Litmus test for DeLima

Now that new Commission on Human Rights (CHR) chairman Leila de Lima has declared the killing of four Tanauan residents by elements of PNP RCBC Task Force headed by Supt. Aaron Fidel a rubout, calling it an “out and out summary execution,” what will GMA and Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez do about it? Already, the PNP Regional Director Ricardo Padilla has issued a denial claiming it was a legitimate encounter. And to add insult to injury, the PNP claimed they were suspects in the RCBC holdup which is false and in effect libels the dead.

Remember the TMG rubout of three alleged carnappers belonging to prominent families at Ortigas Center? The PNP even snubbed the CHR hearings. Nothing came out of it.

This is a good test for GMA and De Lima. She did not want the job, but GMA talked her into accepting it. De Lima has correctly asked the PNP to give her a list of the policemen who conducted the Tanauan raids and to put them under preventive suspension. She also asked the DoJ to put the witnesses under the Witness Protection Program. If De Lima does not get any cooperation from GMA, Secretary Gonzalez or General Razon on this case, she should promptly resign before her good reputation is lost.

GMA and General Razon should also be faulted for reinstating Sr. Supt. David Quimio who resigned to run for Mayor of Tanauan and lost. And surprise, after being reinstated to PNP, he was promptly designated as Provincial Director of Batangas upon recommendation of Gov. Vilma Santos. It is relevant to ask if the losing mayoralty candidate had a grudge against Barangay Chairman Vivencio Javier, the suspect who was killed and who did not support his candidacy? Under Quimio, jueteng is back in Batangas and the drug trade is flourishing.

We will watch and see how De Lima will succeed or fail in this case. It’s about time to stop the common practice of policemen killing suspects. RCBC Task Force Chief Aaron Fidel has revealed that two of the nine suspects in the RCBC massacre are uniformed policemen.

Greed. Smart and Globe have come out against free texting and even threatened to shut down texting or SMS if the government insists. Why should the telephone companies be allowed to earn P60 billion a year on text messages? That’s greed.

Shell Philippines announced that its profit for the 1st quarter rose from P690 million to P3 billion or P12 billion/year. That proves excessive overpricing of gasoline and other oil products. That’s greed.

The private colleges and universities have refused to heed the President’s call for a tuition fee freeze. They too, are making good profits. Far Eastern University, for example, has been declaring generous quarterly stock and cash dividends. Why the need to increase tuition fees? That’s pure and simple greed.

The banks are also declaring record profits by the billions as they keep the lending rates high. In times of extreme poverty, that’s unacceptable greed.

Led by a greedy President, everybody is on the GMA wagon. Greedy moneymaking Again...

More greed. Angeles City Rep. Carmelo “Tarzan” Lazatin has charged the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) of not collecting the right amounts from STL operators. Lazatin noted that while jueteng collections in Angeles averaged P90 million a month, the STL is reporting to the PCSO sales of only P5 million monthly. An STL operator reported that he is paying a big intelihensia fee to the PNP. Note that Regional Director Errol Pan has refused to give Gov. Ed Panlilio a “jueteng free” Provincial Director. General Pan even relieved the Chief of Police of Angeles for conducting anti-jueteng raids. If Angeles City collects P90 million a month from jueteng, that means billions from the 24 towns of Pampanga. Greedy, Greedy talaga!

Erap in Batangas. On three days notice, the Lakbay Pasasalamat visit of President Erap to Batangas was a very successful outing.

Starting with Tanauan City, Erap was met by former Mayor Fred Corona, Vice Mayor Julius Platon and his wife, eight City Councilors, former Nasugbu Mayors Charito Apacible and Raymund Apacible, former Rep. Dong Apacible, former Vice Gov. Sonny Collantes and surprisingly, incumbent Vice Gov. Mark Leviste and his wife Anna Sy, daughter of restaurateur Robert Sy, a close friend of Erap. Erap’s motorcade around Tanauan which counts with 70,000 votes brought people to the streets and caused traffic to a standstill for over an hour. At the public market, Erap’s motorcade was stopped twice by the big crowd of vendors and market goers. Erap obliged them by speaking from atop his truck to the adoring crowd.

Proceeding to Talisay, President Erap’s party was met by a brass band, motorcycles with balloons and barangay residents waving Erap pa rin flags. Leading the Talisay welcomers was Tilapia magnate Roderick Natanauan and father Lioning, Vice Mayor Luis Hernandez Malabanan, Mayor Ares Palarilla of Laurel, Prudencio Gutierrez of Padre Garcia and Mayor Tita Reyes of Malvar.

Joining the big rally at the gym were Vice Gov. Ricky Recto and Mayor Melencio de Sagun, Jr. of Trece Martires City, Cavite.

The Natanauan family served a sumptuous lunch of Taal Lake Maliputo, crabs, prawns, Tilapia lumpia and lechon baka. Joining the lunch were Vice Gov. Mark Leviste, Mayor Tita Reyes, Mayor Ares Palarilla, Mayor Fred Corona, Vice Mayor Julius Platon and all the Councilors of Talisay and Laurel, Tony Evangelista, Charlie Agatep, Rolly Ramirez, Rez Cortez and Gen. Roberto Calinisan.

The Erap motorcade then proceeded to Malvar where a huge crowd met him at the Tanauan/Malvar boundary where the barangay Captain and Council of Darasas, Tanauan joined the Barangay chairmen of Malvar and escorted Erap to the Municipal town hall where all local officials kept Erap posing for pictures for almost two hours.

The three towns of Tanauan, Malvar and Talisay are in the 3rd district represented by graduating Rep. Vicky Hernandez Reyes. Vying to succeed her are her husband Rudy, her brother Dennis Hernandez, a former Provincial Board Member, former Vice Gov. Sonny Collantes, Malvar Mayor Tita Reyes who also sports the title of Presidential Assistant, former Mayor Paquito Lirio, Arsenic Laurel, husband of model Crispy Santamaria, former Gov. Arman Sanchez who comes from vote rich Sto. Tomas (78,000 votes) and Prov. Board Member Chona Dimayuga. Yes, there are eight aspirants.

At the three towns, the main topic was the rubout of four persons in Tanauan, the high price of rice and the holdup of bank depositors of Metrobank in Tanauan.