Punchline
Rey Villar started it
THERE was something that was pointed out at the Senate Blue Ribbon hearing on the P10 billion pork barrel fund last Thursday that should make every Pangasinense proud but I’m sure went largely unnoticed by those who monitored it.
When Sen. Alan Cayetano addressed the resource person, COA chair Grace Tan, he pointed out that the 2005 fertilizer scam investigation was triggered largely by the special COA audit report made public by then COA chairman Reynaldo Villar, yes, our own Rey Villar! And when queried by the senator what prompted COA chair Grace Tan to do a special audit of the 2007-2009 PDAF allotments, she replied that it was not her own initiative but only continued the unfinished project of Villar who resigned in 2011!
Just when everyone was ready to give the present COA leadership full credit for the special audit, nobody, not even I, would have known that the present report was actually initiated by her predecessor Villar. What should make us even prouder was the fact that Villar was an appointee of President Arroyo, yet this did not deter him from doing what his predecessors refused or were afraid to do.
It is only unfortunate that his efforts were in vain because then Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez chose to cover-up for the Arroyos by not pursuing the prosecution of then DA Usec. Jocjoc Bolante for the fertilizer scam. Let’s pray that this time Ombudsman Conchita Morales will do what her predecessor refused to do – to investigate and prosecute the grafters and the corrupt in the pork barrel scandal whether they are allies of the Aquino administration or not! Let’s pray, too, that she will finally make time to dig up the records on the fertilizer scam and see to the prosecution finally of Bolante et al.
So as we continue to monitor and watch the investigation and, hopefully soon, the court proceedings on JLN’s P10 billion PDAF scam, let us not forget as we make others realize that it was Villar, a Pangasinense, that started the people’s war vs. corruption in the national government in 2005! Three cheers for our Rey Villar, 2010 ASNA awardee for government service! (Rey, as most already know, is the elder brother of our Deretsahan columnist, Dangerous Drugs Board Sec. Bebot Villar).
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DAGUPAN-WATCH. Dagupeños keenly watching the Napoles escapade are wondering themselves whether the former city officials, including present employees, of the city government who participated in the plunder of the city’s assets by the Lim administration will ever be charged in court.
While Mayor Belen Fernandez has been heard to say that the accountable officials will be charged, many noted that nothing has been done to indicate that she would actually do it. “She already has the smoking gun, what is she waiting for?” asked by one who read The PUNCH reports. Some even unfairly insinuate that City Legal Officer George Mejia is either “too lazy” or “still on an extended retirement” for failing to even recommend the filing of a single case.
“How can she (mayor) expect the rank and file in the city hall to support her when they are more afraid of their corrupt bosses than her?” was one question that was thrown out of the left field.
Still, some already suspect that most of the grafters still in the city hall have already effectively neutralized the mayor through sycophants who’ve gained entry to her inner circle. Many fear that the bulong-bulong and sip-sipan aimed at covering up the guilt of some privileged friends are already reaching the mayor’s ears! In fact, it is bruited in media circles that one of the mayor’s new confidantes (whose husband is a contractor) is already seen to be exploiting her exalted ties with the mayor for her personal agenda.
While these perceptions may be without basis, city hall must realize that such perceptions if not nipped in the bud can seriously erode the mayor’s credibility. The perceived inaction or much delayed reaction of the Fernandez administration to reported discovered anomalies is already being viewed as a weakness or absence of political will on the part of Mayor Belen, a trait that the allies of former Mayor Benjie Lim are harping on. That these talks are making the rounds among the mayor’s supporters is already weakening the latter’s resolve to see her succeed. “Mukhang wala ding mangyayari yata,” said one who roundly supported her candidacy.
Another wryly asked: “Why hasn’t she called on the civil society to a “vision and mission’ planning session?” It was obviously a recall of (and a comparison to) the activity called by BSL on the first month of his first term in 2001. “Ayaw na ba niya (BTF) kaming kasama? Sila-sila na lang din ba? Pwede naman kaming tumulomg pa rin.”
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There is no doubt that Mayor Belen is doing a yeoman’s job trying to rebuild the city from near fiscal ruins caused by her predecessor, BSL.
She has had to deal with unpaid debts of the city with an empty coffer and this has clearly been her priority, and I couldn’t agree more. Fortunately for her, after 60 days of hand-to-mouth existence in the city hall, the indicators already show that more funds are being sourced to alleviate the situation.
But unfortunately for her, high public expectations created by her bold promises of drastic reforms and adoption of the principle of accountability are now weighing in on her. Even her significant accomplishments are unfairly beginning to be perceived as epal.
Even The PUNCH is not spared by it all. Many readers have become cynical about our published reports of the abuses committed by the Lim administration. Many asked why we bother to report these when Mayor Fernandez doesn’t appear keen on acting on these? Or are we making up all these reports? No, we are not, and we are standing by our news reports.
It also did not help the mayor’s cause that her allies in the sanggunian that compose the majority have not bothered to investigate any of the reported irregularities in aid of legislation. They are giving the impression that they do not support the mayor’s campaign to hold public officials accountable. Man babakes-bakesan la ra! (From public servants to hypocritical monkeys who refuse to see, hear, speak about corruption)! Have the councilors in the majority entered into an unholy alliance with their colleagues in the minority (all BSL protégés) to be silent about the abuses of the past administration – and of their own today and tomorrow?
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Perhaps Mayor Belen’s constituents are unfairly impatient. Perhaps they demand too much too soon to see her deliver on her promised reforms on accountability. But perhaps the sooner she is aware that her constituents believe that as the mayor, she and her allies can act swiftly to make past and present officials accountable, the more effective she can be.
Perhaps Mayor Belen is ready and just waiting for the opportune time to act drastically. Perhaps the majority councilors are still mustering enough courage before crossing swords with Vice Mayor Brian Lim and his loyal lapdogs who are determined to not be made accountable. But when?
My unsolicited advice to Mayor Belen: Paraphrasing an old adage, just move firmly and quietly but never hesitate to use a big paddle to whack whoever.
My unsolicited advice to the Majority councilors (Maybelyn Fernandez, Alfie Fernandez, Jigs Seen, Karlos Reyna, Jose Netu Tamayo, Marvin Fabia and Joaquin Reyes): Be not afraid.
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MORE UNSOLICITED ADVICE:
To Dagupan police chief Christopher Abrahano: Don’t be like your predecessor who turned a blind eye to the proliferation of Drop-Ball (illegal gambling) in the barangays. Check out Mayombo for starters. (O naayos ka na rin?)
To Dagupan POSO chief Michael Hernando: Stop obstructing traffic by double-parking your vehicle and entering one-way streets when your business is not an emergency.
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