Find the forger

WHATEVER happened to the supposed investigation by the mayor’s office on what it claimed to be falsified waivers with forged signatures of Mayor Benjamin Lim? These documents, numbering almost 100, were used by occupants of illegal structures in Tondaligan Park and at the foreshore land of Sitio Silungan, Bonuan Binloc to secure electrical service.

That case, which first came to the fore almost one year ago, is long overdue for an explanation.  And now what seems to have been swept under the rug is circling the air again as possibly another major forgery has taken place at the mayor’s office. This time, the document involved is a business permit for a controversial enterprise: online casino in the heart of the city issued without the required sanggunian panlungsod’s resolution.

More than anyone, the mayor should be deeply troubled that someone or some group appears to be in free control of his office and is making a fool of his authority. But the strange thing is, the mayor is just shrugging it all off and is content to simply ordered the closure of the casino.

Was it a case of forgery or was it an attempt by the Lim administration to undermine the authority of the Sanggunian Panlungsod?  Mr. Lim has ordered the closure and he wants that move to mark the end of the story. But the Sangguniang Panlungsod, perhaps rattled by the overwhelming resistance – and all expressed in writing through letters – has passed a resolution calling not just for the revocation of the permit but also for an investigation on who issued permit, to determine whether the mayor’s signature was forged, and why was the operator so emboldened to operate without the franchise from SP.

We can only hope that the SP probe this time, unlike that on the fake waivers, will not prove to be another hanging theatrics.

Dagupan’s civil society is watching and waiting.

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Friendship

WHAT is friendship?

It is that thing that makes you stick to someone even if that someone has done wrong.

Twice President Aquino has exhibited that. 1) He absolved Rico Puno of any wrongdoing when Mr. Aquino said he ordered Puno to secure documents left inside the offices of the late DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo. 2) He saved Senator Trillanes from national disgrace when Mr. Aquino said he authorized Trillanes to do a back channelling job for the country when Trillanes went to Beijing to talk with Chinese officials over the disputed Scarborough Shoals in Palawan.

Had Mr. Aquino not done both moves, Puno and Trillanes would be in limbo right now, or languishing in purgatory maybe, their future possibly left in tatters.

Indeed, it’s nice to know that our own President values the true meaning of friendship.

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