A RED PANDORA’S BOX- City hall observers think Councilor Red Erfe Mejia may have unwittingly exposed his own shortcomings when he asked that an investigation in aid of legislation be made to check where the income derived from the operation of Baratillo in the last Bangus Festival went.

He raised the issue when the city council tackled a draft ordinance authorizing Mayor Belen Fernandez to temporarily close Galvan and Zamora streets for another Baratillo during the Bangus Festival from April 6 to May 2.

He tried to oppose the measure and when he failed, he moved for the investigation.

But Councilor Netu outdid him and urged colleague Red to probe other baratillos in the past from as far as the administration of Mayor Libring Reyna to Benjie Lim.

One wag asked: Didn’t  Red know that the management of festivals and fiestas under the present city administration are a lot more transparent than in the immediate past administration because the festivals under the Fernandez administration do not draw any fund at all from the city coffer, and are soley supported by commercial sponsorship?

Observers also wondered why Councilor Erfe-Mejia never asked the same question during the Lim administration when public funds were used, a practice that was deemed illegal by the Commission on Audit?

Isn’t he among the councilors being asked by a reader of The PUNCH to liquidate the funds advanced to him during a past city fiesta and for which he has not fully liquidated to this day?  His inquiry may have opened the pandora’s  box that will require the City Accountant to reveal her records naming who have not liquidated public funds they received?

In contrast, the resolution asking Mayor Belen to temporarily close Zamora and Galvan Streets, is in order unlike in the past administration when streets were closed first before seeking an ordinance. Surely Councilor Red remembers this.

See the difference, fellas? – Leonardo Micua

 

NOT HIS BUT HIS (relative kuno) – The observance of the Holy Week is a good reminder to everyone to moderate one’s love for material things and display of inexplicable accumulated wealth.

The call applies especially to a physician who loves to impress people about his fleet of luxurious cars. Never mind if his wealth came from his inheritance or product of his hard work.

The guy occupies a top post in a government hospital. And it would be like rubbing insult to poor patients’ injury who are in dire need of medical attention to be met by the sight of a very expensive Hammer parked in the hospital’s parking lot. The Hammer, our spy said, is just one of the many that the doctor parks in the hospital.

Then another mole said,” Nahiya ako Ateng, at nalula ako sa laki ng bahay ni Doc. May swimming pool pa sa isang floor ng bahay.” We stopped doing our Math because it would not work anyway trying to figure out how much he earns from the position he holds.

Oh yes, the eligible doc has his ready answer to his “sour-graping” accusers. He loves to say his cars and house are actually not his but owned by a relative.

Susmaryosep. How lucky this guy is for having too wealthy, overly kind and a very generous relative.—Tita Roces

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