By Ermin Garcia Jr.

 

THE unprecedented frequency of plagiarism committed by the 7 epaLiFes that tarnished the integrity of the Dagupan Sangguniang Panlungsod as an institution, is reaching a revolting and nauseating stage that one wonders if the words integrity, honor, and accountability still mean anything to the 12 councilors.

Frankly, I am incredulous not as much as the ‘in your face’ response of the 7 epaLiFes to the serious accusation of the minority block in the Dagupan Sanggunian but by the submissive attitude of the latter to it all.

As Majority leader Councilor Dada Reyna-Macalanda succinctly put it, in response to the appeal of the minority that the majority stops plagiarizing all submitted draft ordinances: ‘What is important is to get the ordinances passed..” Clearly, in between the lines, she said, ”Who cares if we plagiarized it?”

And how did Minority Leader Councilor Michael Fernandez respond? He reiterated with an appeal, “Please, don’t do it again!”

Toink!

 Councilors Fernandez, Jigs Seen, Dennis Canto, Lino Fernandez and Bradley Benavidez, were treated like doormats for the nth time by Councilors Reyna-Macalanda, Red Erfe-Mejia, Celia Lim-Chua, Irene Lim-Acosta, Alvin Coquia, and Marilou Fernandez yet they are again taking the insulting treatment sitting down.

Not one among the minority has the guts to stand up to say – “We will file a case against you!”

This is a very disappointing situation for Dagupeños.

There are the seven in the opposition who are amoral and arrogant, without honor and integrity but are fearless in doing the unthinkable for their hideous agenda.

Then there are the five honest, statesmen with the administration doing all to serve their constituents but without the moral courage to fight for the right thing.

Kawawang Dagupan.

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MAYOR BELEN’S CASE. Then, there’s Dagupan Mayor Belen Fernandez who’s wasting her time, praying and appealing to the 7 epaLiFes to finally approve the submitted Supplementary Budget 2-2024.

 She’s already been told that unless she comes across and meets their demands, she won’t have her budget.

Mayor Belen knows of the other option to compel them to pass it.  It is to file a case against them before the Ombudsman for refusing to do their mandated duty but she refuses to resort to it. If she does, the seven will be suspended outright, and the remaining five can approve the budget without much ado.

 But she already indicated she won’t file against the seven. And, that is puzzling to many but perhaps not to the 7 opposition councilors who seem to know why she won’t ever file a case against them.

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MEANINGLESS CLAIMS. Our headline this week, says it all. Or does it?

To say there are no licensed POGO operations in the region is one thing but there’s no way the police can say there are no underground POGO and illegal online gambling operators at all… until they are found. hehe.

Criminal syndicates have no fear of our law enforcers as shown by the elaborate illegal activities they’ve been doing for years until they are discovered. The drug dealers have the police running around in circles for years to this day, what with the protection money they pay regularly to law enforcers and politicians.

Can the online gambling and scammers be any different?

This early, government officials are already speaking in different tongues on the ordered banishment of POGO. Some are defending the ‘internet games license’ to be different from POGO license, while others are acting differently on strategies how to accomplish the mission by yearend.

It is no secret that POGO licenses have been used by syndicates for other heinous crimes.  There may be no licensed POGO but the same personnel continue to operate online gambling.

So, the PNP should be careful about making such a claim today. Given the history of the anti-drug war in the region, there can only be three ways to interpret such a disclaimer about illegal activities operating in the region: 1) No ‘discovery’ so far. 2) The PNP is not looking for them. 3) It is a cover-up.

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NO PRIORITY. The Pangasinan PNP’s decision to give a 3-week deadline before enforcing the provincial board’s ordinance requiring motorcycle riders, tricycle drivers to wear reflectorized vests when cruising in and around the province is already an indication the enforcement will be forgotten.

 What better way to strictly enforce the ordinance than to apprehend violators from Day 2 without penalty but issue warning notices? 

 Word of these apprehensions will spread like wildfire instead of expecting local bodies and media to announce it over a 3-week period.  It sure looks like the provincial police will not consider the enforcement of that ordinance a priority.

 If the police won’t even consider enforcing the helmet law that saves lives a priority, the provincial board can’t expect more in the enforcement of their life-saving measure.

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