Think about it
‘Crime does not pay’
By Jun Velasco
“How much easier it is to be generous than just! Men are sometimes bountiful who are not honest.” — Janius
WE just read in his People’s Tonight column Chairman Bebot Villar’s chastisement of the peace and order situation in Pangasinan.
Because he knows whereof he speaks, his digs find their targets bull’s eye. It behooves mutual friend, Governor Spines, to correct this black mark in his shining record of governance.
Mayor Roy Macanlalay whose town was mentioned in the column quickly clarified that the report was true in the past, which means gambling in his town had been stopped.
Bebot’s scathing reminder follows the line of Bishop Oscar Cruz’s “struggling” cruzada against jueteng which, we believe, should be extended to other illegal operations that have proliferated in many places.
Yes, illegal drugs especially.
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As we went to press, we met a group of leaders from modernizing Calasiao town who felt that the Macanlalays who have skyrocketed to political stardom “deserve a fair contest in the next elections.”
The group is grooming jet setter Wilson de Vera, cousin of former Mayor Celso de Vera, to take a crack at Mayor Mark Roy’s position.
When we hastened that the Macanlalays have become a hard rock to crack, the group said it would be best to give the “silent majority” a choice.
With business boom dawning in the town (Robinson Mall is opening early next year), how will the opposition reach the hearts of the people? The polls are still far off?
Nope, says Wilson, “not when you are facing a tough and entrenched political clan!”
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Every morning when you wake up, every newscast on TV, and every night before you sleep, you get an unending fare of lethal blows on the “little one who is being made to sleep.” Sleep here has another meaning.
Behold the shift of tone! Gloria Macapagal Arroyo used to be sweet music to our ears. Now the name reeks of humiliation!
Which should warn us of the temporariness of power.
Erap, in his characteristic humor, described it as a case of “weather, weather lang.”
Let’s look at history.
During his 20-year rule – or “mis-rule” – Bung Ferdinand was a little god.
His successor, the self-effacing Corazon Aquino, didn’t know how to wield power like a despot. Her fumbles worked like miscalculations from heaven, which predestined the rise of Noynoy to the presidency.
It seems like only a military genius – though backed by his parents’ good deeds – Fidel V. Ramos – was the best finisher indeed.
And now, Gloria, half Pangasinense by her mother, Eva Macaraeg of Binalonan and Malasiqui, is getting all the blows for a botched job in the political power game because foul means were used with impunity.
It should remind us therefore of the temporariness of power, of life, of pleasure and happiness that is not rooted in the Book of Life.
While we wrote this, government officials in the justice department and the courts were debating the proper venue where the former president should be detained. They say that GMA’s fate should make us cringe in fear. Yes to that if we have not been fair and square or committed a crime against the people.
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NOTES: How touching when mother would call up in her cell phone just to drop a good word about “an article you wrote.” You see, a mother’s pat sends angels singing to one’s ears! At 86, nanay has remained the epitome of unconditional love to her children and those around her…
We felicitate Dr. Andrew Junio’s family, Pastor Willie Carino and godmother Irene one lazy afternoon when l4 members of Junio family did a Von Trapp musical in her home last Wednesday. Mark young and handsome pastor Raymond with the mellifluous voice, whom pa Andrew and ma Sonia must be very proud of… We saw kingmaker Sendong So’s secret of success, his other-centeredness, as testified to by scores of poor and needy people he has helped incognito…
Congrats to Dr. Nimfa de Vera of St. Paul University, wife of our friend, Prof. Pepe de Vera of Bani, Pangasinan, a recipient of a national award, Top Winner of the 20ll nationwide search of PERAA recently.
Be inspired by this line from “An Angel Says” sent from above:
“ … the world is composed of givers and takers. The takers eat better, but the givers sleep better.”
Advance Christmas greetings!
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