Punchline
Another template for corruption
By Ermin Garcia Jr.
It is, indeed, very reassuring to see Guv Spines on the move to forestall a calamity in the province of Ondoy proportion. But I am personally dismayed that the first thing he could think of is to buy a brand new dredging machine even before he can study and pinpoint the critical areas and establish the logistics that accompany such an operation. I thought that giving his two pro-active programs for the environment more teeth by seeing to a stricter enforcement of the laws would serve us well for starters. But no, he wants to spend precious people’s money on a machine.
I cannot but suspect that the dredging machine template for corruption applied in Dagupan City among others is what’s being foisted on the province. It will be recalled that Dagupan during the Benjie Lim administration, like a jack-in-the-box, quickly raised and justified the need to purchase a brand new dredging machine in 2004. Since no one could reasonably refute the benefits that can be derived from dredging the city’s rivers, the Lim administration quickly bought one sans public bidding, and the city was burdened overnight with the cost of clearly an overpriced unit. And guess who the city administrator was who helped engineer the purchase? He’s the same guy who now sits as provincial administrator of Guv Spines.
Today, the Dagupan City government is saddled by the maintenance of a useless dredging machine because the city now says it’s too costly to operate it by the city’s budget standards! So if Guv Spines is, indeed, not part of a get-rich scheme at the expense of the government, and is truly keen on clearing the rivers at the least cost to the province, then he should attempt to offer to buy the city’s mothballed dredging machine for less instead of eyeing another more expensive model that offers bigger kickbacks and allow for an exorbitant add-on price.
Guv Spines can be a true boy scout for the city if he buys the city’s machine because it will allow the Fernandez administration to cut its losses on that useless overpriced machine, and continue to be the ‘Gover-doer’, not a ‘Never-nor’ that his detractors picture him to be. (Guv, let’s not give your detractors the chance to go further labeling you as ‘Corrupt-nor’!).
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BODYGUARDS FOR COPS? What’s happening with Smiley PD Barba?
First he found absolutely nothing wrong with arming untrained barangay kapitans with shotguns, now he wants licensed gun owners to become members of his police auxiliary force automatically – to be ‘police’s buddies’.
For a snappy law officer even to consider such a ridiculous idea tells me he’s talking off his pershing cap. Firstly, surely he knows that under our present laws, licensed gun owners are not automatically issued licenses to carry firearms outside their residences, so what police buddy system is he talking about?
Secondly, is he suggesting that gun owners should now be privileged to tote their guns even without a license to carry outside their residences provided they are with a policeman, and act like bodyguards of the cops on duty? Thirdly, is the Pangasinan PNP and the Pangasinan Peace and Order Council prepared to cover insurance or expenses for injuries or death suffered by a ‘police buddy’ “in line of duty”? Fourth, what’s the business of a mere board member overseeing the activities of ‘police buddies’? Does he have the legal background to understand the implications of the ‘buddies’ acts’?
Finally, is he telling us that the police under his watch are not capable of keeping the peace and order in the province? Paging Guv Spines! Help!!
He obviously doesn’t even understand the psyche of the macho Pinoy, he who relishes holding authority over others especially when “authorized” to arm himself with a ‘top of the line’ weapon? Next thing we know, the ‘police buddy’ has already equipped his vehicle with exclusive police equipment paraphernalia to effectively fend off traffic enforcers, and appear licensed to violate traffic rules like most cops do.
Imagine 10,000 persons suddenly walking around the province with guns tucked on their belts claiming to be the cops’ buddies! What a very dangerous proposition from a top cop who loves to smile in front of the media.
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24/7 GAMBLING FOR KIDS IN THE CITY. The illegal gambling in Brgy Mayombo in Dagupan City located on an open lot along the main road openly operates 24/7 to this day, since 2008 city fiesta. Today, it operates under the pretext that it is given authority to operate a ‘carnival’ for the celebration of the barangay from September 1 – October 31 for the chance to fleece children of their baon by regularly playing the exciting ‘Drop Ball’! Have you ever heard of a 2-month long barangay fiesta? Lokohan ng harap-harapan obviously with the blessing of either the police or the barangay, or both.
Question: Who is protecting and gave the gambling operator the authority to operate, victimizing schoolchildren in the neighborhood? Was it Police Chief Sonny Verzosa? Barangay Chief Ming Guadiz? Both should be investigated and charged by the city council ora mismo for dereliction of duty and for conspiring to violate our anti-gambling laws and ordinance if proven to be behind the gambling.
Curiously, Mayor Al Fernandez and City Administrator Alvin themselves have not acted on the parents’ complaints against the unabated gambling in the barangay since we raised it here. Why kaya? I thought their city prides itself as child-friendliest city in the region.
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