“HLURB takes over BF homeowners’ group… based on the complaint of a former president who alleged that “there were missing funds and equipment and other anomalies during the current term of the current United BF Homeowners’ Association President Celso Reyes.” [PhilStar, Sunday, Nov. 4, 2007].
You have just read a big problem with media. What was reported, whether right or wrong, could not be taken back.
The media can inform or entertain but they can also shape your opinions. And they can be used by powerful people to seduce, persuade and often lie to you. That’s dishonest, to paraphrase a respected journalist.
Journalism is a business, and the business of business is to make money and those who can best do that are the charlatans and opportunists. Come across or nothing gets printed or broadcasted, that’s “envelopemental” journalism.
Let’s get the story straight.
The sanction against the board of directors and the forcible takeover of the United BF Homeowners’ Association clubhouse was effected by a sheriff, several Parañaque policemen, about 50 civilian security units from the office of the Mayor, and a bunch of Barangay tanods. The word “overkill” is not even appropriate for this outrageous incident.
It is unusual to observe law enforcers in record numbers; hindi na kailangan sunduin pa [no need to pick them up] by homeowners calling for assistance. Law enforcers are blind to frequent broad daylight robbery-holdups and break-ins in the commercial areas and residential enclaves.
Homeowners are learning to leave at home their wallets, credit cards, expensive jewelries and cell phones when dining out or going to hair salons, a risky proposition at this time. This deplorable situation is the consequence of the mayor’s action of opening the main gates of the subdivision to the general public and prohibiting the posting of security guards at the main gates. It is ironic that his own brother and sister-in-law were victims of motorcycle-riding criminals in broad daylight robbery-holdup while having lunch in a restaurant.
You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to know that the HLURB directive appointing a management committee over a duly elected board of directors was flawed. The disqualification of the complainant during the recent election precipitated the filing of the suit. The case against the Election Committee was an election controversy, pure and simple. How can the HLURB Arbiter issue any directive, let alone bind the Association and its Board of Directors, who are not even impleaded parties to the case?
The sheriff effected the takeover of the clubhouse without a writ of execution and the HLURB Arbiter practically re-wrote the rule in ordering his decision executory despite the perfection of an appeal. Section 4 Rule XVI of the HLURB Rules provide that the “filing of an appeal in accordance with these rules shall have the effect of automatically staying the execution of any decision or order of the Arbiter or Executive Committee, unless otherwise provided in these rules.”
Such indecent haste and “garapalan” [bare-faced] violation of the rule of law merits congressional investigation.
Like the soldiers in the Ninoy Aquino slay case who were criminally convicted, the classic defense of these modern Pontius Pilates is that they were “just following orders.” When will our law enforcers learn that following unjust or unlawful order is not a defense for a criminal act or an excuse for wrong doing?
