The Tale of Two Leaders
Creators: name: Munoz, Jonelle Peter
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2025

description: The Tale of Two Leaders"The collision of adverse opinions is the only sure method of eliminating error and discovering truth." - John Stuart MillMayor Vico Sotto became a Pasig City Councilor in 2016.In 2018, just two years after being a local lawmaker or public servant, he principally authored an ordinance or local law:An Ordinance Strengthening the Operationalization of Freedom of Information and Providing for a Mechanism for the Disclosure of Public Records in Pasig City, and Providing Penalties for Violation Thereof.An ordinance is a local law applicable to the city that passed it. The people in Pasig City enjoy full transparency and accountability because of that local law.The FOI ordinance in Pasig City has a penalty provision:1st Offense: Reprimand2nd Offense: Suspension of five (5) to thirty (30) days3rd Offense: Dismissal from serviceIn short, "May ngipin ang lokal na batas." Any local public official can be dismissed from public office and lose their job if they fail to provide the requested document to the public.The FOI Executive Order (EO) of the President in 2016 does not have a penalty provision. If you request a public document, the government may or may not release it to you. And if it’s not available to them, they will simply forward you to another relevant department.The war on drugs in the Philippines started because of one promise: "In 3 to 6 months, I will stop drugs, criminality, and corruption."The President, instead of requesting Congress to pass three laws against drugs, criminality, and corruption, made many public statements with a primary focus on drugs.And instead of fighting corruption, the President surprised all Filipinos by allowing the release of corrupt politicians under his administration.Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was released from detention on July 21, 2016. Duterte became President on June 30, 2016.What an achievement in 21 days in power—a great tragedy for the 16.6 million Filipinos who had just voted for him.In December 2018, just two years after being in power, Ramon Bong Revilla, Jr. was acquitted of plunder and released from prison despite the court ordering him to return ₱124.5 million from the PDAF scam.The Filipino people wasted so much precious time watching the PDAF anomaly on TV, only to be disappointed when Revilla was released from prison.If you share a meme about our justice system featuring Gloria Arroyo in a neck brace and Bong Revilla dancing Budots, always remember that their release happened during the Duterte Administration.What a great example for all politicians—mayors, senators, and congressmen. With power and influence, you can be released from jail, while a school principal loses her job over ₱5,000, and an 80-year-old man is jailed for stealing a pack of mangoes.Why did Rody Duterte not prioritize the Freedom of Information Bill version of the late Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago into law? Duterte, while in power, could have easily told Congress:"The first bill I will sign into law is the FOI Bill. I will never sign the General Appropriation Act (GAA) without a transparency mechanism in place for the more than ₱5 trillion budget.I will veto the budget insertions of all senators and representatives who will not vote in favor of the FOI Bill."He could have prioritized it in his first year in office, in his second year, in his third year, in his fourth year, in his fifth year, or at least in the very last week before stepping down as President.But he chose not to.He signed many bills into law, but he decided not to prioritize the Freedom of Information Law, which is long overdue. It's a landmark law that can gradually stop corruption, reduce poverty and can improve the overall quality of life of every Filipino.He could have been that wise President who can use his power and position for the greater good.Vico Sotto principally authored the local version of the FOI Bill as a City Councilor. He understands the importance of transparency and accountability in good governance, and persuaded all his colleagues, which is why it became a local ordinance. He was not yet a mayor at that time."The collision of adverse opinions is the only sure method of eliminating error and discovering truth." - John Stuart MillI intentionally put the quote again for emphasis.If the war on drugs was really necessary from 2016 to 2019, then why didn’t Vico Sotto principally author a local ordinance called "An Ordinance Strengthening the Operationalization of the War on Drugs and Providing Penalties for Violation Thereof"—but instead authored many other local ordinances? He had three years to introduce a local ordinance about the war on drugs.This is a good interview question for Mayor Vico Sotto. And for sure, if he decides to answer that question, many Filipinos will be shocked by his answers.And as mayor from 2019 to the 2021, when Duterte was still President justifying the war on drugs, why didn’t Mayor Vico prioritize institutionalizing the war on drugs? Why didn’t he make a local law with the following provisions?1. Kill a suspected drug addict2. Pag walang baril, bigyan mo ng baril. (If they don’t have a gun, give them one.)He understood that violence cannot stop violence. There is a popular saying:"Hindi maitatama ng isang pagkakamali ang isang pagkakamali."(A mistake cannot correct another mistake.)Why do countries with high happiness indexes, high quality of life, low crime rates, and high rankings in Transparency International’s least corrupt countries—such as Norway, New Zealand, Australia, Denmark, Japan, and Singapore—not have a law institutionalizing the war on drugs to kill suspected drug addicts?Norway and New Zealand don’t allow their police officers to carry firearms. They only use batons, pepper spray, and stun guns. Guns are stored in their patrol cars and can only be used when "needed"—perhaps as a last resort, with very strict usage guidelines.Has any senator or congressman in the past ten (10) years filed a bill titled "A Law Institutionalizing the War on Drugs to Kill a Suspected Drug Addict"?If there is any, please leave a comment so I can read it carefully and update this post. I’m curious about its content and whether such a lawmaker exists.I just remembered a post about how different people view life:What is life?• Dostoevsky: It’s hell.• Socrates: It’s a test.• Aristotle: It’s the mind.• Nietzsche: It’s power.• Freud: It’s death.• Marx: It’s the idea.• Picasso: It’s art.• Gandhi: It’s love.• Schopenhauer: It’s suffering.• Bertrand Russell: It’s competition.• Steve Jobs: It’s faith.• Einstein: It’s knowledge.• Stephen Hawking: It’s hope.• Kafka: It’s just the beginning.I believe that people in power like Putin and Hitler view life as hell, suffering, competition, power, or death. And that’s why they tend to go to war, systematizing the killing of people instead of just having a peaceful resolution. Emphasis: I only mention Putin and Hitler as I'm still wondering how past and present leaders viewed life. Only they and God can tell. Not you and me.We need leaders who view life with love, faith, knowledge, hope, and beginning.We need leaders like Atty. Leni Robredo, Vico Sotto, Heidi Mendoza, Bam Aquino, Kiko Pangilinan, Luke Espiritu, Ka Leody De Guzman, and Robert Ballon. We need them, your children and grandchildren need them, the Philippines needs them.The Senate is the ideal training ground for the Future President of the Philippines. So Vote Wisely !!!Written by Jonelle Peter Munoz (no coauthor)

Date Originally Published: March 15, 2025 

Date Republished (with minor revisions): March 18, 2025

Digital Object Identifier (DOI): 10.5281/zenodo.15033514------All my views here are my individual views. If there is any incorrect statement above, feel free to leave a comment so I can update this post accordingly.
description: The above strategy to sign first FOI Bill before signing GAA can be applied to important landmark bills like Anti Political Dynasty Bill, and other proposed Bill of late Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago.

I only focus on FOI Bill and FOI Ordinance, as the article is the comparison between the national and local leaders. But the strategy can be applied to any other bills.

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Why did any of the past President not sign the Freedom of Information Bill and Anti Political Dynasty version of the late Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago into law?

At least one of them could have easily told Congress:

"The first bill I will sign into law is the FOI Bill. I will never sign the General Appropriation Act (GAA) without a transparency mechanism in place for the more than ₱5 trillion budget—and, of course, with a penalty provision."

At least one of them could have signed it in their first year in office, in their second year, in their third year, in their fourth year, in their fifth year, or at least in the very last week before stepping down as President.

But they  chose not to.

They signed many bills into law, but they decided not to sign the Freedom of Information Law and Anti-Political Dynasty Law, which are long overdue. They are landmark laws that can stop poverty and can improve the overall quality of life of every Filipino.