Punchline
Setting the record straight
By Ermin Garcia Jr.
IT can no longer be said that Dagupan City’s early political leaders circa 1947- 48 were remiss in their duty in setting the landmark for the city’s postwar growth and economic development via its official seal.
Contrary to what the records of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) show, an official seal of the city was designed, submitted, registered and recognized by the national government in 1948! Thanks to our friend Alex Villaflor, a passionate stickler for historical accounts, for helping establish this fact by sharing with the city the original document of the registered design.
Curiously, NHCP’s records show that Dagupan City is the only city/town in the country that did not have a registered official seal since the end of World War II. Unbelievable!
It behooves, therefore, upon the city government to correct the records at the Heraldic Reception at the NHCCP before the next generations are made to believe that the new seal today as approved by the city council is the first legit seal of the city because it is not!
Additionally, with the adoption of the new seal, it is incumbent upon the Cultural Heritage Committee of the city to preserve the original design if only to ensure that the city’s political and economic history is properly documented for future generations to appreciate.
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Alex said he accidentally came by the document during an auction of old items from another hobbyist about 6 years ago. According to him, the seal was one of many contained in a folder of seals being auctioned. (Apparently, the file could have only come from someone in the records section of the Heraldry office who decided to dispose of these seemingly archaic files).
He said he bought the original copies of the registered seals of Dagupan and Pangasinan initially to form part of his collection.
He decided to make the document public after he was alerted by the news that the city government launched a design contest for a new official seal which was prompted reportedly by NHCP’s claim that city has not registered a single seal.
“Let it not be said that the city’s first seal was not registered because it was,” Alex said.
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JAI-TENG EXPOSED. The 40 mayors who issued permits for the operation of jai-alai off fronton betting operations in their towns must be crying from the bank these days.
The decision of the Court of Appeals to lift the restraining order issued by a lower court for the continued operation of jai-alai’s off fronton betting stations not only stopped the monthly payola to their bank accounts by the local operators of the betting stations in the province but unmasked them as conspirators who attempted to keep jueteng alive in their towns.
While the mayors and their police chiefs were adamant in denying that the jai-alai was a cover for jueteng, the raid of a jueteng operation in San Fabian yielded the evidence that they were all lying! Paraphernalia used by the jai-alai bet collectors were found being used to account for collections for jueteng!
The successful raid in San Fabian should have resulted promptly in the relief of the police chief but curiously, the provincial command has not hinted of any such impending action against the town police chief.
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It is unfortunate that Board Member Alfie Bince decided to back down on his earlier call for an investigation on the proliferation of jai-alai betting stations in the province. His was the opportunity to stand up for what was right against all odds. His failing health in the last two months reportedly prevented him from aggressively pursuing his line of offense.
Meanwhile, the provincial board as a body must be red in the face for standing for the jai-alai betting operations in the province. Nobody even bothered to raise the issue of the authority of the local government to grant franchises for gambling activities.
I recall the period when the provincial board then presided by former Vice Governor Oscar Lambino invoked its right to grant a franchise even for the Small Town Lottery over the representation of PCSO, a government institution. STL was not granted a franchise because the board correctly suspected that STL would be used as a front for jueteng. That board is vindicated today by the findings of DILG that indeed STL was used as a front by jueteng lords.
In sharp contrast, today’s board presided by Vice Governor Ferdinand Calimlim decided to be passive and merely allowed mayors to do their worst without even an endorsement from DILG or PCSO or Pagcor. With just a say-so from a private group led by Atong Ang, Erap’s gambling buddy, and a chorus of endorsement from the mayors, jai-teng came into being.
It didn’t have to take a rocket scientist to conclude that the jai-alai betting stations were covers for jueteng in the towns. First of all, for anyone to reasonably place a bet and hope to win, the bettor must watch the game at the station as it is played, hence bettors would have to be in the premises of betting stations to place their bets where game sets are presumed aired on cable TV. How many towns are served by cable TV?
Secondly, to develop strong following (bets) for the game, bettors need to be familiar with the skills of the players whose numbers/colors are changed with each set. How was it possible for bet collectors to move around the towns to collect bets for each jai-alai set when the collectors themselves are unaware of how games are played and won in real time? Winning bets are always instantly paid after each set, not the following day as customary in paying jueteng winings by cobradores.
Thirdly, the rules of the game are in Spanish. Was it possible that the bet collectors easily tutored bettors on the Spanish rules? Not on your life.
But still, the mayors insisted it was not jai-teng! And the board members said: Amen!
Then they insist on being addressed as “Honorable”? Give us a break.
Without jai-alai as convenient cover, the mayors will again be fully accountable for the presence of jueteng operations in their towns. It is with disappointment to note that San Fabian Mayor Irene Libunao will have to be the first to explain the presence of jai-teng operations in her town.
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THE PEOPLE’S MAYOR. The demise of former Dagupan Mayor Libring Reyna. (followed shortly by his son former Councilor Cesar Reyna), signals the end of a political era in the city when life in public service was about self-sacrifice, when integrity with honor was considered the best legacy a politician could dream of.
Mayor Reyna was the traditional politician of the old school. It was important to him that the community revered him for being a sincere and honest public official, knowledgeable but respectful of others, one who commanded respect for his office but humble in his demeanor.
I had long sensed this about him having had the opportunity to interview him on several occasions in one-on-one situations. Notably, he allowed me to pay for his cup of coffee on my insistence each time as his gesture of respect for my independence as a journalist.
I salute this former mayor who proved worthy of the people’s respect. I pray his values in pubic service will never be lost in his grandchildren who are tracing his steps in politics today.
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