Zubiri quits, a victim of poll fraud scandal

VALEDICTORY: In an emotional valedictory speech yesterday, Sen. Miguel Zubiri of Bukidnon announced his resignation from the elective post he has held since June 2007.

That made Zubiri the latest prominent victim of generalized charges of electoral fraud ventilated mainly in the mass media.

Stressing that his resignation was not an admission of guilt or of a failure to do his job as a senator, Zubiri said that he has not cheated or asked anybody to cheat for him.

But with high-profile individuals claiming to have knowledge of, if not participation in, alleged massive fraud in the last national elections, plus the suffering that his family has been going through because of the allegations of cheating, Zubiri decided to quit.

He closed his privilege speech saying he was resigning with honor and dignity.

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QUESTIONS: The rule in Philippine politics is that even those proved to have cheated to win still insist on their innocence and cling tenaciously to the questioned post. Zubiri emerges as a rare exception.

Many tricky questions have arisen because of his unprecedented resignation:

1. May an elective official resign just like that — in effect renouncing his “covenant” with the people forged through the electoral process?

2. What if the people or those who voted for him refuse to accept his resignation?

3. Will Zubiri’s resignation require the acquiescence or acceptance by the Senate leadership or majority membership before it becomes final?

4. Will senatorial aspirant Koko Pimentel, who is protesting Zubiri’s election before the Senate Electoral Tribunal, be automatically installed as senator once the resignation is finalized?

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PLDT-DIGITEL: At the National Telecommunications Commission, absent any rhetoric flying left and right in the NTC hearings on the PLDT-Digitel share-swap deal, the longest the inquiry could have taken would be one month.

But it took the NTC more than three months listening to everybody since it had to deal with a variety of side issues some of which are not even related to the deal. That is understandable, since the NTC has to play it by the books so no party could say its side was not heard.

Actually, the proceedings could have been covered by summary procedure. There are only two key issues to be resolved — (1) if the parties are qualified to enter into the deal, and (2) if the deal is beneficial to the public.

With rival Globe Telecoms opposing the deal, the NTC decided to hold full-blown public hearings which the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. accepted despite its having to miss two deadlines — June 30 and July 30 — to close the deal.

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DELAYS: Hearings were delayed a few times on motion of Globe, claiming that its lawyers and witness were still abroad. They had moved also to defer the NTC hearings citing various issues still pending with the Supreme Court.

Globe’s position is baffling. During a Senate hearing on the deal it was disclosed that Globe was the first to offer to buy Digitel’s share. When they could not agree on the price, its offer failed. The PLDT made a better offer and clinched the deal.

Globe continued to oppose the transaction, citing various concerns and issues that look no longer related to the deal. It even upped the ante when it brought the issue to the Senate.

The Senate already gave the green light to the deal when it said that no congressional approval was needed and that it would benefit the public since the unlimited call and text service of Digitel’s Sun cellular will be expanded by PLDT to cover the entire country.

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PHL PADDLERS: The sorry plight of the Philippine Dragon Boat Federation team is a national shame. If not for private sponsors like Cobra Energy Drink and Philippine Airlines, the team would not have made it to the 10th IDBF World Championships set Aug. 3-7 in Tampa, Florida.

Headed by team captain Usman Anterola, the 25 champion paddlers are a mix of Philippine Army, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard personnel, and reinforced by the best civilian women paddlers. It vows to set new world records in Florida.

Unlike other sports — that take the limelight and the funding but deliver no real results that can be equated to national pride — here we have a proven national team, a two-time world champion.

While other countries struggle despite heavy funding from their governments, here we have a motley crew of determined individuals who are in it truly for national pride and the love of paddling — and we hardly hear about them.

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SKEWED FOCUS: Yet we hear in the media of even the most useless trivia about other athletes, for example, the love life of Phil Younghusband, or the “bulge” size of Philippine Volcano team members.

The IDBF World Championship is held every two years. In 2007, the PDBF won the gold for men’s 200 meters in Sydney, Australia, and set a then world record of 42.16 seconds.

In 2009, the PDBF successfully defended its world title and set a new world record of 40.02 seconds at the World Championships in Prague, Czech Republic. The Philippines doubled its gold medal haul as it also won the Mixed Division.

In the Asian DBF Championships, the PDBF won two golds in Penang, Malaysia, in 2008, and one gold in Mianyang, China, in 2004.

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