Punchline
A ‘horror’ shotgun story
By Ermin Garcia Jr.
Board Members Alfie Bince, Amadeo Espino Jr. and PNP provincial director P/Sr. Supt Isagani Nerez spoke too soon in their staunch defense of their shotgun project. They said that the illegal and violent use of the shotguns by the barangay kapitans for political purposes would be farfetched, and that as elected officials, all the kapitans are non-violent and deemed psychologically fit to possess shotguns.
Well, just two weeks after the shotguns were issued and our fears were realized!
Our reliable mole inside the Capitol informed us that an embarrassed BM Espino himself was told of one such ugly incident in Binmaley.
When a group of disgruntled Cosme victims went to the house of the kapitan of Barangay Poblacion to complain why they were not given GI sheets meant for Cosme victims, the annoyed kapitan told them off with the issued shotgun in his hand! (Note: Binmaley received the biggest number of GI sheets because of the high number of victims reported).
The kapitan justified the deprivation and discrimination with the retort that those who didn’t vote for him in the last elections would not get anything from him – and the display of the shotgun was meant to demonstrate that he meant business. That was enough to send his complaining constituents scurrying out.
If that was not politically-motivated, I don’t know what is.
Now my unimpeachable source said neither the governor’s office nor the PNP is set to enforce the penalties for the misuse of the issued shotgun because no formal complaint has been filed! Duh?
Of course, there can never be a formal complaint against a kapitan who has shown he would not hesitate to use the shotgun against those who turn against him.
Will Mr. Bince or Mr. Espino now demand for the immediate recall of the issued shotgun to set as an example as they said they would?
Methinks that is not likely to happen because that could cost them some precious votes in 2010! So enough of political double-speak in the name of good governance and preserving peace and order!
Meanwhile, I expect more “horror” shotgun stories to pour in, not that it matters to our board members, Mr. Nerez and Guv Spines, but these should remind them of the day they acted stupid but definitely richer at the people’s expense.
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CITIZENS’ ARREST FOR THE ENVIRONMENT. Here’s a piece of news last month that did not merit prominence in national media but that fact certainly did not diminish the significance of the event. It demonstrated what vigilance by an empowered community can achieve.
The Greenpeace Water Patrol activists, manned by Angono residents, served a notice of citizen’s arrest against Angono Mayor Aurora Villamayor at the Angono Municipal Hall for the local government’s violation of the Ecological Waste Management Act (RA 9003) and the Clean Water Act (RA 9275) with the continued operations of the Angono dump site. The group also submitted a report of the mayor’s violations to the Angono Police Department blotter!
The dump, located right on the banks of Laguna Lake, was supposed to have been closed last January 2008 just like the rest of the open dumpsites in Pangasinan.
While the arrest may not have led to the indictment and incarceration of the mayor, it surely embarrassed the mayor and prompted the latter to finally work on alternatives.
The non-government organizations in the province should consider this new tact to compel our local government leaders to act on their open dumpsites. Perhaps, the first citizen’s arrest should be directed against Guv Spines for failing to act on the continued operation of the numerous open dumpsites in the province.
Dagupan City Mayor Al Fernandez needs to be alerted as well! The continued operation of the city’s open dumpsite beside the Tondaligan (Blue Beach) Park is now seriously aggravating the pollution in the area.
Don’t wait for a citizen’s arrest to be served against you!
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THE ARENAS WOMEN ON THE MOVE. Here’s a piece of good news coming out the third district.
Finally, there’s a new Pangasinan product overseas that’s ready to give the producers of Cebu’s dried mangoes a run for their money.
For the first time, Pangasinan’s sweet mangoes are now being exported to Costco outlets in the USA, through the efforts of Pangasinan Tropical Fruits.
I’ve never been fond of the packed dried mangoes made popular by Cebu. The inconsistency in the quality of the sliced ripe mangoes just turned me off. I was, therefore, pleasantly surprised when I sampled several packs. Finally, there was consistency. The manufacturers deliver what the package says – moist & soft!
What is not known to many is that the mangoes are sourced from the mango farm owned by Philanthropist Baby Arenas and her daughter, Rep. Rachel. They decided to go full blast in developing the mango farm in Malasiqui to support the dried mango manufacturing with the end view of providing employment and added income for the womenfolk in the third district.
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A number of third district residents have come forward to say that the Arenas’ daughter-mother team is certainly exceeding not only what they promised during the election campaign but more than what Rep. Rachel’s predecessors combined have accomplished in over just a year. Apparently, the attention Rep. Rachel is now giving to the long overdue repair of the long neglected bridge Calvo Bridge in Bayambang alone has earned her the gratitude of thousands of commuters from Sto. Tomas and Bautista who cross to Bayambang. I certainly hope this will not be her first unfulfilled promise.
Then, in my book, the public official who can refuse to be coopted by jueteng lords deserves admiration, and those in the know confirmed that indeed, Rep. Rachel is one of the very few who stood their ground against the illegal gambling lords.
It looks like Rep. Rachel is the legislator to watch in Pangasinan in the years ahead.
(Readers may reach columnist at punch.sunday@gmail.com. For past columns, click http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/category/opinion/punchline/
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