Punchline
Is Pangasinan in serious trouble?
By Ermin Garcia Jr.
I’m really both shocked and disappointed that not a single member of the provincial board thinks that arming the barangay chairmen in the province with shotguns is wrong and unjustified.
Even the self-proclaimed ‘independent’ mind, BM Alfie Bince went out of his way to defend it, citing the law that allows it and the precautionary measures instituted to ensure their legal use.
The basic question that Mr. Bince and his ilk failed (or refused) to respond to is – is the arming of barangay chairmen warranted by an evident deterioration of peace and order and worsening lawlessness in the province? If so, then come out with it, and say so with a degree of commitment, and the scheme is justified from A to Z! Short of this, not even the best of intentions can justify such a scheme!
This is probably the truth but they refuse to admit it. Note that even the PNP provincial director Isagani Nerez finds the scheme meritorious for it helps in maintaining peace and order kuno. I dare him to suggest the scheme to his superiors in Camp Crame. He even likened the situation in Pangasinan to the war situation in Mindanao where police auxiliaries are being armed with shotguns. (Hello?? Police auxiliaries are under direct control of the police, but not the kapitans).
So say it, Guv Spines – “We are in trouble!”
A truly independent board member, independent of the onor-onor board, would find Mr. Nerez’s statement enough basis to force his resignation. His endorsement was literally an admission on his part that his command is no longer in control of the peace and order. (That Mr. Bince does not find in Mr. Nerez’s statement the slightest notion that the police is already incapable of not only stopping the proliferation of jueteng in the province but the series of assassination of politicians let alone solve them, and now joins him in believing that arming kapitans is the answer, baffles his admirers).
People would have wanted to hear Mr. Nerez say that the fund for those shotguns would have been better spent if the provincial government provided his command instead with more high-powered firearms and vehicles to do battle with gambling lords, cattle rustlers, bank robbers, kidnappers and guns-for-hire, but he didn’t. Surely, the professional in him cannot imagine how one shotgun for each kapitan can deter these syndicates and criminals, but apparently for some considerations only known to him, yes, he can!
So say what you will Onor-able Board Members, but the scheme is really nothing but a devious ploy to score brownie points with the kapitans for purposes of the 2010 elections and still pocket a generous share from the overprice (or fat commissions), courtesy of the P30 million fund, even at the risk of creating political monsters in our barangays!
Alaminos City Mayor Hernani Braganza is so far the lone mayor in the province who believes shotguns in the hands of kapitans have no place in a peaceful community, and has everything under control.
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THE IMPASSE AT SITIO RUSSIA. One can only sympathize with the sentiments of the residents of sitio Russia in Bonuan Binloc in Dagupan, who continue to resist city hall’s efforts to relocate them. Relocation is never easy since it upsets a routine and well-settled life.
But it appears that the choice of relocation is really not the issue for them. Instead of opting to relocate and finally legalize their residency, the majority are going with the legal maneuvers of the Johnny-come-lately ‘landowners’, they who were conned into buying ‘premium resort-cum-vacation properties,’ to stay the status quo in their favor.
From all appearances, the case will not be withdrawn by the few leading the legal fight vs. the city hall whether or not more of the illegal settlers abandon the court case and agree to a relocation. They will adamantly stick to their ‘legal right’ unless the city government perhaps offers them a compensation package to reimburse their lost ‘investment’. It’s really all about money for these new ‘landowners’ who are exploiting the needs of the illegal settlers in need of permanent homes. Note that the affluent ringleaders did not file the complaint as individual landowners but invoked the association that they alone created recently, as complainants.
If city hall believes its actions are backed by law, then it must have the political will and the legal muscle to enforce the law. The inclination of City Mayor Al Fernandez to be very diplomatic with the ‘illegal settlers’ is to fall into the trap laid out by the ‘new landowners’.
Makati City managed to liberate itself from the incessant invasion of squatters along the Superhighway by forcing their eviction while it ensuring that the relocation would be truly habitable. At the end of the day, everyone was happy with the results.
If Mayor Al wants to end the impasse, he should bite the bullet now instead of continuously polishing it.
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JDV’s PERSONAL PROMISE. When then Rep. Joe de V built his Bonuan residence in the 70s, I wondered why he didn’t bother to have the half kilometer of dusty rough road from the highway leading to his house cemented, asphalted or at least flattened. Today, more than 30 years later, after being a Speaker and a 3 termer-congressman for the 3rd time under the 1987 Constitution, the dusty and often flooded road (more like a trail way for mountain bikes) remains unchanged.
Here is a man who had access to billions of pork barrel over the decades, he who could have easily asked any contractor to construct a short ‘expressway’ to his residence, continues to drive thru the worst road in the city to reach his home.
So, when he invited me for a breakfast meeting last weekend, I knew I had to get an explanation finally my wonderment simply had to end! The opportunity came when we left his house on board his van (while traversing the road).
“Speaker, why don’t you bother to fix this road with all that pork barrel that you have access to?” I asked.
“When I built the house, I promised that I would not make government spend and build the road for as long as there are requests for more roads in the district, they come first before my own needs,” was his succinct reply.
I surely didn’t expect that kind of altruistic explanation, not from a man known widely as the epitome of a traditional politician.
If that’s what makes a ‘trapo‘, I wish there were thousands more of his kind today!
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FRAUDULENT CENPELCO ELECTIONS. The reported election fraud that marred the Cenpelco election in Malasiqui apparently was not an isolated case. Similar events were reported in Mangaldan to ensure the election of the mayor’s candidate as well.
Former board member Manuel Ancheta and our PUNCH sports columnist Jess Garcia attest to the same irregularities committed. How many more towns experienced the same?
It appears there was a coordinated plot to rig the elections.
(Readers may reach columnist at punch.sunday@gmail.com. For past columns, click http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/category/opinion/punchline/
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