PNP’s Unholy Trinity: Gambling, Drugs, and Prostitution

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

I just browsed recently some “sensitive” leaks released by Wikileaks from the U.S Embassy to the Internet about police corruptions in the Philippines. As a columnist for sometimes now I rubbed elbows with some middle and upper ranked officials of the Philippine National Police (PNP), susmariosep, I could not agree more to these incriminating releases.

Here are some excerpts how the “Kano (Americans)” and their moles derisively look at our police force in this Julian Assange (Wikileaks’s founder) illegal expose’ entitled “Law enforcement corruption in the Philippines”.

It says there that the Americans compared the PNP to police forces in gangster Al Capone’s Chicago and the Los Angeles, California police in the 1940s.

“The Philippine National Police is the most corrupt national institution in the Philippines. Corruption in the PNP and related agencies stems primarily from the unholy trinity of gambling, drugs, and prostitution that beset law enforcement organizations worldwide. However, PNP corruption is exacerbated by Philippine Law, which gives local officials control  over the appointment and dismissal of local PNP commanders, encouraging corrupt city mayors to make common cause with dishonest police commanders,” stressed by Wikileaks’ whose motto written in bold letters that say ““ HELP WIKILEAKS  KEEP GOVERNMENTS OPEN".

The U.S embassy cable also say that in the absence of such systematic PNP reform, popular impatience for better police performance and management (that were  exacerbated by the belief that everyone in the force is corrupt)  encourage public support for  elected officials who  abet extra-judicial killings (“salvaging” in police language) to suspected criminals.

“Such an outcome would be disastrous to the human rights climate in this treaty ally and democratic partner, and would also undermine or harm progress on major USG goals here to combat terrorism, narcotics trafficking, trafficking in persons, and other transnational problems,” the “Kano” at the U.S embassy - headed presently by their ambassador who looks like Light heavyweight boxer James Toney – deplores.

Wikileaks also mentioned there the “malfeasance” between former presidential husband Mike Arroyo and the police.

It was about the controversial procurement decision in 2003 to replace existing stocks of 9mm handguns with .45 1911-A1 pistols.

“In a P20 million contract, the PNP amended its 1995 specifications for caliber .45 handguns. This change caused gun dealers to complain the changes were made to allow only the purchase of model 1911-A1 pistols made by Arms Corporation of the Philippines (Armscor)”.

U.S officials said that the police change the rules to favor the company owned by Demetrio “Bolo” -- first cousin of Arroyo.

Disgruntled gun dealers complained that in the tests conducted by the PNP the pistols’ safety broke during the drop test and jammed at 3,000 rounds, when the PNP’s minimum for an endurance test is 5,000 rounds.

“During training conducted in 2005 in the Philippines by Joint Inter-Agency Task Force – West personnel, trainers commented that the Armscor .45 were unreliable, inaccurate, and potentially dangerous to the operator. Nevertheless, Armscor remain an approved supplier to the PNP,” embassy officials complain.

Geez man, you Americans could only cry your heart’s out. This is the Philippines were relatives of the power-at-be have a say on what things to do and not to be done.

We would not land at Transparency international’s top list as one of the most corrupt country in Asia if not the world for nothin’, man.

Oh by the way, to peasants out there who just learned how to use the ‘Net (Internet, you idiot!) you can read the other shenanigans of the PNP at the cable released by the Caucasians at their Roxas Boulevard, Manila’s fortress by clicking this site http://wikileaks.org/cable/2005/04/05MANILA1506.html.

And for more police corruptions, you can click too, at my, aheem!, thousands of hits blog entitled “WICKED Leaks (Julian Assange’s worst nightmare) at  http://mortzortigoza.blogspot.com/2011/02/showboating-of-wealth-at-pma-alumni.html.

(You can send your violent comments at totomortz@yahoo.com).

MEDIA IN ACTION

 Dagupan City Mayor Benjamin S. Lim (third from left) discusses a wide range of issues raised by local newsmen during last Wednesday’s Media in Action Forum hosted by the Pangasinan Press Club headed by Atty. Gonzalo T. Duque at the Pedrito’s Restaurant. Also in photo (from left) are Atty. Napoleon Arenas and broadcaster Inciong Tamayo.  

Calasiao has areas for other investors

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

CALASIAO – With the expected influx of investors after giant mall Robinson opens anytime from now, the mayor here said that the town has areas reserved for other investors.
Mayor Mark Roy Macanlalay said Barangays San Miguel and Mancup are the commercial districts that could accommodate investors.
He said that it was no longer necessary to pass a new Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) in this town’s legislative body for the advent of the new economic development.
“Madugo ang proseso noon. Pupunta ka sa maraming dadaanan nito,”he said.
He said that Brgy. Mancup is a good haven for investors because they can expand development up to the subdivision that borders Brgy. Buenlag.
An economic expert said this rice-cake producing town can be likened to what ensued in the town of Bayambang which after Grand Royal Mall opened, immediately attracted Manila and provincial based investors who put up shops at stalls there.
Macanlalay believes that Robinson would be a catalyst for business not only here but for the neighboring towns of Malasiqui and Sta. Barbara.
He said that many investors are mulling to invest here than in the already congested Dagupan City.

Thailand has left the Philippines far behind

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

In case Board Member Danny Uy stands by my allegation that he told me and countless media men at countless occasions that most of his colleagues were recipients of P40 thousand each from jueteng payola, he earns a propaganda quo for himself.

He, a last termer provincial dad, would get the affection of Pangasinenses.They would say “here is a man with “balls” who was not afraid to stand on what he told media men about the payolas”.But as we know, Danny boy ain’t got “balls”.He denied to heaven and earth that he told me about the payola thing.He ain’t fit for the vice gubernatorial post that I egged him to run in 2013 because of his incorruptibility.Danny boy should know, Pangasinan needs an incorruptible man with “balls.” Danny failed to get the last one.His chance to be the no.2 man of the province crashed before it was given a chance to take off.Alaga-an niyo na lang ang babuyan ninyo after your term.You ask newsman Paquito Basila: “Di ba pare, parang kolumnista din ng pahayagan na di na sumikat, diretso la-os na?”.***When Rep. Kimi Cojuangco (5th District, Pangasinan) told me recently that three decades ago our Asian neighbor Thailand has almost the same population with the Philippines, I could not get the Thais present demographic number. Thus I clicked the site of the Central Intelligence Agency’s World’s Facts Book.It says there Thailand got a July 2011 population estimate of 66,720.153 while my dear Philippines hit the 101,833,938 mark.Because I know that the culprit that helps aggravate our penury is the vigorous opposition of the Catholic hierarchy to the government’s program to thwart population explosion through contraception, they should know the economic price we are now paying.According to the World’s Facts Book, the Gross Domestic Product-Per Capita Income (GDP-PPI) (to peasants who just learned how to read, it means a approximation of the value of goods produced per person in the country, equal of the country’s GDP divided by the total number of people in the country ), lucky Thailand has a 2010 estimated Gross Domestic Product- Per Capita Income of U.S $8,700 (or Philippine peso’s equivalent of 365, 400 a year salary),while pathetic Philippines who is scared to the threats of myopic clergies and anti-RH Bill advocates got a sorry U.S $ 3,550 (P149,100 a year).Family planning conscious Thailand who is not only known as the coup’d’ tat capital of East Asia, it is also known as the Detroit of the South East Asian Region.Her industry and tourism (buttressed by legal prostitution industry that thrives despite the AIDS scare) earned her the present GDP-PPI.***My townmates and schoolmates who are teaching English language to the English handicapped Thai kids posted pictures at Face Book about the classrooms of public schools there. I died with envies how the Thais (who look like Pinoys) have trail-blazed us in the four-walls of public education. Public classrooms there – even in far-flung areas – got all the amenities of exclusive private schools here with all the air conditioned system, white boards, latest speech labs, and latest computer gadgets.Our overpriced corruption tinted public school room here that cost more than half-a-million (its real price can be as low as P350 thousand) would looked like the Thai’s stockroom.Anti RH Bill advocates might dispute my observations that Mainland China’s liberal “Constitution” that allows 100 percent foreign ownership of industries there. They would cite too China’s countless nuclear powered plants that sells cheap electricity that likewise entice investors be it Chinese and foreigners to put shop there and avail of the Sino’s strike-free basement priced minimum wage.***“So we should allow 100 percent foreign ownership, and nuclear plants in the Philippines. But we should not tinker with God’s mandates in the Bible to ‘go and multiply,” the anti-RH advocates probably would rebut me.That’s idiotic. More number of children to a poor family means poverty. Why not start first with free contraception at the villages followed later by 100 percent foreign ownership and nuclear power plants.Is that not commonsensical?Geez, China has been requiring her people with Great Premier Deng Xiao Ping’s edict in 1979 about “One child one policy” for a nuclear family to the extent of doing abortion to many mothers who violated the edict.This policy made China experience ‘the great economic ejaculations that averagely run to 8 percent Gross National Product (GNP) every year for the last two decades.Our government need not muscle our people. We are a democratic country, but for God sake my Dear Procopio can these narrow minded priests and other anti-RH bill advocates give us options.“Walang puwersahan. Kung gusto mo ng sampung anak, go ahead! kailangan mo ng tulong, at gusto mo mag plano ng anak ninyo, tatlong anak lang, you can come to your municipyo, to your health clinic at humingi ka ng libring contraceptives!(No force. If you like10 children, go ahead! If you need help and you want to plan your family like three children you can come to your municipyo, to your health clinic and you can ask for free contraceptives!)”That’s what Rep. Kimi Cojuangco recently told me.If the Texans have the battle cry “Remember the Alamo!”We Flips should have “Remember the Thais” who have long eclipsed us.These sons of guns Thais were once our “students” on how to plant high breed rice at University of the Philippines at Los Banos, Laguna in the 1960s.Now they got all the high breed rice in the world, we Filipinos got all the high blood every time our government imports the staple from them and Vietnam through another corruption tinted transaction.And we should remember too, susmariosep, the basket-case Vietnam and Cambodia who are already just below our butt in terms of economic development (You can read my selected intriguing but thought-provoking columns at http://mortzortigoza.blogspot.com. You can send comments too attotomortz@yahoo.com).

Illegal drug trade talamak sa ARMM?

Ni Secretary Antonio "Bebot" Villar


LUBOS po akong nabahala sa isang liham na aking natanggap mula sa isang respetadong personalidad sa Muslim community na nagbubunyag na talamak na umano ang illegal drug trade sa Autonomous  Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

Ayon sa aking source, na hindi ko na muna papangalanan para sa kanyang kaligtasan, sangkot sa droga mula sa pinakamatataas hanggang sa pinakamababang mga opisyales ng pamahalaan sa mga probinsyang sakop ng ARMM.

Kabilang aniya sa mga protektor ng droga ang mga gobernador, bisegobernador, mayors, vice mayors, mga konsehal hanggang mga barangay chairmen!

Pati daw mga PNP provincial at station commanders ay nakiki-sawsaw na rin sa masamang gawain. At hindi lang ‘yan, pati raw mga negosyante at ibang mga ginagalang na tao sa kanilang komunidad ay nabahiran na rin ng drug money!

Ibinunyag pa ng naturang source na ang paglaganap ng iligal na droga sa ARMM ay pinasimulan daw ni dating Governor Zaldy Ampatuan! At pinakamalala raw ang problema ng drug addiction sa mga lalawigan ng Basilan, Sulu at Tawi-Tawi -- kung saan pangkaraniwan na lamang ang mga taong sugapa sa Shabu!

Napakabigat ng mga akusasyon na ito at ayaw ko sanang paniwalaan!Subalit bilang chairman ng Dangerous Drugs Board ay hindi ko maaaring balewalain ang ganitong salaysay mula sa isang “credible source” na handang lumantad sa tamang panahon.

Sa ngayon, ang tanging magagawa ko ay ang magpakalap ng impormasyon para patotohanan o pasinungalingan ang nilalaman ng liham na aking natanggap. Kailangan pakilusin ang mga ahente ng Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) para mabigyang linaw ang bagay na ito.

Bagama’t hindi nakakalampas sa ating kaalaman na ang problema mula sa ilegal na droga ay kalat sa buong bansa, hindi rin natin sukat akalain na ganoon kalala ang problema sa mga nabanggit na probinsya!

Kawawa naman ang mga residente doon kung ang problema ng poverty at insurgency ay madadagdagan pa ng talamak na drug addiction!

Sakaling totoo nga ang natanggap nating impormasyon, asahan niyo na hindi natin sasantohin kahit itong mga “warlords” sa ARMM! Ang droga ay hindi lamang problema ng Kristiyano, Muslim o ano pa mang pananampalataya! Itoý suliranin na tumatawid ng racial, ethnic at religious bounderies. Itoý problema na sambayanang Pilipino! Labanan po natin ang iligal na droga!

***

Isang bayan sa Batangas ang lunod na rin daw sa negosyo ng iligal na droga dahil ang namununo rito ay isang mataas na opisyal!

Sinasabi ng ating impormante na patuloy ang pagtaas ng pagtutulak at paggamit ng bawal na gamot sa kanilang bayan sapagkat wala raw magawa ang kapulisan!

Ang kapulisan daw ay nasa ilalim ng kapangyarihan ng mataas na opisyal at hindi maaaring suwayin kung kaya’t pati silang dapat manghuli ay nagtutulak na lang din!

Kawawang mamamayan at bayan! Saan ang tungo ninyo kung kayo ay alipin na rin ng negosyong ipinagbabawal??

Sino na ang maaasahan ng mamamayan lalo na ng mga kabataan kung ganito ang kanilang nakikitang trabaho ng opisyal na ito na kanilang inihalal?

Ang opisyal daw ay gumagamit ng “dummy” sa kanyang iligal na negosyo! Syempre, upang maprotektahan ang kanyang imahe na magsilbi kunwari sa bayan!

Kawawang bayan ito sa Batangas kung hindi mapipigil ang opisyal na ito sa kanyang lumalakas na negosyo na sumisira ng buhay!

***

Hindi mo na talaga basta masasabi kung sinu-sino ang mga adik ngayon! Pati mga taong akala mo ay kagalang-galang hindi mo alam ay mga sugapa na pala sa ipinagbabawal na gamot.

Ito ay senyales ng napakalala na ng problema ng ating bansa sa iligal na droga.

Tingnan mo na lang itong si Allan Patrick Atup, edad 38,  court stenographer sa Butuan Regional Trial Court Branch 4, na inaresto ng mga operatiba ng Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) matapos magsagawa ng raid sa kanyang condo unit sa Barangay Libertad sa Butuan City.

Ang raid ay isinagawa sa bisa ng isang search warrant dahil ang condo ni Atup ay pinaghihinalaang drug den. Nakumpiska mula sa nasabing lugar ang mga empty plastic containersna may traces umano ng shabu at assorted drug paraphernalia.

Huling-huli din si Atup na nakikipag-pot session kasama ang isang BS Education student na kinilalang si Kira Mae Pabia, edad 22. Hindi nila maitatanggi na sila’y nagdo-droga dahil pareho silang lumabas na positibo sa isinagawang drug test matapos ang insidente!

Ngayon, pareho silang nahaharap sa mga kasong paglabag sa Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2001. May karagdagang kaso pang isasampa laban  kay Atup dahil bukod na siya ang may ari ng alleged drug den, empleyado pa siya ng husgado!

Mantakin mo, isang court employee -- drug user pala! Ano ang kanyang moral authority na magtrabaho para sa isang institusyon na nagpapairal ng hustisya?

At sa kaso naman ni Pabia, ano na lamang ang kanyang ituturo sa kanyang mga estudyante kung tuluyan siyang maging isang teacher balang araw? Kaya niya bang pangaralan ang mga ito na umiwas sa iligal na droga?

Nakaka-awa sila dahil marahil silaý alipin na ng droga. Subalit pangkaraniwan na lamang ngayon ang kaso ni Atup at Pabia. Marami pang katulad nila. Mga taong maayos sa panlabas ngunit nabubulok na pala sa loob!

***

Sumulat sa atin ang isang opisyal ng PDEA upang magsagawa ng isang “Seminar-Workshop for Judges, Prosecutors and Law Enforcers “ para sa Region V.  Isa kasi ang programang ito na ginagawa ng Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB), ayon sa Republic Act 9165.

Milyon na rin ang nagastos sa pagdadala ng programang ito sa iba’t-ibang rehiyon ng bansa na naglalayon sanang makatulong upang mapaayos at mapa-bilis ang mga kaso ng iligal na droga sa ating mga korte.  Sa katunayan, katuwang natin dito ang Supreme Court at ang Philippine Judges Academy (PHILJA).

Ngunit sa kabila ng programang ito, kapansin-pansin na  marami pa rin ang drug-related cases na nadi-dismiss! Ibig ko sanang ipaalala sa ating mga naging participants ang kahalagahan ng seminar-workshop na ito na dapat ay makatulong sa kanilang paglilitis at hindi makatulong makapag-dismiss ng kaso!

Kung walang magandang resulta ang pag-sasagawa namin ng seminar na ganito sa mga kinauukulan, hindi ba’t parang nagsasayang lamang tayo ng pondo ng bayan???

(Para sa inyong impormasyon, suhestiyon, o reklamo, mag-text lamang po kayo dito sa numberko: 09159509746 o di kaya ay mag-email sa wagkukurap_101@yahoo.com.ph)

P-Noy should have vision to RP’s run-away population- Rep. Cojuangco

The author after his interview with Rep. Kimi Cojuangco at the swanky bayside residence of former House Speaker Joe  and Rep. Gina de Venecias in Dagupan City.

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

DAGUPAN CITY- A pro-Reproductive Health lady solon said that the president of this country should have a vision on how to do with her spiralling and bourgeoning population.

Rep.Kimi Cojuangco (5^th District, Pangasinan) could not imagine a small country like the Philippines besieged by a 100 million run-away population

She recalled that when she was a mayor of a 4^th Class town Sison in Pangasinan she was “barred” to provide contraceptives at the town’s and villages’ health clinics as it would opposed the “anti-contraceptives” policy of the then Gloria Arroyo Administration.

“Ganito iyan, depende kung sino ang presidente. Kung anti-RH Bill ang president, it would not be available. Kung pro-RH Bill ang president it would be available. Hindi naman puweding ganoon. Dapat merong vision kung saan papunta ang bansa natin”.

She said that during her mayoral stint, there was a list for essential medicines that towns in the country should procure.

“That time 4^th class municipality ang Sison, saan kami kukuha ng perang pambili ng contraceptives?, “ she posed.

She hoped that the enabling law of the RH Bill should mandate that every municipality will provide contraceptives to people who want to plan their family.

“Walang puwersahan. Kung gusto mo ng sampung anak, go ahead! kailangan mo ng tulong, at gusto mo mag plano ng anak ninyo, tatlong anak lang, you can come to your municipyo, to your health clinic at humingi ka ng libring contraceptives”.

She said that three decades ago Asian neighbour Thailand has the same population with the Philippines. But now it tamed almost by half her population compared to the latter.

According to the CIA World Fact Book, Thailand has a July, 2011 populaltion estimate of 66,720.153, while the Philippines has 101,833,938.

 The former has a 2010 estimated Gross Domestic Product- Per Capita Income of U.S $8,700, while the latter has U.S $ 3,5500.

Rep. Cojuangco was here recently as a guest of former House Speaker Joe and Rep. Gina  de Venecia  at their swanky bayside residence in Brgy. Bonuan Binloc.

Ilocos guv felt taxman’s woes

Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

ALAMINOS CITY- The top honcho of the Bureau of Internal Revenue who supervises Western Pangasinan referred to the “Belt-Tightening” Policy of the Aquino Administration in the first fiscal semester for a sluggish tax collection.

Revenue District-5 Chief Quirino Ramos said that in all of the six (6) Revenue District Offices in Region 1, only La Union’s Revenue District Office (RDO) breached the goal  for this year that was given to it by the national government.

“There are no new industries in my district. One of the bulks of my tax sources come from the TRA (Tax Remittance Advisory) where revenues come from the withholding taxes like income and value added tax of contractors doing government projects,” he stressed.

He said that last year all the RDOs in the Ilocos Region were beneficiaries of the massive government spending under the administration of then president Gloria Arroyo. He said the bullish collection during that year was capped by the 2010 national and local election where politicians spent billions of pesos in poll campaign spending.

Ramos blamed the shortfall of his tax goal to the uncollected P75 million TRA.

“I was given a 16% increase tax target .Without the deficit of P75 million I should have hit my target”.

He said that of all the RDOs in Region 1, his district is the smallest.

Ilocos Norte Governor Imee R. Marcos corroborated the woes on the sluggish tax collection encountered by Ramos and most of the RDOs in the Ilocos Region.

Marcos in her column in a tabloid said that the government should not crow on the billions of pesos it save for the first fiscal semester as it did not spend a dime for this year.

“Hindi naman kailangan pa ng isang ekonomista para hindi maunawaan ang ginagawa ng gobyerno. Simple lang naman talaga ito, hindi ba? Ang kailangan ay gumastos, itaya ang pera o i-invest ito ng higit na kumita hindli lang ang kaban ng bayan kundi mismo ang bawat bulsa ng mamayang Pilipino”.

The governor concluded that as result of this policy there was no production that caused unemployment among the taxpayers.

Manay Gina bats for the establishment of a fish port in Dagupan

Manay Gina teams with Pfizer to combat pneumonia: Rep. Gina de Venecia of Pangasinan's 4th District  has joined Pfizer Philippines in its campaign to eradicate  pneumonia, otitis media and meningitis that endanger children. Some 500 kids from Barangay Pantal, Dagupan City  benefitted from the said project. 

Photo shows Manay Gina with Barangay Captain Lilia Yazar during the Pfizer Philippines vaccination program held at the University of Pangasinan last Saturday. 

Fourth District Representative Gina de Venecia is pushing for the establishment of a modern fish port in Dagupan City.

“Most iconic of Dagupan is its title as the Bangus Capital of the World,” she said, “but despite the strength of its fishing industry and after 64 years as a city, Dagupan still lacks a modern fish port to support this major industry.”

She said that while a fish processing facility was opened last year to aid the fast processing of fish harvest, there is a difficulty in transporting and bringing the fish harvest to the plant.

“This calls for a dire need to establish a fish port within the city, where the fish processing facility is located, she said.

She added, “Moreover, with the presence of both the fish port and fish processing facility, the export of local fish to international markets will be greater than before.”

She expects that the construction of the fish port will improve the income of fisherfolks and fish processors in the city thereby ensuring the sufficiency of fish supply in the whole province.

Under this act, the Department of Agriculture, through the Philippine Fisheries Development Authority shall formulate the rules and regulation necessary to effectively implement its provisions.

The proposal was successfully defended by Rep. De Venecia, last week, at the hearing of the Committee on Aquaculture and Fisheries at the House of Representatives.

Once passed, the fish port is expected to benefit bangus growers and other fishpen operators in Dagupan and the whole of Pangasinan. 

Pag-amyenda sa R.A. 9165 patuloy na pinaguusapan

MALAMAN ang naging pagpupulong ng Committee on Dangerous Drugs nitong nakaraang Martes sa House of Representatives sa pangunguna ng CommitteeChairman Cong. Vicente “Varf” Belmonte.   Ang patuloy na pagpupulong ay naglalayong mag-review sa Republic Act 9165 (R.A. 9165) partikular sa isyu ng “mandatory drug testing” para sa mga drivers at mga mag-aaral; pagbabalik ng parusang kamatayan at ilang mga panukala na magiging dahilan upang i-amyenda ang batas at mas maging epektibo at kapaki-pakinabang.

Nakatutuwa sapagkat ang naging “battlecry” na ng aking kolum na ito na pagbabalik ng parusang kamatayan ay isa sa pinaka-mainit na tinalakay sa pagpupulong.  Sa akin kasing obserbasyon at maging ng ating mga mambabatas, tanging parusang kamatayan lamang ang tunay na makapag-papabawas ng problema sa iligal na droga.

Bagama’t ang Department of Justice (DOJ), ayon sa kanilang kinatawan sa pagpupulong, ay may kaunting “reservation” sa isyu ng pagbabalik ng parusang kamatayan kung kaya’t minabuti ng committee na sila ay hingan ng posisyon hinggil dito.

Ikinakampanya ko talaga ang pagbabalik ng parusang kamatayan sapagkat alam kong ito lamang ang makapag-bibigay ng hustisya sa mga kaso at personalidad na binibiktima ng salot na droga.  Sa pamamagitan ng parusang ito, magiging patas na rin ang batas sa pagtrato sa ganitong kaso laban sa mga dayuhang nagpa-patakbo ng sindikato sa ating bansa.

Magbibigay hustisya rin ito sa mga inosente at karaniwang mamamayan na madalas ay nagiging biktima ng heinous crimes, na kadalasang nabibiktima ay mga taong walang sapat na kakayahan upang bigyang-katarungan ang nangyari sa kanilang pamilya.

Sa bansang Tsina, hindi inalintana ang pakiusap ng isang Bise-Presidente upang pigilin ang pagbitay sa ating tatlong kababayan noong nakaraang Marso na umano ay “drug couriers” ng international drug syndicate.

Ito ay kanilang patunay sa buong mundo na ang kasong “drug trafficking” ay tinatrato nila ng seryoso at walang sinuman ang makapag-bibigay ng impluwensya upang hindi maisakatuparan ang kanilang istriktong batas ukol dito.

Ganito ang pinapangarap ko para sa Pilipinas kung kailan walang sinumang dayuhan ang magba-balewala sa ating batas at mangangahas na gawing transit point ang ating bansa para sa kanilang iligal na negosyo!

***

Isa rin ang “mandatory drug testing” na umani ng iba’t-ibang reaksyon sa pulong subali’t ito ay normal lamang lalo na kung nais nating maging seryoso sa pag-amyenda ng ating batas ukol sa iligal na droga.

May mga nais na kasing magpa-balewala nito sapagkat hindi sila naniniwala na ito ay epektibo. Sa totoo lang, kung drug testing sa mga driver ang pag-uusapan, maaari nga itong madaya.

Sa panahon kasi ng renewal ng kanilang lisensya ginagamit ang drug test kung kaya’t sila man ay regular na gumagamit ng shabu o marijuana, ilang araw bago dumating ang kanilang renewal at pagpa-drug test ay maaari na silang tumigil pansamantala upang hindi makita sa resulta ang kanilang pag-gamit!

Ito ang nakikita ng mga kritiko na kahinaan ng mandatory drug testing para sa mga driver! Ang renewal kasi ng lisensya ay ang araw ng kapanganakan kung kaya’t alam ng driver kung kailan dapat magpa-drug test!

Ngunit sang-ayon tayo sa “random” drug testing na isinusulong kung saan ang sinuman ay hindi makapag-hahanda sapagkat ito ay isinasagawa ng hindi naka-anunsyo o pasabi.  Sa mandatorydrug testing kasi alam ng tao kung kailan ang drug test.

Maging sa mag-aaral, ginagawa na ang random drug testing ng Department of Health (DOH)  at batay sa mga report na ating tinatanggap, nakatutulong ito upang ang mga magulang ay ma-alarma at makipag-tulungan sa paaralan kung paano maagapan ang problema.

Ang mga nabanggit na isyu ay ilan lamang sa masusing pinag-uusapan ngayon at pinag-aaralan ng Technical Working Group (TWG) sa Kongreso.  Bawa’t isyu ay nangangailangan ng maingat na pag-aaral bago pa mapag-desisyunan na  isama sa dapat ma-amyendahan.  Ilang panahon na lamang at umaasa tayo sa magandang resulta ng pag-aamyenda sa R.A. 9165.

***

Sa kolum ko noong nakaraang Agosto 4, 2011, isinulat ko ang aking panawagan kay Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Dinky Soliman para tipunin ang mga street children na palagiang nakikita sa mga kalsada, tulay at ilalim ng tulay na pagdating ng hapon ay tila sinusundo ng isang sasakyan upang dalhin kung saan ay hindi natin alam.

Natutuwa ako sapagkat parang napapanahong kasagutan sa         aking panawagan ang ginawang forum ng DSWD kamakalawa sa Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria sa Ortigas para sa kanilang target na “zero street children by the end of this year.”

Ginawa sa pakikiisa ng Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) at 17 local government units (LGUs) sa buong National Capital Region (NCR).

Lumagda ang DSWD at punong-bayan ng mga pangunahing siyudad tulad ng Manila, Quezon, Caloocan, Pasay, Parañaque, Mandaluyong at Muntinlupa bilang “priority areas” ng Comprehensive Program for Street Children.

Napakaganda ng hakbang na ito ni Sec. Soliman at hangad ko ang mabilisang implementasyon nito para na rin sa ikasasagip ng ating mga street children.

(Para sa inyong impormasyon, suhestiyon, o reklamo, mag-text lamang po kayo dito sa number ko: 09159509746 o di kaya ay mag-email sa wagkukurap_101@yahoo.com.ph)

Now Showing : Media versus SP on jueteng payola

By Ruel Camba, Examiner Newspaper

DAGUPAN CITY— A group of veteran newsmen  met  here yesterday to map strategies on how to unmask public officials who received jueteng payola.

            The meeting, held at an eatery along Arellano Street, was an offshoot of an expose made by Northerm Watch columnist Mortz Ortigoza alleging that most members of the Sangguniang Panglalawigan were receiving jueteng payola which they immediately denied.

Among those in the meeting were Ruben Rivera (Northern Mirror), Jun Velasco (Sunday Punch and Manila Bulletin), Ruel Camba and Alex Tulao (Regional Examiner), and Manuel Celzo (DZXL-Manila).

In his column, Ortigoza said most SP members were receiving P40,000  a month.

Ortigoza said he based his allegation on a conversation with Board Member Danilo Uy who claimed he rejected his share of jueteng payola in the presence of other mediamen.

“I was with at least two other newsmen when BM Uy made the claim,” Ortigoza said, adding that his companions were willing to testify should the libel case against him prosper.

The media group threw their support to Ortigoza even as they urged the authorities to provide  him security as motorcycle-riding men have been seen tailing him.

They surmised that some jueteng lords and their supporters in Pangasinan are out to block the entry of the Loterya ng Bayan (LNB) which is being pushed by at least four members of the House of Representatives from the province.

Ortigoza’s claim that many public officials, including SP members, were receiving jueteng payola was  also corroborated by the director of Region I Medical Center, Dr. Roland Mejia.

Mejia said he had once a patient who operated jueteng and the latter told him that many Pangasinan officials used to receive jueteng payola.

This is the reason why jueteng continues to thrive in Pangasinan and elsewhere, Mejia said, adding that he supports the Loterya ng Bayan which is being operated by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO).

“We have many hospital patients who are beneficiaries of PCSO,” he said.

Aside from Mejia and several newsmen, Ortigoza also found support from businessman Rosendo So who is an anti-jueteng advocate.

So, founding chairman of Abono Partylist, said he will convince some friends, including those in media, to stand as witnesses to corroborate Ortigoza’s story.

 Bince Jr. said  most members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan have expressed their desire to file a libel suit individually or as a group against Ortigoza and Northern Watch publisher Yolanda Fuertes.

Bince said they found the item in Ortigoza’s column alleging that most SP members received P40,000 a month from jueteng, “malicious”.

Bince, a lawyer, said that their colleague, Board Member Uy, from whom Ortigoza quoted the alleged statement, manifested in their last session that he never said those words attributed to him by the columnist.

Vice Governor Jose Ferdinand Calimlim, SP presiding officer, was first to react on Ortigoza’s column, saying there was no truth to this, branding the same as malicious and just hearsay.

Ortigoza said in a radio interview that it was unfortunate that Uy denied his statement but said he had some media men with him when Uy allegedly made the supposedly offensive claim.

Bince said not only Calimlim is filing the libel suit but also all SP members who were badly offended by Ortigoza’s alleged malicious column.

The issue surfaced when the SP tackled possible moves to thwart the operation of PCSO’s “Loterya ng Bayan” (LnB) in Pangasinan.

                                        
Meanwhile, at some fora recently many media men corraborated what Ortigoza has alleged that BM Uy uttered those words on the payola. They were Rivera, Ronel de Vera (Pangasinan Reports), Vir Maganes (Northern Watch), Vierna Beltran (Bombo Radyo), Cory Bactad, and others who asked anonymity in preparation for their being a witness incase the written slander case is filled by the Provincial Board.

Chairman na Abono Partylist na si Engr.Rosendo So ingiit to na wala ray board member na manaawat na

(From the website of Bombo-Radyo Dagupan)

DAGUPAN CITY--Ingiit na Chairman na Abono Partylist na si Engr.Rosendo So na walay nanbaga na wala saray board member na manaawat na jueteng payola na nagkatidad na
P40,000.00 kada bulan.
     
Unong ed kinde Engr. So, na base ed inbaga na agto nginaranan na bokal, na walay akatanggap tan wala met iray akatanggap na jueteng payola ed hanay na saray
bokal.
     
Kalegenan tonya,hinamon met so Sangguniang Panlalawigan na plano dan idemanda say manatsulat na si Morts Ortegosa na Northern Watch na bali-bali kuno no unpaway so
katuwaan no siyupa talaga so manbabaga na tuwa.
     
Inyarum tonya,anggano saray arum na congressman napanbagaan na saray board member kuno na akatanggap tan pati met la Engr. So et arengelan to met ya so abitlan
pangingiter na payola ed saray board member.

Reaksyon tonya kasumpalan tonya na nanpuligwas so Sanggunian Panlalawigan ed akasulat na wala ray BM na untatanggap na payola, tan nanbantan kasuhan na libelo
si Ortegosa ed ginawa ton artikulo tungkol dia.

BIR-Eastern Pangasinan focuses to it’s almost P1 B target

BIR Asst. Revenue District Office Maria Bernadette Mangaoang

 

URDANETA CITY – Despite the sluggish  government funded projects this year as compared to its phenomenally massive implementation last year, the office of the Bureau of Internal Revenue here  is still aggressively implementing programs that will boost collection in difference to  its goal of P975 million for 2011.

Assistant Revenue District Officer Maria Bernadette Mangaoang said that this tax office under Atty. Beverly Milo continues to impose enforcement of tax laws, intensive conduct of tax mapping operations, Lakbay – Aral sa Barangay (educational tours to villages), tax investigation.

 “Pumopukpok kami sa kung ano ang nandiyan na, e!” she disclosed

Revenue District-6 (RD-6) supervises a city and  15 towns in the eastern part of Pangasinan.

Meanwhile, Atty. Milo said that RD-6 became a top performer in the cumulative tax collection in Region 1 from January to April 2011.

She said however that it did not surpass the collection of May last year as against May this year.

“Walang projects ng May, e. You know lahat ng pondo lumabas at that time (2010).

The tax office here was the beneficiaries of mammoth government projects like the P220 million sanitary landfill here, the multi-billion of pesos Re-Regulating Pond in San Manuel town, and others last year.

2010 saw massive government spending on flagship projects of the Arroyo Administration where countless huge bridges, highways, dams, and others were built all over the country. This was capped by the national and local election spending last year where tens of billions of pesos help jacked- up the economy to experience a highest Gross National product of 7.7 percent in the last decade.

GNP this year is predicted by the World Bank to hover by between 4 to 5 percent.