Jueteng‘s new face? By Ermin F. Garcia Jr. I hope that by the time this issue hits the streets, San Fabian Barangay Chairman Roland Villegas shall have returned to his family, safe and well. At presstime, nothing is certain about Villegas’ whereabouts. What is certain is another family, not just…

Why is God so unfair? By Ermin Garcia Jr. This Holy Week, hundreds of families in the city will again likely be bumping into each other in Tsim Tsa Tui District in Hong Kong, on the beach of Boracay, or along Session Road in Baguio City. Long gone is the…

Usec. Villar rides again! By Ermin F. Garcia Jr. Usec. Bebot Villar is like a square peg in a round hole in the GMA government. He would have been the first senior GMA official to resign if he had not been prevailed upon to stay on by his direct boss,…

The Lozada Fever in Pangasinan By Ermin Garcia Jr. The Lozada Fever is beginning to catch fire in the province. But it’s nothing like the “Paquiao the Pacman Fever”.  There is a whale of a difference there. The Pacman Fever brought the nation together to hail the renowned boxer who…

Mr. Nice Guy no more By Ermin Garcia Jr. Happily, I note that our beleaguered Joe de V appears to have found his right bearings finally! After his initial obvious and awkward attempt to restore “good blood” between him and GMA a day after he was ousted, then was later…

Time to walk the talk By Ermin F. Garcia Jr. So much has been written about former Speaker Joe de V’s unceremonious exit from the House of Sinners. I can’t agree more with most everyone’s impression and perception of how and why the massacre happened the way it did. In…

Dagupan City police chief should resign By Ermin F. Garcia Jr. The recent arrest of Dagupan City’s suspected most notorious drug pushers is an added feather to the cap of the Regional Police Office under Chief Supt. Leo Bataoil, and specifically, Sr. Supt. Jane Aonso, head of the Philippine Drug…

Guv Spines’ superfluous gun ban By Ermin F. Garcia Jr. AFTER the bodyguards of the two top elected officials of Tayug figured in a shoot-out, Guv Spines promptly issued the order. Ban the guns in public! It could have been the proper response except for some minor details. First, guns…

The PUNCH’s Roster of Imaginative and Effective Leaders By Ermin Garcia Jr. In our pursuit of effective and efficient governance, we are launching The PUNCH’s Roster of Imaginative and Effective Leaders. The PUNCH Roster will list Pangasinenses who make the difference for our people whether in national or local level….