Time to call the bluff By Ermin Garcia Jr.   OVER the last few days, I’ve been monitoring discussions on social media about the seemingly contentious issues about the planned transfer of Dagupan City Hall to a new location, particularly to the donated lot along the De Venecia Highway in…

Unprecedented political antics By Ermin Garcia Jr.   THE quiet town of Balungao is being shaken up by political forces as a consequence of the Double Barrel campaign of the Philippine National Police and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency as ordered by President Duterte. Double Barrel Reloaded keeps a close watch…

 Expose drug-using barangay brass By Ermin Garcia Jr.   THE protest rally staged in Balungao by town hall employees and a number of barangay residents last week was most unusual. It was aimed at the police station and the rally was led by Mayor Philipp Peralta himself, no less, to…

Some gall, temerity and audacity By Ermin Garcia Jr.     TO say that I was flabbergasted on seeing the images and claims in the video presentation “Korupsyon 101” by Dagupan Vice Mayor Brian Lim would be a big understatement. I was finally curious what Mr. Lim and Councilor Red…

Pretentious advocacy of Lim, Erfe-Mejia By Ermin Garcia Jr. FIRST of all, I doff my hat to our indefatigable Sunday Punch photojournalist Willie Lomibao and Playing with Fire columnist Gonz Duque for their well-deserved selection as two of Dagupan City’s 70th Anniversary Pinablin Dagupeños awardees! Willie’s regular contribution to the…

LGU vs. Deped in Dagupan? By Ermin Garcia Jr. LITTLE did I know that when I was editing a news story on the new appointments of City Schools Superintendents in Dagupan City and San Carlos City, I would get wind of the bitter exchanges between some mid-ranking officials of the…

A time for redemption By Ermin Garcia Jr. GIVEN the results of the dialogue initiated by the Moro community leaders in Pangasinan, we have reason to be assured that there will be no immediate spillover of the violence being witnessed in Marawi City. Not soon anyway but the likelihood will…

How to survive Dutertespeak By Ermin Garcia Jr. HERE’S a friendly and brotherly advice to Duterte’s loyal supporters who are constantly perplexed, baffled and embarrassed by their idol’s off-the-cuff statements coming out of left field, and to his yellow loyal haters who are constantly frothing in the mouth, their blood…

Prayerful man By Ermin Garcia Jr. LAST week, TV, newspapers and internet showed a picture of the newly appointed Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano kneeling on both knees while a prayer was being read during at the DFA’s Monday flag ceremony. And just as I was afraid of, the reaction…

Papa and his Sunday Punch By Ermin Garcia Jr.   THIS week I’m giving way to my younger sister Charisse’s thoughts and account of our father’s death on May 20, 1966. Unknown to many, she would or should have been the editor-publisher of The PUNCH today, not I, because she,…