Miriam blasts Noynoy's Truth Commission
MANILA, Philippines - Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago could not hide her dismay at Malacañang's move to form the 'Truth Commission', whose mandate from President Benigno Aquino III is to investigate anomalies linked to the past administration.
Santiago asserted Monday that Congress, not the Palace, has the power to create such bodies.
"Show me where in the Constitution is there a general provision their power to create an office. Show me a law passed by Congress that gives you the power to create agencies!" she told reporters.
But Justice Secretary Leila de Lima is standing by the legality of Executive Order Number 1.
De Lima said the Truth Commission is no different from those created by the past administration, like the Feliciano Commission, which investigated the Oakwood mutiny; the Melo Commission, for media killings; and the Mayuga Commission, which probed into the allegations of electoral fraud committed by military generals in the 'Hello, Garci' scandal.
"It's within the powers of the President, as the chief administrator, enforcer of laws," she said.
Santiago said she is ready to take the matter all the way to the Supreme Court.
"Dapat naman sana may konting humility, na hindi tayo lalaban nang lalaban basta't gusto natin... Executive Order 1 is a usurpation of legislative function, and we who are in the legislative branch are bound and duty to oppose this usurpation, even if have to go to Supreme Court," she said.
Santiago added that the Truth Commission's powers and functions are redundant with the Office of the Ombudsman.
'Commission can investigate extrajudicial killings'
Malacañang, meanwhile, clarified that the commission is not necessarily limited to investigating anomalies linked to the Arroyo administration.
Presidential legal counsel Ed de Mesa told ANC that apart from corruption in government, the commission may also look into extrajudicial killings.
But De Mesa admitted the commission's power to summon private individuals to its investigation is limited.
"This Truth Commission we decided this to focus on economic crimes, because we already have the CHR [Commission on Human Rights]... But if Davide wants to conduct investigations on human rights in the past administration, they can do so," he said. With reports from Ron Gagalac, ABS-CBN News
TRUTH AND CONSEQUENCE
please visit my blog for objective analysis of the truth commission.
thanks
http://jcc34.wordpress.com/2010/08/15/why-is-rep-lagman-afraid-of-the-tr...
get out of the way, miriam
miriam, you have perfectly made it clear: u know the law and the procedure. but as it has been said: the rules should only be there to facilitate the dispensation of justice. let's give the aquino administration a chance to do its work, its way. after all, it is by far the only administration with a heart and a soul.
Lip service
Miriam was voted just for the sole reason that people wanted some entertainment in the Senate, that's it. Anyone that's afraid of this commission probably has some skeleton in their closets. Pag may lakad si madame, remember as much as possible kasama sya. Remember kasama sya sa entourage sa US non. Lucky her di sya kasama sa mga kumain ng mahal. Anyways, I didn't vote for Noynoy and I hate gloria. I just want someone sensitive enough and will use their authority to stop these people from raising prices of basic commodities every other day. Instead of putting food on the table and attempt to make them tasteful for the Filipinos, government's actually doing the opposite, it's the one responsible to take as much as possible the bahaw left on the table (kasama na ang ulam kung meron man). Poor Filipinos, nobody seems to care. Kung before bumibili kami ng one kilo ng asukal, ngayon pa half-half na lang. Ang itlog n binibili namin, basag para makamura. Dati nagluluto kami ng spaghetti pag naisipan, ngayon kahit lucky me pancit canton lang e may second thoughts pa kung bibili. Kung di lang nakakontrata etong internet ko baka napaputol ko na. Di na kami nanonood ng sine, super tipid sa kuryente malamang patayin na ang ref. Binawasan ang paglakad-lakad sa tindi ng taas ng pamasahe. The liberty this democracy gave us is the liberty to raise prices without the guilt kung sinong random family na naman ang papatayin sa gutom. It seems that the P100 is P10 na lang ang equivalent. Kung ang Filipino citizenship ay parang t-shirt lang na pwedeng hubarin, ginawa ko na. I hate that I was born Filipino. Sana naging robot na lang ako para di ko maramdaman ang paghihirap ko at ng kapwa ko Filipinos na tumatangging gumawa ng masama in exchange for pinansyal na kaginhawahan. Filipinos claim God-fearing but you don't see in their actions. Always ready to be bought, just name the right price.
two of a kind
In 2007, President Arroyo nominated Santiago to the International Court of Justice in an effort to put an end to her rabble-rousing and politicking.
MIRRIAM'S ADD IS ACTING UP!!
MIRRIAM YOUR ADD IS ACTING UP! YOU NEED TO TAKE YOUR MEDICATION FOR THAT. I USED TO ADORE YOU FOR BEING A SMART WOMAN BUT NOT ANYMORE. YOU TURNED WACKO AFTER A FEW YEARS OF BEING AROUND CORRUPT AND CROOKS IN THE SENATE. YOU BECOME ONE AFTER BEING RECRUITED BY THOSE WHO PARASITES AROUND YOU. SHAME SHAME ON YOU!
Madame miriam, hanggang
Madame miriam, hanggang ngayon ba eh ipapagtanggol mo pa din si gloria? panahon na para magbayad ang mga nagnakaw sa kaban ng bayan.
Matagal na kami naghihintay ng hustisya!
name calling
Miriam is known for her witticisms : When a congressman delivered a privileged speech against her for conducting a raid involving the arrest of foreign pedophiles in his district, Santiago wittily labeled him "Fungus Face."
Miriam blasts Noynoy's Truth Commission
Where can I view a copy of the Philippine constitution? In the past, I was able to view it by accessing http://www.gov.ph/ but now it's gone. All it has now is PNoys' speeches.
understand sick people!
people please understand that sen. miriam is currently suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome but i thought she's on leave? well, perhaps she feels a bit better if she's able to throw mouthful unsolicited advice to political party that sees her no more. kaya pagbigyan nyo na sya baka tumalon ulit sya sa eroplano? :D
matalino nga corrupt naman baliw pa
Although BRENDA is a constitutional expert she is a trapo. Why defend a trash and crooked politician like gloria if brenda did not benefit during their term? A president does not need to be a genius in order to govern, it's the integrity that counts the most. We tried them all, brilliant economist among others but what happenned? They used their brilliance to rape & plunder our meager resources. Are you happy with that & your constitutional uprightness?