Killing Notorious Criminals

By MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA

Lately the name of Erwin Tulfo, anchorman of TV-5, Nilo del Prado, radio commentator of

Robbers summarily executed allegedly by the police in the Philippines.

GMA-7, and a TV and radio personality were dragged as recipients of grease money from the controversial National Agribusiness Corporation (Nabcor).

“Erwin Tulfo, a television news anchor, and Carmelo del Prado Magdurulang, a radio talk show host, were allegedly among the beneficiaries of the diversion of congressional allocations from the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) coursed through state-owned National Agribusiness Corp. (Nabcor) and subsequently to ghost projects of bogus foundations, according to checks and accompanying documents made available to the Inquirer.

Former Nabcor officials Rhodora Mendoza and Vic Cacal said that a check for P245,535 was issued to Tulfo on March 10, 2009, drawn from a Nabcor account at United Coconut Planters’ Bank (UCPB), Tektite Branch PSE Center, Ortigas,  Pasig City.

Three checks were separately issued to Magdurulang by Nabcor in 2009—on April 27,  May 14, July 6—totaling P245,535—all drawn from the same Corporate Account No. 00196-000848-4 in UCPB, they said” published by the Philippine Daily Inquirer March 19 issue.

***

A beleaguered Tulfo and del Prado denied that they encash the checks.

Son of a gun, I remembered one newspaper writer who received a check from a politician when they were still patting- at- the- back friend. When the host jumped ship to the generous or “galit sa pera ”rival of the politician and started training his gun on his former friend, the latter commissioned some media men by exposing  him as willing recipient of checks from him.

Lesson learned here: Kayong mga media men, tumangap na kayo ng sobre na may paldo na pera pero huwag lang iyong cheki. Remember the English words: Paper Trail just like in the Nabcor brouhaha.

***

My source told me when we were drinking coffee at one of the high end coffee shops in Manila that, aside from the three media personalities I mentioned above, three TV hosts were recipients of P300, 000 monthly payola from the police so they would not lambast the Philippine National Police  in the region on its fight against illegal number game. "Iyong mga taga TV stations, taga national dailies, major radio stations naka payroll na sa amin iyan" he said.

But the problem with the three arrogant TV hosts was when the payola came late, they have instant scathing commentaries on the proliferation of video karera, drop balls, and other illegal games in one of the provinces that put on the defensive the leadership of the PNP.

 "Iba rin ang kalakaran diyan sa mga kapatid mo sa media sa Manila, AC-DC (attack and collect, defend and collect)," he told me.

 But I told him it is not only AC-DC, its quid pro quo (trade off), you do your illegal thing but don't forget to share some crumbs with the media so they would not expose your conspiracy with the financiers of these illegal gambling activities.

***

In one of the cities in the province, crime rates like robbery (hold-up and akyat bahay) plummeted significantly in the past months.

What’s the Secret? Bad guys, the notorious breed, have been silenced forever so they could not sow their nefarious activities anymore.

When I asked my source if they still give warning to the malefactors, just like what Davao Mayor Rod Duterte allegedly do to habitual delinquents, before a bullet or knife is pumped or stabbed on their body.

“No more warnings, we are fed up already with their activities. We go to the jugular!,” my source said.

***

When I was in Davao City I asked a friend why a town mate was waylaid in the durian city. He told me he was already exposed as notorious illegal drug pusher. When he was first collared by the Davao Death Squad (DDS) a politician and a friend in a nearby province interceded with the gutsy mayor to spare his life.

The town mate was told by the DDS leader to observe destierro (exile) from Davao City.

Several months later he was back in the city with his illicit trade and was apprehended again by the peace officers.

No more intercession for his life from friends as he was immediately summarily executed (salvage in the vernacular) by the squad.

Are the members of the “vigilante” in this city I earlier mentioned cocky than the DDS because of their damn the torpedo "no warning" policy?

They just grabbed the bad guys, muffed their mouth, tied their hands, and  sannamagan silenced them.

Sa mga kriminals na nabubuhay pa, malapit na naman ang mga malalaking fiesta ngayon, baka malasin kayo where your friends and kin will never see you alive again alive.

(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).