Opinion

Pending 6 years

November 24, 2011 | 12:00am

The Hacienda Luisita, Inc. case involving the petition of 6,296 farmer tenants for distribution of land has been pending for 6 years.

Yesterday, Supreme Court sources indicated that a decision maybe released in a few days. The same sources blamed Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno for the delay due to her delayed submission of her dissenting opinion.

This effort to finalize the SC decision maybe one of the good effects of the rhubarb over the GMA TRO case. The Supreme Court is now under pressure to expedite its decision on long pending Motions for Reconsideration including the Truth Commission case, the ARMM election postponement and the FASAP/PAL case.

The petitions against Executive Order No. 2 on the removal of top government executives is also taking too long to resolve causing some delay in executive decisions.

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KINDERGARTEN OK’D. . . The Senate approved on third and final reading the bill entitled The Kindergarten Education Act of 2011 making the kindergarten mandatory for 5-year-olds.

The Act is long overdue. It is universally accepted that early childhood education or preschool is most advantageous for children and prepares them better for the 6-year basic elementary school course.

It helps close the gap between the rich and the poor since rich kids in private schools have kindergarten and preschool classes.

Sen. Edgardo Angara is the principal author of the bill.

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NO CUT. . . After approval by the House, the Senate also approved the increase of the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) doleouts from P21 to P39 billion to cover 3 million families.

The effectivity of the CCT doleout has been questioned in the light of the increase of the number of self-rated poor Filipino families especially in the rural areas where it increased 9 percent from 53 to 62 percent.

Significantly, the budget to solve the classroom shortage of 66,000 school rooms has not been provided. It looks like the Supreme Executive Department now also controls Congress effectively.

Also noteworthy is the increase of the budget for Congress to almost P9 billion. Senators are allocated individual budgets as high as P17 million a year for their offices and travels. They also get P300 million each in PDAP fund and insertions.

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SIGNS OF INEFFICIENCY. . . The peace talks with the CPP/NDF/NPA are back to square one according to government negotiators.

The peace talk with the MILF is also moving at a snail’s pace.

103 accused Maguindanao massacre suspects are still at large. No major operation has started to catch the Al-Barka murderers of 19 soldiers.

The dredging of Laguna de Bay has not started. NAIA Terminal 3 is not fully operational. DOTC Sec. Mar Roxas has cancelled all the projects approved by his predecessor, Ping de Jesus.

The World Bank has reduced the projected GDP growth of the country to 4.2 percent.

The number of dengue cases has reached the 100,000 mark.

1,000 hectares of banana plantation ruined as government fails to stop Fusarum or Panama disease. The government’s actions have been called “an exercise in futility”.

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2nd ANNIVERSARY. . . The 2nd anniversary of the Maguindanao Massacre was reached yesterday, but the trial is still proceeding at a very slow pace. Of the 196 suspects, only 93 have been arrested. Gov. Zaldy Ampatuan has not been arraigned up to now.

The prosecution says it will present 500 witnesses. In two years, less than 50 have been presented. Maybe, there should be separate trials of Gov. Andal Ampatuan Sr., Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. and the other principal accused.

No all-out justice here so far.

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CAVITEX UPDATE. . . DPWH Sec. Rogelio Singson responded to our call for an investigation of the potholes and other deficiencies of the Cavite Expressway from Parañaque to Bacoor.

While it is under the jurisdiction of the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB), Sec. Singson promised to send the DPWH Quality Assurance Unit to assess the condition of Cavitex.

How about TRB? Action please!

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SUNDAY GOSPEL. . . The gospel last Sunday was about the Lord’s admonition to give food to the hungry, drink to the thirsty, clothes to the clothesless as well as comforting the sick and visiting those in prison.

The “Our Father” also carries the words “Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sinned against us”.

Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is sick and is under arrest.

Gloria Arroyo had me arrested in 2001 after charging me with sedition. I was cheated together with FPJ in 2004. She has many sins against the Filipino people. Let’s leave that to the courts.

I have forgiven her and wish her recovery from her sicknesses. I accept the reason for giving her hospital arrest and not confine her in a regular jail.

“Let those who are without sin cast the first stone”. Amen.

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TIDBITS . . . Correction. The deceased Tacloban businessman is Jimmy Yaokasim, not Henry as earlier reported in this column. Interment will be held on Saturday.

PCGG Chairman Andres Bautista sent us a copy of the book “Excesses, Recovery, Good Government”.

A businessman reported that FG Mike Arroyo took out 3 suitcases of cash from his private office at 310-311 Enzo building the morning of Nov. 19 when they were supposed to leave for Singapore.

Atty. Ferdinand Topacio, lawyer of FG Mike Arroyo is a graduate of the UE College of Law, Class 1991.

RTC Judge Jesus Mupas raised the bar for himself and other Judges by issuing a warrant of arrest ex parte within hours after charges were filed. It is now expected that he will rule promptly on all petitions and motions of the defense so they can be appealed to the Supreme Court promptly, too.

Greetings to our avid readers Ging Ledesma and Antonio “Jun” Enriquez.