Punchline
Surprise indictment
By Ermin Garcia Jr.
FRANKLY, the news out of the Ombudsman’s office indicting Guv Spines and Administrator Raffy Baraan floored me, for that meant a delay or worse the cancellation of the golf course project in Lingayen that I know will certainly attract more domestic and Asian tourists.
I even felt I spoke too soon when I boasted to some golfing friends in Manila that they can look forward to teeing off at the Lingayen golf course being developed today by the Espino administration. Like many, I surely had no inkling that behind the scenes, the Ombudsman continued to weigh the evidence that yielded probable cause for the filing of the complaint against him and others for violating the country’s anti-corruption law.
The charges are damn serious but judging from the facts briefly discussed in the resolution as stated in the Ombudsman’s press release, I surmise that the paper trail led to official clearances provided by law. With these documents, there is reason to be optimistic that the charges will be dismissed in time, assuming there were no forgeries in the documents submitted. I also surmise that what Guv Spines et al. need to prove is that the State did not lose but gained in the development project. Can he do that? I sure hope so.
But what could clearly be made difficult for Guv Spines et al. would be a political intervention where no amount of defense or explanation would matter. However, I have no doubt battle-tested politician Guv Spine will always have something up his sleeves to beat off his invisible political enemy.
At any rate, I still hope I will not have to kiss my dream of a championship golf course in Pangasinan goodbye.
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PROTECTION FOR FARMERS. I read this piece of good news last week.
The crops of the farmers of General Santos City will now begin to be covered by an insurance! This means, they no longer have to fear losing every centavo they borrow every planting season because their city government provided for the payment of the insurance premiums to protect some 14,000 hectares of agricultural land.
The terms were initialed by City Mayor Ronnel Rivera and Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. (PCIC).
The city government knew of the hardships that the city’s farmers suffered each time a calamity hit the city in the past. They not only lost their produce but found themselves buried deeper in debt to loan sharks because they could not pay their loans. Today, General Santos City’s mayor is giving them a new deal. “If a calamity befalls them, we can be sure that they can stand up again,” the mayor said. Even livestock farmers, I understand, will be covered as well.
For this endeavor, the city agriculturist has began working with the PCIC to finalize the implementing details of the insurance coverage.
I wonder if any mayor in Pangasinan will soon realize that in order for their constituents to share in the inclusive growth in their communities, farmers must be protected from losses caused by exigencies they have no control over – calamities!
In Luzon, the farmers of Isabel are already protected. When will Pangasinan farmers be protected?
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INVESTIGATING CORRUPTION. If you have not been watching or listening to the live coverage or reading about the senate hearing on the massive corruption in Makati City under the stewardship of the Binay family, you are missing out on a good study on how an investigation of corruption should proceed.
It is one thing to accuse an official of corruption, it’s another thing to prove it. This is what Senators Alan Cayetano, Koko Pimentel and Sonny Trillanes have been doing systematically. The damning evidence consisting of copies of official documents, receipts, pictures, testimonies are such that it has become extremely difficult to refute even by the second most powerful man in the country today.
Alas, Vice President Jejomar Binay and his coterie of spokespersons cannot do better than protest loudly what they conveniently refer to as political persecution, thinking that their oft repeated protests will reverberate in the minds of the public. It is not. What they unfortunately have taken for granted is the growing influence of the social media. No longer do people talk in whispers behind doors but posts their thoughts and impressions on their Facebook and Twitter accounts for the world to read.
I first read about the Hacienda Binay scandal in 2011 in a news magazine that had limited circulation in Metro Manila, and therefore, only a few thousand souls were aware of it. And since there was no senate or congress investigation, the controversy did not get the traction it deserved especially among the people who were deprived by insatiable greed. For sure, everyone in Pangasinan, including officials of Makati’s sister-cities in the province are learning of the Hacienda Binay only for the first time.
Today, the story-telling is different but the Binay family remains in denial. There are colorful images that sear the minds of the public, images that refuse to go and make people look forward to hear any of the Binays refute the documented claims. Unfortunately again, nothing appears to be forthcoming except cries of political persecution from the Binay camp.
Curiously, the recent SWS survey shows that VP Binay continues to enjoy a high level of trust, and this is what he boasts of, and rightfully so. What boggles my mind is how he relates to the sacred trust and confidence reposed in him by Pinoys. He surprisingly chooses to ignore the wish of the same people who trust him that he confronts his accusers in the senate. He, to this day, has refused to honor the invitation of the senate to appear and avail of a special privilege to cross examine his accusers and the senators investigating the corruption in Makati City, a privilege never extended to anyone at anytime in the past.
In my book, I would consider his refusal akin to flight. And flight means guilt. Anyway, there is still a small chance that people will see him storm the senate and face his accusers on October 30. Don’t miss it!
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IT’S ABOUT TRANSPARENCY. Three months ago, Dagupan Mayor Belen Fernandez announced to the media that the list of private organizations and individuals that have been confirmed to have received a largesse from the Lim administration from 2010 but failed to liquidate how the monies were spent, will be released by the city accountant and the city auditor soon.
People are now wondering if Ms. Fernandez has changed her mind and decided to forget about her pledge to prosecute those who unlawfully dipped their fingers into the city’s coffers.
Our reporter has been trying to reach both city accountant and auditor for an update but her requests for an interview have been ignored. Perhaps, the mayor may not be aware of this seemingly sudden absence of transparency in her administration, and unless she steps in to correct it, many of her believers will soon begin to wonder why the seeming sudden change of heart.
I know City Administrator Farah Decano, a vaunted Belen-loyalist, fully understands the mayor’s advocacy so perhaps she can intervene and prevent a possible erosion in public’s confidence in her boss.
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