Good morning judge: Controversial budgetary allocation

THIS column commiserates with the Commission on Human Rights and the Energy Regulatory Board over the One Thousand Peso budget allocated by the House of Representatives for each of the said offices for 2018. As correctly pointed out by some congressmen and senators who are opposed to the meager allocation, it is tantamount to the abolition of these offices. The Commission of Human Rights is a constitutional body and its abolition can be done only through constitutional amendment. Although the passage of the One Thousand Peso budget by the Lower House of Congress is not really final as the Senate will have to act on the same bill, the action taken by the Lower House on the matter is quite disturbing and may be considered as an abuse of congressional power. Hopefully, the matter could be settled when members of the Bicameral Committee meet to discuss the matter. The composition of the Bicameral Committee comes from members of both Houses of Congress. We also commiserate with Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno who is facing an impeachment complaint for alleged misuse of Supreme Court funds when she attended an international gathering abroad. Although the impeachment complaint filed by the VACC has been reportedly dismissed, the other complaint filed by a private lawyer was acted upon favorably by the House Justice Committee. Parenthetically, this reminds me of a decision of the Supreme Court alerting judges of their crucial role in society as guardians of the law and I quote: “On the whole, judges owe to be mindful of the crucial role they play in keeping the flames of justice alive and forever burning. Cognizant of this sacred task, judges are duty bound to be vigilantly and conscientiously man the wheels of justice as it grinds through eternity. In a sense, judges are revered as modern day sentinels, who, like their erudite forerunners, must never slumber, so to speak, in the hour of service to their countrymen. For as lady justice never sleeps, so must the gallant men tasked to guard her domain.” - CITIZENS OF MADELA VS. DELA TORRE-YADAO, November 2002. TRIVIA: In my own behalf and that of my spouse Minda, may I express my sincere condolences to the family of the late Ricardo N. Rosin who crossed the Great Beyond last week and whose internment is scheduled tomorrow at the Sto. Nino Memorial after the celebration of the Holy Eucharist at 2:00pm at Penafrancia Parish Church. Ric was a retired employee of the GSIS and a member of the ADeNU high school batch ‘54. Our deepest condolences also to Sir Knight Ossie Villaber who likewise passed away last Monday. Ossie is a Fourth Degree Assembly Member of the Knights of Columbus, Mons. Jorge Barlin Assembly. Necrological services will be rendered by his fellow Knights tomorrow at the Funiraria Imperial. QUOTATION OF THE WEEK: “NO ACT OF KINDNESS, NO MATTER HOW SMALL IS EVER WASTED.” AESOP FOR OUR WORD OF LIFE: ‘GOOD IS THE LORD TO ONE WHO WAITS FOR HIM, TO THE SOUL THAT SEEKS HIM”. LAMENTATIONS 3:25