Legislating against mistakes?

The latest round of Congressional and Senate investigations in aid of legislation is one convincing proof that those inquiries should not be covered live by media. In fact, many staunch supporters of Press Freedom have been vocal about the need to stop the public hearing because of the sensitive nature of military-police operations that were unwittingly made public as emotions came to a boil.

While such inquiries in aid of legislation are open to the public, they are not necessarily something that requires or should be covered live by media. The fact of the matter is that members of the Senate and Congress actually participate in those controversial investigations not in aid of legislation but in aid of their political promotion and grandstanding.

Of course it would be easy for Congress and the Senate to say that it is the responsibility of the media to decide if they will cover the investigations or not. It may sound correct but it is illogical because the media’s responsibility and job is to cover such events. We cannot shut the faucet so to speak. For as long as information is flowing, we need to be at the faucet gathering and disseminating information that Congress and Senate dig up and spread around like fertilizer. The problem is that House and Senate leadership has lost control or has stopped being prudent about what should be “publicized” so much so that legislative investigations have become publicity stunts and instruments of political demolition. Clearly what should be the exemption has become the everyday norm in Congress and the Senate.

It is ironic that members of Congress from Mindanao, Maguindanao and those considered P-Noy loyalists were quick to howl and block the public viewing of the Mamasapano Massacre video because it would cause such a negative impact on the Bangsamoro Basic Law or BBL, or it might be traumatic for young viewers. But, on the other hand, they have no qualms about publicly humiliating, interrogating, accusing and harassing members of the PNP and the AFP about their failure in Mamasapano.

It is about time that Senate President Frank Drilon and House Speaker Sonny Belmonte called both Houses to order and get their act together. They should put a stop to the OVER coverage of legislative inquiries and put a stop to the scandalous and judgmental character that these proceedings have created.

*      *      *     

I recently learned from people inside the Land Transportation Office (LTO) that a very popular DLRC or Driver’s License Renewal Center inside a very popular Mall shut down when the LTO put a stop to the drug testing procedure as previously required for those renewing drivers licenses. It seems that DLRCs make a killing from the test because the investment for the test kit is only P70 while the take home profit is P230.

I just learned that Asec. Alfonso Tan who has no love for “Investors” dictating on the affairs of the LTO is seriously considering removing the “medical test” requirement for non-professionals since the standard tests done in clinics around LTO Investor areas is minimal as in testing for blood pressure and eyesight only. This would save non-professional drivers a few hundred pesos. If Tan allegedly gets his way, only professional drivers and probably drivers over 70 years of age will be required to undergo medical testing the same way its done in Europe and the US.

For those unfamiliar with the current setup, “Investors” are companies that rent prime properties, build offices specifically for the LTO and generally rent-free. In return, the investor sets up shop for medical tests, sale of car/Third Party Liability insurance, and smoke emissions testing. Ever since the LTO stopped the drug-testing requirement, the profit margins of the investors were so affected and sliced that investors have become aggressive to the point of trying to influence the posting of LTO officials who support their businesses or transferring those they don’t like. 

In the past Asec. Tan was viewed as pro-investor, but now it seems Tan has developed a dislike for investors after Tan was reportedly insulted by the attempt of an investor to influence the selection of who would be assigned as chief of a class A LTO office in Metro Manila. The investor reportedly showed up with a bag full of cash but was curtly told off by Tan who was quoted as saying: “We don’t meddle in your business, don’t meddle in ours”.

*      *      *

While Asec. Tan is on his wave of changes, he might want to look into the sad situation of one of his long serving officials namely Att. Betty Diaz who I met in the LTO-NCR Office many years ago. I learned that Attorney Diaz who is in her last year of service prior to retirement was promoted from the NCR-Pasig office, which is a class A office to the Pilot Office of the LTO where she was chief of the unit.

But for some unexplained reason, Atty. Diaz was assigned to a tiny extension office of the LTO in Novaliches, which is so small they don’t even do Driver’s License Renewals. What apparently hurt Diaz is not only the “demotion” of sorts but the fact that whoever engineered her assignment did not take into consideration that the 64-year-old Diaz lives all the way in Angono, Rizal forcing her to take a four-hour commute everyday. While public servants cannot choose their assignments, one would imagine that even in government service, those who make such decisions would consider the experience and expertise of the officer as well as personal circumstance.

This article will probably surprise Atty. Diaz who has no idea about this article, but even government employees and officials just like private sector professionals deserve respect.

*      *      *

Email: [email protected]