thursday, October 31, on the impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump over his alleged abuses of power while in office.”
“In a letter explaining the decision, Speaker Nancy Pelosi told House Democrats that she wanted to push back on claims by Trump and Republican lawmakers that the impeachment inquiry is not valid without a floor vote. Sen. Lindsey Graham, a key Trump ally, introduced a resolution last week condemning the inquiry as ‘illegitimate’.”
“While Pelosi said Monday that the Trump administration ‘made up’ the argument that the impeachment inquiry is illegitimate, she said she wanted to take the vote to ‘eliminate any doubt.’”
“This week, we will bring a resolution to the Floor that affirms the ongoing, existing investigation that is currently being conducted by our committees as part of this impeachment inquiry, including all requests for documents, subpoenas for records and testimony, and any other investigative steps previously taken or to be taken as part of this investigation,” Pelosi said in the letter.
MEANWHILE in Japan, BBC News reports: “Japan’s new Minister of Trade Isshu Sugawara quits after gifting melons, oranges, roe and royal jelly to constituents.
“He is also said to have offered “condolence money” of 20,000 Japanese yen ($185; £145) to the family of a supporter. It is customary in Japan to give money as a condolence to grieving families – what is known as ‘incense money.’”
“Japan’s election law bans politicians from sending donations to voters in their home constituency.”
Despite any defense he can use, the public official resigned just the same, after being accused of violating election law.
MEANWHILE in the Philippines, politicians who give away dole outs, free goodies, cash gift, abuloy sa patay, pera sa binyag, regalo sa kasal while campaigning — they usually win in elections. In fact, many voters expect this kind of generosity from politicians and are deemed to be signs of their being pro-people and compassionate.
YET, voters openly say they abhor politicians corruption, bribery, yet expect to continue to get these freebies from the elected officials who, through their salaries only, will not be able to sustain this handing out gifts and money to their constituents.
But many people don’t seem to care however these public officials are able to get the funds to give away. What matters to them is that they get them. If the politician they voted for in the past do not deliver on this expectation, many of them lose their luster and popularity among many voters and get voted out in favor of new more generous political candidates. For political survival, politicians justify and rationalize corruption. And therefore, the pattern of corruption continues to be perpetuated.
If we do not call out public officials for their transgressions against the Constitution, against the rule of law, against moral decency, against the attack on the truth and our democracy, then we are in effect enabling them.
If we pride ourselves of being “apolitical” , and would not speak up nor speak out and just leave it up to more politically engaged people the task of making our leaders accountable, then our silence is also complicity. This silence means we side with the aggressor, we condone the abuser.
If we refuse to call out the public official we elected because we hate the “other side” of the political aisle more, or because we think it is being more patriotic to give our 100 percent loyalty to the candidate we voted for despite the transgressions, then we ourselves are attacking the Constitution, the rule of law, our values and moral compass.
Mga kababayan, the choice is ours to make. There is NO gray area here. It s either we call out our public officials for their lack of delicadeza, abuse of power, corruption, attacks to the truth and our democracy, OR, we enable, empower them more to continue committing their transgressions.
WE DESERVE THE GOVERNMENT THAT WE GET..
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Gel Santos Relos has been in news, talk, public service and educational broadcasting since 1989 with ABS-CBN and is now serving the Filipino audience using different platforms, including digital broadcasting, and print, and is working on a new public service program for the community. You may contact her through email at [email protected], or send her a message via Facebook at Facebook.com/Gel.Santos.Relos.
