Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Hole of Justice: I still care

Hole of Justice: I still care: Hole of Justice by Peter G. Jimenea I still care! It is now 18 months of further probing the involvement of Cong. Jerry Trenas...

I still care


Hole of Justice

by Peter G. Jimenea

I still care!

It is now 18 months of further probing the involvement of Cong.

Jerry Trenas in the Pavia Housing anomaly but Deputy Ombudsman

for the Visayas Pelagio Apostol is still groping in the dark for probable

cause against the former mayor.



The P137M taxpayers’ money for the construction of 413 low-cost

houses of the poor city hall employees was prostituted. Not even

a unit was completed. A case was filed in 2004 yet, but it seems to

disappear in the course of time. This is what got me so suspicious

about.



This housing project of the Iloilo City government was implemented

in 2001 under the administration of then Mayor Trenas, yet, it ended

a “white elephant” in 2009. On what misfortune for the taxpayers, the

contractor Alex Trinidad ran away with P64M in his pocket!



It all started when he was discovered to have been using substandard

materials in the construction, thus, the city council issued a unanimous

resolution urging the mayor to suspend the project and sue him. But

the mayor ignored them and continued paying the contractor’s billing

in millions.



Surprisingly, Deputy Ombudsman Apostol as of presstime, cannot find a

probable cause to indict the former mayor and elevate this case to the

Sandiganbayan. My goodness, the unauthorized payment of th mayor to

the contractor is already embraced in RA 3019!



Under Article 1191 of the Civil Code of the Philippines; The power to

rescind obligations is implied in reciprocal ones, in case one of the

obligors could not comply what is incumbent upon him. But what did

the mayor do to protect the taxpayers’ money?



He should have confiscated the surety bond posted by the contractor

as guarantee to finish the project he abandoned. Worse, despite the

residual imperfection their will was done. Culpa lata dolo a equiparatur

gross negligence is equivalent to malice or intentional wrong. (Balatbat vs

CA, 261 SCRA 128).



Still, Apostol cannot find a probable cause to implicate former mayor

now Cong. Trenas to the messy project. Is Apostol trying to impress upon

us that there is a powerful person trying to influence his decision in this

case? Rumor mills are grinding overnight that it is Sen. Franklin Drilon.

I hope this is not true.



In Section 13, RA 6770 or the Ombudsman Act of 1989, it provides that

the Ombudsman and his Deputies, as protector of the people shall act

promptly on complaints filed against officers or employees of the

government to promote its efficient service to the people.



Well, if there is no hidden hand that interferes with this case, deliberate

or not, the overdue delay of Apostol to resolve it in time has created a

bad impression that it is done in exchange for – you know what!



In the instant case, this runaround is misperceived as the best that money

can buy. For sure Apostol is not that old enough to overlook the sleeping

folder at his office. I hope his is not a probe in eternity.



This is not what we think the business of the Office of the Ombudsman-

Visayas in Iloilo City is all about. But the Housing Project in Pavia is already

a vital proof of its people’s neglect in attending cases. Just a reminder, in

case oblivion prevails….. see the title!

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Hole of Justice: Hole ofJusticeBy PeterG. JimeneaWhere isChing?...

Hole of Justice: Hole ofJusticeBy PeterG. Jimenea


Where isChing?
...
: Hole of Justice By Peter G. Jimenea Where is Ching? Christoper Ching, an employee of the Iloilo City Treasurer’s Office (ICTO) has...

Hole of Justice: Hole ofJusticeBy PeterG. JimeneaWhere isChing?...

Hole of Justice: Hole ofJusticeBy PeterG. Jimenea


Where isChing?
...
: Hole of Justice By Peter G. Jimenea Where is Ching? Christoper Ching, an employee of the Iloilo City Treasurer’s Office (ICTO) has...

Hole of Justice
By Peter G. Jimenea


Where is Ching?

Christoper Ching, an employee of the Iloilo City Treasurer’s Office (ICTO) has been missing since the first quarter of 2010. He disappeared just after the surprised audit conducted by COA at his office.

COA personnel audited the ICTO due to complaints of city hall employees about their delayed salaries. The result revealed that Ching has incurred a P2.3M shortage in his cash possession.

The compounding problem is that another P25M was discovered missing in the ICTO coffers. Ching disappeared after the audit leaving us groping in the dark for an answer why and how the shortage happened.

Soon rumors from the ICTO started to grind that the amount embezzled by him is not only P2.3M but P27.3M In short, the missing P25M was charged also to his account by ICTO officials.

But the rumors spreading at the old City Hall were disputed by complaining employees. They claimed the P25M is not missing. Somebody being closed to the king had been using the money for personal gains.

Evil they can only be. The P25M cash is used to buy the pending salaries of poor employees. Those in dire need of cash are forced to sell their pay slip to the city hall vultures at a discounted rate. This is what the earlier claim hinted at.

Yet, the undesirable underling being tapped by the mastermind to run this God forbidden business has also a stink in her closet. She is publicly known in the palace as the power-pilfering queen. PECO has her bad record.

But God is good. COA invaded the ICTO without prior notice. The surprise raid of COA resulted to the discovery not only of the P2.3M cash shortage of Ching but also of another missing P25M in the ICTO coffers!

If we take a careful look at the records of the city government, it can drive an honest city employee to the brink of insanity. It seems that top city hall officials had been affected by RA 3019 disease . Lowly ICTO employees are most sorely tempted to steal but don’t.

The deliberately delay of employees salaries has been going on for years, yet, then Mayor Jerry Trenas was so silent about it. Anyway, he has that right to remain silent. In fact, who would kill a duck that lays golden eggs?

I can only pity Ching for his acquiescence to the advice of ICTO crooks and his boss to hide to save face. He did not save himself by running away from responsibility. What he spared is the integrity of the mastermind. Now, his P2.3M shortage has instantly increased to P27.3M because of his stupidity.

He played an actor in a role he cannot fully understand. He failed to notice that it took eight-years for the suspect mastermind to master the OPM, an art of making money by using “other people’s mind.”

Had Ching stayed to tell the truth, he could have been exonerated from this unwanted mess. He forgot that vigilante prospiciunt jura -the law protects him who is watchful of his rights. (Salao vs. Salao, 70 SCRA 65).

What happened now to the P27.3M taxpayers’ money? We heard no case was filed against Ching. Well, God knows, culpa lata dolo a equiparatur – gross negligence is equivalent to malice or intentional wrong. But where is Ching?

Monday, April 2, 2012

Hole of Justice: The Neophytes at Checkpoints

Hole of Justice: The Neophytes at Checkpoints: Hole of Justice by Peter G. Jimenea The PNP Neophytes at Checkpoints Critics cannot say this space has never been a friendly place fo...

Hole of Justice: The Neophytes at Checkpoints

Hole of Justice: The Neophytes at Checkpoints: Hole of Justice by Peter G. Jimenea The PNP Neophytes at Checkpoints Critics cannot say this space has never been a friendly place fo...

Hole of Justice: The Neophytes at Checkpoints

Hole of Justice: The Neophytes at Checkpoints: Hole of Justice by Peter G. Jimenea The PNP Neophytes at Checkpoints Critics cannot say this space has never been a friendly place fo...

The Neophytes at Checkpoints

Hole of Justice
by Peter G. Jimenea



The PNP Neophytes at Checkpoints


Critics cannot say this space has never been a friendly place for the police. They should know that I am very supportive of the programs of RD C/Supt. Cipriano Querol, Jr. and other high ranking officers of the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO6) at Camp Delgado, Iloilo City.


I see their sincerity in cleaning up the command of scalawags in service. But sometimes due to workload, he and other top rank officers of the PRO6 may have neglected to monitor the activities of their uniformed personnel at checkpoints.


The idea of putting up police checkpoints in different areas of the city is good for peace-loving citizens. It intimidates the bad elements of society more so on motorcycle riders in tandem who are about to commit crimes.


But motorcycle riders are not third-class citizens that deserved disrespect from young police officers. My personal account on disdainful police manners at checkpoints on March 31, 2012 is another story that won’t go away.

The first incident took place in front of the Barangay Hall of Brgy. Calumpang, Molo, Iloilo City. I went out to buy fish from roving-vendors gathered at the nearby store for their cups of coffee when this new experience happened.


It was about five o’clock in the morning when I was stopped by a young police officer at a checkpoint, waving his hand as signal for me to park the vehicle at the roadside. Thereafter, he inspected my motorcycle’s plate.


With a sticker pasted on it, he knew the vehicle is registered. He then approached me and asked for my driving license in a commanding voice; “Your license.” What is somewhat missing in the empty life of this boy in police uniform is his GMRC - good manners and right conduct!


He even forgot to use the words of a gentleman such as; “May I,” “Can I,” or “Please” in asking for driver’s license he wanted to see. Even a “good morning” is stranger to him. He doesn’t have the faintest idea that as a taxpayer, I contribute a part of his salary, payments for house-bills and food for the family!


On what misfortune, I was again treated with the same bad manners and wrong conduct of police officers manning the UPV-Iloilo checkpoint in the evening of March 31, 2012. Except for a policewoman issuing PRO6 stickers, the checkpoint seems to have been overrun by rascals who knew nothing about GMRC. On how did they enter the police service the “Neuro” chief of PRO6 may have something to say about this!


There are motorcycles in the city that cost millions, more than some four-wheeled-vehicles but the rider-owners are simple people. On why neophyte-members of the PNP at checkpoints have less respect to motorcycle riders, perhaps there is a need for them to undergo a new training!


Look, ill-mannered young police officers at the checkpoints when talking to SUV vehicle-owners, looked like polite boys in school uniform. They can correctly speak “good evening po, sorry for the inconvenience but this is for your own good.” Walanghiya talaga, madrama pa!


This is not what we think the police business of neophytes in service is all about. Perhaps, for RD C/Supt. Querol to deliver the spanking they deserved for being stupid, is the best cure for disrespect and misbehavior!


I hope this serves as another lesson to young police officers at checkpoints who lack GMRC. The single motorcycle drivers are taxpayers too. Do not destroy their high-esteem to the PNP uniform you are so proud of, or else, they will tend to respect more the other party – which is not good for you and me!