Playing with Fire
Auditor Quinto acquiring cold feet?
By Gonzalo Duque
FIRST, in the national center of governance –Malacañang and the Legislature—public officials are already cutting each other’s throats in a race to clean their names from the stain of graft and corruption charges.
Kawawa na ang Pinas talaga — or is it Finas?
As our old men would say, “hatred begets hatred.”
After one is put in jail to suffer the pangs of hell, the jailer, as you can now see, is not far behind. Do you think our Daang Matuwid President can relax amid this climate of hatred hovering over his head?
You should say, this climate is good for the people because, they, hopefully now, will have reforms. Sana…sana…
* * * *
We hear of many people being aghast at the vast and huge plunder our government officials are stealing from the government (people).
Our partner in education sector told us had the billions of stolen money been used to promote and advance the cause for education, crippling poverty would have been addressed. Thousands of jobs could have been created. Mendicancy would have been reduced significantly and effectively.
* * * *
In the city, we were surprised at the reaction of City Auditor Virgilio Quinto to our invitation to guest at our Kabaleyan Channel serbisyo program.
His shocking reply: he will seek first the permission of higher authorities before the opens his mouth.
Ano ba ‘to? Does COA have a gag order similar to ex-mayor Benjie Lim’s undemocratic practice of banning department heads to make their report?
Ano ba ito, balik martial law?
Palaisipan talaga itong si Mr. Quinto.
Earlier, he made a brilliant report mostly confirming our Punch’s factual reports on the rape of the city’s coffers.
Yes, nauna ang Punch in its investigative report. But Quinto heartwarmingly confirmed the Punch’s data. But now, parang may naapakang mabahong tae. What’s happening?
Maybe we should talk to the courageous, upright and articulate COA Chair Grace Pulido-Tan to shed light on Quinto’s suddenly acquiring cold feet.
His ungraceful exit: let the city government file cases against the abusive officials.
What?!!! We thought it should be the COA that should do this!
For a while, Mr. Quinto was a fresh wind in Dagupan’s effort to clean and cleanse its murky stable! It’s now getting cloudy and confusing.
* * * *
Now on the local media front: A few disgruntled colleagues misled Governor Espino into administering the oath of a so-called press club’s officers arrogating unto themselves the authority to use or misuse (abuse would be a better term) the name Pangasinan Press Club.
We were assured by our erstwhile director Raul “Enciong” Tamayo that it was not he who hauled the group led by Orly Navarro to take their oaths before the Governor. This happened the other week while we were in the U.S. as guest of LNU alumni’s international foundation in California and New York.
This act looked familiar, huh?
OK, we tried to ask Butch Velasco, the provincial information officer, if he had a hand in the oath taking. He said no. We believe him.
The issue here, dear readers, is the propriety of this group in fooling the Governor that it was the correct group so that for lack of the proper info, he acceded to their importuning to administer their oaths IN SPITE of the RTC’s advice refraining the protagonists not to use the name Pangasinan Press Club while our complaint is being heard.
In deference to the Court’s advice, we decided to keep our peace. Being a lawyer, we know the wisdom of the sacred Rule of Law principle.
We were told that Atty. Remarque Ravanzo, Register of Deeds of San Carlos City, was with the group. Being an officer of the court and a lawyer, he should be more careful in his actuations.
The affair was a slap on the face and authority of the Court.
We feel that had the good Governor known the facts of the press club case, he wouldn’t have allowed the oath taking. It should have been the primal duty of Enciong, being a known adviser to the Governor, to have acted in his best lights.
We shall soon file a case for contempt of court.
* * * *
Rest in peace, former Mayor and Board Member Alice Pulido and City Engr. Alfredo Tangco.
Alice is, of course, the statuesque wife of former Board Member Nestor B. Pulido and mother of TV star reporter Maki Pulido.
We remember Alice seeking our support at LNU for her scholarship program in Anda for which we gladly obliged because it was for a noble cause — the education of our youth.
May she rest in peace.
As for former City Engr. Alfredo Tangco, our memory of his work during the Marcos and Manaois years in Dagupan is still vivid. Admittedly, it was those years when infrastructure projects were booming. Napakalakas ni Mayor Manaois kay Bung Ferdinand at Secretary Jake Clave noon. Seen implementing those projects was Kuya Al.
No one can match the development of Tondaligan Ferdinand, now a major destination in the city. It was Engr. Tangco who was always beside then Mayor Manaois behind it.
May you rest in peace, Kuya Al.
