Joe de V’s crossroads

By Ermin Garcia Jr.

Finally, our Joe de V stood up in Congress to deliver what he long promised to do.

But Joe de V’s allies now wonder why his statements failed to ignite national rage as many would have wanted or at the very least, prompt a reactive militant group to create major disturbance in the streets to protest the presidential couple’s apparent greed.

My sense of it is 1) Media took to his revelations about the NBN-ZTE as mere confirmation of past news reports; 2) He didn’t cite other situations that many suspect continue to be hidden from the public; 3) His limited confession avoided incriminating himself; 4) His constant reference to his ouster as speaker of the House as the direct consequence of his son Joey’s appearances at the senate hearings implied that his motive for coming out finally was really motivated by personal vendetta, not by a strong sense of patriotism; 5) The timing of the launch of his authorized autobiography gave his detractors the opportunity to give him the lie about his “true” motive – to promote the book, not to serve public interest.

But having said that should not diminish the import of his decision to confront his erstwhile allies and his unexpected challenge to his peers to be guided by their conscience. He has crossed the proverbial bridge finally.

The next question is: more crossroads are ahead, which one will he take?

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Our indefatigable Joe de V needs to do more to leave a legacy that all Pangasinenses, in particular, would be mightily proud of. He must tell our people his personal knowledge about:

1) Past impeachment cases in the House under his watch. What and who were the principal characters who made sure that the cases would be thrown out? Will he admit he was part of the endless bribing of his colleagues?

2) The sordid details of the “Hello Garci” episode. Who plotted, how much and who were involved?

3) The Bolante Fertilizer scam since he and congressmen were listed as the primary ‘recipients’.

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THE NEW JUETENG LORD? What was obviously a half-hearted attempt at downplaying the impact of the outspoken Archbishop Oscar Cruz’s scathing criticism of Guv Spines’ unfulfilled campaign pledge to eradicate jueteng in the province only served to dig a much deeper squirm hole for our performing governor.

The uncanniness with which both Smiley PD Barba, our police provincial director, and Provincial Administrator Raffy Baraan claimed that there are no more bigtime jueteng operators in the province was a classic big foot-in-mouth disease.

With the exception of two towns (Malasiqui and Burgos) in the province, it is no secret that jueteng has never seen better days than today. More draws are being held in the towns and cities and now come Messrs. Barba’s and Baraan’s twin boasts.

Gosh, they literally spelled out to all Pangasinenses that there is a new and bigger jueteng lord, a local boy, in the province who makes all these happen! If the usual old suspects have been effectively denied ‘franchise’, then who is he that wields so much power to make jueteng a thriving business in the province?

No wonder, Archbishop Cruz offered no further comment to the boasts of the twin Bs! He was again being charitable.

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THE COPS WITHOUT THE SHOTGUNS. In the news was the wounding of six Lingayen cops who responded to the torching of the buses of Victory Liner. It was a bizarre situation. It spoke of how ill-trained and ill-equipped our policemen are. Not even that many soldiers get wounded in any short single encounter with well-armed NPA cadres or MNLF lost command units.

I’m certain that the wounded cops had wished they had the shotguns of the barangay kapitans for their close quarter engagement for that would have reversed the statistics in their favor. Unfortunately for them, they have a provincial director who believes that the shotguns are better off in the custody of the barangay chiefs, that the peace and order in the province would be better maintained by the barangay tanods who should all be armed as well.

Nothing for the cops.

Last week, a 15-year old boy, not an armed criminal suspect, was wounded while the shotgun was in the custody of the kapitan. Now we have cops who didn’t deserve to be wounded but they were, all because the shotguns were not given to them to help them maintain peace and order.

Who will stand up for our cops?

(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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