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| Monkey or Bakes in Pangasinan with Llave Tubo |
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| From Left: Orduna, Braganza, Espino |
BY MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA
I should be writing this column in Pangasinan dialect. But after I struggle in my title “Tinupak nen Braganza na bakes llave tubo si Espino ” I, a dyed in the wool Ilonggo, realized that my vocabulary in Pangasinan is not only patently limited but manifestly atrocious, and the gods of journalism have given me a perpetual injunction not to explore it again. “You better write in Swahili (the other language of former congressman Ranjit Shahani) instead of the tough to crack Pangasinan,” their memorandum says.
***
The camp of Governor Amado T. Espino should buy a block time pronto at the morning prime time program of my favorite talk-radio (what Americans call their AM band radio) Bombo Radyo. Otherwise the 30 minute and P18, 000 a day block time of Atong Remogat and Dennis Mojares could ruin through the monkey wrenches they throw at the Espino Administration. (Note: I wrote this column in April 23. In April 25 Espino bought an hour long radio program hosted by Celzo Manuel and Congressman Mataba Ito in the same morning Bombo Radyo program. While Braganza has expanded to one hour his former 30-minute program).
Take for instance the dig last April 23 of Attorney Bodie Pulido who runs for congress at the 1st congressional district of Pangasinan.
First, that Justin Aquino, a minor who sued Espino with murder, is a more credible witness than any adults. He explained that the minor is less vulnerable (what?) to tell a concocted story than adults.
Second, that a warrant of arrest against Espino in his involvement against the alleged murder of Infanta Mayor Ruperto Martinez could be issued even before the May 13 polls.
An Espino “apologist” worth his salt can, if they avail of a block time there, easily rebut all those accusations.
First Rebuttal: Aquino is not a credible witness. He is an incredible witness. Imagine, he was at the side of Espino when he was planning the murder of Martinez, former Councilor Nato Sabangan of Bayambang, Pangasinan , and Kagawad Jovencia Gasmin of Barangay San Juan, Alcala.
Mabuti na lang hindi ni implicate noong bata si governor sa pagplano sa pagpatay kay Jose Rizal at Andres Bonifacio.
The amateur and trumped up charges case filled by the NBI and the pronouncement of Secretary Leila de Lima of the Department of Justice that it was a credible case were not only a bad case and leaves a bad taste in the mouth but had undermined the credibility of these two government bodies.
Diyos ko naman NBI and Secretary de Lima bakit kayo nagpapagamit ?
If de Lima has still a little respect left in her self and wants to salvage the modicum honor left at the DOJ, she should dismiss the case pronto! Son of a gun, it could not even show a tinge of “probable cause”.
***
Second Rebuttal: Warrant of arrest can be issued before the May 13 poll? I fell from my chair again (the first time I fell was last week, when Bombo Radyo manager told me that Braganza hired Dennis Mojares who would carry the propaganda of Braganza in Bombo.
First, I just learned that lawyer Pulido is a cruel comedian (He started his comment with a scathing attack in that program that his rival the hard jawed Congressman Jesus “Boying” Celeste is the dead ringer (kamukha) of movie villain Bomber Moran.” Susmariosep, when did looks become a liability in an electoral contest, Atong?”
Second, I just learned that a lawyer who graduated from prestigious University of the Philippines can bastardized his diploma and BAR license by perpetuating an incredible legal explanation. How can a warrant of arrest be issued more than a week from now in case the DOJ found a probable cause, and the Sandiganbayan acquiesces for the issuance of the warrant?
(Braganza rah-rah boys have been circulating again for the umpteenth times that Espino would be ‘pupusasan (handcuffed) before the visit of President Benigno Aquino in May 2 in Pangasinan.
“Hoy,mga unwary media men pinapasakay na naman kayo!)
How can Espino be arrested e wala pang finding ng “probable cause” ang acting provincial prosecutor sa DOJ na inutusan ni Lola Leila?
Granted for the sake of argument a probable cause has been issued today (April 23, 2013), the acting provincial prosecutor will mail through the post office that resolution to Espino say in 10 days (Espino receives it on May 3).
Espino lawyers will file a motion for reconsideration (MR) within 10 days upon receipt of the resolution and mail it on May 13. The acting provincial fiscal decides the MR within, say, 10 days or up to May 23.
The prosecutor mails to Espino his decision on the MR (he rejects it or reverses it). Espino receives the mail in, say, 10 days again in June 3. In case the MR is rejected, Espino lawyers appeal to DOJ.
Since de Lima has already prejudges the case by telling the media earlier that the case against Espino was a good case and Justin seems credible she can reject the appeal and Espino lawyers can file an MR to her just to delay the filling of information and the arraignment (where Espino would say “not guilty” to a justice in Sandiganbayan) that has been given by law a 60-day period to suspend arraignment (as provided by Rule 116, Rules of Court) from June 3 to August 1.
So where in Jesus (Christ not Celeste) name did Attorney Odie gets the basis that warrant of arrest can be issued to Espino before the May 13 election?
Atong, mukhang gino-good time kayo ng mga guests niyo diyan!
***
Oh by the way, Atong and Dennis discussed last April 24 the pre-dawn grenade blast inside the compound of Espino’s nemesis Bugallon Mayor Ric Orduna last April 24.
Again, if Espino has a block time after the duo alluded that Espino was behind it, Espino can easily rebut it by even defining the following:
A self declared ambush by using firearms is called “Ambush Me.” If the perpetrator uses a grenade, the Americans and English soldiers in World War II called it as “Frag Me” from the word fragmentation.
If a naked woman was tied with the grenade and thrown at the compound of Orduna, a drunk media man would opined that it was a naked and brazen “Bomba Me” stunt from the Orduna and Braganza camp.
For me the “Frag Me” or “Bomba Me” thing in Bugallon was a suspect. It takes common sense to decipher the motive behind the grenade blast at the house of Orduna.
That explosion has made Bugallon a candidate for the Comelec’s high risk area. It means the town will be host to additional police and its Special Action Forces, and additional boots on the ground (U.S military term for additional soldiers) who could be bringing their armored personnel carrier or tanks that would hamper the movement of Espino and his well-oiled political machinery.
***
As a BIR news bug for a while, I know that a certain amount of the fixed income like workers in the private and public sectors have a portion of their salaries withheld monthly by their employers. The monies withheld are remitted to the BIR. I know too how these fixed income feel about bigger income earners like doctors, lawyers, and businessmen cheating a big portion of their tax intended for the government.
For example: How can the BIR know that a doctor or lawyer has been paid by their client with a staggering P100 thousand as professional fee when there was no BIR who could monitor this deal that has been consummated only between the professional and the client? How the taxman knows that after a big time fish pen owner in Pangasinan declared his income from a hectare of fish pen he was not disclosing the hundreds of thousands of pesos intended to the government from the nine hectares he hide from the BIR?
“This has been a perennial problem since time immemorial, how could the government neutralize this anomalous practice?” I posed recently to Regional Director Arnel Guballa who was with national and local BIR officials in Calasiao for a press conference.
He said the government is building a mechanism to arrest these loopholes.
Another question I posed to lawyer Vic Villagas of the Special Investigation Division, was about the progress of the case filed by BIR Commissioner Kim Henares against lawyers Cecilia Munar, former head of Registry of Deeds in Dagupan City, and Melvin Castro, former deputy head of RD in Lingayen.
Munar has been allegedly involved in a conspiracy with real property seller Humberto Solis and buyer Elma de la Cruz Versoza. The government was deprived of P15. 49 million in revenues inclusive of surcharges and interests on this allegedly illegal transaction, while Castro was involved couple years ago with the 12 heirs of Vinluan in Labrador, Pangasinan. It stemmed when the latter 358,966 square meters of lands were sold to buyer former mayor Ernesto Acain of Labrador despite the absence of the requisites for transfer. Castro’s involvement started when he wrote at the Day Book of the RD -Lingayen a statement that was used by the provincial assessor office under Nestor Quimbao to issue new tax declarations in the name of the buyer. The alleged illegal acts of Castro and the heirs have deprived the government of P9.26 million taxes. “These cases have ensued couples of years ago already. Is there a probable cause from the prosecutor or a warrant of arrest from the Sandigandbayan?” I asked.
Villegas of the Special Investigation Division answered the following :” We submitted them to the legal service of BIR central office and it was submitted also on the DOJ (Department of Justice) for preliminary investigation. Up to now, it is still awaiting resolution from the state prosecutor and the Department of Justice”. The adage” The wheel of justice in the Philippines grinds slow but exceedingly small” has been apt on this dilemma. Am I correct Attorney Guballa?
(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).
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