Sunday, January 27, 2013

Crime Busters: PNP Colonels Chan and Abrahano

Lt. Col. Cris Abrahano

Col. Marlou Chan

By MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA

 I broke bread recently with the two newest police bigwigs of the gargantuan province Pangasinan. They were Pangasinan’s Officer-in-Charge Provincial Director Senior Superintendent Marlou Chan and Dagupan City’s Chief of Police Superintendent Cris Abrahano in one of the cozy nipa huts of Mang Peping Restaurant that is nestled along the new De Venecia Highway in the Bangus City.

 Senior Superintendent (Colonel) Marlou Chan

 I told Sr. Supt. or Colonel Chan that the omnipresent of spot checking policemen and 63 olive-green drab Special Action Force (Reminiscent of Rhodesian (Now Zimbabwe) Special Ops) have been a laudable sight in the province.
 He said he requested the SAF from Camp Crame to augment his more than 2000 policemen who act as deterrents to any scheming hired guns to pounce again on their unwary victims that could add to the 90 corpse they assassinated in the province since January 2012. Police data provides that Pangasinan placed second in the country’s provinces in terms of the most number of firearms- related killings.
The ubiquity of these government forces, thanks to Chan’s initiative, was welcomed by anxious Pangasinenses who thought that the province is destined to become a province in Mexico or Venezuela -- where hired hands at their impunity sow fear to the populace.

Pangasinan mayor delikado sa kasong plunder

Alaminos City Mayor Hernani Braganza (3rd from Right)

. DAGUPAN CITY – Nanganganib si Alaminos Mayor Hernani Braganza sa kasong plunder (RA 7080 o paglimas ng kayamanan na mahigit a limampung milyong piso), pagdispalko ng pera ng bayan at iba pang di-umanong gawaing labag sa Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act o RA 3019). Ito ang tiniyak ni Atty. Abraham Espejo, pangunahing abogado sa kasong plunder laban kay Braganza na inihain sa Office of the Ombudsman ng labing limang dati at kasalukuyang opisyales ng barangay sa Alaminos City sa ginanap na press conference kamakailan. “Malakas at solido ang mga ebidensiya na isinumite namin sa Ombudsman, lalung-lalo na ang mga report ng Commission on Audit (COA) na nagpapakita ng maliwanag na pagdispalko ng pera,” paliwanag ni Espejo sa media. Sa naturang presscon, ipinamahagi ni Espejo sa media ang mga kopya ng mahigit 300-pahina ng verified complaint na kung saan nakalagay ang mga litrato ng mga di-natapos at nakatiwangwang na mga proyekto na di-umanoy ginastusan ng goberyno-lokal ng Alaminos ng milyung-milyong pisong pondo. Ayon sa mga dokumentong isinumite ng mga opisyales ng barangay sa Ombudsman, umutang ang goberyno-lokal ng P300-million sa Land Bank of the Philippines para sa pagpapatayo ng city hospital, hotel at ilang gusali ng eskwelahan sa Pangasinan State University. Ngunit, nakalahad sa reklamo na ni-isa sa mga proyekto ay nagawang matapos ng isang kontraktor sa kabila ng di-umanoy nagastos na pondo Nakalahad din sa reklamo na inilipat ang pondong P300-milyon sa Development Bank of the Philippines na kung saan nagawang maglaan ang goberyno-lokal ng P249-milyon na “standby-credit” na ginamit di-umano sa pagbili ng mga heavy equipment na nagkakalahaga ng P51-milyon. Batay sa COA report, walang maliwanag na imbentaryo sa mga equipment na, ayon sa reklamo, ay nilaspag ng RR Encabo Construction, ang kompanyang nangontrata sa mga proyekto. Isa sa mga may-ari ng kompanya ay kamag-anak daw ni Mayor Braganza. Inihayag din ng COA report ang mahigit P37-milyon na “unliquidated cash advances” na kinuha sa intelligence fund ni Braganza. Naakusahan din ang alkalde ng Alaminos ng di-umanoy paglustay ng mga pondo para sa iba’t-ibang proyekto, kagaya ng Alaminos Airport (P3.9-B); Bamboo Industry Development Project (P31-M PAGCOR fund); Olympic-size swimming pool (P8-M); Wetland Development (P55-M); City Plaza/Children’s Park (P9-M; at rehabilitasyon ng Cayucay road (P10-M). Maliban kay Braganza, nahaharap din sa kasong plunder ang 9 na miembro ng Sangguniang Panglungsod ng Alaminos at 8 opisyales ng siudad, kabilang ang city administrator, city treasurer, city accountant and hepe ng pulisya ng siudad

P49M road elevation: Lim hails P-Noy

Dagupan City Mayor Benjie S. Lim

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

DAGUPAN CITY – The mayor of this flood prone city lauded President Benigno Simeon Aquino III for including the P49 million in the General Appropriation Act of 2013 for the elevation of the concrete road in AB Fernandez Avenue here.
 According to administrator Vladimir Mata, President Aquino has been impressed by the pro-active role of Mayor Benjie S. Lim on mitigating the adverse effect of climate change. “Because of our elation I even told the prime time news of TV stations GMA-7 and ABS-CBN that the timely intercession of Mayor Lim made the project happened,” Mata, a former city councilor, stressed.
A source who asked anonymity said the upgrading of the thoroughfare will start from the city plaza and ends at the junctions of Rizal Street and Perez Boulevard.

For inaccurate reporting: LAWYER BLAMES MEDIA

Atty. Ambraham Espejo has practically blamed the media for erroneously reporting that a P4.7 billion plunder case was filed against Alaminos City Mayor Hernani Braganza. It appeared from Espejo’s statement during a press conference at the Star Plaza Hotel here that he was holding the media responsible for misinterpreting the said complaint filed by 11 barangay captains from Alaminos. “Well, basically isinama po ng media sa kaso yong P3.9 billion na budget for the airport; so nasa media po yan kung anong anggulo po yong kinuha nila,” Espejo said. He said that “Kung tatanggalin po yan (P3.9 B of the P4.7 B), plunder pa rin po yan, more or less. Siguro P1 billion or P700 million to P800 million.” When pressed to specify the exact amount that may have been embezzled, Espejo evaded the question saying:

ILOCOS REGION CRIME GROUP AND PAGs SURRENDER

CAMP BGEN OSCAR M FLORENDO – Police Chief Superintendent Ricardo C. Marquez, Police Regional Office 1 director announces here today (Jan 25) the surrender of alleged members and leaders of the Gomez- Cachola Crime Group and the Abiang Group. PCSupt. Marquez, stressed that the continuous and close monitoring of the Regional Intelligence Division, the Ilocos Sur Police Provincial Office and the Regional Special Operations Task Group (RSOTG) resulted to the surrender of the Gomez- Cachola Group yesterday (January 24), followed by the the Abiang Group today (January 25). According to the regional director, the Gomez- Cachola Group, listed as a crime group while the Abiang Group, considered as a partisan armed groups which is allegedly engaged in Gun-For-hire activities and responsible in various nefarious activities in the second district of Ilocos Sur, voluntarily submitted themselves to the police and witnessed by local government officials stating therein their denial as to involvements to any irregularities especially this election period and instead promised to cooperate and assist the PNP in all its endeavor for peace and order in their own locality. The Abiang Group also surrendered one short caliber .38 pistol with ammunitions and one homemade shotgun with no markings and ammunitions. After proper police documentations, all suspects executed their Affidavits of Undertaking and gave their barangay clearances and pictorials. “This is a result of our joint efforts on intensified campaign against all barriers in ensuring a secure and fair elections (SAFE)”, Marquez added

Mayor Abalos: ‘Still feeling my way around’



ABALOS ATTENDS ROMERO'S BURIAL: Mangaldan Mayor Berex Abalos (C) posed with BM Ming Rosario and MIndanao Mayor Ali Ogtog (L)


By Mortz C. Ortigoza
MANGALDAN – The new mayor of this tapa (cured beef) producing town in Region 1 is still feeling his way around after he succeeded Mayor Herminio Romero who died of cardiac arrest a month ago.
Mayor Bernardo “Berex” Abalos said since he was still in a transition period as he still looks for the best that he can do for this town.
Abalos replaced Romero who died of a heart attack during a party in neighboring San Fabian town.
He said however that there are projects that his predecessor started that need to be finished and those that are waiting in the pipeline.
”Marami pang naiiwan si former mayor Romero kaya tuloy-tuloy ko na ang kanyang naumpisahan. Tinitingnan ko ang inumpisahan niya na  itutuloy ko ngayon,” he stressed in the vernacular.
He said he had been doing sorties in the villages here as he sizes up how he will strategize his mayoralty bid for the May 13 poll.
Abalos is pitted against Bonafe de Vera, who lost to Romero in the mayoralty race in the 2010 poll.
Abalos runs in tandem with vice mayoralty bet Joseph Emmanuel Cera, a lawyer, while his slate for  town council are Teresa ‘Baby’ Abalos, Leo Fabia, Freddie Soriano, Ricardo Flores,  Jojo Quinto, Manuel Cabrera, and Punong Barangays Samuel Villanueva and Boy Frialde
De Vera’s vice mayoralty candidate is former Vice Mayor Manuel M. Casupang. While her slate for the this town's council are Atty Jojo Surdilla, Councilor Joel Meneses, Former councilor Abe Cervas. Dr. Jose Soriano, Brgy kgd. Erika Limon, Webster Morillo, Brgy kgd Doy Aquino and Rose Barrozo.

Saturday, January 26, 2013

Pagcor’s donated E-Kawayan Project in Alaminos is “non-existent” – Dean Espejo


"He who steals in part, steals in whole." This was the pronouncement of lawyer Abraham Espejo, lead counsel for the 15 incumbent and former barangay officials of Alaminos City, who filed plunder case against Mayor Hernani Braganza. In a press conference held January 22 at the Star Plaza Hotel in Dagupan City, Espejo pointed out that multi-million peso "anomalous" projects were enumerated in the complaint to include P31-million "E-Kawayan project (Bamboo industry handicraft industry) funded by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR). Said project allocation was supposedly to finance the expansion of the processing facility of the Hundred Islands, an innovative technology, generated from the Don Mariano Marcos State University in Batac, Ilocos Norte.

Cynthia Villar leads clean-up of Manila Bay

First Clean-up Drive: Villar Foundation led by former Las Pinas Rep. Cynthia Villar (Extreme Right) partners anew with DZRH in Cleaning up Manila Bay
First Clean-up Drive: Villar Foundation led by former Las Pinas Rep. Cynthia Villar (Extreme Right) partners anew with DZRH in Cleaning up Manila Bay

 FORMER Las Pinas Rep. Cynthia Villar on Saturday led the clean-up drive at Manila Bay in the Las Piñas-Parañaque Critical Habitat & Eco-Tourism Area or LPPCHEA where some 1,500 sacks of garbage were collected by thousands of volunteers. Villar, also managing director of Villar Foundation, underscored the need to clean our environment to prevent flooding. “Protection of the environment will save us from disasters and calamities. Calamities are added burden to us.
It can make one poorer because all efforts would be futile if properties acquired through hard labor will only be destroyed by floods and other calamities,” explained Villar.

Jack Enrile lauds P-Noy's Kasambahay Law


Jack Enrile (L) with the Administrator of  P'nan Biggest Blog
STATEMENT FROM REP. JACK ENRILE ON THE SIGNING OF BATAS KASAMBAHAY INTO LAW

 I congratulate President Benigno Aquino III for the timely signing of the Batas Kasambahay bill which will benefit almost 2 million local domestic workers.
This is a landmark piece of legislation that took Congress 15 years to enact into law. This is just the beginning; our work is not over yet.
We need to make sure that the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of this milestone measure will be properly enforced. I therefore extend my hand to President Aquino in whatever capacity to help fulfill the true spirit of this new law.

Cayetano to call for parallel audit with COA of Senate funds


Senate minority leader Alan Peter Cayetano bared his plan to file a resolution to formalize his call for an audit by an independent private firm. But he clarified further that such an audit could possibly entail: (1) an audit by an independent firm parallel to Commission of Audit’s (COA) own audit; (2) a sole audit conducted by a private firm independent of COA; or (3) an independent people’s audit. “I just want Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile to answer two things: (1) How was the P250,000 liquidated; and (2) From the P2 billion Senate budget, how much was liquidated by certification alone,” he said.

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Thanks FB: Braganza helps rescue detained OFW abroad

Alaminos City Mayor Hernani Braganza (Extreme Left)

Thanks to the social network Facebook, Philippine embassy officials have successfully rescued a 32-year-old Filipina domestic helper from Pangasinan who was locked up for 19 days without food by her employers in their Amman residence.
Lalane Fontanilla Balcorta, a native of Alaminos City, said she barely survived the ordeal by asking scraps of food from neighbors who took pity of her situation. Alaminos City Mayor Hernani Braganza, who tipped off embassy officials of Balcorta’s plight, said he was informed of the domestic helper’s predicament through an appeal for help posted in the Facebook page “Taga Alaminos Pangasinan Ka Kung...” before noon last Monday.

Bro. Eddie urges gov’t to refocus embassies, consulates towards protection of OFWs

Senatorial bet Eddie Villanueva 
As overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) continue to fall prey to various cases of maltreatment by their employers, Bro. Eddie Villanueva urged the government to revamp the Philippine embassies, consulates and labor offices abroad and focus efforts towards the protection of Filipino workers’ rights. Only recently, 10 OFWs allegedly maltreated in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have returned home after running away from their employers.
They are currently filing legal action against their local recruiters. Villanueva said that many of the country’s diplomatic and labor offices abroad continue to fail to provide OFWs even the most basic protection against abusive employers, including urgent legal and repatriation assistance, using the alleged lack of funding as excuse:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA'><!--

Pondo ng Senado para sa mamamayan at hindi pondo para sa senador lang

RP's Senate Going to the Dogs?: Senator Cayetano (L) clashed  in an  ugly word-war with Sen. President Enrile (R) at the August Chamber

By SEN. PETER CAYETANO

 Kung ano ang ating itatanim, yun din ang ating aanihin. Mr. President, this is a biblical principle that I firmly believe in. I rise today to speak on a question of personal and collective privilege. My initial reaction when this issue came out is, “Nakakahiya.” Nakakahiya na ang issue na pinaguusapan ng mga senador ay mga pondo nila at pera. Samantalang ang daming problema sa ibang lugar sa bansa katulad ng region 11, sa Davao City na tinamaan ng matitinding kalamidad, mga problema sa peace and order na napapabalita sa iba’t ibang bahagi ng bansa.
Nararanasan ng ating mga kababayan ang pagtaas ng presyo ng mga bilihin. Tuloy tuloy ang pagtaas nito at marami pa rin ang hirap na hirap na makakuha ng trabaho at sapat na kita.

Lawyers affirm strong plunder case vs. Braganza before Ombudsman



DAGUPAN CITY – Lawyers of the 15 incumbent and former barangay officials of Alaminos City who filed plunder case against Mayor Hernani Braganza affirmed yesterday they have a strong case against the mayor and 17 local officials, 9 of whom are incumbent city councilors of Alaminos. In a press conference at the Star Plaza, lawyer Abraham Espejo, lead counsel for the complainants, presented to the media a 330-page verified complaint supported by official documents gathered from the records of the city government of Alaminos and the Commission on Audit (COA) which revealed the series of alleged illegal fund expenditures incurred by Braganza in conspiracy with the other respondents in the Ombudsman case.

Legarda Seeks Approval of Three Int’l Tax Treaties

At the resumption of Senate Session today, January 21, Senator Loren Legarda said that she will seek the approval on third reading of three important international tax treaties. “We are going to seek the approval of the Philippines-France Protocol, the Philippines-Qatar Tax Treaty, and the Philippines-Kuwait Tax Treaty. The benefits of tax treaties, especially to developing countries, cannot be gainsaid. They help the Contracting States to better enforce domestic laws so as to reduce tax evasion, and they likewise promote technology transfer, and international academic, cultural, and sports exchanges,” she explained.

Sunday, January 20, 2013

BLAME THE YARN: Criminal liabilities await Kaps and Dads in Alaminos City


By BLACK HORSE FACE

 The 11 barangay captains and three aldermen of Alaminos City are courting a backlash of litigation.
 One: At the behest of some powerful men, they sued their mayor Hernani Braganza at the Ombudsman with an Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act because they cried they were deprived of the funds for their village and the vans that they said were bought through a counter part fund shelled out by their village.
 Two: They allowed themselves to file a sworn letter request for investigation at the Ombudsman last month that the mayor stole P4.7 billion from the coffer of the city.
Wow, the incredibility of the story is one for Ripley’s.
 In the first accusation, they would be liable for Incriminatory Machination and Perjury.
Why? After they engaged in defamatory orgies against Braganza on the funds and the vans’ craps, Alaminos City administrator Elmer Panabang and wily media man Atong Remogat, just like stealth, sneaked in the room of the departing Kapitanes and City kagawads (who paid the P60 thousand minuscule ”telephone booth” Karaoke room) where Panabang easily refuted each of the allegations against Braganza that made the overpriced P60 thousand media operation Star Plaza Hotel adventure shouldered by the powers-that-be for the “rebels” of Alaminos went to drain.
 The hotel room piggy-backing former police colonel explained that the city’s budget office was able to provide the Ombudsman with documents proving that the all the villages had received the barangay aid due to them. He continued that the documents, including checks and bank records, showed that the complainants were lying through their teeth.
This is a basis for a perjury case if what Panabang cited there were true.
 He said the vans were recalled because they undergo repair after they were recklessly abandoned to be on a tip-top condition. “How can the mayor be liable for the recall of the vans when some of them have been returned to the councilor of the village,” Panabang said.
Panabang explained that there was no memorandum of agreement between the captains and the mayor that the former take custody of the vehicle.
I was told that the media operative have been called by the power-that-be and chided why they allowed Panabang and Atong baby to ruin their scheme.
In the second accusation: They court another criminal perjury case.
 Braganza told media men, in a press conference recently held in the swanky convention room of Deluxe Restaurant in Dagupan City, that the village chiefs also submitted fabricated and concocted statements before the Ombudsman, chief among them the claim that they have personal knowledge of the allegations brought before the investigative body. “How can they claim that they have personal knowledge of the allegations when what they submitted to the Ombudsman were merely lifted from the Alaminos City website and from the accomplishment report of our City Engineers’ Office?” Braganza said.
 “What they submitted is a white paper full of unfounded and baseless allegations, which is being sold to the media as a legal document,” he added.
Braganza told the press that it is impossible for local executives to pocket the budget for these projects as the bank providing loans for the projects release the fund in tranches depending on the completion rate of construction work and submission of required documents.
 “The money is still with the bank, which releases the fund on several stages until the projects are completed,” he said. Braganza noted that the village chiefs lied to the Ombudsman and the media when they alleged that that the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) has already released P249 million to the city government for the construction of the major infrastructure projects. He said official records would show that only P85.772 million in loan money had been released to the city government to fund major projects such as procurement of heavy equipment, construction of Alaminos City Hotel and Hundred Islands Medical Complex, and expansion of the Pangasinan State University (PSU) campus in the city .
As what Bill O’Really in his famous Fox TV program “The No Spin Zone" would pose to his intimidated guest after confronting a tall tale: What say you, Senator?
 What I can say man is: Incriminatory machination, slander, and perjury are brewing for these 11 poor village chieftains and the three sorry aldermen.

Saturday, January 19, 2013

A Time to Kill: Vulnerable Filipino Politicians


By MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA

 Resolution No. 9561-A issued by the Commission on Election that withdrew the two police escorts given to a senator, congressman, governor, city or town mayor is a powder keg waiting to explode. The resolution reads in part: “…all existing authority granting security personnel or bodyguards to carry firearms are hereby revoked at the start of the election period”. Election period starts at January 13 and end on June 12 this year. The Resolution says that unless approved by the Comelec, local candidates may engage the services of no more than two duly licensed or authorized protective agents of private detective agencies to act as their bodyguards during the election period.
 The Resolution said only those running for national position like a senator can avail the not more than two policemen, military men, or personnel of the National Bureau of Investigation for security details.
The Comelec order considered congressmen as local officials thus they could not get the escorts given by law to senators.
 Here is the problem: Until the Comelec grants these local candidates armed security details, they would be paper target by their scheming rivals who know that since January 13 they have been deprived of their two police escorts.
 ***
But a high elective official told me that mayors still carry their guns and maintain armed civilian bodyguards in their towns and cities “Kasi wala namang huhuli sa kanila doon dahil kaibigan o hawak nila ang Comelec officer (in the town or city) at chief of police.”
 Another police officer who still does escort duty to his city mayor despite the Comelec ‘s resolution told me: “Nasa intelligence ako kaya puwede ako magdala ng side arm. Distansiya lang ako kay mayor pero escort pa rin niya ako. Iyong resolution wala iyon. Internal arrangement na ni mayor kay hepe iyong detail ko sa kanya.”.
 He wondered that in the last election police escorts were not withdrawn but only given an identification card to show that they are sanctioned by the election body.
 But I told them that their style of running around the law is good only in their patron’s jurisdiction. “E pa-paano kung lumabas si mayor ng bayan o ciudad niya at pumunta sa Manila? At inabangan siya sa ibang bayan at inambush dahil alam ng kalaban niya wala siyang bodyguards at armas dahil sa resolution ng Comelec?” I posed.
 ***
Sometimes I run into friendly arguments with readers (who are mostly public officials and media commentators) of this column when I opined here recently that preventive suspension of elective officials is prohibitive 90 days before the election according to the Local Government Code of 1991. “Binilang ko iyon! It should be February 13 and not on January 13 as almost everybody understands” I told them.
Section 261 of Comelec Resolution No. 3401 provides: “ During the election period from January 13, 2013 to June 12, 2013, no public official shall, except upon prior written authority of the Commission… “Section 2: Suspend any elective provincial, city, municipal or barangay officer, unless the suspension will be for purposes of applying the "Anti- Graft and Corrupt Practices Act" in relation to the suspension and removal of elective officials”
***
After consummate columnists Max Soliven (whom Henry Kissinger once remarked "Max has walked with more heroes than Carlos P. Romulo and more heels than Adidas) and Teddy Benigno died, and nonpareil opinion writers Larry Henares and Tony Abaya became inactive (Larry told me in Pasay City that Tony got heart attack), I missed these guys’ perceptive and witty opinions every time I opened Philippine dailies in the net.
But thank God there is still Thomas Friedman of the New York Times that fill the vacuum of my intellectual curiosity every time I click my mouse to the editorial section of the paper.
In his hard bound book ("Hot, Flat, and Crowded” that hooked me lately) that was a compilation of his columns at NYT, he said that city mayors all over the country can mitigate the traffic congestion through a toll gate in their turf called congestion-pricing system:
 “To enter into the downtown area, you had to pass through an electronic gateway, which automatically charged you $12 (P480) for entering the city between 10:00 a.m and 2:00 p.m (it costs $18 (P720) at rush hour). This is another reason you work from home as often as you can, carpool, or take the bus to work. It’s all part of the new congestion-pricing system that has dramatically reduced the number of cars coming into the city and thereby created more room for electric buses and other forms of mass transit, which can now take more people to more places faster than ever before.
 Your city’s new mayor actually won the election with the motto: “Price the road and clear the traffic.” You don’t need to be a rocket scientist, said the mayor:”If you want fewer CO2 emitters, charge people money for emitting CO2. If you want fewer cars on the roads during certain hours, charge people money for using them. It works everywhere it has been tried.”
 ***
After Pangasinan gubernatorial bet Nani Braganza waved a huge picture of a multi-million of pesos General Motors made Hummer “truck” and a top of the line Toyota Land Cruiser SUV in his recent press conference in Dagupan City, I was intrigued by the comment of Friedman on the hypocrisy of the bigwigs at GM on their “Green Technology” the behemoth car maker adopted for their cars, here’s Thomas baby: “General Motors put yellow gas caps on its cars that are flex-fuel, meaning they can run on a mix of gasoline and ethanol. For years, GM never bothered to highlight that its cars were flex-fuel, or use it as a selling point with customers, because the only reason GM made a certain number of cars flex-fuel was that, it if did so, the government would allow it to build even more gas-guzzling Hummers and pickup trucks and still remain under the CAFE fuel economy standard mandated by Congress.." (You can read my selected columns at http://mortzortigoza.blogspot.com and articles at Pangasinan News Aro. You can send comments too attotomortz@yahoo.com

Another look at the MC Adore sale




By DAVE PARAGAS

 Last week, Dagupeňos were treated to an “excessive dose” of news about the historic MC Adore sale, which drew mixed reactions from various quarters.
Some comments were politically smart, while others were noticeably intended to fill the empty air with faulty logic and divisive statements.
Let’s take a closer look at the events and “circumstances” leading to the sale. In 2002, the ‘idle and derelict’ property was bought and paid for by the city in five (5) equal annual installments without interest totaling P50 million during Mayor Benjamin Lim’s first term.
 The purchase of the property drew opposition from Lim’s critics, notably Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez who described the mayor’s project as a “white elephant” and a city’s financial burden. On October 3, 2011, Lim wrote the vice mayor and Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) members asking them to give him an authority to sell the MC Adore property, reasoning out that the budget will be used for sensible and pressing city projects.
 On April 20, 2012, the SP majority adopted a resolution authorizing him to initiate the sale of the property while VM Fernandez was out of the country.
Four months later, Ravanzo filed a special civil action vs. Lim and the nine aldermen, questioning the validity of the resolution. Despite the case filed by the city secretary and the strong opposition thrown by the SP minority led by the presiding officer, the SP's majority bloc managed to affirm and confirm Lim’s authority to sell the McAdore and a parcel of land in Talibaew, Calasiao by adopting in a regular session Resolution No. 6809-2012 on October 1, 2012.
 The nine councilmen who voted in favor of the resolution were Karlos Liberato E. Reyna IV, Ma. Librada Fe M. Reyna, Jesus D. Canto, Marc Brian Lim, Redford Christian P. Erfe-Mejia, Luis M. Samson, Alvin T. Coquia, Guillermo P. Vallejos and Chester Gonzales. On December 7, 2012, the case filed by Ravanzo and his lawyer, Atty. Borromeo Bustamante was denied due to their failure to appear before the court. But days later, Ravanzo filed a motion for reconsideration, praying to restrain Lim from selling the properties on December 17, which Judge Torio granted on December 14, 2012.

VM’s version

The mayor's letter dated October 3, 2011 to VM Fernandez said, “It has come to my knowledge that the vice mayor conducted her own research and study as to the actual value of the entirety of the MC Adore property. Based on confirmed media reports, your good office has openly stated that the property’s lot and building, at the very least, are valued at two hundred million pesos (PHP 200,000,000).” On April 24, 2012, VM Fernandez, in a radio interview, questioned the validity of the resolution, lamenting that the nine councilors (who have an obvious right to convene a special session) were just “misguided” or “misled.” In layman’s term, the word misguided or misled when used to describe a professional will fairly mean that a person lacks the ability to use his own freedom of choice.
 In other words, Ate Belen questioned the wisdom of the nine aldermen, making it known to the public that her decisions alone, when it comes to SP works, are ‘moral and legal,’ conveniently forgetting her publicized  stand and comments that the MC Adore property is a white elephant, bulok, wala kwentang proyekto, or aksaya lang ng pera. After the hue and cry generated by the controversy, the truth finally came out, Now, our time tells us that the so-called white elephant has turned into something valuable, which might have prompted Ate Belen to sing another different tune. “Matibay ang building na yan kaya more or less aabot talaga ng 300 million.” “Para kang nagbebenta ng Mercedez Benz na ang worth ay 3 Million pero binebenta mo ng 50 thousand.” she added.
 But my barber said, “Kung bulok yan, eh bakit ngayon sinasabi ng ating mahal na vice mayor na aabutin daw ng 300 million?” I told him that perhaps Ate Belen was really after the city's welfare, aware that my answers might not adequately address his anxieties.

 My two cents worth

 What’s beneficially true to us, especially to the poor, is the fact that the mayor and company did a fairly good job in converting the MC Adore property described by their political opponents as fit for the garbage bin into a huge and valuable cash – a whooping P69 million in profits earned by the city. It's all over, but the shouting by some disgruntled partisans.
 Done with utmost transparency, there is no legal impediment that may restrain the mayor and the disposal committee from proceeding with the sale during the public auction last January 7.

Lastly, contrary to what was earlier reported, there was never an injunction to the sale being ordered by the court, because the judge only granted Ravanzo an application to file for an injunctive bond of P50,000,000 which he failed to do.

Nani to Espine: Let show our SALN to public

Pangasinan Governor Espino
Gubernatorial Rival Braganza (R)
Alaminos City Mayor Hernani Braganza today challenged his gubernatorial rival, re-electionist Gov. Amado Espino of Pangasinan, to release his Statement of Assets, Net Worth and Liabilities (SALN) to the public to dispel allegations that he is keeping ill-gotten wealth from jueteng operations.
 Braganza, the Liberal Party’s gubernatorial candidate, said he is ready to make his own SALN available to the media as soon as Gov. Espino accepts the challenge. “I challenge Gov. Espino to release his SALN to the public. I am ready to do the same in the interest of transparency and accountability,” Braganza said. “This way, the people and voters of Pangasinan will be able to decide who, between the two of us, is really the billionaire-candidate keeping ill-gotten wealth,” Braganza added.
 The mayor issued the challenge to Espino in a breakfast forum in Quezon City after he was asked for details on the reported P4.7-billion plunder case filed against him by 11 village chiefs from Alaminos City last week. Braganza explained that the plunder report was not only absurd and ridiculous, but a bum steer designed to muddle Gov. Espino’s reported involvement in jueteng operations in Pangasinan. “There was no plunder case filed against me.
 What the barangay captains submitted to the Office of the Ombudsman last Friday was not a valid criminal complaint but a mere letter-request for investigation of on-going infrastructure projects in Alaminos City,” Braganza said.
 He noted that the village chiefs may be held criminally liable for submitting perjurious statements before the Ombudsman, chief among them the claim that they have personal knowledge of the allegations brought before the investigative body. “How can they claim that they have personal knowledge of the allegations when what they submitted were merely lifted from the Alaminos City website and from the accomplishment report of our City Engineers’ Office?” Braganza said.
 “What they submitted is a white paper full of unfounded and baseless allegations, which is being sold to the media as a legal document,” he added. Braganza said he has yet to officially receive a copy of the document filed by the village chiefs, though he was able to get hold of documents furnished to reporters during a press conference held by the village chiefs in Quezon City last Friday. The press conference, he noted, was attended by lawyer Abraham Espejo, who is also defending Gov. Espino from a P900-million plunder case filed by Bugallon mayor RicOrduna.
 The mayor from Bugallon, Pangasinan had filed the criminal case against Gov. Espino before the Ombudsman for allegedly pocketing P900 million from proceeds of jueteng operations in the province. Braganza said he finds it absurd that the village chiefs had described as “ghost projects” the major infrastructure projects being implemented at the moment in Alaminos City. “Construction work on these major infrastructure projects are ongoing right now and will be completed as scheduled. These projects have not been abandoned as being portrayed in the media,” he pointed out.
 Braganza further explained that it is impossible for local executives to pocket the budget for these projects as the bank providing loans for the projects release the fund in tranches depending on the completion rate of construction work and submission of required documents. “The money is still with the bank, which releases the fund on several stages until the projects are completed,” he said.
 Braganza noted that the village chiefs lied to the Ombudsman and the media when they alleged that that the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) has already released P249 million to the city government for the construction of the major infrastructure projects. He said official records would show that only P85.772 million in loan money had been released to the city government to fund major projects such as procurement of heavy equipment, construction of Alaminos City Hotel and Hundred Islands Medical Complex, and expansion of the Pangasinan State University (PSU) campus in the city. He explained that the city government sought a P300-million loan first from the Land Bank of the Philippines for the funding of the infrastructure projects, but transferred them to DBP for more favorable interest rate. “What we did was more advantageous to the city government since we were able to cut down the interest rate from 10 percent (Land Bank) to seven percent (DBP) as a result of the loan buy-out,” the city mayor pointed out. Braganza noted that two of the projects, the PSU Phase I and the Medical Complex Phase I, were even cleared by the Commission on Audit (COA) when the agency was still conducting pre-auditing procedure as a requirement for any construction work.
 He also laughed off the allegation that the Department of Health (DOH) downgraded the classification of the Alaminos City Hospital to a “mere Medical Services Complex” after the project failed to qualify with the Department’s standard of hospitals. “Whoever prepared the document submitted to the Ombudsman did not do his homework: a Medical Complex is a bigger facility than a hospital,” he said.
 Braganza said the DOH, in fact, had upgraded the status of the project to a Medical Complex due to the inclusion of additional features such as Crisis Intervention Center, Stimulation and Therapeutic Activity Center, and Rehabilitation Center for drug dependents. These features, he explained, were added to address the needs of victims of domestic violence, senior citizens, and young residents of Alaminos who had fallen prey to drug addiction. With regard to the Hundred Islands International Airport, Braganza clarified that the city government was given the budget by the national government only for the purchase of lots from city residents. The budget for feasibility study was handled by the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC), while the fund for actual construction work is with the Department of Public Works and Highways. “What I mentioned were just the glaring issues of deception being peddled by my political opponents. The other allegations were similarly amusing that I will answer them one by one after everyone has finished laughing,” Braganza said

‘Mayor Braganza should not Divert the Issue’ – PIO Velasco

Alaminos City Mayor Hernani Braganza should face squarely the plunder complaint filed against him by 15 incumbent and former barangay chiefs of Alaminos rather than hurling malicious accusations against Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr. This was stressed by Provincial Information Officer Butch Velasco in reaction to the press conference held Wednesday of Mayor Braganza who spent more time dragging the name of Governor Espino rather than answering the charges against him. Velasco said that obviously Braganza just wanted to divert the issue and provoked the governor to answer back. “But the governor is not taking the bait,” Velasco said. He said that after the mayor of Bugallon accused the governor of plunder more than a month ago, Governor Espino only spoke once with the media and he did it very briefly in a press conference at the conference hall of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management and Development Council last December 14. In his calculated silence, various local and national leaders took the cudgels in defending the governor as they vouched for his esteemed reputation and deep love for Pangasinan, Velasco said. The Governor also directed his lawyers to answer legal issues being raised by the people from the media community, he added. In contrast, Mayor Braganza has held several presscons to attack the governor, the last of which was when he answered the plunder case lodged against him by his own barangay chiefs, the provincial info chief said. “While Braganza keeps on spewing out derogatory remarks against the governor, the chief executive of the province continues to exert extra-efforts in serving the people of Pangasinan and to pursue the vision of the province as the best place to invest, work, live and raise a family,” Velasco said. According to Velasco, even when Governor Espino’s 90-year old mother, Victoria, suffered a massive stroke on December 31, he continues to work non-stop by day, and keeps close watch for with his mother in a hospital by night time. Her mother is still in half-comatose state to date, Velasco said. This week another black propaganda was circulated via text messages to the media that Governor Espino was already suspended. In an interview over a radio station, Velasco said that the governor received visitors at his office at the Capitol Building for his regular “callers” day last Monday (January 14). On Wednesday (January 16), he led the opening salvo of the “I Love Pangasinan campaign” caravan this year in four towns of the province’s fifth district. Velasco said that the governor is not hampered by the series of smear campaigns leveled against him as he is focused to steer the province to become number one. (PIO)

Thursday, January 17, 2013

BRAGANZA: PLUNDER COMPLAINT A BUM STEER

Alaminos City Mayor Hernani Braganza shows recently to the media the multi-million pesos Hummer and Land Cruiser SUVS owned by Pangasinan Gov. Amado T. Espino, his rival for the governorship.


           
Not only absurd and ridiculous, but a bum steer.
 This was how Alaminos City Mayor Hernani Braganza described the alleged P4.7-billion plunder complaint filed against him by village chiefs affiliated with the camp of Pangasinan Gov. Amado Espino. “Nalulungkot ako dahil na kuryente (journalists’ term for bum steer) ng mga kababayan kong kapitanes ang mga kaibigan nating journalists sa Manila,” said Braganza, who is a former Press Secretary.
 The mayor said his lawyers advised him that the document filed by the village chiefs before the Office of the Ombudsman last Friday was not a valid criminal complaint but a mere letter-request for investigation of on-going infrastructure projects in Alaminos City. “Wala pong kaso na nai-file. Nagre-request lang po ang mga kapitanes sa Ombudsman naimbistigahan ang mga alegasyon nilang pawang walang mga batayan,” Braganza said. He noted that the village chiefs also submitted perjurious statements before the Ombudsman, chief among them the claim that they have personal knowledge of the allegations brought before the investigative body. “How can they claim that they have personal knowledge of the allegations when what they submitted to the Ombudsman were merely lifted from the Alaminos City website and from the accomplishment report of our City Engineers’ Office?” Braganza said.
   “What they submitted is a white paper full of unfounded and baseless allegations, which is being sold to the media as a legal document,” he added.
    Braganza said he has yet to officially receive a copy of the document filed by the village chiefs, though he was able to get hold of documents furnished to reporters during a press conference held by the village chiefs in Quezon City last Friday. The press conference, he noted, was attended by lawyer Abraham Espejo, who is also defending Gov. Espino from a P900-million plunder case filed by Bugallon mayor RicOrduna.
 The mayor from Bugallon, Pangasinan had filed the criminal case against Gov. Espino before the Ombudsman for allegedly pocketing P900 million from proceeds of jueteng operations in the province. Braganza said the allegations hurled by village chiefs against him were “absurd” and “ridiculous” considering the staggering amount of money (P4.7-billion) involved. “Do I look like a billionaire?
Will a small-time city mayor accumulate billions of pesos from the budget of his local government unit?
 Just absurd and ridiculous,” Braganza said.
 The mayor earlier noted that the village chiefs’ activities in Manila were part of the squid tactics employed by Gov. Espino to divert people’s attention from his alleged involvement in jueteng operations. “This is a crude attempt to muddle the jueteng issue in Pangasinan and take the political heat away from Gov. Espino,” he pointed out. “My political opponent is getting so desperate that he has to unleash his stooges to trumpet a non-existent criminal case against me,” said Braganza, who is running against Espino for the gubernatorial post in Pangasinan. Braganza said he also finds it absurd that the village chiefs had described as “ghost projects” the major infrastructure projects being implemented at the moment in Alaminos City. “Construction work on these major infrastructure projects are ongoing right now and will be completed as scheduled. These projects have not been abandoned as being portrayed in the media,” he pointed out. Braganza further explained that it is impossible for local executives to pocket the budget for these projects as the bank providing loans for the projects release the fund in tranches depending on the completion rate of construction work and submission of required documents. “The money is still with the bank, which releases the fund on several stages until the projects are completed,” he said.
 Braganza noted that the village chiefs lied to the Ombudsman and the media when they alleged that that the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) has already released P249 million to the city government for the construction of the major infrastructure projects. He said official records would show that only P85.772 million in loan money had been released to the city government to fund major projects such as procurement of heavy equipment, construction of Alaminos City Hotel and Hundred Islands Medical Complex, and expansion of the Pangasinan State University (PSU) campus in the city.
 He explained that the city government sought a P300-million loan first from the Land Bank of the Philippines for the funding of the infrastructure projects, but transferred them to DBP for more favorable interest rate. “What we did is more advantageous to the city government since we were able to cut down the interest rate from 10 percent (Land Bank) to seven percent (DBP) as a result of the loan buy-out,” the city mayor pointed out. Braganza noted that two of the projects, the PSU Phase I and the Medical Complex Phase I, were even cleared by the Commission on Audit (COA) when the agency was still conducting pre-auditing procedure as a requirement for any construction work. He also laughed off the allegation that the Department of Health (DOH) downgraded the classification of the Alaminos City Hospital to a “mere Medical Services Complex” after the project failed to qualify with the Department’s standard of hospitals. “Whoever prepared the document submitted to the Ombudsman did not do his homework: a Medical Complex is a bigger facility than a hospital,” he said. Braganza said the DOH, in fact, had upgraded the status of the project to a Medical Complex due to the inclusion of additional features such as Crisis Intervention Center, Stimulation and Therapeutic Activity Center, and Rehabilitation Center for drug dependents.
 These features, he explained, were added to address the needs of victims of domestic violence, senior citizens, and young residents of Alaminos who had fallen prey to drug addiction. With regard to the Hundred Islands International Airport, Braganza clarified that the city government was given budget by the national government only for the purchase of lots from city residents. The budget for feasibility study was handled by the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC), while the fund for actual construction work is with the Department of Public Works and Highways. “What I mentioned were just the glaring issues of deception being peddled by my political opponents. The other allegations were similarly amusing that I will answer them one by one after everyone has finished laughing,” Braganza said.

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

PTOA affirms support to dev’t projects of Gov. Espino

LINGAYEN---The Pangasinan Tourism Officers Association (PTOA) has recognized the efforts of Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr. in the development of tourism in the province. Under Board Resolution No. 01-2013 dated January 9, 2013, the PTOA also affirmed its continued support to all the governor’s development projects. The board resolution acknowledges and recognizes all the development efforts undertaken by the administration of Gov. Espino for Pangasinan Tourism and Cultural Preservation. The PTOA headed by Councilor Bayani Villar of San Quintin, Pangasinan said Pangasinan’s status as a tourism destination gained significant grounds as Gov. Espino included tourism development and promotions as one of his administration’s development thrusts. Further, the PTOA has been a witness to the substantial gains in Pangasinan Tourism as achieved through the initiatives of the present leadership resulting to increased tourist and visitor arrivals throughout the province. The province’s tourism officers association said such programs as the “I Love Pangasinan” Movement and other complementing projects instilled pride to hundreds of thousands of Pangasinenses who renewed their love for their province. Non-Pangasinenses also showed significant interest and inspiration from the Pangasinan stories and experiences as they rediscovered the beauty and uniqueness of the land, its heritage, and its people. In anchoring its efforts in supporting and improving the capabilities of local government units in the development of their town’s tourism and support industries, PTOA said this has opened opportunities for investments and promoted good business practices among private sector. This according to PTOA has responsibly utilized the province’s tourism assets and revived the Pangasinenses’ appreciation and love for the province and its heritage.(PIO/Angeline D. Villanueva)

The No-Nonsense Col. Marlou Chan

Senior Supt. Chan

By MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA

 The first time I met Pangasinan Provincial Police Officer in Charge, Sr. Supt. Marlo Chan, a native of Chan Quintin, er, San Quintin, Pangasinan, I thought I met a stand up comedian and a philosopher.
Because of space constraint available for this columnist let’s deal with Chan’s “San Tzu kindda” philosophy.
 After Arlito Estrada, 36, was gruesomely exterminated inside his car in Brgy. Minien, Sta. Barbara in Pangasinan by four assassins who peppered him with M-16 assault rifle and 45 caliber hand guns, Chan, PMA class of 1984, told us media men at President Hotel in Lingayen that “mabuti pa iyong nagpu-pulis pulisan kaysa sa tunay na pulis.”
He said a media friend who probably loves to play policeman texted him that a man in his car was shot to death by hired guns in Sta. Barbara.
The colonel immediately called Chief Inspector Giovanni Mangonon the chief of police of Sta. Barbara, if he knows already about the killing in his jurisdiction. Son of a gun, Chan told us that Mangonon does not know about it. “Iyan ang problema natin dito sa Pangasinan, before langgam (assassins riding in tandem in a slick motorcycle) lang ang pumapatay, ngayon elepante na,” he emphatically deplored by referrning how daring the killers in Pangasinan who even used a black car to consummate their evil dastardly acts.
 He lamented the “lackadaisical attitude” of Mangonon that he even ask him if he wants him (Chan) to lead the investigation. “Insulto sa kanya iyon pag ako pa ang mag-iinvestigate.” Chiefs of police in Pangasinan, susmariosep, you should be gathering your acts together pronto.
 It seems you’re no longer dealing with the soft General Omar Bradley, you’re being watch now by the stern General Georgie Patton.
Chan told us that he plans to put police men, just like a koban in Japan, visibly patrolling the main highways of the humongous province as one way to mitigate the spate of killings with a “weekly” regularity that gives a black eye to the powers-that-be.
 ***
 Oh, before I forgot I was a surprised seeing policeman in Dagupan City hanging around in their snappy complete uniform at the city’s police station around 8 Am last Sunday. They told me that they were at their satellite posts in different villages of the city the night before because they learned that Colonel Chan would have a surprise visit, like a ghost in early dawn, to check if they were guarding their post. I was told too that the police visibility we are seeing now in the major highways of the province came from the stringent order of Chan. "He was so strict that he even chided a chief of police whom he suspected floating the rumor that his becoming a chief was through the intercession of the new provincial director," my source told me. (Send comments to totomortz@yahoo.com)

KILLINGS IN PANGASINAN: Officials have not done their best yet – Bataoil

Policemen accost suspected hitmen
Bataoil’s Media Fellowship: Media men in Pangasinan were all smile as they posed for posterity with 2nd District Rep. Leopoldo Bataoil ((3rd from Left, front row) who called recently for the get together at the President’s Hotel in Lingayen town. Grateful media practitioners said that among the six congressmen in the mammoth province it was only Bataoil who thought of spearheading a media fellowship.
By Mortz C. Ortigoza

 LINGAYEN, Pangasinan - A congressman said that the powers-that-be have not done yet the best to negate the spate of unabated killings in Pangasinan.
Rep. Leopoldo Bataoil (2nd District, Pangasinan) explained in a media fellowship he called here that to discourage the surge of criminality in the humongous 28 cities and towns strong- province the community should look at the three elements of the crime. Bataoil, a retired two-star police general, cited them as motive, opportunity, and instrument.
 On "motive" he posed “Bakit ang tao ay gagawin ang isang illegal na hindi maka Dios ,at sa matinding galit?” On "opportunity", he expounded that the situation in the area where the criminal mind felt he would be successful to perpetrate his evil acts. He said "instrument" is gun, bladed weapon, poison, hard object, or whatever thing that could be used for the commission of the crime.
“What is the formula to prevent crime? If you talk of motive, dapat i-reform na kaagad. Kung itong neighbor na ito, may land conflict – i-resolve na natin,” he stressed.
 Bataoil, a graduate of the Philippine Military Academy, explained that to stall  “opportunity” is police visibility, check points, raids and searches of suspected safe houses of criminals. “Kahit na gutom na gutom (pero) secured ang area kagustuhan niyang tirahin kung ikaw ay may security forces at wala ang pagkaka-taon na (iyon) hindi niya maisasagawa,”he explained in the vernacular.
While negation of “instrument” is strict licensing of firearms, and confiscation of loose firearms.
Just like the song from pop singer James Ingram who belted “Just Once”, Bataoil paraphrased “Our best is not yet enough!” when asked by this paper that despite all the implementation of all those formulas by the police in the province crime statistics still rise .

Monday, January 14, 2013

Legarda Reiterates Need for Disaster Risk Reduction


In light of the resignation of National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) executive director Benito Ramos, Senator Loren Legarda reiterated her call for the government's thrust to be on preparedness, not response, during these times of severe and successive disasters. “The government cannot be fragmented in dealing with flood risks and natural hazards. We hope that Undersecretary Ramos will be succeeded by one with equal passion and sense of responsibility. And as provided in the law, by a universally acknowledged expert in the field of disaster risk reduction and management,” said Legarda, who is one of the authors of Republic Act 10121. The Senator, who chairs the Senate Committee on Climate Change, added that although meaningful strides have been made to increase the country's disaster resilience, there is still a need to fully implement the environmental laws as well as for heightened action from all stakeholders in disaster risk management. “We need disaster-resilient development planning, which means the integration of disaster risks into local land use and development plans. We need to raise awareness among private citizens, the business community, even the youth sector,” she stressed. “A sunset review of the law three years after its enactment may also be timely to see if an amendment is called for in order to equip the government with better DRR mechanisms,” Legarda concluded.

One-on-One with Senate Bet Cynthia Villar


By MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA

 The beauteous Marivic Ching, the political officer of senatorial bet Cynthia “Missis Hanep Buhay” Villar, called me last Saturday morning if I could have a one-on-one interview with her boss as she was helicopter-bound to Lingayen to grace the coronation night of Miss Lingayen 2013.
 At the cozy Consuelo’s Restaurant in Lingayen, the former three-term congresswoman told me that since December last year she climbed to No. 4 in the Pulse Asia survey.
 In that poll I saw senatorial reelectionist senators Chiz Escudero landed in No.1 slot, while Loren Legarda was the second placer.
 Re-electionist senator Alan Peter Cayetano ranked in the 3rd and 4th place, while San Juan City Rep, JV Ejercito had a statistical ranking of 3rd to 6th places. Sharing the 4th to 7th places are Villar and Cagayan Rep. Juan Ponce Enrile Jr.
 With Villar, just like her counterparts in the U.S, cruising through jet the major islands of Mindanao, Visayas, and Luzon with an almost daily regularity to consult and introduce livelihood like Coconut net, basket made of the stalks of water lily and pledging to the homeless in Compostella Valley and Davao Oriental to pay the P80 thousand tab for each of their houses, I will not be surprised seeing her stocks soar above the No.4 notch in the future surveys of Pulse Asia and Social Weather Stations at the expense of those senatorial bets above her in the December 2012 poll. “Unang-una humingi sa amin ng pagkain tapos tubig, tapos nag-padala kami ng blanket kasi may livelihood kami na blanket lahat ng aming natapos pinadala naming doon. Humingi pa sila ng timba and sumunod pugod at talapal. Ngayon bahay ang hinihingi nila na eighty thousand pesos ang isa”.
 ***
She told me that of all cities in Metro Manila, only her city Las Pinas (where this columnist taught there for a while in early 2000s at the University of Perpetual Help owned by the Tamayos of Malasiqui, Pangasinan) has been spared by flood. From her P70 million a year, she bought ten backhoes atop a barge at P1 million each during her three–term or nine years in congress. “Hanggang ngayon iyong sampung backhoe ay nag-di-dredge pa rin ng ka-ilogan namin,” she said.
She explained that the plastic trash the backhoe extracted from the water have been transformed to hollow blocks and mono block chairs. “That’s the livelihood I gave not only to people there but to other marginalized countrymen all over the county”.
She fund the livelihood training and the machine. When I told her that a regional director of public works confided to me before that many congressmen in the region took a cut known as “S.O.P” from government projects except representative Kimi Cojuangco and husband Mark who used to be a former congressman, Villar retorted” Mayaman kasi sila Kimi”.
She said she did not ask for any cut from contractor since she became a solon. She told me a deplorable story about officials from the Department of Public Works & Highway when they gave a P5 million worth of a floating dredging machine (just like what we have in Dagupan City that has been berthing at the “wharf” in Brgy.Pantal).
 “They asked me to sign the receipt paper and we just discovered there the dredging machine was not operational,” she said. Until now she said the decrepit is still there lurking its ugly image of government corruption for everybody to see. She chided the officials of the DPWH when they have the gall to see her again to offer another projects for her to sign. “Niloloko lang nila ang ta-o. Gagamitin pa nila ako”.
 (You can read my selected columns at http://mortzortigoza.blogspot.com and articles at Pangasinan News Aro. You can send comments too at totomortz@yahoo.com)

Pangasinan to host Nat’l PRISAA Games


Lingayen --- Another big event in Philippine sports takes place in Pangasinan this February! This is the Private Schools Athletic Association (PRISAA) National Collegiate Games which is slated February 10-16 at the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center (NRSCC) with around 6,000 athletes, coaches and game officials from 17 regions of the country participating. After a series of consultation with the organizers, the provincial government of Pangasinan has been preparing for the biggest and longest-running sports spectacle in the collegiate level. With his administration’s thrust to bolster sports development, Governor Amado T. Espino Jr. expressed elation that the association had chosen the provincial government of Pangasinan and City of Dagupan as this year’s hosts. The weeklong event is in cooperation with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) - Region 1, PRISAA member schools in Region 1 and Department of Education through Schools Divisions of Pangasinan 1 and City of Dagupan. The Governor noted that this will again serve as another big break for the province to showcase its tourism and industrial assets, after the successful staging of the Palarong Pambansa last May 2012, here. A refresher and accreditation seminar for technical officials happens on February 6-9, following the athletic parade and grand opening ceremonies on February 11 from 2pm onwards at NRSCC. Governor’s night is slated on February 15 at 6:30 PM onwards at the Sison Auditorium while the closing ceremonies is on February 16 at 5 PM. The participating teams and athletes will vie for supremacy in 18 sporting events, namely: Athletics (M/W), Basketball (M/W), Badminton (M/W), Sepak Takraw (M), Beach Volleyball (M/W), Baseball (M), Softball (W), Volleyball (M/W), Football (M), Boxing (M), Chess (M/W), Karate-do (M/W), Judo (M), Dance Sports, Lawn Tennis (M/W), Table Tennis (M/W) and Swimming (M/W). (PIO/Mark Gerry Naval Oblanca)

Enrile to host UNA visit in Cagayan


Cagayan First District Representative Jack Enrile will have a very busy day on Tuesday, as he is scheduled to receive and welcome in his hometown province Vice President Jejomar Binay together with his colleagues from the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA). The scheduled visit of the UNA team in Cagayan province is part of a three-day consultation sortie of the coalition in Cagayan Valley aimed to personally check the conditions of the region. “It is an honor and a great privilege on my part to host the leaders and my colleagues in the party,” Enrile said. “I am now overwhelmed and excited to show them the hospitality of Cagayanos when they arrive here on Tuesday,” Enrile said. Enrile will be joined by Cagayan Gov. Bong Antonio and Vice Gov. Odi Fausto in welcoming the party in the city of Tuguegarao. They are scheduled to visit the towns of Iguig, Solana and Peñablanca. Enrile said the expected presence of UNA top personalities is purely a visit in order to meet the local leaders and townsfolk and likewise check the living conditions of the people in the province. Aside from Cagayan, the UNA team led by Vice President Binay and Jack’s father, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, is also scheduled to visit Isabela, Quirino and Nueva Vizcaya provinces on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively.

Saturday, January 12, 2013

"Compared to Espino, I am an Angel" - Braganza


Alaminos City Mayor Hernani Braganza today laughed off reports that a 4.7 billion plunder case has been filed against him before the Office of the Ombudsman, saying the charges were “absurd” and “ridiculous.” “I have yet to receive a copy of the complaint, but the allegation that I earned 4.7billion through illegal means is just plain absurd and ridiculous. 
Nobody in his right mind will take this case seriously,” Braganza said. “This is a crude and desperate attempt to take the political heat away from Gov. Amado Espino. 
It is a classic squid tactic designed to divert the people’s attention from the jueteng issue now plaguing the governor’s political campaign,” Braganza noted. “Whoever is writing the script of the governor’s political campaign is doing him a disservice. 
This is just silly and childish,” the Alaminos mayor added. “I will not invoke political harassment or use the term politically motivated as these are already patented by the Pangasinan governor,” Braganza said. “One thing I am sure though: compared to Espino, I am a angel,” he stressed (Press Release).

15 Opisyales kinasuhan ng Plunder si Braganza; Braganza sinagot ang Kaso

Braganza (L) in a press conference in Dagupan City

Reprinted from Bombo Radyo News

 DAGUPAN CITY - Kinumpirma ni Atty. Abraham Espejo, legal counsel ng mga punong barangay ng Alaminos City, at siya ring tumatayong lead defense counsel ni Pangasinan Gov. Amado T. Espino Jr. ang pagsasampa ng pitong kasong plunder laban kay Alaminos City Mayor Hernani Braganza.
 Ayon kay Espejo, ang kaso ay isinampa ng 15 punong barangay sa nasabing lungsod kaugnay sa mga "ghost" gov't projects na umabot umano sa halos P5 billion. Inihalimbawa ni Espejo ang ipinapatayong airport na may pondong P3.9 billion pero walang makikitang kahit isang runway, maging ang hospital at hotel na pinagkagastusan ng malaki pero hindi pa natatapos magpahanggang ngayon.
 Ipinagtataka pa nila na karamihan sa mga proyekto ay nai-award sa construction company kung saan ang chief architech ay umano'y brother-in-law ni Braganza.
 Kasabay nito nilinaw ng abogado na wala umanong kinalaman si Gov. Espino sa pagsasampa ng kaso laban kay Braganza. Sina Espino at Braganza ay mahigpit na magkatunggali bilang gobernador ng Pangasinan sa 2013 midterm election.
 Bilang reaksiyon sinabi naman ni Braganza na hindi pa siya nakakatanggap ng kopya ng reklamo. Gayunman, hindi umano ito kapani-paniwala na kumita siya ng ganoong halaga na umaabot sa P4.7 billion. Giit pa ni Braganza, ang pagsasampa ng kaso laban sa kanya ay desperadong hakbang upang pilit na mawala ang sentro ng iskandalo kay Espino sa isyu ng jueteng.
 Kung maaalala una na ring kinasuhan si Espino ng plunder ni Bugallon Mayor Rodrigo Ordona.

Friday, January 11, 2013

FMR Senator Shahani says Gov. Espino restores grandeur of the Past



Lingayen- - -Former Senator Leticia Ramos-Shahani urged Pangasinenses to unite in bringing back the sense of pride, integrity and honor handed down by great ancestors, especially the war veterans, to today’s generation. In her speech during the 68th Lingayen Gulf Landings and Pangasinan Veterans’ Day celebration, January 9, Shahani reminisced the glory days of her youth in her hometown of Lingayen where she and former President Ramos were born more than eight decades ago. Shahani said that Lingayen was a beautiful, rustic place with the beach as its prime attraction. The former senator pointed out that the grandeur of the past has been restored under the leadership of Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr. who worked overtime in refurbishing the Capitol compound and its environs, thus transforming the complex into a tourism centerpiece for Pangasinan. “The biggest challenge today is how to make Pangasinan really wealthy because it has all the potentials as what was written in the country’s national anthem,” Shahani said as he quoted the lines - - “sa dagat at bundok, sa simoy at sa langit mong bughaw” in the national anthem. She likewise reiterated her call for Pangasinenses to rededicate all efforts to make Pangasinan one of the most progressive provinces in the country. Meanwhile, Gov. Espino paid tribute to all war veterans, addressing them as “gallant fighters” who gave up their youth in exchange of country’s freedom. The governor said that while the unsung heroes deserve the commendation, the provincial government has endeavored to highlight the epic struggles of World War II heroes thru the presentation of Charles De May photo exhibit in 2011 and book launching in 2012 featuring 33 stories of war heroes. The occasion kicked off with a solemn mass followed by wreath laying ceremony at the Veterans Shrine led by the governor; Former Senator Shahani; Lt. Gen. Anthony J. Alcantara , AFP Commander, NOLCOM; Usec. Ernesto G. Carolina,, Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO) Administrator as represented by Commodore Salvador Esguerra, PVAO deputy administrator; and Atty. James Curtis-Smith, President, Returned and Services League of Australia. After the program, a medical mission was also held for the war veterans who received at least P10,000 worth of medicines each. A full length video presentation entitled “Unsurrendered 100 Voices” which featured the memories of World War-II Pangasinan by some veteran heroes was also presented at the Sison Auditorium during the lunch right after the program at the Veterans’ Park. One of the highlights of the program included the awarding rites for the oldest living war veteran in Pangasinan in the person of US Army Sgt. 1st Class Glicerio V. Valdez, Sr. of Alcala town, who is now 102 years old. Valdez has been an awardee for three consecutive years now. (PIO/Ruby R. Bernardino)

WW-II Veterans Reminisce Memories on Veterans’ Day

Abono Chair and VG Calimlim: Abono Partylist chairman Rosenso So (Extreme Right) shared the banquet table with Pangasinan Vice Governor Ferdinand Z. Calimlim (2nd from Left)  at the Sison Auditorium in Lingayen, Pangasinan during the anniversary of the 68th Anniversary of the Gulf Landings and Veterans Day Photo by Mortz C. Ortigoza.
Abono and the Shahanis: Former Senator Letecia R. Shahani (L) and son Board Member Ranjit R.Shahani (R) posed with Abono Chairman Rosendo So during the luncheon of the 68th anniversary of the Gulf Landings and Veterans Day held recently at the swanky Sison Auditorium in Lingayen, Pangasinan. The older Shahani was the guest speaker of the 68th Anniversary attended by Pangasinan Governor Amado T. Espino and local and foreign dignitaries.


Lingayen --- “There are armies to defeat, but we are only armed with our teeth.” This cliché, by a world war II veteran soldier in the “Unsurrendered 100 Voices” video presentation played at the Sison Auditorium was a testament of the epic struggles of not only the few remaining freedom fighters still living today, but also for the immortal memories of the veterans who have met the Creator. Witty, the testimony of courage at par with many more testimonials are undying accounts of the heroic deeds, a source of appreciation and gratitude to what they had worked for just to secure the freedom now being enjoyed by today’s generation of Filipinos. Some 400 war veterans and the family representatives of the departed ones, all from the six districts of the province, together with provincial and municipal officials, had a great time sharing war memoirs on January 9, 2013 at the hallowed Veterans’ Park. Lydia Hernandez, a war veteran from Mabini together with fellow, Alfredo Gamboa of Agno, have expressed elation over this special day of commemoration for their noble liberation deeds. “Sisentay otso na taon na ang ngayon at ramdam ramdam ko ang pigiging proud na beterano,” (Sixty eight years had passed and I feel proud being a veteran) Marciano Tambo of San Manuel said. Even as US Army Sgt. 1st Class Glicerio V. Valdez, Sr. of Alcala town, who is now 102 years old could still recount how they fought to liberate Philippines from the Japanese forces. Many more accounts of valor and bravery have been preserved through the years as war veterans narrate war stories to the young generations. Meanwhile, a medical mission which offered the veterans free medical services took place infront of the Sison Auditorium right after the Veterans’ day commemoration program held at the Veterans’ Park. Provincial Health Office led by Ana Maria Teresa De Guzman has noted that more war veterans were accommodated in the medical mission this year. The activity was held with the participation of lead agencies such as Pangasinan Veterans’ Affairs Office which comprises both the Veterans’ Federation of Pangasinan and the Veterans’ Sons and Daughters Association. Declaring January 9 as a day to honor Pangasinan’s valiant heroes is an imperative move by the provincial governmentled by Governor Amado T. Espino Jr. to commemorate the historic Lingayen Gulf Landings by the Liberation Forces led by Gen. Douglas McArthur. Pangasinan Veterans’ Day is celebrated annually by virtue of provincial board resolution 331-2007 authored by then Vice Governor Marlyn Primicias-Agabas, now sixth district Congresswoman, and her husband Tyrone Agabas, former sixth district Congressman. (PIO/Mark Gerry Naval Oblanca)

Sunday, January 6, 2013

SM, CSI browbeat Robinsons Mall in Pangasinan



By MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA

 In a huddle recently among mayors of Pangasinan, one of them was anxious that the Philippine National Police will recall this month the two police security details each of them availed. “Pasalamat ako at merong allocation na pinasa ang Sanggunian (Bayan or town council) para sa apat na civilian security details that would act as my close-in bodyguards,” quipped the second mayor in the vernacular.
The first mayor could only shake his head because his town did not pass a resolution for a plantilla for security details. Second Mayor commented” Si Ric (Orduna, mayor of Bugallon) ma-suerti apat ang kanyang security details noong mag attend kami ng kasal sa Dagupan (City) kamakailan lang.” A bit surprised first mayor reacted: “Grabe, suerte naman ni Mayor Ric, apat na police ang escorts niya.” “Anong apat na police?
Apat na jeep na police ang details niya!” the first mayor joked. Orduna, a source said, requested the four police security details from Secretary Mar Roxas of the Department of Interior & Local Government, after he sued Pangasinan Governor Amado T. Espino with plunder – a non-bailable case.
***
One’s attendance in a burial of a relative or friend among Filipinos is “sacred.” One’s unreasonable absences not only offend the sensibilities of the loved ones of the dead, but being frowned by other people.
 A pathetic sight ensued during the mass and internment of Mangaldan Mayor Herminio Romero. Conspicuously absence where most of the mayors of the 48 towns and cities of Pangasinan. It was only Dasol Mayor Noel Nacar, the president of the League of Mayors of Philippines – Pangasinan Chapter, Aguilar Mayor Eduardo Ballesteros, this town Mayor Berex Abalos, and Alaminos City Mayor Hernani Braganza who were sighted there. According to Board Member Ming Rosario, former Speaker Jose de Venecia asked him at the St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, where Romero’s remains lie, why the mayors of the 4th Congressional District which de Venecia represented before were not around to pay their last respects.
***
The management of Robinsons Mall in Calasiao, Pangasinan should re-examine its policy on its pathetic relationship with the local media. Its rival SM-Rosales and CSI-Warehouse Club in Rosales, Pangasinan and in Dagupan City, respectively, have been continuously patronized by a sea of humanity especially during the recent Christmas season while the Gokongwei-owned giant retail store could only chalked up an anemic traffic of shoppers who bothered to patronize it.
A good rapport with the local radio and community newspapers through the publication of social activities (SM has its “Pamaskong Holiday sa OFW’s and the poor”, CSI has its Christmas treat given by owner vice mayor Belen Fernandez to the senior citizens) gave mileage to the human side of the two successful malls. Huwag naman iyong puro kita na lang Robinsons. Of course, I did not discount the cheaper price and wide-arrays of goodies and services offer by CSI and SM. (You can read my selected thought-provoking columns athttp://mortzortigoza.blogspot.com. and articles at Pangasinan News Aro. You can send comments too at totomortz@yahoo.com)