Friday, June 28, 2013

Chan remains acting PD after PNP declares post vacant

Colonel Chan in a TV grab from GMA-7
By Mortz C. Ortigoza

 LINGAYEN - Has the power-that-be outsmarted Pangasinan governor Amado T. Espino on his desire to get rid of the province police director he charges with partisanship in the last election? Regional Director Ricardo Marquez cited that since June 26 this year the position of the provincial director presently occupied by Senior Superintendent Marlou C. Chan has been vacant. “It means Chan not only becomes an acting police director but the injunction case filed by Espino could be dismissed by the court anytime because the post of the top provincial policeman is no longer permanent,” a source who asked anonymity opined.

PNP designated Chan as permanent PD

 In May 10, 2013 Marquez and PNP Director Catalino Cuy of the Directorate for Personnel and Records Management designated Chan as permanent provincial director despite Section 51 of Republic Act 6975 (Department of Department of the Interior & Local Government Act ) where the governor appoints one of the three nominees submitted by Marquez.
The appointment of Chan as permanent top policeman in Pangasinan got the ire of Espino who filed an injunction case in May 24 this year at Branch 69 of the Regional Trial Court here vis-à-vis Section 51 of RA 6975.

General Marquez justifies Chan's appointment

Marquez, in his bid to justify his and Cuy decision to bypass the governor by appointing Chan in a permanent capacity; answer this paper, after the injunction hearing last June 27, with the following:
 “In the eyes of the police pareho lang iyon. He could be relieved anytime. Iyong notice of vacancy that all shows kahit OIC or (permanent) PD ganoon ang standing noon sa amin”.
 Marquez said that the mindset of the PNP is to expedite the solution of the stand off between Chan and Espino.
“E-so-solve namin ang problemang ito as fast as possible. Hindi namin papatagalin ito,” Marquez stressed.

Chan's appointment from permanent to acting PD a legal masterpiece

But a political observer who asked he should not be named cited that the revocation of the permanent status of Chan as PD was a legal chutzpah chalked up by the legal minds at the PNP.
He opined that the relief of Chan as permanent PD has dealt a deadly blow to the petition for injunction filed by the governor as it would become moot and academic because the contentious issue of permanency has been revoked.

DILG Secretary Mar Roxas' hand

The source said the agenda of Malacanang and Secretary Mar Roxas to put Chan as a balance to counter the influence of Espino in Pangasinan was a strategic move by the Manila government to usher Roxas, a stalwart of the Liberal Party, ambition to become a president in 2016.
 “Tinalo na nila si (LP) gubernatorial bet Hernani Braganza, hindi naman pueding hindi sila mag-iwan ng ta-o dito. President (Benigno) Aquino (III) and Roxas would become a lame duck in Pangasinan politics without Chan watching the locals”.
The observer said he doubts if the three nominees for the post of PD will be presented by Marquez for Espino to select before the barangay election in October this year.

Chan-Velasco Turn-over aborted

The order of the PNP for Chan to be in an acting capacity was without controversy.
In the morning of June 26 there was an order for the relief of Chan as he was to be replaced by Senior Superintendent Manuel Velasco, his classmate at the Philippine Military Academy Class 1985, but it was scuttled after another order in the following day from Camp Crame to the police hierarchy in Region 1 asking for Chan to be in an acting capacity.
 “I was on my way to preside on that turn-over. I was in San Fabian, (Pangasinan) already. But (the turn-over was) held in abeyance muna. Hindi ako privy doon ,” Marquez said when asked why all of a sudden the handover of the command to Velasco from Chan was aborted without an explanation.

Pangasinan PD Position declared vacant

Regional Director Marquez  (With star rank) in a  media interview
last May 27 after the hearing of the injunction case
 filed by Governor Espino at the RTC
in Lingayen.
By Gerry Oblanca and Angie Villanueva

LINGAYEN --- The Philippine National Police (PNP) directorate for administration has declared vacant the position of Provincial Police Director of Pangasinan. This was announced by PNP Regional Director, Chief Supt. Ricardo Marquez after coming out from the chamber conference between the counsels of Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr. and PD Marlou Chan presided over by Judge Caridad Villegas-Galvez of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) branch 69, here. Marquez said Chan was about to be replaced by Sr. Supt. Manuel Velasco who was designated OIC-PD of Pangasinan last June 22, but a sudden call from “higher authorities” aborted the supposed turn-over of command.
Provincial Director smilingly answer queries from
media men at the RTC in Lingayen.
Owing to this, Marquez explained in a press briefing that a new list of three recommendees for the position has to be made and submitted to the governor for him to choose from following standard procedures on appointments in the PNP. In the meantime, Chan stays as PD in hold-over capacity until the designation of a replacement, Marquez said. Earlier, with the filing of a petition for preliminary injunction and temporary restraining order (TRO) by Gov. Espino before Galvez’s sala, the Sangguiang Panlalawigan approved a resolution that expressed the body’s “sense of concurrence and support” to the governor’s legal move and, at the same time, urged Chan to step down as police director. This was later followed by another SP measure that declared Chan as “persona non grata.” (PIO/Gerry Oblanca/Angie Villanueva)

Governor Espino 2013 Inaugural Address

Guests and spectators at the swanky and cozy Sison Auditorium in Lingayen, Pangasinan

Masantos a kabuasan. Magandang umaga po sa inyong lahat.
 Exactly three years ago, in this very same venue, we all gathered to formally begin my second term as Governor of this great province. This time, we are here again to officially start my third and last term. This moment rightfully belongs to all of you, the gallant people of the Province of Pangasinan. Thank you all for making this special moment possible, and for being here to share it with us. I stand before you this morning, inspired by your moral courage to stand firm for what you believe is right and just, and extremely grateful for your consistent and unwavering support.
 This moment did not come easy. In order to get here, we had to endure, and survive, all kinds of psychological pressures, mental agony, and many other forms of political harassment, orchestrated by people who had easy and convenient access to the awesome powers of the state. But when the smoke had cleared, I was immensely relieved to discover that, during this most difficult and trying period, I was never alone because you never left me. You stayed on, and stood firm, right beside me. I cannot thank you enough for taking that bold and defiant stand against seemingly formidable forces, in defense of the welfare and the best interests of our province and people.
 The commanding lead of more than half a million votes, (five hundred fifty four thousand three hundred fifty one votes, to be exact), where I won in all but one town throughout the entire province, was more than what you gave me in May 2010, and remains unequalled in the whole country.
 You, the people of Pangasinan have once again spoken with one great voice to affirm your support for all that we have done together in the last six years, as we laid down the basic foundations for the long term development, and worked to secure the future, of our province. You would not allow anyone to deny the fact that, together, and armed with a clear vision, and the firm determination to become number one, we have been doing the right things, and we have done more, and better, than in the past. And the facts don’t lie. Based on the latest Family Income and Expenditure Survey, the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) reported that while the entire country posted a minimal 1.1 percent decrease in poverty incidence within the last six years, from 23.4% in 2006 to 22.3% in 2012, the province of Pangasinan outpaced the entire country and registered an impressive decline in poverty incidence of 9.5% for the same period, from 26.5% in 2006, to 17% in 2012.
 These figures, coming directly from the governing body on national statistics, took shape during our first six years at the helm of our province.
They stand as incontrovertible proof of our solid accomplishments, and as concrete testament to the relevance and effectiveness of our poverty reduction programs, projects, and activities. And so together, we emerged victorious once more. Ironically, this time, I did not savour the sweet taste of victory, any more than I experienced an overwhelming sense of relief that finally, it’s all over. Now, we can all go back to work. Armed with this fresh, new mandate which you have entrusted upon this humble public servant, and inspired by the positive results of our collective efforts during the last six years, we move on with renewed vigor and determination to fulfill our Vision of Pangasinan:
The BEST PLACE TO INVEST, WORK, LIVE, AND RAISE A FAMILY, and to pursue the Mission: TO MAKE PANGASINAN NUMBER ONE.
 As I stated in my last Report on the State of the Province, during that span of 6 years since we took over the helm of the province last June 30, 2007, Pangasinan has slowly, but steadily, moved forward from being a non-entity to become “...a consistent top performer in local governance, a leading tourist destination, and a favourite venue for big conventions, conferences, sports events, and other related national and international events and activities.” With 6 Regional Hall of Fame Awards in major areas of local governance to our credit, Pangasinan reigns as Region I Champion in the Gawad Pamana ng Lahi, the coveted mother of all local governance awards.
As such, Pangasinan is now the undisputed best performing province in Region I, and the fourth best performing province in the whole country.
 But we will not stop there. If we continue to put our acts together, and work even harder, I am quite confident that sooner, not later, Pangasinan will eventually become the best performing, and the number one, province throughout the land. All of us are aware that Pangasinan still has so many untapped potentials and resources that can be put to sustainable and productive use.
 We have large tracts of idle lands, vast mountains and forest areas, natural resorts, wide bodies of inland and coastal waters, all with a combined variety of appropriate and potential uses, from crop production, cattle and livestock raising, fishing, tourism, industrial estates, and economic zones. We have abundant deposits of mineral resources, highly educated and skilled labor force, and two power plants with a combined generating capacity of 1545 megawatts available for industrial and other business locators within the province. Negotiations are now in the works for the establishment of the Port of Sual as a containerized sub-port.
This would mean more goods coming in and out through Pangasinan. And with more businesses and investment ventures that will be attracted to locate in Pangasinan, we can expect more economic activities and livelihood and employment opportunities to take shape in our province. The prospects are innumerable, and it is really up to us to make things happen.
 But as I have always said, all of us must accept that governance is a shared responsibility, where each one has a role to play, and each of us has a specific job to do.
 The provincial government cannot do the job alone. It is important that the strategic steps being taken by the provincial government are complemented by relevant projects and activities at the community level.
 Thus, I now challenge and call upon the cities and municipalities, including the barangays, to take it upon themselves to address those nagging and persistent community-based problems such as lack of potable water, sanitary toilets, and decent shelter, widespread malnutrition, environmental sanitation such as lack of, or ill-maintained, drainage canals and improper solid waste disposal, traffic management, and the establishment and maintenance of order, decency, and cleanliness in all local government centres and offices, and other public places such as streets, parks, plazas, and public markets and schools and also in our own neighbourhood.
 If we fail consistently to address, and give priority attention to, these most basic, common place problems, then all gallant efforts to promote progress and prosperity in our province would only become empty and meaningless. But first, the cities and the municipalities must accept the primary responsibility for these problems. The province can only play a supporting role. And please don’t expect us to do the job for you. You must understand and learn to accept that the provincial government has its own set of primary functions and responsibilities. It must sustain the proper and adequate maintenance of provincial facilities to enable the province to provide sound policy direction, strategic support programs, and extension services such as secondary level hospital care, agricultural research and technical assistance, networking with national and international agencies, investment and tourism promotions, and construction and maintenance of inter-municipal and provincial level support infrastructures and facilities needed to generate more economic activities and social services. If we must continue moving forward, each of us must do his part, and contribute a share in the overall effort to develop our province, and to promote the welfare and well-being of our people.
 As we begin this new chapter in the life of our province, I will always be sustained and continually inspired by the overwhelming trust and confidence that you have reposed in me. I wish to thank the outgoing members of the provincial board, as well as the old, comebacking members, headed by Vice-Governor Jose Ferdinand Z. Calimlim, Jr., for their consistent and constructive support during the last six years. We wish you well and all the best in your next endeavors.
 As for the incoming set in the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, I hope we can maintain our dynamic collaboration, and continue to pursue our common agenda for the sustained growth and prosperity of our province. I also wish to thank our fellow public servants in the provincial government, our very supportive congressmen, namely: Congresswoman Kimi Cojuangco; Congressman Pol Bataoil; and Congressman Boying Celeste; Former Congressman Mark Cojuangco; Abono Partylist Chairman Rosendo So; all our local government partners in the different towns and cities, our regional and provincial national line agencies, our partners in the private sector, civil society and non-government groups, our friends from the media and most especially, the silent majority of our nameless province mates, for all your significant contributions, constant support, cooperation, and personal sacrifices, without which we could not have accomplished so much. I will continue to depend on your indispensable support and cooperation, in the same manner that I wish to assure you of my undiminished enthusiasm and solemn commitment to continue giving you nothing but my best in serving you, in promoting the welfare and the best interests of our province and people. May God continue to bless our efforts.
 Mabuhay ang Pangasinan. God bless one and all.

Saturday, June 22, 2013

Chan-Velasco Turn-Over Aborted

Police Director Marlou Chan (L) in a turn-over rites.

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

 DAGUPAN CITY – Without any explanation from the Philippine National Police, the transfer of command  from Police Director Marlou Chan to Senior Superintendent Manuel Velasco for the police provincial office in Pangasinan  has been postponed indefinitely.
 "The hand over should be held last June 22 but has been post phoned indefinitely." according to Senior Inspector Ryan Manongdo as quoted by broadcaster RJ Jimenez of DWPR when he interviewed the PNP spokesman in Pangasinan.
Senior Superintendent Chan in a text message sent to this blogger said that there was an order for his relief last June 21, 2013.
 Chan, who got the ire of Pangasinan Governor Amado T. Espino because of politics, has been rumored to be either the next chief of the Regional Special Operation Task Group or the chief of the regional intelligence command – both powerful posts.
Last year a similar incident of an aborted turn- over ceremony ensued when Senior Superintendent Mariel Magaway of the police intelligence command in Camp Crame was told by then Regional Police Director Jesus Franklin Bacayu that his appointment at the provincial command has been cancelled one hour before the ceremony where everybody in Pangasinan including Governor Espino, was already preparing to go there. A source who asked anonymity said that somebody in Pangasinan who has a closed tie with Secretary Mar Roxas of the Department of Interior & Local Government called the latter not to allow Magaway to take over from then Provincial Director Rosueto V. Ricaforte.
 Another source told this paper that Velasco, through the intercession of his former superior a certain police general Victorio, won the recommendation from PNP Chief Alan Purisima. But Secretary Roxas asked the police hierarchy to forego the turn over in May 22.
 Meanwhile, Chan said that despite the ceaseless pressures exerted by the political leadership of the province he could not just resign unilaterally from his post otherwise he would be charged with “abandonment of post” by the PNP.
The provincial director said that his appointment in the gargantuan province was not of his making.
 “I was appointed by the police top brass as OIC provincial director and eventually full time provincial director”.
Chan, Chief Superintendent Ricardo Marquez and Director Catalino Cuy face an injunction case at the Regional Trial Court in Lingayen, Pangasinan after he was sued by Espino who questioned his appointment as full time police provincial chief as blatant violation of Republic Act 6975 (Department of the Interior & Local Government Act) where the governor appoint one of the three nominees submitted by Marquez.
The incumbent police director said that he was not intimidated by the Persona Non Grata resolution by the provincial council last June 10, 2013 since the injunction case has already been deliberated by lawyers at the RTC.
 “The court is the mother of all cases and let us patiently wait for its wisdom whether I am validly holding my challenge post,” he stressed.

Aesthetic turned around of Urdaneta City Hall

The renovated Old City Hall in Urdaneta City (Photo complement of Police Headlines)

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

 URDANETA CITY – While other mayors conspired with members of the legislative council to borrow from banks so they can have a cut, the mayor here has been making a buzz after he spent P17 million only to spruce up the old city hall that could dwarf those hundred of millions of pesos loan-funded municipal and city edifices.
Mayor Amadeo Gregorio Perez IV said the amount he appropriated for the renovation of the old city hall here comes from the local funds.
 “We did not borrow from the bank for it,” he quipped.
BIGGEST IN REGION 1:The P80 million City Hall
 at Brgy. Anonas, Urdaneta City

 He showed to the media his electronic powered sliding door that ushers group visitors like farmers inside his swanky and cozy office that is twice as big as the office of the governor of Pangasinan.
“This used to be the session hall of the Sangguniang Panlungsod,” Perez referred to the spacious office embellished by immaculate white huge tiled floor, classy light brown colored curtains that jibe with the big glass windows, and a 36- inch TV monitor that connects to a dozen of CCTVs installed in strategic locations of the city.
The renovated edifice has been complemented by architectural mastery designed granite walled gardens composed of dozens of bonsai, other plants, lights, and granite made global statues located in front of the façade of the hall.
 “They are open for 24 hours. Maraming nag da-date diyan pag gabi,” an amused Perez stressed.
 He cited the maroon colored concrete floor of the parking lot in front of the City Hall. He said vehicles that used to park there are now prohibited.
 “The space there is reserved for the people who do business at the city hall that is why I reserved a car park at the two sides and back of the building”. “I did not allow cars to park there as the pavement belongs to the people.
He cited how spic and span the pavement that complement for the reconstructed façade of the old city hall. “They are free of litters,” Perez whose aggressive stance since three years ago on litter bugs that mete a fine of P500 to anyone apprehended earned him plaudits in and out of this city.
 The new look of the old city hall has been spruced up by a combination of white and brown paint in and out of the building. The floors at the first and second storey are covered by huge white tiles where some of the callers have been hesitant to step because they were too clean as personnel there keep wiping them with a mop.
 Perez said even the wood made stairway from the ground floor to the second have been replaced and elegantly painted with shinny brown. “Oh, they are much better than the stair of the Capitol and even the Sison Auditorium in Lingayen,” one media man, who asked anonymity, quipped.
 “Look at the new constructed balcony that has two newly built flag poles. They were inspired by those at the house of President (Emilio) Aguinaldo in Cavite,” Perez showed the balcony from one of the windows of his office.
 He also pointed to the giant bonsai that stand alone at the glass walled office of a department head similar to the other offices located at the other part of the first floor. “I bought that plant for P17, 000 only”.
Perez said he mulls to buy the nearby building used to occupy the String Computer so some personnel based at the mammoth P80 million city hall in Barangay Anonas here could be relocated. He explained that all the chic improvements he initiated from the millions of pesos granite made giant water buffalo that welcomes the wide eyed motorists from the North and the South of Luzon to the dapper renovation of the old city are for the generation of this burgeoning city to be proud of.

Can Jessica Soho sues Vice Ganda with Slander?

The scorned Jessica Soho of GMA-7 (Left) and the irreverent Vice Ganda of ABS-CBN TV

BY MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA

In the monologue of Filipino comedian Kim Idol (a cross of minuscule North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un and principal massacre suspect Zaldy Ampatuan) he differentiates Maganda (pretty) and Pangit (ugly) in the Philippines.
 “Ang maganda ginagawang sales ladies sa TriNoma (part of Ayala high-end malls) , ang pangit ginagawang tag hulog ng sapatos sa loob ng kisami ng Manuela. Bawal siya dumungaw dahil baka makabawas pa sa siya ng customers. Ang maganda ginagawang talk show host sa TV, and pangit ginagawang field reporters. Tingnan niyo si Susan Enriquez (crowd roared) napaka gandang babae pero bakit ginawang field reporter ng GMA-7, baka ano pa ang mangyayari sa bata na iyon!”

Until now sales ladies at the shoe section of Manuela Mall and Susan Enriquez did not sue with slander or libel Kim Idol.
When publisher Larry Flynt asked his editor at the pornographic magazine Hustler in 1983 to write a Q & A satire, with emphasis on the “First Time” slogan of liquor’s Campari between a fictitious Hustler staff and Baptist renowned minister and conservative political activist Jerry Falwell, all hell broke lose.
Here are the excerpts of the Q & A for the readers’ perusal and appreciation if the parody merits a libel case:
 FALWELL: My first time was in an outhouse outside Lynchburge, Virginia.
 INTERVIEWER: Wasn’t it a little cramped?
FALWELL: Not after I kicked the goat out.
INTERVIEWER: I see. You must tell me about it.
 FALWELL: I never really expected to make it with mom, but then after she showed all the other guys in town such a good time I figured “What the hell!”
 INTERVIEWER: But your mom? Isn’t that a bit odd?
 FALWELL: I don’t think so. Locks don’t mean that much to me in a woman.
INTERVIEWER: Go on…
FALWELL: Well, we were drunk off with our God-fearing assess on Campari ginger ole and soda – that’s called a fire and brimstone – at that time. And mom looked better than a Baptist whore with $100 donation. INTERVIEW: Campari in the crapper with mom… how interesting. Well, how was it?
FALWELL: The Campari was great but mom passed out before I could come.
 INTERVIEWER: Did you even try it again?
 FALWELL: Sure… lots of time. But not in the outhouse between Mom and the shit, the flies were too much to bear.
INTERVIEWER: We meant the Campari.
 FALWELL: Oh, yeah. I always get sloshed before I go out to the pulpit. You don’t think I could lay down all that bullshit sober, do you?
The ad carried a disclaimer in small print at the bottom of the page: "Ad Parody—not to be taken seriously." The magazine's table of contents also listed the ad as "Fiction; Ad and Personality Parody."
***

 Unlike the furious Reverend Falwell and the offended Baptist congregation all over the U.S, there was a deafening silence on the parts of the sales ladies at Manuela and Miss Enriquez.
***

 When comedian Vice Ganda (Jose Marie Borja Viceral in real life) spoofed recently in a concert the multi-awarded lady version of the late Louie Beltran the stout talk show hostess Jessica Soho of GMA-7 TV by the following monologue I quoted from the blog “thoughtskoto”:
 “Imagine-in n’yo kung pa’no kaya kung nag-bold na rin si Jessica Soho. Ang launching n’yang pelikula ay ‘Tinimbang Ka Ngunit Sobra’ . Napanaginipan ko nga rin ‘yan si ano e, si Jessica Soho nagpapatimbang. Nakakatawa nung nagpatimbang kami umakyat si Jessica Soho sa weighing scale. Pag-akyat ni Jessica Soho tumunog ang weighing scale: ‘One at a time. One at a time. One at a time.’ So bumaba ulit si Jessica Soho, nagalit.” “Umakyat ulit ng weighing scale si Jessica Soho. Tumunog ang weighing scale: ‘Please don’t play with the machine. Don’t play with the machine. One at a time. I told you one at a time. Don’t play with the machine.’ Nagalit si Jessica Soho.” “Last try na talaga. So umakyat ulit si Jessica Soho sa weighing scale. Tumunog ang weighing scale: ‘You weight 180 per kilo.’ So ayaw na n’yang magpatimbang ulit.” “Ang hirap nga lang kung si Jessica Soho magbu-bold. Kailangan gang rape lagi. Sasabihin nung rapist: ‘Ipasok ang lechon!’ Sasabihin naman ni Jessica: E, nasa’n ang apple?’” “Nakakatawa nga ‘yan, e. Meron daw boyfriend dati si Jessica. Narinig ko lang naman sa mga hindi mapagkakatiwalaan. Ninakaw daw noong boyfriend yung panty ni Jessica. Tapos pinalabahan. Noong dinala sa laundry ang tsinekan: comforter.”
***

 Colleagues of Soho like Arnold Clavio and my province mate Maki Pulido at GMA-7 were up in arms at the horse faced Vice Ganda by accusing him of bad taste and impropriety. Soho even joined the fray by declaring: “I could let the fat jokes go but he had to go so far (on rape).”
 ***

Unlike Susan Enriquez whose media savvy is to stop killer storms and tame erupting volcanoes , Soho, who, probably thought she should be respected more because she awed the Who’s and Who of the country because of her incisive multi-awarded program, thought she has the moral authority to rebuff the irreverent Vice Ganda.
Unlike Falwell, Miss Soho did not sue with slander or libel with millions of pesos of moral damages Vice Ganda and ABS-CBN that showed the concert in the bootube.
 But what if Soho has charged Ganda with oral defamation? Would the case prosper in court?
 ***

Allow me to delve on the legal merits of the case: Since the courts of the Philippines borrow a lot of jurisprudences in the United States, her former colonizer, I am sure ABS-CBN TV funded high rollers defense lawyers of Vice Ganda would emulate the arguments of the attorneys of Larry Flynt in the First Amendment (Freedom of Expression in our Constitution) that has been the main argument in the classic case Hustler Magazine, Inc versus Falwell.
 ***

The following are the summary how the case progresses from the lower court to the Supreme Court: The Reverend Falwell sued Flynt, Hustler magazine, and Flynt's distribution company in the U.S District Court for the Western District of Virginia for libel, invasion of privacy, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
Before trial, the court granted Flynt's motion for summary judgment on the invasion of privacy claim, and the remaining two charges proceeded to trial. A jury found in favor of Flynt on the libel claim, but found in favor of Falwell on the intentional infliction of emotional distress charge, and awarded Falwell $150,000.
 Hustler petitioned for a Certiorari the United States of Court of Appeals (CA) why it should not pay for the $150, OOO award.
But the CA upheld the decision of the lower court for the financial award. Hustler petitioned with a Certiorari the decision of the CA in the U.S Supreme Court for grave abuse of discretion.
 ***

 Here thus was the decision of the U.S Supreme Court for the recovery of damages for libel and intentional infliction of emotional distress that was decided on February 24, 1988: The Court held that in order to protect the free flow of ideas and opinions on matters of public interest and concern, the First and Fourteenth Amendment ( Privileges or Immunities Clause) prohibit public figures (Like Soho) and public officials from recovering damages for the tort of intentional infliction of emotional distress by reason of the publication of a caricature such as the ad parody (just like what Vice Ganda did at the offended Miss Soho) at issue without showing in addition that the publication contains a false statement of fact which was made with "actual malice. “With knowledge that the statement was false or with reckless disregard as to whether or not it was true (The State's interest in protecting public figures from emotional distress is not sufficient to deny First Amendment protection to speech that is patently offensive and is intended to inflict emotional injury when that speech could not reasonably have been interpreted as stating actual facts about the public figure involved. Here, respondent (Falwell) is clearly a "public figure" for First Amendment or Freedom of Expression purposes, and the lower courts' finding that the ad parody was not reasonably believable must be accepted,” The Court opined. It continued that "outrageousness” in the area of political and social discourse has an inherent subjectiveness about it which would allow a jury (or the Regional Trial Court in the Philippines) to impose liability on the basis of the jurors' (or Judge’s) tastes or views, or perhaps on the basis of their dislike of a particular expression, and cannot, consistently with the First Amendment, form a basis for the award of damages for conduct such as that involved here.
With an 8-0 votes the case was dismissed by the U.S Supreme Court in favor of the smut Hustler’s tongue-in-cheek interview of Reverend Falwell who disclosed he had sex with his mom with the goats and the horses as silent witnessed to the hilarious incident.
I bet ya, the same precedence will happen in the Philippines court incase the horse faced Vice Ganda is sued by the smarting lady version of his “immensity” TV broadcaster non-pareil Louie Beltran because parody, satire, and jokes from comedians are not given credence by people as truth. These things are there, protected by the Freedom of Expression clause, to amuse people even at the expense of public figures.
If Soho wanted to recover any damages and see Vice Ganda behind bar incase the latter repeat his stage stunts, she (Soho) should leave the lime lights and become a non-public figure by say a franchisee of Lydia’s lechon, as this work description seems not to be protected by the Freedom of Expression clause.
(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).

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Media men slander, sue each other

GOOD OL DAYS: Navarro (7th from Left) and Duque (9th from Left) during the good old media time.

BY MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA


 As far as my more than ten years experienced as political columnist in the rambunctious politics of Pangasinan is concerned, the Belen Fernandez versus Benjie S. Lim for mayor in Dagupan City was the most divisive and acrimonious tiff I encountered.
Incoming Mayor Fernandez
 Why? Susmariosep, it did not only build animosity between the warring members of the Fourth Estate but dragged some of them at the prosecutor’s office and National Labor Relation Commission in filling complaint-affidavits and counter affidavits for criminal libel and labor cases at each other as their lawyers silently relished at the sidelines from the tens of thousands of pesos acceptance fees these belligerent media men coughed out.
“Look what happened to the series of libel cased filed by Aksiyon Radyo’s commentator and franchisee Attorney Gonzalo Duque against fellow media men Orly Navarro, Leu Paragas, and Lina Cervantes, all of that commenced from their media quarrels in promoting the best out between Belen and Benjie” I told some media men.
 “Their dirty quarrels have seen pages even on black propaganda newspapers allegedly distributed by the camp of Lim where some of them have been pictured not only as scheming orangutans but as an orangutan with a dick, er, private part as small as that of a toddler.
 Look what happened to the election of the new Pangasinan Press Club, Inc. under the watch of Navarro. Orly et. al brace for, I heard from columnist Ruel Camba, for an injunction case filed by Duque who was affronted that the group of Navarro hijacked his PPC.
Outgoing Mayor Lim
Look too at the generosity of tycoon Antonio Cabangon Chua through his Man-Friday Johnny Dayang, who treated the members of the press and broadcast to a bacchanalian feasts before and after the PPC election in May 7 notwithstanding the transportation and food expenses somebody shelled out to each of the almost 200 grateful members of the press club who voted in the recent PPC’s poll.
 Look too at the slighted publisher Lelia Sy who mulls to file a libel case after a local newspaper accused her of printing the orangutan black props on the eve of the poll.
All those events were the consequences of the electoral rumble of the two Filipino-Chinese who spent countless millions of pesos just to undermine each other for turf control but did not expect that an internecine battle among their media supporters continue,” I told them.

***
“Missing Dawel River Cruise Barges Found”, a recent news headline in one local newsweekly screamed. Outgoing Mayor Lim’s media lap dogs rebutted the accusation of acting Mayor Fernandez’s media men that it was just proper for the personnel of Magic Mall (owned by Lim) to pull out the two river cruise’s barges and moor them near the property of outgoing mayor because they were owned by Lim.
“It was not true cried by two Lim’s department head where one of them was City Engineer Virginia Alcantara,” I overheard on a radio report. “Paano maging sa kanila iyon (Lim) the city appropriated P10.1 million for the river cruise project despite not passing through a bidding?, a department (was it the budget officer or the accountant?) cried at a meeting called by acting mayor Fernandez.
My poser: Has the department heads dropped the outgoing mayor like hot potato since he is already a lame duck and has no political value to them anymore?

 ***
 During the Independence Day celebration at the plaza, retired RTC Judge George Mejia, who is a consultant of Fernandez, told me that Fernandez, by operation of the Local Government Code, would not appoint, suspend, or dismiss any employee despite the lapsed of 30 days after Fernandez took as acting mayor last May 15 after Lim was ran to a hospital because of stroke that made him “comatose” until now. “Papaabutin na lang daw ni Mayor (Belen) ang July 1 bago mag reorganize siya,”
Mejia told me when I asked him about Lim’s 30 days absence.
Here’s my other poser: Son of a gun, it seems Mayor Fernandez was too confident that the city department heads would not rat her by shredding incriminating documents that she can use against Lim in the future? How magnanimous of her in not sacking those perceived sycophants when Benjie reined the city.
(Send comments to totomortz@yahoo.com).

Governor fights Ombudsman on suspension

MANILA, Philippines – Outgoing Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia asked the Sandiganbayan Second Division on Wednesday, June 19, to junk a motion filed by the Office of the Ombudsman seeking her suspension from office over charges of graft and malversation.
Garcia – who is on her last term as provincial governor, and has just won as congresswoman of the 3rd district – has just finished serving out a 6-month suspension imposed on her in December 2012 by the Office of the President.
President Benigno Aquino III held her guilty of grave abuse of authority for usurping the power of the vice governor and hiring consultants without the approval of the provincial board.
The Ombudsman's motion for her suspension, meanwhile, was filed last June 5.
In a 12-page opposition filed through her lawyers, Garcia disputed the prosecution’s claim that she effectively admitted the validity of the information against her when she underwent arraignment last March 22 and submitted “not guilty” pleas.
The governor was indicted on two counts of graft and one malversation charge in connection with the purchase of the 24.92-hectare property known as the Balili Estate for P98.93 million in 2008.
Prosecutors said around 80% of the property were found to be submerged in water.
Named co-defendants were Sangguniang Panlalawigan member Juan Bolo; Provincial Budget Officer Emme Gingoyon; Provincial Appraisal Committee chairman and Provincial Assessor Anthony Sususco; Provincial Treasurer Roy Salubre; and OIC Provincial Engineer Eulogio B. Pelayre; and private defendants Romeo and Amparo Balili.
They were accused of conspiracy in binding the provincial government in a “grossly disadvantageous” transaction, causing it undue injury and unlawfully diverting P49,849,200 from the province’s social services fund allocations to partly pay for the land acquisition.
In her opposition, Garcia pointed out that she made no admission on the validity of the information and in fact filed a motion to quash dated May 21, 2013, asking the court to dismiss the charges.
“It is elementary that a Motion to Quash is filed precisely to question the validity of the information. The prosecution’s claim that Governor Garcia has admitted to the validity of the Informations is erroneous at best and, at worst, a blatant misrepresentation,” the defense said.
In addition, Garcia argued that the purpose of suspension of a public official has already been accomplished by her recently concluded suspension for 6 months.
“It simply makes no sense to suspend her at this time precisely because she has already been prevented access to her Office that there is no other purpose for the Prosecution’s Motion to Suspend than to further embarrass and harass Governor Garcia. Such machinations are not only oppressive, they are cruel,” the defense stressed. – Rappler.com

Bataoil: To sue or not to sue Lokin

Bataoil

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

 DAGUPAN CITY – Reelected congressman Leopoldo Bataoil of the Second District of Pangasinan is thinking whether to file a criminal case against losing congressional rival Maria Bianca Kim Lokin and Oliver Ortega who filed cases against him. “This camp has not acted on the case yet,” Bataoil said after he was asked in a press conference if he will file a criminal case against the two of incriminating innocent person. The solon was in Mangatarem, Pangasinan barnstorming when Ortega, a supporter of Lokin, included him in his complaint affidavit after he was allegedly forcefully brought by the supporters of Bataoil that included his brother Ramon, a municipal councilor, at the house of the latter in Barangay Libsong East in Lingayen.
 According to news reports Ortega got the ire of Ramon and company after he took photos of them distributing dole-outs at Brgy. Libsong in behalf of the solon.
 The complainant said the councilor threatened to kill him unless he surrenders his camera that was spirited away by his companion who absconded when he was apprehended in a vehicle chased by the group of Ramon. Ortega charged Bataoil with kidnapping and graved threat. Many believed however that Ortega was used allegedly by Lokin to undermine the political stocks of the congressman.
 “We will answer those allegations in a proper forum,” he said in an earlier interview with this paper. He said he was still waiting for the letter subpoena from the court after Lokin filed a disqualification case against him because of that incident. Meanwhile, Bataoil lauded Data Advisor Inc. (DTI), for its almost accurate survey 20 days before the May 13 election that showed him winning by 81.9 percent against Lokin’s 18.1 percent. “Yes, the survey was very accurate (after the partial counting of) 81 percent versus 10 percent,” he said after he was proclaimed by the Commission on Election in May 15. “It appears the result was still partial kaya let’s wait for the final tally to see how close the real score is on the survey,” he continued.
 DAI, a Manila based poll firm believed to be hired by Governor Amado T. Espino, commissioned the 2,500 18 years old and above respondents on April 19 to 25 equally distributed in Pangasinan except this city which is a chartered independent component city. According to the Comelec through Rappler.Com Bataoil ,Natonalist Peoples Coalition and Biskeg Parties, got an actual 110,426 votes while Lokin, Liberal Party, settled for 40,433 Votes.

Mayor Fernandez moves to secure Dagupan assets

Dagupan City Mayor Belen Fernandez (3rd
from Left).

Acting Mayor Belen Fernandez moved to secure all fixed and movable assets of Dagupan that could be subject of pilferage by any person, including by outgoing or resigning officials and employees. Fernandez told newsmen the disappearance of the three river cruise boats moored at Daongan ed Dawel happened a day before one official close to outgoing Mayor Benjamin Lim resigned.
 There was another report that an official at Tondaligan Park also resigned and at the same time, some chairs and equipment that could be city-owned were reported missing. As to the three river boats, the police learned that these were pulled out on June 3 allegedly by personnel from the Magic Group owned by outgoing Mayor Lim in the presence of some personnel of the city government. However, outgoing City Administrator Vladimir Mata belatedly admitted to Acting Mayor Fernandez that the three river cruise boats are "technically owned by Mayor Lim", flip-flopping from his claim two years ago before the Sangguniang Panlungsod that these are city-owned. Though Mata said there could have been some miscommunication somewhere else as the three river cruise boats were only pulled out for repairs, Acting Mayor Fernandez said the new city administration might as well buy new ones as she has no intention of discontinuing with the river cruise. "Sayang young ginastos nating P9 million sa Daongan if we will stop," Fernandez said during a press conference at her family-owned CSI Stadia. At the same time, she also said that if indeed the three missing river cruise boats are owned by the outgoing mayor, then how come the city was paying for their maintenance and repair ever since they were harnessed to commute people in their tour of the Dawel River. In my opinion, public funds can not be used at any time to maintain privately-owned properties, vehicles and in this case the privately owned river boats. She said it is now up to the Commission on Audit (COA) to determine if laws were violated in connection with the operations of the three river boats said to be owned by the outgoing mayor.

Ravanzo in, Moreno out at Register of Deeds

Former Election Officer Ravanzo (3rd from Left) with Governor
Amado T. Espino.




By Mortz C. Ortigoza

 DAGUPAN CITY –Former City Election Officer Remarque Ravanzo of this city is being groomed to replace lawyer Rufino Moreno as the head of the Register of Deeds (RD) here.
 “Just waiting for Remarqe to assume office and for the turn over. I have packed my things already ,“Moreno in a text message said.
 Moreno has been the acting head of RD for the past year after he was reassigned because of reorganization at RD in Lingayen. Moreno did not say where he would be reassigned.
Meanwhile, a source at the RD in Lingayen, who asked for anonymity, said RD offices all over the country have been using modern technologies to improve its land records management system. Recently, a combination of microfilm and computerized database systems has greatly improved the security, reliability and accessibility of land title information of those registries where this technology has been applied. RD is under the Land Registration Authority (LRA).
 The source said the RD issues decrees of registration pursuant to final judgment of the courts in land registration proceedings and causes the issuance by a registrar of deeds of the corresponding certificate of title. It is tasked to issue all subsequent or transfer certificates of title which may either be issued judicially or administratively. It keeps the title history or records of transaction involving titled or registered lands. It exercises control over the disposition or alienation of registered lands in accordance with existing government rules and regulations.

Saturday, June 15, 2013

Police chief lectures media men with their English

MEDIA MEN BEWARE: Provincial Director Colonel  Marlou Chan 
(C) and Dagupan City Police Chief  Cris Abrahano (R) are stickler 
of the Shakespearean Language. 

BY MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA

 During the celebration of the Independence Day at the City Plaza graced by Secretary Bebot Villar of the Dangerous Drugs Board and Acting Mayor Belen Fernandez of Dagupan City, I was amused seeing city police Chief Lieutenant Colonel Cris Abrahano "lecturing" some media men who “ambushed interview” him about the city being a transshipment of illegal drugs.
 “Iyang term na transshipment (of illegal drugs from Manila to Dagupan City) it is a misnomer or a matter of semantics. How can we have transshipment here when we do not have harbor or airport to transport the illegal goods? Wala naman tayong harbor dito kung saan ang barko galing sa Manila ay dadaong? Wala namang harbor doon sa Baguio (kung saan wala namang dagat doon na pag dadaungan ng barko- emphasis and humor mine),“ the former official of the Philippine Drugs Enforcement Agency in the region, declared.
 I instead interjected after he paused and before other media men preempt me with their other misnomer, er, question. “Colonel, sabi sa akin ni former PDEA Regional Director Robert Opena ang Dagupan City ay dropped off points (“Yan ang tamang term,” I overheard Sunday Punch’s veteran scribe Ding Micua quipped in the middle of the jostling and shoving media men) ng lahat ng drugs being supplied to Regions I, 2, and the Cordilleras, what’s your take on that?”
Abrahano said that incase the city is the dropped off point because it is burgeoning. “Maraming negosyo dito, may mga hotels dito na puedi nilang pagpahinga-an”.
***
Provincial Director Colonel Marlou Chan was amused when I told him about Abrahano's giving English 101 to the members of the Fourth Estate.
"Oo nga naman, dapat dropped- off not transshipment" he quipped.
***
The 6 foot 2  tall soft- spoken Abrahano told too the members of the Fourth Estate that it would never happen under his watch that police scalawags (like convicted former Dagupan City Chief of Police Dionesio Borromeo and Senior Police Officer 1 Joey Abang after they were put in a bind in 2008 on a trillion pesos shabu hoard in Brgy Bimmutubot, Naguillan in La Union.) disgraced the police force.
 “Incase any of my policemen are implicated on this illegally heinous activity, I’ll throw the full force of the law against them”.
 Well said colonel, I was just relieved that you did not warn your cops that you’re going to “throw the books like that thick Revised Penal Code I saw at your table after they committed their shenanigans. At least diretso jail lang sila na walang bukol na pinapalalambot dahil sa makakapal na books na ni threw niyo sa kanila.
 Atong Remogat and Ronel de Vera baby, that’s what we call semantics, rhyme, or play of words.
 ***
 “Missing Dawel River Cruise Barges Found”, a recent news headline in one local newsweekly screamed.
Outgoing Mayor Lim’s media lap dogs rebutted the accusation of acting Mayor Fernandez’s media men that it was just proper for the personnel of Magic Mall (owned by Lim) to pull out the two river cruise’s barges that are moored near the property of outgoing mayor because they were owned by Lim.
“It was not true cried by two Lim’s department head where one of them was City Engineer Virginia Alcantara,” I overheard on a radio report.
“Paano maging sa kanila iyon (Lim) the city appropriated P10.1 million for the river cruise project despite it did not pass through a bidding?, a department (was it the treasurer or the accountant?) protested at a meeting called by acting mayor Fernandez.
 My poser: Has the department heads dropped the outgoing mayor like hot potato since he is already a lame duck and has no political value to them anymore?
(Send comments at totomortz@yahoo.com)

Chinese Encroachments Rallying Cry for U.S Bases

Chinese Naval Special Forces
BY MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA

  Contingent of Philippine Marines
The public pronouncement of Chinese Major General Zhang Zhaozhong of the People’s Liberation Army on Chinese TV  to starve the Philippine Marines contingent in Ayungin Shoal did not only spawn a grave concern for countries who have stake at the West Philippine Sea or South China Sea but gave a reverberating chilling effect to the militarily weak Aquino Government of the Philippines.
             

Zhang said that his country’s naval strategy was to get rid of his country already occupied islands and shoals (One is Panatag or Scarborough Shoal, is 120 miles off of Zambales but 550 miles to the nearest Chinese port in China) from the Philippine military and fishermen through a Cabbage Strategy.
 Here’s an excerpt of what he said in the May 28, 2013 TV interview which was published too at the China Daily Mail:
"The fishermen conduct normal production there. In the area around the island, fishing administration ships and marine surveillance ships are conducting normal patrols while in the outer ring there are navy warships. The island is thus wrapped layer by layer like a cabbage. As a result, a cabbage strategy has taken shape. If the Philippines wants to go in, in the outermost area, it has first to ask whether our navy will allow it. Then it has to ask whether our fishery administration ships and marine surveillance ships will allow it. Therefore, our fishermen can carry out their production safely while our country’s marine rights and interests as well as sovereignty are safeguarded. Is that not satisfactory?"
China's latest purchase of 24 Su-35 multi role jet fighters and submarines from Russia may weaken Taiwan's "qualitative" advantage in military capability.
On Ayungin Shoal, 105 nautical miles off of Palawan, General Zhang said:
 “We should do more such things in the future. For those small islands, only a few troopers are able to station on each of them, but there is no food or even drinking water there. If we carry out the “cabbage” strategy, you will not be able to send food and drinking water onto the islands. Without the supply for one or two weeks, the troopers stationed there will leave the islands on their own. Once they have left, they will never be able to come back. For many things, we have to grab the right timing to do them. Over the past few years, we have made a series of achievements at the Nansha Islands (the Spratly Islands), the greatest of which I think have been on the Huangyan Island, Meiji Reef (Mischief Reef) and Ren’ai Shoal (Ayungin Shoal)” 

 ***
 I could see two scenarios incase Zhang’s unveiled threat become a reality:
1) Our poorly equipped Marines at Ayungin, whose provision from Navy ships has been blocked by the Chinese Navy, disgracefully capitulate and pack- up for home.
 2) the Aquino government, resolves to save face among the scandalized Filipino nation, ordered them to fight to death against the Chinese intrusion while our more than four decade old BRP Gregorio del Pilar (that I recently toured and wrote where you can accessed it at http://mortzortigoza.blogspot.com/2013/05/my-tour-php-biggest-and-fastest-warship.html) and BRP Ramon Alcaraz blasted the modern Chinese Navy’s frigates with their 76 mm Italian made Oto Melara gun that fired 80 bullets, na singlaki ng batuta ni Dracula, per minute.
 The overpriced widow maker SIAI-Marchetti S-211
 is a turbofan-powered military trainer aircraft 
designed and originally marketed by SIAI-Marchetti for the 
poorly equipped Philippine Airforce. 

Does Aquino have the balls to go for broke for the second option?
 The Sinos would surely retaliate by sending more ships and troops, not to mention any of the 200 Chinese made Chengdu J-10, 76 Russian made Sukhoi Su-30MKK ,76 Russian made Sukhoi Su-27 Air Superiority Fighter, 180 China made Shenyang J-8 Interceptor Fighter, 350 China made, Chengdu J-7 Fighter/Interceptor,70 China made Xian JH-7 Fighter bomber to annihilate to smithereens not only our Marines at Ayungin but our BRPs Gregorio del Pilar, Ramon Alcaraz, and our 13 ground support and jet training Italian made Aermacchi A-211 Jets (where one of them is being displayed now by our low moral air force pilots - who ponder how to land a pilot job at PAL or Cebu Pacific - at SM Mall of Asia in Pasay) just like what they did to the Vietnamese soldiers in the Battle of the Paracel Islands in January 19, 1974.
With Mischief Reef, Scarborough Shoal, and parts of Ayungin Reef occupied by the Chinese already by building concrete structures at the first two, it’s high time for the 16th Congress to amend some provisions in the Constitution for the return of the U.S bases.
 With the hands-me -down battle ships given by Uncle Sam to us sailing side by side with modern U.S navy warships and submarines (armed with Tomahawk missiles, harpoons, and MK 38 Model 2 Close-In Weapon System (CIWS), the last one  is completely remote-controlled using an electro-optitical/infrared sensor ball and laser range finder to find and track targets just like at the movie entitled “Battleship” at HBO) escorting the beleaguered Filipino fishermen in our islets and shoals there. 
With the incessant intrusion of the Sinos in our 200 miles Economic Exclusive Zone (where China was also a signatory in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), Filipinos who watch these blatant and patent trespasses would surely be scandalized.
 These could be their rallying point for the amendment of the Constitution for the return of the Yanks (who were booted out in 1991 by those former and hypocrite Senators who thought they have the God given monopoly to the closure of the bases despite majority of the Filipinos opposed them) and not the xenophobic 60-40 percent economic provision that is biased for limited capital Filipino oligarchs responsible for the Diaspora of the Filipinos abroad and the debilitating more than 3 million unemployed presently and the crushing poverty rate among the 27 percent of the population of 95 million Flips.
 Ordinary Filipinos do not understand the political or economic wisdom of the 60-40, but surely they understand the shameless affront to the national pride by the wanton Chinese incursions and occupations of our islets as being shown at the nighttime prime time TV news programs of ABS-CBN and GMA-7 at their living rooms.
 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).

Monday, June 10, 2013

Pang'nan Prov'l Director declared Persona Non Grata

Beleaguered Police Colonel Marlou Chan (L).

PROVINCIAL RESOLUTION NO. 277-2013 DECLARING PSSUPT.MARLOU C. CHAN AS PERSONA NON GRATA IN THE PROVINCE OF PANGASINAN

WHEREAS, sometime in December 2012, PSSupt. Marlou C. Chan assumed as Officer-in-Charge of the PNP Police Provincial Office of Pangasinan;

 WHEREAS, the designation as OIC Provincial Director was subsequently superseded by the issuance of a Memorandum designating PSSupt.Marlou C. Chan as Provincial Director on May 10, 2013;

 WHEREAS, despite his assumption into office, even as Officer-in-Charge of the PNP Police Provincial Office of Pangasinan, PSSupt Chan, deviating from normal conducts of newly-appointed PNP Provincial Directors, never bothered to formally present himself and his plans pertaining to the peace and order and security of Pangasinan, to the provincial officials, particularly, the members of the 7th
SangguniangPanlalawigan;

 WHEREAS, it is the position of the SangguniangPanlalawigan that the appointment is in contravention of the PNP laws and the Omnibus Election Code, and is in fact subject of a pending case before the courts of justice;

 WHEREAS, the sentiments of local leaders in the Province of Pangasinan were expressed in a Manifesto calling for a change in the PNP provincial leadership due to the inefficiency of its present leader in the provincial level;

 WHEREAS, in violation of COMELEC rules, PSSupt. Chan displayed tyrannical attitude in causing the transfers and movements of dedicated Chiefs of Police from their respective posts, thereby causing demoralization among the men and women in uniform within the Province of Pangasinan;

 WHEREAS, likewise complained about are the blatant violations committed by PSSupt. Chan during the election period wherein he demonstrated partiality and bias in the exercise of his official functions as Provincial Director, particularly in dealing with election related issues;

 WHEREAS, the SangguniangPanlalawigan has approved on its June 3, 2013 Regular Session, Provincial Resolution No. 243-2013 entitled “Expressing the Sense of Concurrence and Support to the Complaint filed by Honorable Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr. against PSSupt. Marlou C. Chan, docketed as Civil Case No. 19270 and Urging the Latter to Step Down as Provincial Director of the PNP Pangasinan Police Provincial Office;
 WHEREAS, Provincial Resolution No. 243-2013 was received by the Office of the Provincial Director on June 6, 2013;

 WHEREAS, despite receipt of the said resolution approved by the SangguniangPanlalawigan, PSSupt. Chan remains seated in his office with no apparent intention to step down and vacate his position; 

WHEREFORE, in view of the foregoing, on motion of all SangguniangPanlalawigan Members, duly seconded, it was – RESOLVED, by the SangguniangPanlalawigan of Pangasinan in session assembled to declare, as he is hereby declared, PSSupt.Marlou C. Chan as persona non grata in the Province of Pangasinan;


 RESOLVED, FINALLY, that copies of this resolution be furnished to Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr., PSSupt. Marlou C. Chan, Provincial Director, PNP Pangasinan Police Provincial Office, PCSupt. Ricardo C. Marquez, Regional Director, PNP Region I, San Fernando City, La Union, Police Director General Alan La Madrid Purisima, PNP Chief, PNP National Headquarters, Camp General Crame, Quezon City, the Chairman of the NAPOLCOM and Secretary Mar Roxas, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Quezon City, for their information and guidance.

Saturday, June 8, 2013

Former Dagupan's police chief Sentenced to Life, Surrendered

Detained Police Lt. Colonel Borromeo evangelized to
 fellow police officers.


MANILAPhilippines - Superintendent Dioniso Borromeo surrendered to authorities after being sentenced to life imprisonment for protecting a shabu laboratory in La Union province, Calabarzon Regional Director Chief Superintendent Benito Estipona said on Thursday. Estipona said Borromeo, a former assistant provincial director for administration of Cavite police, surrendered around 5 p.m. Wednesday after he was contacted by Senior Supt. Alexander Rafael, Cavite provincial director, about the decision of Branch 67 of the Regional Trial Court of Bauang, La Union on a drug case he was involved in. Judge Ferdinand Fe found Borromeo guilty of protecting a laboratory of shabu (methamphetamine hydrochloride) in Bimmotobot, Naguilian, La Union that was raided in 2008.
 The copy of the arrest order was received through fax around 10 a.m. Thursday. He said Borromeo is now under the custody of the Cavite Provincial Police Office.
Along with Borromeo, Fe also handed a guilty verdict on non-commissioned officer Police Officer 3 Joey Abang. Aside from life imprisonment, Borromeo was also slapped with a P10-million penalty, while Abang was sentenced to imprisonment of no less than 12 years and one day, to a maximum of 20 years. He was also made to pay a P500,000 fine.
 Supt. Rommel Estolano, Cavite police spokesman, said Borromeo will be turned over to the court of origin in La Union on Monday. For his part, PNP spokesman Chief Supt. Generoso Cerbo Jr. said this development in the case brought a strong message to the public that “there is no sacred cow” when it comes to the implementation of drug laws. “Ito ay magandang mensahe na meron tayong batas. Colonel, pulis or hindi, mananagot ka sa mga kasalanang ginawa mo,” Cerbo said. Cerbo said Borromeo has been relieved from his position, while his dismissal papers are already being prepared. (TV5).

5 suspected gang men executed in Pang'nan, 2 victims beheaded


Massacred alleged gang members from Sual, Pangasinan

Five alleged gang men, one of them a minor, were massacred at their residence in Bugallon town in Pangasinan shortly after midnight Friday. 
 Senior Insp. Ryan Manongdo, spokesman for the Pangasinan provincial police, identified the victims as Rommel Ramoran, 38, married; Jomer Ramoran,17; Ronald Ramoran,34, married; Ernesto Ramoran, 49, single; and Albert Martinez, 25, separated. 
 All of the victims were natives of Paitan, Sual, Pangasinan, and were temporarily residing at the shanty in a vacant lot beside Royal Subdivision, Manongdo said.
 An initial investigation showed the victims were eating at about 12:30 a.m. of June 8, when around 10 unidentified men wearing bonnet suddenly appeared and shot the hands and feet of Jomer and Albert, Manongdo said. 
 He also said the suspects tied the hands and feet of the two with plastic straps and hacked their heads with a bladed instrument.
 When Rommel, Ernesto and Ronald attempted to fight back, they were shot by the suspects hitting them in different parts of their body, killing the three on the spot, Manongdo said.
 Meanwhile, members of the SOCO team from Lingayen conducted a crime-scene processing and were able to recover 16 fired cartridges and five fired bullets for cal .45.
 Also recovered at the scene were 14 plastic straps and 1 fun knife (balisong) from the body of Rommel and 1 cellular phone from Martinez. Initial police information revealed the victims were engaged in illegal activities such as akyat bahay, cattle rustling, and theft.
 Meanwhile, Rommel was convicted of robbery with acts of lasciviousness and was paroled in April. The police are ow tracking down the suspects, who witnesses they initially interviewed had described as wearing masks, radio dzBB reported Saturday noon. — LBG, GMA News

Friday, June 7, 2013

Battle Looms: Dagupan Mayor vs. Amb. Cabangon-Chua





BY MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA

The other day I was with a political operator where we dropped by at the session hall of a first class town in Central Pangasinan.
 We found the vice mayor there exchanging pleasantries with reelected councilors who are scions of multi-millionaire families in the town.
Some of them spent millions of pesos through vote buying and dole outs just to win their reelection bid in an office that gives them roughly P30, 000 a month salary.
 “Please tell your father that you run for the PCL (Philippine Councilors League-Pangasinan Chapter) so that you can be a member of the provincial board,” the operator told a young councilor whose father is a big time government contractor.
Mayor Belen Fernandez
 “Magkano ang bilihan ng boto para manalo manong (how much we are going to spend to buy votes to win the PCL, big brother)”? My operator friend told him and his curious colleague in the august chamber that the province has 44 towns.
 He explained that the trade dictates that he has to dine and wine the mayor, vice mayor, and eight dads of the town in a plush restaurant or hotel to ingratiate with them before he shells out the following amount: Mayor, P20, 000; Vice Mayor, P15, 000, Each of the eight councilors, P10,000 or a total of P5,720,000. “Lalaki pa iyan pag iyong rival mo offers the same amount (Your P6 million spikes if your rival for the PCL offers the same amount),” the operator explained.
Now dear readers you wonder probably what the heck happens to a solon spending millions of pesos for a position that gives only a P40,000 monthly salary in his three years stint at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (provincial board)?
 My answer: Prestige man, that stupid prestige!
 ***

City State Saving’s Bank (CSSB), owned by tycoon Antonio Cabangon -Chua, would be earning a windfall because it found itself doing business in the middle of the burgeoning wet market of Dagupan City.
CSSB occupied the ground floor of the former Mac Adore International Palace Hotel where the latter was bought by the tycoon for P119 million from the city government under outgoing Mayor Benjie S. Lim who suffered a stroke a day before the May 13 poll.
 “Suerti ng banko na iyan iyong mga vendors kanya-kanyang deposit ng tag P300 lang na kinukuha na ng collectors ng bangko kada hapon,” a vendor quipped.
 But it was not all sunshine for the bank after it opened for business. Weeks after its operation the newly elected mayor Belen Fernandez, a bitter critic of the sale of the edifice, told the media that CSSB should not be operating as it fails to acquire a mayor and building's permits and even a power connection contract from the local electric provider DeCorp.
Despite the bank frantically paying the required fees for the permits last week at the One –Stop –Shop, Fernandez resented why the personnel there accepted them, according to my source.
The pronouncement of Fernandez has added in the bank’s owner woes after Judge Jovito Samadan of Branch -40 of the Regional Trial Court nullified the sale of the edifice after Sangguniang Panlungsod Secretary Ryan Ravanzo, a factotum of Fernandez, filed a petition for Declaratory Relief.
 With the court decision and Fernandez’s saber rattling in the media for the imminent closure of CSSB , I’ll be seeing the new business venture of Ambassador Cabangon-Chua in a roughed ride.
 But my kasimanwa and Chua’s Man Friday Johnny Dayang, chairman of the Publishers Association of the Philippines, Inc., disagreed with my observation, in a media treat he hosted at Chua’s Orchid Hotel, when I told him that Fernandez is bent to persecute the ambassador, whose other controlling business interest are Aliw Broadcasting Corporation, Fortune Life Insurance Co., Incorporated, Eternal Garden Memorial Parks, Warehouse Clubs, Eternal Plans, Inc., and City State Properties, Plans, Inc., and Management Corp., by closing CSSB.
 “Hindi niya pueding gawin iyon,” he quipped.
With Dayang’s adamant reaction and Cabangon Chua’s generosity to treat the members of the local media, are we seeing a looming protracted war between Cabangon-Chua and the Fernandez Administration?
 Incase Fernandez ordered the closure of CSSB and stop the renovation of the former three-star hotel, I see the former ambassador filling a preliminary injunction with mandamus to oblige Fernandez not to stall his business.
 On the other hand, Fernandez in behalf of the city government goes to court by opposing the mandamus filled by the former ambassador.
 Court cases like these just like the nullity penned by Judge Samadan are bane to business undertaking as they take years to be finally settled as both parties appealed any adverse decision to the Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court.
As the cases drag till Kingdom Come, Cabangon-Chua loses millions of pesos of revenues notwithstanding the P119 million (or probably higher than that as insinuated by the critics of the McAdore sale).
 ***

 Pardon me with these wild imaginations, but could the following scenarios be a possibility?
Cabangon-Chua strikes a deal with the newly elected mayor by dangling an additional sum for the sale that the latter has been assailing as a fire sale, or with his financial and media juggernaut to boot, he abet the pro-Lim media men to undermine the Fernandez administration as it self destruct on its way in 2016 when she runs for reelection against Lim (incase he recovers from his stroke) or his son Brian – the newly elected Vice Mayor.
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).

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Q & A: “Let’s wait for the decision of the Court” – PD Chan

Police Colonel Marlou Chan

After Senior Superintendent Marlou Chan was charged with an injunction by Pangasinan Governor Amado T. Espino at the Regional Trial Court in Lingayen, Pangasinan last May 27 to revoke his appointment as permanent police provincial director of Pangasinan, the governor and the members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan call him to step down from his post . Despite all the ruckus, Chan maintains his post. He spoke to correspondent Mortz C. Ortigoza of the Northern Watch Newspaper the reasons why he did not acquiesce to the call for him to leave Pangasinan. Excerpts:

 MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA (MCO) : Board Member Alfie Bince delivered recently a privileged speech, eventually adopted as Resolution No. 1856-2013 by the provincial board, exhorting you as a friend to step down for the sake of delicadeza. How you felt when everybody at the provincial government of Pangasinan despised you?

 S/SUPT. MARLOU CHAN (CHAN): On a personal note ako po ay nagpapasalamat kay Board Member Alfie Bince ng Sixth District - fortunately my district also. His appeal was a food for thought. But I would like to stress out again as I welcome itong petition that was filled in court that the most prudent for all of us to do ay hintayin na natin iyong resulta ng proceso (court). I joined the governor and all of those concerned by urging a speedy decision of the status of my appointment which was not of my own making. Concerning my appointment as police director, I am bound by the order of the chain of command. I have to obey the order of my superior and commander-in-chief which is primarily to enforce the law and maintain the peace and order dito sa probinsiya ng Pangasinan. To reiterate, let us wait until the Regional Trial Court decides the petition.

MCO: The governor and his allies in the Nationalist Peoples Coalition accused you of partisanship in favor of their rival Liberal Party where you according to them zealously sided with the LP in the just concluded May 13 election.

 CHAN: I have never been partial in the May 13 poll. I even consistently guided the Pangasinan police to remain apolitical in the recent political contest. Incase they have evidence that the PNP have been partisan we are very willing to submit for an investigation. Fortunately iyong ating liderato including iyong tinatawag nating Regional Special Operation Task Group sa Pangasinan ay umani ng papuri sa Camp Crame. As a matter of fact this is one of the most peaceful elections so far in Pangasinan as validated by the national police headquarters.

MCO: One reasons your enemies at the Capitol are after your scalp because they said the majority of the mayors and the members of the board signed a manifesto that says that there were 23 documented shooting incidents in Pangasinan since March 2013 notwithstanding the 80 unsolved shooting incidents under your watch.

 CHAN: What kind of argument was that? They should bear in mind that the doctrine of command responsibility does not automatically make me liable because there were still Chiefs of Police in the ground. Nevertheless for the sake of rebutting their allegation hindi naman nag a-averaged in 21 killings last year. We are now on the fifth month (from the time he was appointed as OIC provincial director in December 12, 2012 - MCO) so practically 105 if you compared last year. Meron lang tayong 97 shooting incidents. If you follow ang ating crime solution efficiency, hindi totoo iyong sinasabi nila na 80 unsolved . Hindi naman totoong data iyan!

MCO: The governor, who was supported by the members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan and the League of Mayors in the Philippines – Pangasinan Chapter, wants the court to revoke your permanent appointment because he suspected that PNP Director for Personnel and Record Management Catalino Cuy and Region 1 police director Ricardo Marquez conspired to circumvent your appointment last May 10. He said it violated Section 51 of Republic Act 6975 (Department of the Interior & Local Government Act) that says that he should appoint one of the three nominees presented to him by the regional director, does it mean incase the court upholds the injunction the PNP can just revert you back to your previous designation as provincial director in an OIC’s capacity ?

 CHAN: I did not seek such a position or designation. It is up to the court to declare kung tama o mali iyong ginagawa ng PNP in my appointment. But for the time being there is an official order for me to assume initially as an OIC provincial director of Pangasinan then acting provincial director until it was elevated to the status of full provincial director.

(Ortigoza is a former professor of Political Science. He has a master’s degree in Public Administration and Political Science (C)).