What the big bullies from Davao shouldn't forget
I don't refer to President Rody Duterte, who, as the head of state, instructed his inner circle to manifest that Malacañang would abide with whatever the Supreme Court decides on the Martial Law petitions. I refer, instead, and with due respect, to House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, who declared not to obey whatever adverse ruling the SC might issue. He also threatened to abolish the Court of Appeals and have three associate justices disbarred. This is the first time in my life as a lawyer that the CA magistrates are being subjected to such audacity. And this is all due to their issuing a writ for the release of Ilocos Norte public officials being held in contempt in the Lower House.
To our mind, Alvarez is pushing the nation to a constitutional crisis. At least President Duterte has humility (he even apologized to the Maranaos) and some charm (albeit naughty). On the other hand, Alvarez's threat to the justices smacks of arrogance.
This is the same Speaker who threatened all members of the super majority coalition in the House that they would lose their Committee chairmanships or memberships if they refuse to support Malacañang's legislative agenda, including the death penalty bill, the bill seeking to lower the age of criminal liability for minor offenders, the Federal Form of Government Bill, and many others. In fact, former president GMA lost her post as Deputy Speaker for Central Luzon because she refused to support death penalty. Alvarez also caused the rather belated scrutiny of the TADECO-Bureau of Prisons land deal just because of some lovers' quarrel as we all know, and I need not belabor this point.
I also refer to Secretary Carlos Dominguez III of Finance, who, as a member of the Cabinet, was the first to object to the confirmation of then DENR Secretary Gina Lopez. That objection was a signal to other members of Congress to vote against the confirmation, believing, and perhaps rightly so, that the said decision carried the implicit imprimatur of Malacañang. That was also the first time in my life as a law professor that a senior Cabinet member opposed a fellow Cabinet member's confirmation. I thought all along, albeit perhaps, erroneously, that members of the same official family do not display their intramurals in public, to the consternation of the president.
There are many others (from Davao, San Beda, and Lex Taliones fraternity) who perhaps think they can do anything and everything because they enjoy the support of Duterte. But they should be warned he has already dismissed a number of officials, including those from Davao. Remember Sueno? They should remember that Duterte is a leader who would even send his son to jail for committing a felony, or fire a close aide who abuses his power or commit graft in office. These big boys from Davao better remember that beyond 2022, some other bullies shall replace them. And they better prepare for the ''resbak''. As President Erap quipped: "Weather-weather lang yan".
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