GMA ought to look at drug testing centers

I must say that I was a bit surprised to hear the news that Pres. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (GMA) had name herself as the Anti-Drug Czar; after all, she is the top honcho. As President, she has her hand full of responsibilities. Now whether she can concentrate or devote her time to fight the biggest cancer not just in Philippine society, but the entire world as well, then let's give her that benefit of the doubt that she can do it.

But even before she lifts a finger to create what kind of Anti-Drug Task Force she would lead, she ought to first look at whatever success stories that the various government agencies can crow about themselves in the fight against illegal drugs or look at what efforts they have done within her administration that has failed miserably. Actually, the President doesn't have to look far, just a cursory check within her cabinet members and she'd immediately see some glaring and eyebrow-raising problems.

Perhaps the biggest of them all is that Land Transportation Office (LTO) mandated drug testing, which has now sprouted into numerous drug testing centers operated and managed by certain "special" friends of the powers that be, because of the huge money it has been generating. Yet, we haven't seen a single report from any of these drug testing centers that revealed that a number of drivers trying to renew their licenses were found to have illegal drugs in their system. This practice has been going on for many years now and still no reports from any of the drug testing centers?

Mind you, it is also common knowledge that these drug testing centers aren't exactly strict on their requirements. I have heard people say that they often use the urine of other people who are not drug users so they could breeze through with those drug tests. If the President only looked into these drug testing centers, she'd probably realize that all this is nothing but a huge financial burden for our drivers, with no direct results in the current war against illegal drugs.

If these drug centers are really for real, then by now, the media would have been on top of these stories that so many drivers were caught through these drug testing centers. Whatever money the taxpayer pay to these drug testing centers should at least be honored with a report on their activities. If they have nothing to report, (unless, all of the sudden, they come up with a manufactured report) why is drug testing still required by the LTO when it hasn't caused any dents in our war against drug abuse?

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I'm glad that Cebu lawyers and law students are standing behind Supreme Court Chief Justice Reynato Puno because of the stories that certain groups within Congress is seeking his impeachment. This is one of the reasons why I want to change the Cory Constitution (via a Constitutional Convention of course) because the sacred tradition of having three separate, distinct and independent branches of the government has become nothing but a farce. It only exists as a principle, but in practice it is not!

This is not the first time Congressmen try to unseat a sitting Supreme Court Chief Justice. They also tried to do in then Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. Back then, the whole of Cebu held the biggest impromptu demonstration we ever saw at the Fuente Osmeña. While that case fizzled out, it hasn't stopped these swell-headed members of Congress from trying again!

If and when we do get a con-con, we should make sure that in the new Constitution we shall create, there will be clear and distinct lines between the branches of the government that should never be breached. During Martial Law, the Executive and Legislative were fused under Marcos, while the Chief Justice held an umbrella over Imeldific. Today, the lines have become so confusing, we need to redraw it via a con-con!

Still about lawyers, I salute Branch 17 Regional Trial Court (RTC) Judge Silvestre Maamo Jr. for denying the request for a temporary restraining order filed by the Cebu Lawyers for Unity and Brotherhood, Inc. on the effort by the Provincial Capitol to exact a parking fee on vehicles parked in the Capitol Parking area. Come now, these lawyers with cars can very easily afford to pay parking fees in shopping malls, but they go to court when the Provincial Capitol imposes a parking fee? Those who can afford a car should pay those parking fees, while the poor lawyers without any cars couldn't care any less anyway! Parking fees have become a reality if you live or work in Cebu. These lawyers ought to wake up to this reality!