Wanted: Impartial judge to try GMA

TARLAC CITY , Philippines  – President-apparent Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III of the Liberal Party vowed yesterday not to renege on his campaign promises and announced that he was already looking for an impartial judge who would lead the commission to investigate the various allegations against President Arroyo.

In a press conference, Aquino said part of the job of the search committee that he formed would be to find the head of the commission.

“I understand there are a lot of volunteers already, we want to pick the best and the brightest. We want somebody who will be able to put closure on all of this, who can withstand all the pressure, who is very gung-ho, who is energetic, knowledgeable, has integrity and a proven track record,” Aquino said.

Aquino said many have submitted their bio-data but they have yet to sift through them.

“Hopefully we will be able to get to the next step after the investigations within the first weeks,” Aquino said.

He refused to reveal the members of his search committee but he assured the public that the person who would investigate Mrs. Arroyo would be fair and would only have the interest of the nation in mind.

Aquino said he wanted someone like the late Haydee Yorac, the feisty chief of the Presidential Commission on Good Government, who would be able to deliver a just judgment.

“What I told the search committee is find me somebody like Haydee Yorac. It has to be someone not associated with the last government, somebody who will be impartial, someone who has credibility and at the end of the whole process, there has to be closure on all these issues,” Aquino said.

“I am open to somebody younger and somebody who does not have a political agenda. The only agenda should be justice,” he added.

Aquino earlier cited the “Hello, Garci” election fraud scandal, the fertilizer fund scam and the national broadband network (NBN) deal between the Arroyo government and the Chinese firm ZTE Corp., and the unresolved killings of leftist activists.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Charito Planas said Aquino appears to have “misplaced priorities” on governance as he continues to insist on setting up a special commission to investigate alleged irregularities committed by Mrs. Arroyo and undoing some of her programs.

“Priorities must be established and first things first. Those he would investigate won’t disappear. Investigations can take place anytime it is ordered,” Planas told a news briefing in response to Aquino’s warning that Mrs. Arroyo and her officials would be made to answer for what he said were unresolved issues.

She said that Aquino also promised to eradicate poverty in the country and Filipinos would like to see him immediately fulfilling his promise.

Palace officials earlier said among the urgent concerns of the incoming government should be the widening deficit as well as continuing the school-feeding and conditional cash transfer programs.

Mrs. Arroyo also wanted the next administration to continue the initiatives started by the Presidential Task Force on Education.

Planas said Aquino should also focus on uniting the nation to allow for massive support for his programs.

“We must move on,” Planas said. “The investigations can happen because all of those concerned are ready to be investigated but that should not be the main course of action (of the next administration).”

Mrs. Arroyo earlier this month formed the Presidential Transition Coordination Team to pave the way for a smooth turnover of power on June 30.

The Palace said the President wanted the transition process to be transparent and documented.

Mikey Arroyo appeals to Noynoy

Outgoing Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo, on behalf of his family, called on the next administration of President-apparent Aquino to stop vilifying the First Family. 

“All I wish for is for all those candidates who have resorted to malicious attacks and baseless allegations against this administration in furtherance of their political agenda, to stop vilifying my family and this administration,” he said in a statement.

He congratulated all those who won, both proclaimed and unproclaimed. Rep. Arroyo, who is also the first nominee of the Ang Galing Pinoy party-list, said his mother President Arroyo, father First Gentleman Mike Arroyo and two siblings, would not ask for any apology from their detractors.

“To those who claimed there would be massive cheating to ensure victory for the administration bet and yet have been proven wrong, I don’t seek any apology from you. I don’t think that would be necessary,” Arroyo added.

He likewise understood why their critics, the harshest of which is Aquino and his Liberal Party allies, chose to run the campaign anchored on what he called were “hatred and attacks on my family.”

“While I believe it was not the proper way to run a campaign, I couldn’t blame those candidates who have resorted to the Machiavellian principles that the end justifies the means,” Arroyo stressed.

“For them, winning is most important even if they claim it at the expense of others, my family included,” he said. Mrs. Arroyo was elected as congressman of Pampanga’s second district, which the younger Arroyo is currently representing.

“You have achieved your goal. Now is the time for all of us to focus on the delivery of basic services to the people as each of us had promised during our campaign. Services based on social justice and not vengeance. Services founded on the rule of law,” he said.

“To the administration candidates who have put on a good fight despite the limitations of campaign resources and yet were never tempted to be dragged into mudslinging and black propaganda, I salute you all. You have made the administration party very proud,” he added. – Aurea Calica, Paolo Romero, Delon Porcalla