FROM THE BARREL OF MY PEN
By Gonzalo “Jun” Policarpio


COURTS OF INJUSTICE MUST NOT STAY

If the Philippine Office of the Ombudsman( “Tanod Bayan”) designed to investigate and prosecute graft cases can act so quickly against minor government officials, what is dragging the lazy feet of Maria Merceditas Gutierrez, its current “Tanodbayan” (head), to initiate the prosecution of Joc Joc Bolante, the notorious kleptocrat, who tries to evade Philippine justice by seeking asylum in the United States? The Filipino people whose money was stolen by Bolante should not tolerate such a failure of a government agency to perform its functions.

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The American lawyers of Joc Joc Bolante have resorted to wild and reckless legal actions such as suing Sec. of State Condoleeza Rice, Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez, and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff in a desperate move to get their infamous client out of jail. They must be aware that filing frivolous lawsuits is against the law.

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In a recent letter to the Editor of Times Ledger of Queens, New York, Vincent J. Tabone, vice chairman of the Queens Republican Party, said that the reason for not endorsing my candidacy in the 2004 Congressional elections was my Equality and Justice Republicanism which they perceived to be not in tune with their ultra-conservatism. Their ultra-conservatism is nothing more but xenophobia that advocates closing the borders to stop the entry of immigrants to the United States.

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It was reported that Mike Arroyo, husband of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, de facto president of the Philippines, has filed 42 cases of libel against 42 Filipino journalists. A libel suit can only prevail against a journalist if the printed material was not based on facts and was circulated with malicious intent. If the accused journalists have the facts against Arroyo, then they must work together and submit the evidences to the courts for Arroyo’s criminal prosecution. In other words, they must persist to fight for their rights and not allow themselves to be intimidated. If the Philippine courts of justice are truly unjust, then such must be demolished.

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FROM THE BARREL OF MY PEN
By Gonzalo “Jun” Policarpio

CAN RUN BUT CANNOT HIDE

The United States is no sanctuary for KLEPTOCRATS as well as for HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATORS.

When President Bush signed the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act in December 2004, the Department of Justice through its Office of Special Investigations (OSI) has started to identify, investigate and prosecute human rights violators in the United States. According to Eli M. Rosenbaum, OSI’s director, “Perpetrators of egregious human rights abuses who immigrated here also pose a threat to public safety in this country.”

In various American embassies worldwide, OSI works closely with agents of the Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to track down human rights violators or even suspected human rights violators who tried to enter the United States. Both agencies also coordinate with the State Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs to utilize the department’s visa lookout system designed to alert U.S. consulates about individuals whom the United States wish to be excluded from entry based on suspected human rights violations.

Once again, this is a cue for all persons out there in the Philippines to submit information to American immigration authorities on any wanted human rights violator who would like to run from justice and seek a hiding place in the United States. As the saying goes, they can run but cannot hide from the law.

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FROM THE BARREL OF MY PEN
By Gonzalo “Jun” Policarpio

LAUNDERED AS LAWYER’S FEES

When an immigration lawyer accepts to represent a client in applying for an immigration benefit, such as lawful permanent residence or asylum, with the intent to defraud the United States government by submitting false documentation and committing acts of misrepresentation, then such lawyer is criminally liable and thereby subject to prosecution. If it’s confirmed that Filipino fugitive, Joc Joc Bolante, filed an asylum application because of fear of being assassinated by a rebel group in the Philippines based on false documents, his lawyer who is known to be connected to Azulay, Horn and Seiden LLC dubbed as “second largest law office in the United States” takes the hot seat.

It was reported that Bolante’s lawyer recently filed a writ of habeas corpus before the U.S. District Court in Illinois. Maybe it’s because his lawyer failed to get him released from mandatory detention. If this so-called second largest law office in the country knowingly and willfully filed the writ despite the fact that Bolante, a fugitive from justice, is a flight risk, these high-profiled lawyers may have filed an abusive petition and therefore should be disciplined. An abusive petition for a writ of habeas corpus aims to delay or obstruct justice, particularly if Bolante is being charged of a serious crime as money laundering that threatens the national security of the United States.

My good advice to Bolante’s extra-expensive lawyers is to give up on the Filipino fugitive and let him be deported to the Philippines for criminal prosecution. Else, they may be suspected of feasting on Bolante’s “dirty money” laundered as lawyer’s fees.

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FROM THE BARREL OF MY PEN
By Gonzalo “Jun” Policarpio

WHO NEEDS ANOTHER EDSA 2?

When Congressman Alan Peter Cayetano of Taguig, Pateros picked a fight with the Arroyo Family that uses lots of money to buy power, he should have expected outright intimidation and bullying tactics to come down at him. I think he actually did after making that privileged speech exposing the Arroyos’ hidden wealth in Germany and in the United States. But he would now on the defensive when he goes before the House Ethics Committee for investigation as prompted by the giggling Arroyo cronies in Congress.

Now, what can he do to regain the initiative and put back the Arroyos on the defensive?

Brilliant Filipino journalists have already written a lot about President Bush’s campaign against foreign corruption and money laundering. Financial investigations are currently underway in most Latin American countries, the Philippines, and other countries where terrorists take refuge.

Congressman Cayetano’s evidence to tie up the Arroyo Family to large-scale corruption and money laundering if delivered to proper law enforcement authorities such as the Foreign Corruption Task Force of the US Department of Homeland Security would be as effective as EDSA 2 to bring down a corrupt leader from power.




Whoever wins the Democratic Primary elections in Flushing, Queens to represent the 22nd Assembly District in Albany, New York virtually wins the race in November. The district was carefully crafted through redistricting to enable the more numerous Asian residents to be represented by an Asian American in the State Legislature. That explains the 2004 victory of Jimmy Meng, the first Asian American State Assemblyman.

Now, we have two Asian Americans running against each other for the spot. It will definitely split the Asian vote and deliver victory to the one non-Asian candidate. Unless one of the Asian candidates is exceptionally popular than the two opponents, the fast growing Asian community in the 22nd Assembly District would again be represented by a person who does not understand Asian culture. This is just one of the nuances of ethnic politics.

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junpolicarpio@yahoo.com
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FROM THE BARREL OF MY PEN
By Gonzalo “Jun” Policarpio

What is the Reality of the Philippine Government Now?

There’s no need for the Philippine government to wait for the results of Jocjoc Bolante’s application for any relief from deportation such as asylum or adjustment of status before it goes for the extradition of the fugitive back to Philippine jurisdiction. American law considers extradition as separate from deportation: the two are not mutually exclusive.

However, the problem may come up when the two governments start the negotiations for Bolante’s extradition. It’s the head of the de facto Philippine government, Gloria Arroyo, who is supposed to initiate the extradition process. Will she do it given the fact that if Bolante is handed back to the Philippine Senate to testify in the $60 million Fertilizer Scandal, she will surely hang herself by the neck? The way Gloria Arroyo has been behaving as an illegitimate president of the Philippines, her priority is to stay alive at all cost.

Note that when American immigration authorities arrested Bolante in Los Angeles airport for being a Wanted Person, the Philippine Consulate did not lift a finger to take custody of the fugitive. I believe Malacanang instructed the helpless career diplomats to keep Bolante from being deported. So the Foreign Service officials who are at the mercy of the appointing power for their promotions obeyed like good pets of Malacanang.

Question: What is the legal face of the Philippine Government? Is it the face of Malacanang or the face of the Senate or the face of the Ombudsman and other courts where Bolante has been formally charged of corruption and embezzlement of government funds? So who can negotiate for Bolante’s extradition if the Arroyo administration is not interested? Remember, the government is only an agency of the people.

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junpolicarpio@yahoo.com
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