Punchline
Duterte, a letdown
By Ermin Garcia Jr.
IT’S been a roller-coaster ride (Yes-No-Yes-No) for supporters of Davao City Mayor Rody Duterte, particularly for our Fire Player Gonz Duque, who sincerely believed he would seek the presidency through a series of denials. It’s a great strategy for free media mileage, if you ask me.
Perhaps, if Mr. Duterte did not electrify the already politically- charged environment with his own off-the-cuff statements, often witty though rough around the edges, there would be no suspenseful and emotional clamor for his candidacy. But he was spontaneous as he regaled his audience with his read-my- lips act that went like this:
I will consider running if I’m on top of the survey!”
“No, I do not aspire to be president!”
“Yes, I will run because the problems are serious….”
“No, I will not run so don’t waste your time!
The PUNCH was actually once a victim, too, of the mayor’s flip-flopping when we reported his desire to run for president when he came to Dagupan, only to read an account in Baguio City the following day saying exactly the opposite.
His oft-repeated contradicting statements sent his believers in a frenzy choosing to interpret these to mean “I will run to be your next President!” But last Thursday he (?) sent a message through a T-shirt worn by his city administrator in Davao City that read: “NO is NO” in the front, and “Sinabi ko AYAW KO, Ang Titigas ng ULO NYO” at the back. Finally, that made ardent supporters’ jaws drop, faces crestfallen especially when news of his filing his COC for mayor was reported by Davao media.
But an eagle-eyed lawyer noticed something irregular about the COC filed in Davao by Mr. Duterte’s exec assistant. The commission of the notary public that signed it had expired. And the ‘Received’ stamp on the COC did not bear any signature of the receiving clerk. Hmmm, that again gave life to the flickering light of hope.
Evidently convinced that Mr. Duterte is still the same guy that consistently and deliberately confuses his supporters, a number shaved their heads following the example of Duterte’s daughter Sara, and pressed on to see him file his COC for president till Friday, the last day of filing.
On Friday, many of the supporters with cleanly shaved heads reappeared at the Comelec, praying for a miracle, for a vintage Duterte’s changing of heart over a 24-hour period.
Alas, Mayor Duterte was a no-show at the Comelec until closing time. What a letdown.
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TRAFFIC ENFORCERS BY THE SIDEWALKS. The news of a lady from Lingayen being run over while crossing the pedestrian lane at Perez Boulevard in Dagupan City is worrisome on two counts.
First, the city government has obviously failed to imbibe among its traffic enforcers the need to strictly enforce the right of way that pedestrians are entitled to when crossing the painted lanes. Second, there is no observance of speed limit in the city’s commercial district.
These are evident because even a day after that tragic incident that hospitalized the victim, the POSO traffic enforcers were still missing at the pedestrian lanes to direct traffic.
That incident says a lot about the lack or absence of discipline on the part of the city’s traffic enforcers in the performance of their duties, which are essentially only two: to maintain orderly flow of vehicular traffic and protection of pedestrians guided by the city’s traffic ordinances.
Obviously, the POSO personnel thought that Mayor Belen was merely playing up to the media when she demonstrated how the motorists and pedestrians should be educated to observe the proper use of pedestrian lanes, and were not really important. Wrong.
When traffic enforcers still believe that their work place is by the sidewalk, not in the middle of the road, directing flow of vehicular and pedestrian traffic, you know there is a serious problem with discipline.
Check them out!
* * * * *
REMEMBER BSL. The news that Mrs. Celia Lim, wife of former Mayor Benjie, and her son, Vice Mayor Brian, filed their COCs to challenge the Balon Dagupan Team of Mayor Belen should be welcomed by all, including Mayor Belen herself.
It’s about democracy at work.
VM Brian can be expected to throw in everything he’s got to keep his VM post, away from the clutches of Councilor Alfie Fernandez but matriarch Celia may not be expected to give Mayor Belen a political fight of her life. Celia has been a devoted, dutiful wife to a politician but that doesn’t make her a political animal by any standard.
But why did she have to file her COC, you ask. I surmise she simply wants to impart a message – Remember Benjie! And certainly, she is entitled to keep her husband’s name clearly etched on the city’s political history.
The only thing perhaps that she will have difficulty in during the campaign is having to give a categorical answer to BSL’s supporters’ questions on the whereabouts and state of health of her husband who has disappeared from public eye since May 2013.
I wish Celia, a dear family friend, the best of health always.
* * * * *
HIGH STAKES. With six months away still before election day, and no gun ban will be enforced, we are looking a possible explosive situation. I sure hope the Pangasinan Provincial Police Office has a contingency plan for this.
The stakes are higher now in mayoralty races. I say this because it’s the only elective post today that has access to a town’s or city’s “Development Funds”, also known as local “PDAF” that is hardly audited.
With millions at the disposal of a mayor, wonder no more why more politicos would rather slug it out for the post than be a congressman.
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TOPNOTCHER FROM DAGUPAN. Congratulations to Colegio de Dagupan!
Two of its graduates landed in top 8 in the recent Certified Public Accountant licensure examination given by the Board Accountancy of the Professional Regulation Commission!
Worth noting is that the two topnotchers, Ralley Paragas (No. 1) and Adriel Velasco No. 8), practically have the same background.
The two are of the same age, the Colegio de Dagupan at the same time, and took the same training courses.
If that is not a strange and a welcome coincidence of fate, you tell me.
Take a bow, Voltaire (Arzadon)!
(For your comments and reactions, please email to: punch.sunday@gmail.com)
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