WISE POLICY. “No invitation, no entry.”  This is the policy, or is it an order to his staff, of Sual Mayor Roberto Arcinue regarding media coverage of important events happening in his town.

Someone whispered to me that even for interviews, a newsman should, preferably, have prior appointment with the mayor who is unopposed in the next elections.

Arcinue’s rule about newsmen is somewhat similar to the one implemented in Sto. Tomas, Pangasinan.

Like Arcinue, Mayor Dick Villar strictly enforces this. Both have no qualms about retaliations of those affected by their policies.

If you’re not invited, better not go.

In this age where newsmen and the newsmen (kuno) in Pangasinan grow by leaps and bounds in number and attend events sans invitation in droves, perhaps it is wise to have this guideline adopted, too, in other towns and cities, to put discipline and sanity, too.—TITA ROCES

 

ONLY IN DAANG MATUWID.  The decision of the Ombudsman dismissing Herrero-Perez Barangay Captain Marilyn Mendoza for serious dishonesty and grave misconduct outright as a result of the anomalous purchase of a mini-dump truck that was made to appear to have cost P1,198,000 although a second hand and cost only P350,000, should serve as a lesson to be learned by all those in public office – Crime does not pay. 

In that decision on an administrative case filed by her former treasurer Anita Tiongson, Mendoza not only loses all her benefits due her, but is perpetually barred from holding public office and banned from taking the Civil Service Examinations, while she faces the criminal charges. 

That was not the end of the story for her as my former neighbor, Ike, claims when he offered me a ride in his glossy red VW Beetle: “Hindi siya (Mendoza) nag-iisa”. There are many more of her kind not only in the barangays but also in other higher offices, who employed similar sly tactic in their purchases also of vehicles, equipment and yes, even noodles, but  got away with their crimes.

Ike, who now calls Manaoag home, said a barangay captain he knows also bought a second-hand truck that was evidently overpriced many times over but a cover up obviously took place.  For a good price–no whistle blower surfaced. Not even a note from the COA auditor who “scrutinized” the documents.

It seems such investigations could only be possible under Daang Matuwid.  – LEONARDO MICUA

(For your comments and reactions, please email to: punch.sunday@gmail.com)

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