Punchline
Mayor Benjie Lim’s threat
By Ermin Garcia Jr.
READ the indignant reaction of a piqued Dagupan City Mayor Benjie Lim to two of PUNCH’s stories in last issue before you read this item to understand the context.
***
So, here’s my take on his reaction.
1. The PUNCH published the story on the presence of coliform bacillus in the city’s rivers as one might expect from an independent newspaper without malice but with only public interest in mind. The PUNCH truly regrets the misplaced reaction of City Mayor Benjamin Lim, for instead of acting on the alarming message that has serious implications on the environment and on the health of his constituency with dispatch, he chose to shoot the messenger.
But this typical knee-jerk reaction of a traditional politico does not surprise us anymore for it goes with the territory of making public officials account for their acts of negligence and abuse.
2. On his reaction to the “small party” story, the mayor found nothing wrong with facts cited in the story but evidently merely took offense with the use of the word “small” which he interpreted to belittle his efforts.
Nothing can be farther from the truth. No reader has told us that the headline belittled anyone’s efforts but understood it in the context of the body of the story that the festival this year would be “smaller” than the previous, a fact that city hall did not deny. The word “small” was used to fit space constraints. We offer no apologies here.
***However, his threat to harm any of the PUNCH staff (editors, reporters, columnists) physically will not be taken lightly. We will hold him and his government criminally responsible for anything that might befall any of our staff at anytime.
We are aware of what politicos are capable of doing to harass or silence journalists, but he is gravely mistaken to think that he can intimidate us with his arrogant talk.
If he should know, what can certainly make any journalist worth his salt eat humble pie is to be told that his facts were wrong, but never a threat. Threatening honest and independent journalists with physical harm, only serves to validate the truth that they write about.
Such threats only work beautifully and effectively for “media practitioners” in the politicos’ pockets. No, they won’t ever fear losing their worthless lives but it will mean losing valued perks and allowances they can ill afford.
Boy, that would be like a death sentence. Nakakatakot talaga!
***There is something else he and his ilk must learn.
We, in the PUNCH, are only accountable to our readers and sources, certainly not to Mayor Lim or to any other public official.
We will, as a matter of policy, continue to give him and other public officials (as news subjects) the space they need to explain the true state of the city’s, towns’ or province’s services and environs.
We will reserve the right not to publish self-serving rubbish materials (praise releases) prepared and aired by his coterie of sycophants (among them media practitioners with relatives employed by the city hall).
So, if Mayor Lim wants to dictate his terms on how news should be reported, then he should consider reviving his Pangasinan Sun-Star and put his money where his mouth is. That he has the temerity to say he will “confront” the PUNCH tells me he has forgotten he has closed his paper … and does not own the PUNCH.
***
But what is more disturbing is the fact that Mayor Lim has not said anything about what his office has done in reaction to our news report, particularly on the existence of coliform bacillus.
While he talked about his concern for the bangus industry, and pleaded for the fisher folk, he actually did nothing to date!
He apparently expects the Bureau of Fisheries and Agriculture to hand him a formal report first before he acts on anything.
So pray tell, Mr. Mayor, if you thought that the news report was damaging to the bangus industry, so why didn’t you immediately raise hell with the BFAR, the barangay chairmen of the six barangays, the city health officer, the city engineer, your environment and waste disposal consultants?
Mr. Mayor, the report was made the headline precisely to prompt you to act quickly. But I guess, it’s easier to threaten and shoot the messenger than to threaten your bloated bureaucracy who’d rather focus on the preparations for the bangus festival.
Mas madali ba ang mag-party, huh, Mayor?
***
Frankly, I don’t believe that the news reports per se incensed Mr. Lim.
The PUNCH had written volumes about scandals and charges of corruption involving him and some of his officials but he deftly ignored these. For a while, we thought nothing could faze him as to make him correct the odious situations.
So why this violent reaction from Mayor Lim this time?
Methinks, it’s really all about his plans to run for congress against Speaker Joe de Venecia in 2007.
The Bangus Festival is his first salvo in the district, and he can’t and won’t be made to lose face before his prospective constituents. What’s at stake is not the bangus industry as he puts it but rather his candidacy!
I can’t believe he can even be enraged by the phrase “small party” when we had detailed reports on overpricing of projects, rigging of biddings, bloated loans in the city, missing funds, etc. that were by no means “small”.
No wonder, the respectable “broadcasters” in the mayor’s pocket promptly went to town on cue, to serve their patron’s political plans instead of public interest. (But I don’t blame them I realize it’s about economic survival and I would be the last to stand in their way.
So go ahead guys make your day!
***
Goodbye Mr. Chua and Mr. Dy
Over the past week, two distinguished men of the gentle generation passed away.
Dearly respected Domingo Chua and Bernaby Dy left us to meet their Creator, happy in His midst. The two earned their niche in the community by being the quiet pillars of the business community and icons in community service.
They were generous and selfless. Their presence, not their voices, made people look up and listen for they belonged to the circle of the gentle and the respected.
They will long be remembered. The PUNCH salutes them.
Share your Comments or Reactions
Powered by Facebook Comments
