Betrayal of the Highest Order

While millions of us wallow in hunger and poverty, ten prosecutors serving at the Office of the Ombusman just spent 996,000 pesos for a 10-day observation trip to Denver Colorado. 

This was revealed by Special Prosecutor Dennis Villa-Ignacio over ANC's "Strictly Politics". 

Villa-ignacio, who's now locked in a bitter fight for survival, says that these ten prosecutors, led by Deputy Ombusman Mark Jalandoni, made the trip before they conducted a press conference in support of embattled Ombusman Merceditas Gutierrez.

Just a few days ago, the Philippine Star exposed the on-going "power struggle" between Gutierrez and Villa-Ignacio. Reports say, Gutierrez and some p

alace men want Villa-Ignacio out of his office before 2010. The reason? Villa-Ignacio is a stickler of the law, a paragon of humility and uprightness. 

He can't be bought. Neither can anybody bend the principles of this man who successfully prosecuted former president Joseph "Erap" Estrada. Palace gators are flinching in their seats. After 2010, they risk going to jail because Villa-Ignacio refuses to play their game.

Villa-Ignacio refused to handle the ZTE and the Perez robbery cases simply out of principle. He's being pressured to add credence to these "weak" cases.

Since the ascension of Gutierrez, a known and strong ally of First Gentleman Mike Arroyo, as Ombusman, Villa-Ignacio has been stripped of his powers and responsibilities as special prosecutor. His staff has been ordered to report directly to Gutierrez. His budget has been effectively reduced and his powers clipped. He was also charged with graft and corruption. 

Now, his enemies are moving heaven and earth to malign and destroy his reputation. Is this the way this administration reward good people like Villa-Ignacio?

Wagging tongues say Villa-Ignacio's closeness with JDV could probably the reason why he's being eased out of the "inner circle". Others say, the special prosecutor is too upright, too straight a guy for his own good. 

Some coffee shop habitues say Villa-Ignacio is just being made a "sacrificial lamb" by the Arroyo camp who's now engaged in political talks with the Erap camp. His ouster could have been one of the possible "concessions" or "negotiating" points put forward by the Erap camp. 

If that's the case, then, that's a betrayal of the highest order! Is that the reward for those 6 years spent by Villa-Ignacio in researching and attending those trials which led to the conviction of Erap?

And I thought that government has instituted austerity measures due to the worsening food and fuel crises? That's people's money for God's sake!

Wala na bang hiya ang mga taong ito na sa kabila ng kahirapang nadarama ng ating mga kababayan, patuloy naman nilang nilulustay ang pera galing sa pinaghirapang bayarang buwis ng taumbayan?

Napaka walang hiya naman ng mga taong ito! at napakawalang hiya din ng gobyernong ito na magpapahirap sa iilan na lamang na natitirang matitinong taong naglilingkod sa ating mga kababayan!

Binababoy nila ang demokrasya!