Go back to law school?

Commissioner Rey Bulay, a relative newcomer at the Commission on Elections, has caught the public eye after he threatened to have critics of the poll body arrested.

Bulay, who was appointed on Dec. 1, 2021, is a former Manila chief prosecutor, commissioner of the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) and Muntinlupa city councilor.

He wanted to show a tough guy posture, but he only succeeded in making himself look like a clown.

What does Bulay take the citizenry for, a caged lion in a circus where a performer cracks a whip and the beast will follow the performer’s commands?

Was Bulay absent when the subject of freedom of speech, expression and of the press was taken up in his class at the San Beda law school?

If he was absent, then he should go back to his law school, the home of the Lex Talionis fraternity, which has become notorious for the involvement of some of its members in graft and plunder cases.

A provision in the Constitution says: “No law shall be passed abridging the freedom of speech, of expression or of the press.”

Senate Minority Leader Frank Drilon is right: Bulay should not take offense when citizens call on the Comelec to ensure clean, honest and orderly elections.

“I would advise the commissioner that we’re public servants. Let’s not threaten the people. These are just pleas for honest elections, a call on the Comelec to exercise their duties. There is nothing wrong with that,” said Drilon, a former secretary of justice.

It’s no wonder that under Bulay’s term as Manila chief prosecutor, many libel cases against journalists were filed in court by prosecutors who heard them when those cases should have been dropped.

Again, for the information of Bulay and his ilk that haven’t graduated from being fiscal – the old name of public prosecutor – libel is harassment for journalists who report irregularities committed by people in public office.

“A public official, especially an elected one, should not be onion-skinned. Strict personal discipline is expected of an occupant of a public office because a public official is a property of the public,” said the Supreme Court in acquitting recently a journalist of a libel charge, citing the Bustos principle.

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Just a humble observation from this columnist who faces several libel cases: Why must a judge in a libel case filed in his/her court require the respondent journalist to appear before him/her during the posting of bail?

During the posting of bail, the respondent journalist goes through the cumbersome procedure of being photographed and fingerprinted like an ordinary crime suspect.

In the past, journalists who were charged with libel posted bail and did not have to appear before the judge.

Has the protocol been changed? If it has, why?

Libel is an alleged offense against another person’s reputation. It is job-related and not heinous crime like murder, kidnapping, robbery or rape.

In other countries, libel is a civil – and not a criminal – offense.

After I posted bail last week on a libel case, a Quezon City judge made me wait for more than one hour.

I was quietly sitting in the courtroom when a person who looked like a man on the street barged in and, pointing at me, said, “Siya ba, siya ba (Is he the one, is he the one)?”

I nearly lunged at him thinking that he was about to do me harm. He sounded belligerent.

That non-entity turned out to be the honorable judge who will hear my case.

Judge, not all persons charged before your court are ordinary criminals. Some of them are decent, upright citizens who are there because they’re victims of unfortunate circumstances.

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Another Comelec official has been caught with his fingers in the cookie jar.

This official has guaranteed a multi-million contract to hold a series of presidential debates without seeking authority from the Comelec en banc.

The contract was for Sofitel Philippine Plaza to hold a series of presidential debates but was cancelled due to financial issues.

The event organizer, Impact Hub (IH), hired by the Comelec, was unable to pay the hotel, which complained that the checks issued by IH repeatedly bounced.

Tsk, tsk, tsk!

How can the citizens trust a government agency with their ballots, when some of its officials are trying to abscond with public funds?

Even if the official concerned, who’s under investigation, gets off the hook, the reputation of the entire Comelec has been tarnished due to adverse public perception.

So saying, I now challenge Bulay to have me arrested.

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