Change the people -- not the system is the frequent far cry of the people who are stuck with the mindset of the 1987 Constitution. While some of them are actually open to reforms such as opening up the economy but they want to stick with the presidential system only because the Philippines supposedly has "hundreds of years of experience" in the presidential system and none in the parliamentary. Such is the case with any departments or government agencies today. Also, Leila De Lima's rather questionable performance as justice secretary is but a symptom of the presidential system.
How would a parliamentary have exposed De Lima and put her in a dilemma?
How would a parliamentary have exposed De Lima and put her in a dilemma?
Think about the horrible crime statistics under her watch. One could also think of the Bilibid raid. She was appointed as Justice Secretary on July 2, 2010, why were the raids only happening in 2014? Chief Inspector Roque Merdegia Jr, of the PNP’s Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Force even boldly asked her to have a raid by June 2014. But why act until December 2014? More importantly, in Rigoberto Tiglao's article "P10 Million per month 'rental'? - we can read that there was no PNP personnel in the said raid. How can anyone do a raid without PNP personnel and come out alive?
Whether or not these things happened even before De Lima sat as Justice Secretary or something I can't determine. If this stuff were already there before she sat then why wait until 2014 to do anything or get to approval of said authorities? Don't tell me that nobody can notice any renovation done inside Bilibid that turned it into a hotel for criminals instead of a prison house or correctional facility as it's supposed to be? I even wonder if the Bilibid incident is proof of her sleeping on the job or if she's in cahoots with some criminals such as Herbert Colangco. Colangco even admitted to giving her money after former (and deposed) justice secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II did the first-day raid. Although Aguirre himself deserved to be removed for neglect of duty - he did uncover that the Bilibid wasn't really even cleaned up at all as De Lima had claimed.
The parliamentary has a formal opposition or Minority Bloc which would appoint Shadow Ministers to watch over the Majority Bloc. One could consider that Justice Minister De Lima would have to face the Philippine Parliament under investigation. The Shadow Minister of Justice would raise such grilling questions as to why she refused to do anything when the report was given in June 2014 yet she only acted in December 2014. It can also be imagined that all these could have been easily uncovered that the justice minister was asleep on her job. She would be questioned also something like how could anybody not notice all those huge equipment getting moved or why would she do a raid without PNP personnel?
The difference of the parliamentary also lies in the efficiency and effectiveness in removing people. De Lima's questionable performance may have not lasted even for six years. Besides, the Bilibid Incident would have been more easily exposed would have there been a more formal opposition.
The parliamentary has a formal opposition or Minority Bloc which would appoint Shadow Ministers to watch over the Majority Bloc. One could consider that Justice Minister De Lima would have to face the Philippine Parliament under investigation. The Shadow Minister of Justice would raise such grilling questions as to why she refused to do anything when the report was given in June 2014 yet she only acted in December 2014. It can also be imagined that all these could have been easily uncovered that the justice minister was asleep on her job. She would be questioned also something like how could anybody not notice all those huge equipment getting moved or why would she do a raid without PNP personnel?
The difference of the parliamentary also lies in the efficiency and effectiveness in removing people. De Lima's questionable performance may have not lasted even for six years. Besides, the Bilibid Incident would have been more easily exposed would have there been a more formal opposition.
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