Was GMA proclamation on SRP lots legal, valid?

PROCLAMATION 843, signed by then president Gloria Arroyo last May 25, 2006, declares the entire South Road Properties as “alienable and disposable land.”

The question is whether that document is valid. If it is, there’s no more need for an act of Congress to remove any doubt over the titles that buyers of SRP lots sold.

Could a presidential proclamation do away with the requirement of Commonwealth Act No. 141 and Public Land Act that former congressman and former governor Pablo Garcia cited at the 888 media forum? And isn’t the title issue already settled by the Joel Garganera lawsuit?

By the way, that proclamation was issued largely through the efforts of a Cebuano, the late Cerge M. Remonde, who then worked for GMA as Presidential Management Staff head and press secretary.

Conflicting claims

HE DID, HE DIDN’T; SHE DID, SHE DIDN’T. President Duterte says he didn’t know former president Marcos was to be buried on that day (Nov. 18) his corpse was sneaked into Libingan ng mga Bayani. His police chief Ronald de la Rosa earlier said his boss knew even before he had left for the Peru summit.

Sen. Leila de Lima says she hadn’t received any money from Kerwin Espinosa in a protection pay-off, citing the “inconsistent” dates (2014 and 2015). Kerwin testified he had paid P8 million cash in four tranches to de Lima, through her lover cum bodyguard and driver, Ronnie Dayan.

All lies, de Lima said, but she has forgiven him.

Is it greed this time?

‘FRAILTIES OF A WOMAN’

De Lima, in admitting earlier that Ronnie Dayan was her lover (for seven years, Dayan confirmed), cited the “frailties of a woman.”

By what would her alleged pay-off be explained? Greed of a public official?

The senators looking into the illegal drugs trade at Bilibid prison during de Lima’s term as justice secretary may empathize with the needs of her loins but maybe not with the lust for money and abuse of power.

No blue or pink book

INTERESTING TERMS, PHRASES, from the testimony of Kerwin Espinosa before the Senate committee on public order and drugs:

-- “Ilegalista,” those engaged in the illegal drug trade;

-- “Downloader,” one who gets the supply from a drug lord and in turn distributes it in the chain;

-- “Blue book” or “pink book,” which his slain father had said Kerwin kept. No such thing, Kerwin said, there were only a few protectors whose names he kept in his head.