Punchline
The P1.5 M question
By Ermin Garcia Jr.
THE opinion of DILG’s Legal Service Director Jesus Doque IV finding the city council resolution that was hastily passed in a special session called by Mayor Benjie Lim last April 20 as infirmed from the very beginning must have made the faces of all the onor-onor councilors beet red.
That the city council in special session was found to have erred in adopting the resolution without question, and without the benefit of a second and third reading, exposed the onor-onors either as a bunch of unthinking ignoramus or a cabal that was bought with the present exchange rate of then Judas’ 30 pieces of silver in exchange for turning a blind eye to their constituents’ welfare. The onor-onors can take their pick to describe themselves then!
The irony of it all was that the mastermind, he who called for the special session and who obviously “worked hard” for the onor-onors’ guaranteed presence, could not be taken to task in the same degree except for his motive in calling for the session while Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez was out of town on an official trip, his failure to send appropriate notices to the councilors and to cite public interest for the urgency of the session.
Given what I had witnessed, the blame lies squarely on all the onor-onors. They shamelessly and literally raced to make sure that the city hall’s “racket” resolution was passed in record time. Why they did it is the P1.5 M question.
Will Onor-onors Jess Canto (acting presiding officer), Karlos Reyna (acting majority floor leader), Chito Samson (movant for the resolution), and Dada Manaois-Reyna, Alvin Coquia, Brian Lim, Red Erfe-Mejia, Liga’s Emong Vallejos and SK’s Chester Gonzales (members of the “2nd the motion” chorus) rebut the DILG’s opinion?
Anyway, the answer to P1.5 M question will be known soon enough when Mr. Lim decides to seek the city council’s nod, taking the legitimate route as DILG directs. Will they dare re-enact their crime? Or will that be another P1.5 M question?
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QUESTIONS. Here are some questions texted to us by readers, and our response to these.
1) On the planned sale of MC Adore and the Calasiao property:
“Is the lot of the city in Calasiao beside the subdivisions going to Malasiqui intersection. Those lots are selling at 3500 per square meter. The city could sell them to the developer for 800 pesos per square and make 80 million pesos for the Calasiao Property. Let us pray Benjie does not sell it for 10 million.”
“The McAdore property could be appraised by any of the banks in Dagupan and even Licensed appraisers from Manila like Cuervo. It will be to the tune of 300 to 500 million pesos value with existing market value. Mura na sa 200 million. I hope Benjie does not sell it for 80 million only…”
A – I hope BSL’s newly created Appraisal Committee will take the cue that Dagupeños will not be fooled by a plot to undervalue the properties.
2). On the status of the illegal disbursement of calamity fund by Mayor Lim in 2010.
“When COA disallowed the use of calamity fund coincidentally in time for the barangay elections even without a state of calamity declared by the City SP, did COA file any report to the ombudsman or COA national? What happened to this issue? Will Mayor Benjie Lim be penalized or rewarded by COA? Is COA national aware of what is happening in Dagupan?”
A – This was reported by COA in its 2010 annual report. No, COA did not file a complaint. But the anomaly remains on the record and can be the subject of a complaint by any concerned citizen.
3). On the returned 2013 budget:
“IF DBM returned the budget of the city last year and this year with the reason that it lacks requirements and Benjie moved forward and spent the money to all those projects without the LDIP, are the other signatories of the vouchers liable as accomplices? Could they be absolved by justifying na inutusan lang sila ni Mayor Benjie? Makukulong ba sila o matatanggal sa trabaho? Will COA be suspended for allowing the expenses not approved by DBM?
A – I believe the accountable department heads that direct the illegal release of the sums can be held liable. It if is proven that they conspired to release monies not authorized by the government, then yes, they can be charged for violation of the Anti-Graft and Corruption Practices Act.
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NOT LEADING BY EXAMPLE. Mayor Lim is clearly dribbling the ball on the illegal drug problem and has no plans of scoring a 3-point shot vs. the drug dealers.
Late last year, he met with leaders of community in Bonuan Binloc and presided over the signing of a memorandum understanding with the community’s leaders in the campaign against illegal drugs. To impress upon his audience that he was serious, he warned that houses of recidivists among suspected drug dealers and pushers will be demolished.
Rampant drug dealing in the city has not abated but to date not a single house has been demolished. No recidivist has been arrested. No big fish has been identified. The barangay kapitan of Bounan Boquig was never investigated nor reprimanded, not even chided at all, since that publicized memo signing.
Then, as if on cue and to fend off criticisms that he was remiss having failed to prevent the brutal killing of DCNHS student Madelaine Faith Goyena evidently by drug addicts, Mr. Lim craftily organized the “Multi-Sectoral Anti-Illegal Drugs Campaign Pre-Memorandum of Agreement Signing Conference”. Another gimmick for the media.
Mr. Lim should stop using others as a backdrop, just to give the impression that he is on the job, when he isn’t. All these memo signing with various sectors will never produce results until drug dealers are seen being hauled to jail by his own initiative.
Lead by example Mr. Mayor before asking others to risk their lives for your campaign! Find the drug addicts who mercilessly stabbed Madelaine 14 times first then you can be believed!
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PROLIFERATION OF DROP-BALL. I wish to reiterate this corner’s appeal to Guv Spines to order the immediate arrest of operators of Drop-Ball, an illegal gambling activity that has proliferated over the years, mushrooming in many barangays in the province.
What used to be a petty, fun gambling activity that one finds in town plazas during fiesta celebrations, Drop-Ball has since grown into organized gambling activities in barangays, protected by barangay officials and the police. Until about 5 years ago, Drop-Ball took P1-P5 bets from fiesta revelers. Today, Drop-Balls operate nightly in the center of many barangays, mostly near the kapitan’s residence or a police substation, taking in bets as high as P1,000!
What is pernicious about it is the impression being formed in school children’s minds being taught by gambling elders that betting their daily baon in Drop-Ball is harmless and fun.
In Dagupan City, Mayor Lim and Police Chief Romeo Caramat have refused to lift a finger against Drop-Ball operations that operate nightly with impunity 24/7, when the skies are clear. I think the reason is obvious.
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A PATTERN OF ARSON. The burning of the Gabaldon Bldg. has all the makings of the work of an arsonist. How, indeed, can a one level building that spans across 12 classrooms can be razed to the ground within minutes?
There is already the knowing suspicion of a pattern of arson being resorted to by businessmen who, motivated by greed, are determined to expand their business interests in locations that cannot be had easily.
They point to the case of a burning of a section in the Lingayen market, then voila, a mall appeared. Ditto for the burning of the Bugnay market in Dagupan City.
Will a mall also be constructed where century old Gabaldon once stood? It seems that way so it behooves upon the Bayambang government to resist the sale of the land and instead plan the building’s reconstruction a.s.a.p with the help of the provincial government.
The Espino administration should not take the burning of the Gabaldon building lightly because the burning of the building was aimed at destroying what this administration has vowed to preserve.
(For comments and reactions, send to punch.sunday@gmail.com / 09286614110 /09178257001).
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