FINALLY, A CURFEW! — The imposition of curfew hours for minors in Dagupan City ahead of many other cities in the country, invoking a long standing ordinance enacted way back in 2003, is certainly a welcome move.

It is a step closer towards attaining the grander plan to clear the barangays of illegal drugs and criminal elements even before Duterte administration takes over.

For too long, many children–unaccompanied by their elders—have been loitering the streets at night till the wee hours of the morning, exposing themselves to dangers, including criminal elements.

The enforcement, therefore, of the curfew for minors in all the barangays of Dagupan from 10:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. the following day should begin to protect them is in line with the planned policy of President Duterte to impose curfew on minors nationwide.

We know that some children are already being used by criminal elements as couriers of illegal drugs because of the law that exempts a minor from criminal liabilities and simply placed under the custody of DSWD.

So thanks to newly re-elected Councilor Joey Tamayo for reminding the city that it has an existing ordinance imposing curfew for minor. – Leonardo Micua

 

BINCE, CONSISTENLY FOCUSED — He is consistently fair, as far as my decades of covering him in the Sangguniang Panlalawigan is concerned.

Before Sixth District Board Member Alfie Bince bows out from public office after finishing his three successive terms, excluding his previous terms as board member, punctuated only by one term rest or so, I had to openly express anew my admiration for him last Thursday.

It’s like this. Dr. Mariel Tapia, the gorgeous lady professor at PSU wanted the provincial board’s ad hoc committee, especially created to probe the university’s policy on OJT of its students headed by Bince, to take up her case as well against a PSU official, to allow her, too, to express her disgust and sentiments against some PSU officials.

She asked for it even after she already filed her complaint about the alleged unjust treatment she suffered from the Pangasinan State University (PSU) before the Ombudsman. It’s about her aborted “quantum leap” promotion in her position.

Yes, the articulate professor was given her few minutes of fame and stardom in the provincial board session hall. But the senior and most intelligent-of-all board members I have ever covered in the SP, had to stop her, albeit in a very polite manner. He said everything and anything she had to say would simply be a waste of time and energy because her complaint has been filed with the Ombudsman. The committee was the wrong forum for her case.

What was Dr. Tapia up to? Did she expect the ad hoc committee to get back at the people who allegedly aggrieved her? The committee is not empowered to do so and the honorable gentleman knew this too well.

So, again I doff my hat to Bokal Bince once more, for the way and manner he handled Dr. Tapia’s unbearable anguish heightened by a preventive suspension slapped on her last week by the PSU president, Dr. Dexter Buted.

As always, Bince has been consistent in standing his ground, unaffected by any hint of political maneuvering and personal revenge that he discerned in the Tapia case. He kept the hearing focused on the legitimate issues that concern the province, which the ad hoc committee of the board has been empowered to investigate in aid of legislation.

Madam, bawal po ang personalan dyan.— Tita Roces

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