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Why Governor Garcia got suspended

The Freeman

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May 04, 2025

Aggrupation is a word that I do not quite feel comfortable to use.

- Aven Piramide

I remember reading it for the first time when I pored over a book on Philippine Constitution written by Chief Justice Enrique Fernando (1915-2004). The other day, I opened again that work of the late chief justice and found his words thus: "Intellectual liberty occupies a place inferior to none in the hierarchy of human values. The mind must be free to think what it wills xx and to seek other candid views in occasions or gatherings or more permanent aggrupation."

The truth is that I actually wanted to express a personal observation on a current event. Chief Justice Fernando said that "my mind (is) free to think amongst aggrupations. This article today is about my off-tangent thought on the suspension by the Ombudsman of her honor, Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia. I honestly believe that my comment on this touchy issue is likely to earn reactions from extreme opposite ends. It is in anticipating these divergent minds that I went back to Fernando's profound language that my mind should be free to think what it wills.

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