Punchline
The Judas 9 struck again!
By Ermin Garcia Jr.
THE city of Dagupan is doomed.
Until Mayor Benjie Lim and his son Brian, and the majority members of the city sanggunian are stopped in their tracks, the city’s funds, properties and assets will continue to be used exclusively for the promotion of the “projects” of the Judas 9’s patron, Mr. Lim.
Recall how they railroaded the adoption of the resolution the sale of the MC Adore building in a highly irregular special session? Well, the process to establish a low starting bid for it has been completed as a result of that. Expected to bid and subsequently to own it will be Mr. Lim’s crony whom many suspect will be fronting for Mr. Lim. Now comes another attempt to save Mr. Lim a whooping P10 million for the renovation of his CentroMart and make the city pay for it instead!
Obviously scripted by the mayor’s son Brian, the de-facto leader of the Judas 9, other wise known as the new majority, the group railroaded (again) the passage of the Annual Investment Plan (AIP) of the city knowing fully well that the item for the CentroMart was surreptitiously inserted.
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NOT HONORABLE. Remember the names of the Judas 9! Brian Lim, Red Erfe Mejia, Guillermo Vallejos, Chester Gonzales, Chito Samson, Jess Canto, Karlos Reyna, Dada Manaois-Reyna and Alvin Coquia.
The re-electionists among them and the candidates listed under the Lim slate should be dumped in next year’s election. Then unfortunately, non-re-electionists’ (Chito Samson and Dada Manaois-Reyna) relatives in the Belen Fernandez camp – Saysi Samson and Marilyn Manaois-Reyna – are now under a cloud serious doubt as well for being silent and tolerant about their Judas 9 relatives’ malfeasance. Karlos Reyna’s insistence on staying as majority floor leader while keeping a slot in VM Belen’s camp is untenable. It’s a position that is utterly devoid of principles and delicadeza.
From what we’ve seen thus far, the Judas 9 are definitely unworthy to be called “honorable councilors” of the city. Shun them when you meet them anywhere to express your disgust and contempt for their shameless acts of treason against the people of Dagupan. Enough is enough.
I certainly hope someone is already collating the documents as evidence for a complaint to be filed against the Judas 9 for their evident pecuniary interests in BSL’s “projects”. There are case precedents decided by the Ombudsman indicting councilors and provincial board members in case the Judas are under the impression that they cannot be indicted for simply voting for a measure.
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PATHETIC. The once respectable councilor Jess Canto cut a pathetic figure when he tried to deflect charges of irresponsibility by the minority for presenting a highly anomalous AIP. On the prodding of Onor-onor Brian, he was mouthing exactly what he was told to say which was simply to turn the table on the minority by pointing to the latter’s non-participation in the Local Development Council meeting and other participants without admitting to the very obvious anomalous insertions kept hidden from the unsuspecting members of the LDC.
True to form, Canto proceeded to shift the responsibility for the questionable report to the 31 barangay kapitan, representatives of non-government organizations and civic clubs, Sangguniang Kabataan, Department of Education and Senior Citizens Federation! Everyone was guilty except himself, never mind that he represented the city council in his capacity as chairman of ways and means.
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UNWITTING CONSPIRATORS. Here are the organizations whom Mr. Canto blames for the inclusion of the CentroMart and other items violative of national laws in the AIP: Pangasinan Tri-Media Association and Metro-Dagupan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (represented by Lelia Chua Sy), Dagupan City Federation of Parents-Teachers Association (represented by Bernard Tuliao), Rotary Club of Dagupan-East (represented by Ernie Llanillo), Rotary Club of Central Pangasinan (represented by George Estrada), Federation of Senior Citizens of Dagupan City (represented by Cornelia Español), Fishpond Owners and Operators Association of Dagupan City (represented by Alfredo Dawana and Ramon Santillan);
Christian Ministries Fellowship (represented by Ricky Victoria), Asenso Dagupan Multi-Purpose Cooperative (represented by Ana Louise Velasco), M.P.C. Blind (represented by Conchito Napata and Evelyn Mejia), Share an Opportunity (represented by Edita Bautista), YMCA Pangasinan (represented by Jimmy Bacani), St. John Dagupan MP Coop (represented by Fernando Parocha), Sonshine Radio (represented by Jay Mendoza), DCTSC (represented by Gil Vismanos), Asian Development Bank (represented by Norman Ramos), DCGEMP (represented by Eduardo Magno), all the 31 barangay kapitans of Dagupan and the rest of the city hall officialdom.
They were all listed as participants who unanimously approved the plan. (I note that City Auditor Ofelia Celi also manifested her approval! Unwittingly, Mr. Canto absolved himself but not his partners in crime Onor-Onors Brian Lim, Red Erfe-Mejia, Alvin Coquia and Guillermo Vallejos who were present in that meeting).
I wonder if other officials of these groups and their respective members are aware that their representatives who signed the AIP unscrupulously lent their individual integrity to the conspiracy to defraud the city big-time in favor of the corrupt Lim administration!
I can’t help but wonder who rushed to the banks after the LGC meeting held last August 30, 2012 at the Pinkies Restaurant. (I don’t have to wonder who rushed to the bank again after the approval of the AIP was successfully railroaded. Isn’t it obvious?).
Shame on you all who thought nothing wrong of surrendering the city’s funds to BSL’s business activities, i.e., CentroMart, construction of grossly overpriced Lying-in Hospital, etc.
Those who want to witness with their own eyes how the Judas 9 conduct themselves arrogantly during a session, there is the Channel 17 on USATV to give you that opportunity. Stay glued there!
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BSL’S GODSON? After foisting a Belen Tamondong Fernandez, a namesake of VM Belen Fernandez, as a possible vote-disqualifier or reducer for the latter in the race for mayoralty in Dagupan, Mr. Lim’s aides were seen at the Comelec office hauling recruited flying voters for their principal.
The formal complaint filed by the LP against Comelec supervisor Remarque Ravanzo, reportedly a “godson” of Mr. Lim, and the recent withdrawal of Belen Tamondong Fernandez as “candidate” should warn Mr. Lim and his lapdogs that the city will no longer the same tolerant people that he knew them to be.
The force of the good is marching on to vanquish the evil. To Mr. Lim and son Brian, the rest of the Judas 9, watch them walk all over you soon.
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