Barbers: From Cop to Vice President?
Alfredo Lim, a police general and mayor of Manila,
ran for presidency in 1998 with the support from no less
than former President Corazon Aquino. He lost. Now
another police official, Sen. Robert Barbers, is aiming
for the country’s top position, this time as
a vice-presidential nominee. Barbers came into national
prominence when he missed the crucial moments of Estrada’s
impeachment trial due to his confinement in an U.S.
hospital.
BY ALEXANDER MARTIN REMOLLINO
Bulatlat.com
Sen. Robert Barbers is one of those being considered by the ruling Lakas-Christian
and Muslim Democrats party for nomination as vice-presidential candidate in the
2004 election.
The possibility of Barbers being elected to the second highest post in the land
does not sit well with cause-oriented groups, however. Among these groups, the
senator is known as one of the main proponents of an Anti-Terrorism Bill in the
Senate. The bill uses as basis for its introduction the terrorist attack in New
York on September 11, 2001.
The bill echoes the U.S. classification of the Communist Party of the Philippines
(CPP), the New People’s Army (NPA), and the National Democratic Front (NDF)
as “terrorist” groups. Cause-oriented groups and nationalists believe
that the classification of the CPP, NPA and NDF, which are recognized in the
international community as legitimate revolutionary organizations, are intended
to justify U.S. military intervention in the Philippines.
The bill is also not too clear on its general definition of terrorism. Human
rights groups have assailed it for virtually classifying even legitimate and
legal protest actions as “terrorist” acts.
Barbers recently offered to resign from his Senate seat to lead the Macapagal-Arroyo
administration’s campaign against illegal drugs. He even proposed the creation
of an anti-drug superbody.
He also considers a highlight of his career as law enforcer the arrest of suspected
drug lord Jose “Don Pepe” Oyson.
Questioned
However, his record as police officer has also been questioned.
Human rights groups have frequently criticized him for not observing due process
of law. He has often been hit for resorting to acts that violate human rights
to make up for failure in intelligence-gathering and police work.
Also, his willingness to really go after the brains of the illegal drug trade
is doubted by some of his critics. He has been questioned on the case of Lawrence
Wang, a drug lord who escaped police custody during his term as interior and
local government secretary.
Born in Surigao del Norte, a province in Mindanao (south of Manila), Barbers
is a nephew of former police general and Manila vice-mayor James Barbers. His
uncle, plus readings of crime and mystery novels, are said to have inspired him
to pursue a career in the police. He was a policeman for 27 years.
He also took up law at the University of the Philippines, and is also a graduate
of the National Defense College of the Philippines.
Citations
He takes pride in citations he received from the U.S., such as medals and citations
from the U.S. State Department and the Golden Service Award for Outstanding Law
Enforcer in Asia from the City of New York.
In 1992, he was elected representative of the 2nd District of Surigao del Norte;
he was reelected in 1995. As representative, he chaired the House committee on
Effective Law Enforcement and served as vice chairman of the Committee on Public
Order and Security.
His second term was cut short however when then President Fidel Ramos appointed
him to head the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG). As DILG secretary,
Barbers concentrated on campaigning against illegal drugs and came up with programs
involving the civilian populace in the fight against criminality.
Barbers ran for senator in the 1998 elections and placed fifth. He considers
criminality, injustice, and illegal drugs the main enemies of the Filipino people.
Bulatlat.com
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