By Ermin Garcia Jr.

 

THE obstructionist majority bloc members in the Dagupan city council can kiss their stars and their submissive colleagues in the minority. There is a ban on the suspension of elected public officials one year before the election and campaign period!

This means, Councilors Red Erfe-Mejia, Celia Chua-Lim, Alfie Fernandez, Irene Lim-Acosta, Alvin Coquia and Marilou Fernandez, can no longer be suspended even if found guilty by the Ombudsman for violating the Local Government Code at this time for delaying the passage of 2023 and 2024 annual budgets of the city and committing plagiarism in passing ordinances and resolutions.

(But wonder of wonders, how was it possible for  the provincial board to suspend Urdaneta Mayor Rammy Parayno last week?)

However, no law says no one can be sued in court for violating any law, administrative or criminal at this time. But even that could already be irrelevant since it is unlikely that the councilors in the minority, namely Michael Fernandez, Jigs Seen, Denis Canto, Lino Fernandez and SK chairman Bradley Benavides, will still have the nerve to file the administrative cases (for not passing the annual budgets as mandated by law, refusal to confirm minutes of meetings, etc.  and criminal cases (4-6 cases of plagiarism).

Without a doubt, the minority is already completely intimidated by the amoral, irresponsible, and daring moves of the majority, the 7 epaLiFes.

They had all the chances to push back the 7 epaLiFes and all their illegal procedures inside the city council but the minority did not dare file cases against  them. They only lifted a finger against the juvenile conduct of the 7 epaLiFes inside and outside the session hall, but nothing in the official business of the city council.

In contrast, the 7 epaLiFes had the gumption to question an act of the minority in court. They believed the minority who outnumbered the majority in that fateful session erred in approving the 2023 budget because only a ‘qualified majority’ ( that even absent councilors can vote) can approve a measure. Of course, they lost in their game. But they filed a case!

Without the easily proven charges filed with any court, the 7 epaLiFes can go to town with the narrative that they committed no wrong against the city, that they were justified in delaying the approval of the 2023 and 2024 annual budgets and rejecting all the submitted supplementary budgets, and that they were right in denying passage of the resolutions endorsing the establishment of the Mother and Child Hospital and the Tri-City Ferry program.

Looks like the only way the minority can effectively thrash the 7 epaLiFes’ narrative is to file the charges even without the possibility of their being suspended.  It’s now or never for their cause and advocacy for good governance!

A lie repeated a hundred times is hailed as truth by those who want to believe.

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CHANCE FOR REDEMPTION. Truth to tell, Mayor Belen Fernandez’s administration could have easily achieved and delivered more for her constituents if she and the minority councilors had filed the cases this year.

 She could have had all the funds she needed once the 7 epaLiFes were suspended. They would not even have had the power and the opportunity to oppose any of the measures she submitted as urgent because only the remaining councilors could have voted unanimously for the Dagupeños benefit.  

 Now, Mayor Belen has to explain to her constituents why she and the five councilors did not file the cases that could have vanished the obstructionist 7 epaLiFes when she and the minority councilors had the chance.

 And, unless City Legal Officer, Atty. Aurora Valle can cite credible legal circumstances that prevented Mayor Belen and the minority councilors from filing the cases, she must be faulted for providing the 7 epaLiFes all the opportunities to marginalize the Belen Fernandez administration.    

 For the longest time, Atty. Valle only cited “still collating the evidence” as her reason for not recommending the filing of the cases at the time.

 Perhaps she can still redeem herself against the 7 epaLiFes if she finally files the cases before the filing of candidacies, that’s on or before September.

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FREE INTERNET FOR ALL. The proposal of Senator Alan Peter Cayetano to close the gap between the Philippines’ digital infrastructure versus neighboring Southeast Asian countries deserves public support. He frees to a more inexpensive if not completely free internet access

The use of internet does not only affect businesses but students and teachers, who rely on the internet for education, work, and daily activities.

“Unless we pay attention to this, we will not catch up with our neighbors,” Cayetano emphasized. “Once we made this, we will really see the difference of having reliable and affordable connections in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.”

He further expressed his belief that the country’s push for e-governance, which is crucial for streamlining government services and reducing corruption, will not be effective if internet connectivity remains poor and expensive If we cannot have this, don’t expect our productivity to increase,” Cayetano said.

How can he be wrong about this? But all the internet providers are opposed to this.  But on whose side will the congress protect?

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‘THIRD SEX’ IN THE LAW? Sen. Robin Padilla’s desire to strengthen Republic Act No. 8353 or the Anti-Rape Law of 1997 prompted him to file his Senate Bill No. 2777 seeking to amend the rape law.

 His position: The heavy penalties including reclusion perpetua and death had been specified in RA 8353, but are limited to those who victimized females, according to Paragraph 1 Article 266-A of the Revised Penal Code.

He said: The aim of my proposed amendment is to ensure that the protection of the law is equal for victims of this heinous crime, regardless of gender – female, male, or the members of the ‘third sex.’

 He’s right. Women do rape men as well, the law must be applied to women as well. But to “members of the third sex?

Is there a “third sex” in this world? Obviously, the senator is referring to the LGBTQA+ sector but this sector’s members have either male or female organs, that international law defines as “man and woman.” Is he saying that the crimes committed by or on the “third sex” will be treated as an aggravated crime?

 This is utter nonsense.  LGBTQA+ is a lifestyle assumed by men and women and should not influence a rape case.

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Personal notes to share: The ‘medium’ prepared ribeye steak in Seasalt Café in Tondaligan Beach is worth the money. One will never get tire of the Dagupan bangus in ‘olive oil’ at the Breadhouse on De Venecia Highway. The hot ‘pork-century egg congee’ at the Star Plaza Coffee Shop is a favorite.  Panaderia Antonio’s sumptuous ‘Kare-kare” is one great specialty.

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