New traffic stall at CSI Lucao

By Gerry Garcia

After being unconditionally pardoned or given executive clemency by PGMA, former President Erap E sounded more relieved than contrite when he said he has had enough of politics after decades of service to the nation as town mayor, senator, vice-president and finally as president.

At age 70, Erap says all he wants is to care for his 103-year old mother who is now on the verge of death.

But there are people opposed to Arroyo’s grant of clemency to the former actor, like  ex-president  FVR  who said  Erap has  not yet admitted  his guilt despite having been convicted and sentenced by the Sandigan Bayan— a necessity required by a grant of executive pardon.

Staunch anti-Erap groups also fear that since under the executive clemency terms, Erap would be restored his civil rights, there’s nothing to stop the aging but still ambitious former actor from running again in 2010, granting he still has legions of Pro-Erap Mahihirap behind him. And he would not need use of his forfeited billions of ill-gotten wealth.

Furthermore, there’s no legal basis in arroyo’s granting of pardon to Erap who has already been impeached. That’s the law, so says Special Prosecutor Dennis Villa-Ignacio himself.

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What worries us is that this political circus would win us Pinoys another rung in the ladder of corruption that has been besetting Third World nations. And the next World Survey of the current situation in Pinoyland will not be pleasant.

Senior Adviser on political affairs FVR was right in pointing out the semblance between the case of Estrada and former Korean presidents Chun Do Hwan and Roh Tae Woo who both admitted guilt for wrong-doing while in office before being granted executive clemency.

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The multi-million Dawel-Pantal diversion road, expected to be completed early next year which is aimed at easing traffic on the city’s inner roads, will end up in the chaotic and confusing intersection at the giant CSI shopping mall in Lucao.

It’s also the same vicinity in which the De Venecia diversion road from Calasiao ends.

So now we a have a traffic problem at the west-end suburb of the city resulting from coordinated programs of road construction. A few kms. ahead stands the Dagupan-Binmaley boundary arch.

(For past columns, click http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/category/opinion/here-and-there/  Readers may reach columnist at sundaypunch2@yahoo.com . For reactions to this column, click “Send MESSAGES, OPINIONS, COMMENTS” on default page.)

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