Punchline
There they go again
By Ermin Garcia Jr.
SHORTLY after Dagupan Mayor Belen Fernandez reported to the city her initial struggles, challenges and accomplishments as the city’s new mayor, the remaining ragtag loyalists of former Mayor Benjie Lim and his son Vice Mayor Brian suddenly went into an offensive last week and launched another wave of black propaganda to distract the public’s attention.
Their favorite targets as usual are The PUNCH columnists who they desperately claim are in the payroll of Mayor Belen. Try again fellas! In the case of The PUNCH, they revived the old yarn that Mayor Belen is a major stockholder of the paper. (Their original claim that Mayor Belen already owned the paper obviously didn’t fly).
For want of anything to discredit the lady mayor, who has creditably established herself as a much better mayor than their missing boss, they can now only hope to discredit her with concocted malicious gossips. I’m sure they wished they had evidence of illegal shortcuts resorted to by Mayor Belen, of under the table deals, of buying off media practitioners hiring them as “consultants” just like what their boss did. But they had none.
Tsismis is their only weapon left because their own personal integrity had already been severely decapitated by their own string of lies, and their shameless attempts at covering up the conspiracy that they themselves were involved in.
Sayang ira. They gambled their integrity recklessly and lost miserably. You now find them knocking on doors of naïve politicians and gullible businessman peddling their services as “pang-PR journalists.”
Don’t call them prostitutes. That would be insulting those who simply became victims of an exploitative society. Try worthless scums.
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OFFERS FOR THE PUNCH. But speaking of The PUNCH being sold and owned by others, here is a recent development that will make Mr. Lim’s doomsayers and spinmasters truly salivate.
There is, indeed, a standing offer for a possible acquisition of our paper in the future.
The group wants to bring The PUNCH’s brand of journalism to Metro-Manila initially as a weekly news magazine. The group does not include any Pangasinense (I know that for certain), and it has specifically asked that the paper’s name be used. To the group, The PUNCH, they say, is already nationally known for its uncompromising stand against corruption. Wow! Bow!
Truth to tell, The PUNCH has had tempting offers since the martial law days from various political groups but the politicians never had a chance as far as our family was concerned. With God’s grace, we managed to survive through the decades with our independence and integrity intact.
Will our family agree to the recent offer? Hmmm.
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A LEGACY. The plan of the Dagupan City government to involve its residents in disaster preparedness is timely.
The unprecedented number of fatalities in quake-stricken Bohol province illustrates that serious gap in today’s view of disaster preparedness. One would think that given the accurate data on hazards posed to communities, our country would have already achieved zero-fatalities. But no. Most local officials just continue to pay lip service to what can likely happen but nothing much is done to teach their constituents how to save their lives, including via forced relocation. For too long, our local government units are still focused on rescue and relief operations.
If Mayor Belen can pioneer in this effort on how we can truly achieve zero-fatalities in the city, a thousand lives more in other communities will be saved. This is where leadership by example will certainly pay off in terms of saving human lives.
That would be some legacy for this indefatigable lady city mayor.
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DISAPPOINTMENT. For the second consecutive week, the Dagupan City council again cancelled its regular session last week for lack of quorum.
Sanggunian records show that with the exception of Councilor Joey Netu Tamayo, not a single soul who attended Mayor Belen’s presentation of her “First 100 Days “ report was in the session hall for the 2 p.m. roll call. Consequently, the Netu resolution calling for the investigation of reported corruption (in aid of legislation) remains in limbo on its 3 week.
As things stand, the members of the minority led by VM Brian Lim, Councilors Red Erfe-Mejia, Guillermo Vallejos, Alvin Coquia and Jess Canto can be expected to torpedo the resolution. After all it is they, with the exception of Mr. Canto who are among those being made to account for their past activities.
But something is amiss with the members of the majority, they who profess deep commitment to the mayor’s Balon Dagupan vision. They can’t seem to come forward as a solid majority, very much like how the Lim majority performed in the recent past to pass the anomalous sale of MC Adore resolution. As the weeks pass, it is becoming clear that the Fernandez majority in the council has not shown any interest to support resolutions and ordinances that reinforce transparency and accountability in governance. What a pathetic irony seeing them, wittingly or unwittingly, support the minority’s “boycott” by conveniently absenting themselves.
The conduct of Pro tempore Karlos Reyna and Majority Leader Maybelyn Fernandez are disappointing to say the least. They don’t have what it takes to lead and rally their peers inside the session hall. Or did they already cut a deal with Lim and company in the minority to stop the resolution?
If the Fernandez majority again fails to muster a quorum next week, I would already be inclined to believe that the remaining Judas 9 have, indeed, succeeded in snaring new recruits for their agenda – not to hold anyone accountable for past and future misdeeds.
Will Mayor Belen allow this to happen? I pray not or else, nag-iisa na siya! Kawawa na naman ang Dagupan!
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