Ping Lacson for Customs

By REY O. ARCILLA
MALAYA

‘Noynoy said the government loses P200 billion a year in customs duties due to corruption. Appoint someone else who can do the job of customs chief better, like Ping Lacson.’

PEOPLE have been asking me of late why I have stopped supporting and have become critical of President Noynoy Aquino. They’ve got it all wrong! I criticize Noynoy because I want him to succeed in his daang matuwid crusade. I do not think anyone around him will have the guts to tell him what he is doing that is obviously wrong. Do you?

So, if Noynoy’s trusted lieutenants are also serious about daang matuwid, they should thank me and others like me. We are doing them a favor. Given Noynoy’s tendency to automatically defend and exonerate close friends accused of alleged wrongdoing, surely those around him who are straight are aware of the old adage “walang sumisira sa bakal kundi ang sariling kalawang”. It would be great, of course, if they themselves were to be the ones to tell Noynoy. Whether they like it or not, not to do so makes them part of the “kalawang”.

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Poor Foreign Secretary Albert “Amboy” del Rosario. Noynoy praised him for not exactly the right reason during his fourth SONA – going to Libya during the crisis in that country three years ago to assess the situation of our OFWs there. Looking after OFWs is not Del Rosario’s main job. That was more of an amateurish publicity stunt.

Noynoy could have praised Del Rosario for his handling of, say, our present delicate relations with China and the United States, but that would definitely raise eyebrows instead. One need only recall Noynoy’s use of Senator Antonio Trillanes and later Secretary Mar Roxas to talk with the Chinese on the issue of the South China Sea/West Philippine Sea. As for our relations with the US, well, everyone knows he is not an Amboy for nothing.

Unwittingly (or was it wittingly?), by singling out Del Rosario, Noynoy caused the camera to focus on the latter showing him wearing a headset like the foreign diplomats present! He needed to listen to Noynoy’s speech in English?! Those who were watching TV with me burst out laughing. Where in the world can you find a foreign minister who cannot speak and evidently, cannot understand either, his country’s national language? Nakakahiya yata, di ba? If Noynoy is not bothered by that, he should know that his bosses are! Eh siya pa naman itong kauna-unahan nating pangulo na kapuri-puring nagbigay halaga sa pag-gamit ng ating sariling wika sa kanyang mga SONA upang maintindihan ng ating mga kababayan.

In any case, Noynoy’s words for Del Rosario smacks of a left-handed compliment, especially in the light of the recent “sex-for-fly” scandal that hit the DFA. (Incidentally, people are asking what happened to the investigation of the scandal that Del Rosario said he himself will handle.)

I wonder, as my friend Ellen Tordesillas asked, is that Noynoy’s way of paying a “farewell tribute” to Del Rosario?

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Many, including me, are now beginning NOT to understand Noynoy? First, he severely criticizes, pillories, crucifies and shames before the whole nation his Bureau of Customs chief Ruffy Biazon, then rejects the latter’s resignation. Biazon, on the other hand, inexplicably decided to stay on notwithstanding the humiliating condemnation by his boss. Wala yatang delicadeza.

Even before the SONA, businessmen and other groups had urged Noynoy to let Biazon go. Do the two have a prior understanding of sorts? Who or what is behind Biazon’s staying power? Is it because he is allegedly a “team player” as one columnist has said? Resigned deputy customs commissioner Danny Lim was reported to have said that “for as long as Biazon is at the helm of Customs Bureau, nothing will ever change.”

Let’s watch what happens to the much-ballyhooed revamp that Malacañang and Biazon are bandying about.

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Noynoy said in his SONA that we should no longer give priority to achieving some kind of minimum credible defense posture by not buying jet fighters. He was the one who first said we should do that. Now he changed his mind because he said we can use the money to build more schools.

How about the Customs collecting the P200 billion he said we lose every year because of corruption in the bureau? How? Appoint someone else who can do the job. Former Senator Ping Lacson readily comes to mind. How about it, Mr. President?

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If Noynoy wouldn’t do that, and he doesn’t seem wont to do it, how about scrapping the pork barrel? Aside from the P27 billion earmarked for the pork barrel of senators and congressmen, more will be saved to buy at least two squadrons of jet fighters if the pork barrel allegedly received by other government officials like provincial board members, city councilors and others were to be scrapped as well. I am told that even barangay captains receive at least P200,000 pork.

But the problem is Noynoy apparently does not want to abolish the pork barrel. (Makes one wonder if he really is serious about daang matuwid.) In the wake of the scam allegedly involving the immoral and illegal use of pork by certain senators and congressmen, he now has the golden opportunity to do it. So, why does he not seize the moment? Let me guess – he, with or without the advice of his minions, does not want to give up the presidential pork either.

Does Noynoy need pork for effective governance? He does not. All the government agencies are under his command. Neither does he need to cater to members of Congress. He has both houses already in his pocket. He can easily “persuade” any recalcitrant member who refuses to cooperate and support his legislative agenda through other means. The powers of the presidency are so enormous. He also cannot run for re-election.

The bottom line is Noynoy must set the example by getting rid of his pork barrel. Once he gives that up, those now squandering the people’s money will be forced to follow suit. The people, his bosses, will be right there to support him. His legacy will be lasting.

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GSIS head Robert Vergara issued a press release saying that some 200 government agencies owe the pension fund P730 million.

What gall! He is complaining about the sum of P730 million when he can’t or won’t even account for P4.13 billion (1 billion is equals to 1,000 million… just for emphasis) in contributions and loan payments made by 12, yes 12, government offices to the GSIS that have not been credited to the offices as of 31 December 2011. COA also said the amount of unrecorded remittances could go much higher because only 36 agencies had as of three or four months ago responded out of the 186 that were sent confirmation requests by government auditors. Of the 36 that responded, 27 confirmed ‘discrepancies’ in their premium and loan payments ledgers when compared with those of the GSIS.

If the remittances of only 12 government agencies amount to P4.13 billion, can you imagine how much the total remittances of 186 agencies would amount to?!

I think it’s time Vergara leveled with the poor GSIS members about their loan payments and contributions and stopped quibbling about the “piddling” sum of P730 million. I’m sure they will, in time, be paid. The question is will they be posted on time?

Vergara should also explain to the poor government employee-members of GSIS the humongous salary and allowances of P16.36 million COA said he received last year that made him the highest paid government servant.

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Warm congratulations to the DFA career officers recently nominated by Noynoy as ambassadors. I wish them all the best in their new assignments.

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Reminders (for Noynoy’s action):

1) Filing of charges against officials of the National Food Authority (NFA) during Arroyo’s illegitimate regime. Noynoy himself said on several occasions that there is documentary evidence to prove the venalities in the past in that agency.

2) Investigation of reported anomalies in the GSIS during the watch of Winston Garcia and ordering his successor, Robert Vergara, to file the proper charges, if warranted, against the former.

3) Facilitating the investigation of rampant corruption in the military and police establishments.

4) Expeditious action by the AFP on the case of Jonas Burgos.

5) Expeditious probe of the allegation that water concessionaires Maynilad (Manny Pangilinan) and Manila Water (Ayala) have been passing on to water consumers their corporate income taxes amounting to P15.5 billion from 2008 to 2012 or P3.1 billion a year. They allegedly even charge to the consumers expenses on travel, foreign exchange differential, project costs, cost of arbitration in court, donations, contributions and promotions!

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Today is the 93rd day of the seventh year of Jonas Burgos’ disappearance.

Whatever happened to Noynoy’s directive to the NBI to conduct a “focused, dedicated and exhaustive” probe of what really happened to Jonas?! Your bosses want to know, Mr. President.

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From an internet friend:

Answers given by an 8-year old boy to the question “if you could change one thing about your mom, what would it be?”:

1. She has this weird thing about me keeping my room clean. I’d get rid of that.

2. I’d make my mom smarter. Then she would know it was my sister who did it, not me.

3. I would like for her to get rid of those invisible eyes on the back of her head.

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Email: roacrosshairs@outlook.com