Serving the President
Last week President GloriaMacapagal-Arroyo, through Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, asked Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez to go on leave for two months so his health would improve. The 76-year-old Gonzalez, who is obviously afraid his leave would become permanent, the next day said he would take only a one-month leave because he did not want to be idle for a long time. He even made a great show of signing 20 documents in his hospital room.We say, like some senators, that Gonzalez should make his leave permanent because it will be good for his health. He has rendered enough service (or disservice, depending on one’s point of view) to his country and should be allowed to rest. There are hundreds of brilliant lawyers who can fill his shoes at the Department of Justice. It is not as if Gonzalez is indispensable, and is the only one who is qualified to be secretary of justice.
From newspaper accounts, Gonzalez’s ailments are serious. Last month he was hospitalized for a bleeding ulcer. Gonzalez said the ulcer affected his legs so he found it difficult to walk without any help. There is a photo of him being assisted to his seat at a meeting in Malacañang last Wednesday, a piece of gauze over his right wrist. There is talk that he may have to undergo dialysis. The secretary is obviously very sick.
He is in no condition to remain in a key Cabinet post where every day he will be subjected to various pressures -- not just work and deadline pressures, but also political pressure. For his own good, the President should ask him to go on leave permanently.
Gonzalez is a prime example of a Cabinet member who has politicized his position. He has not dispensed impartial, unbiased and apolitical justice. In many of his decisions, actions and statements, he has been biased, political and very protective of Ms Arroyo. Most of the time, one listening to him would think that he is not the justice secretary but a political or publicity spokesperson of the President and her administration.
On the Subic rape case: From the start, Gonzalez expressed disbelief at “Nicole’s” claim that she was raped by four American Marines. In his statements it appeared that he was lawyering for the US Marines whose interests were already being protected by the US Embassy and Filipino attorneys acting as their defense counsel.
On the Julia Campbell slaying: Gonzalez exhibited the height of insensitivity when he blamed the victim, saying that “she was careless when she took a lonely walk by herself in a deserted area” and added, “[she] is also a little irresponsible.” Apparently he made the statements to try to erase the impression that peace and order is very bad under this administration.
On the extrajudicial killings: Gonzalez said that United Nations Special Rapporteur Philip Alston, who made a report on extrajudicial killings to the UN, was “just a ‘muchacho’ [a hired man]” of the organization. He was apparently downgrading Alston’s position to lessen the effects of his negative findings on the political killings.
On setting up a “rogues’ gallery” of purported coup plotters: On one hand, Gonzalez said there was nothing unconstitutional or illegal in this proposal. On the other hand, constitutionalists like Fr. Joaquin Bernas, S.J. and the Concerned Lawyers for Civil Liberties said the proposed rogues’ gallery would violate the right to privacy and cause a “chilling effect” on critics of the administration.
On the $329-million broadband deal with China’s ZTE Corp.: Gonzalez said the contract was an executive agreement that did not need to go through a public bidding. He made the statement even without reading the contract, the original copies of which were lost and which had yet to be “reconstituted.”
These and other statements indicate that Gonzalez on many occasions acted not as a justice secretary but more like a political spokesperson or a propagandist for the President and her administration. His statements have hardly, if at all, promoted the ends of justice, but on the contrary, may have even caused injustice, as in the cases of “Nicole” and Campbell.
Gonzalez has rendered enough service to President Arroyo. He is no longer needed as a political spokesperson and propagandist -- unless she has secret political plans for 2010. For his own good and for the good of the nation, he should be allowed to retire permanently.
