By Eva C. Visperas

 

MANY were excited about the upcoming Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections 2023, including the media, of course.

What’s new? What’s interesting? What’s unique? What’s unusual?

Newsmen are on a hunt for details. Many are so eager to have a scoop, but some get it all wrong in the process.

In this social media age, the “gulatin mo” expression is the ‘in’ thing. It means doing something unusual that will surprise people— fellow workers, friends, family, loved ones, even the Doubting Thomases, among others, to prove one can do something beyond everyone’s expectation, be it positive or negative.

Bingo! There was a lot of “gulat” here!

While reading a regional story about Pangasinan in a national daily in its online edition Tuesday, I was surprised to read a report that retired General Arturo Lomibao, former PNP chief, filed his certificate of candidacy for barangay chairman of Pantal, Dagupan City.

What? General Art for barangay captain? In Pantal? But why? He is from Mangaldan! Is this a joke?

That’s how I initially reacted to the story.

Naturally, my instinct pushed me to get in touch with Gen. Art. (Thanks to Messenger, I reached him and he replied quickly). I told him about what I read and he could not believe the story himself.

He asked me do a screenshot of the news report and to send it to him so he can read it first before reacting. Then he phoned me in via Messenger call.

“Sir, what happened? Are you running for barangay captain?” I asked pointedly.

“Ay anto tan, general insan kapitan? (What’s that, general then barangay captain)?” he retorted.

(For the information of our readers, Gen. Art was reacting to a news story on August 29 in a national newspaper entitled “500 aspirants file CoCs in Dagupan”).

“It’s fake news. First of all, her source, she should have gone to the Comelec before writing anything of that nature, di ba? Kasi, the Comelec, syempre, they are the best source of correct information,” the general said.

“That was funny, really funny,” he added.

“Of course, that’s basic for credible reporting,” I replied. (Check, double check your facts).

It was a good thing General Art was not mad, instead found it funny that such an “unverified report” saw print in a national newspaper at that. He asked who the writer was. I told him her name. He said he didn’t know her.

After our talk, Gen. Art sent me this message, a clarification about the fake news that I can share with others: “In paragraph 6, it was mentioned that “former Land Transportation secretary (sic) and retired general Arturo Lomibao also filed his CoC on the first day to challenge the incumbent barangay captain of Barangay Pantal, the second biggest village in Dagupan City…”

Then, he went on to say, “I’d like to state categorically that the news is “fake news”.

Good thing the general was not mad but found humor in it instead. “No need to write a letter to the editor,” he said.

In jest, he said “what I really want is to run for SK (Sangguniang Katandaan, not Kabataan) chairman of Barangay Gueguesangen, Mangaldan, my home, my barangay.

“But I was informed that the position is still under study,” he joked.

In the middle of our banter, I told him that if, indeed, he so decides to run in Pantal, perhaps the Sunday Punch which is located at the corner of A.B. Fernandez Ave. and Nable (in Pantal) can be of help.

I told him I can volunteer to be among his volunteer campaigners. We both ended up laughing.

Of course, we sometimes have our lapses, too. It happens even to veteran writers. No one’s perfect and exempted. But each mistake must serve as a lesson, to be more careful next time.

Thank goodness, Gen. Art is a true officer and a gentleman, up to now. Always easy to deal with. I never saw him angry at any time, even when he was still active in service and the top man in the PNP.

Share your Comments or Reactions

comments

Powered by Facebook Comments