By Ducky Paredes
THE Maserati car driver who was caught on video assaulting a traffic enforcer complains that his family is already suffering from statements being made against him.
Joseph Russell Ingco, who was caught on video assaulting traffic enforcer Jurve Adriatico, also assured the public that he will be “submitting himself to the proper legal process.”
In a statement, posted on Twitter, Ingco said that the incident with the traffic enforcer of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) was “truly sad.”
(I guess that, for Ingco, what is sad about it was that a video was taken and seen by police and the public.)
“I hope that people will let due process take its course,” he says.
The 39-year-old businessman said that his “wife and children” are already “severely suffering” from “cruel statements” being against him because of the incident. (Boo hoo.)
“I am praying for the patience and understanding of everybody,” he said.
The incident took place at Quezon and Araneta avenues where enforcer Adriatico and his fellow enforcers were manning traffic.
Ingco made an illegal left turn at the intersection, prompting the traffic enforcers to take photos and video of the car. Ingco made a U-turn and went back to confront the traffic enforcers.
He called Adriatico over and when the enforcer was beside the car, the suspect allegedly yanked the enforcer’s shirt and punched him repeatedly while the car was still moving.
Police investigators said that as Adriatico was being punched, he was also dragged for about 10 meters before the Ingco let go and sped off.
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Vice President Jejomar Binay says that he is bracing for more attacks that he believes will continue well into the campaign period for the 2016 presidential elections.
In the meantime, he is spreading rumors against his perceived enemies. The Vice President says his camp received information that the real purpose of former Makati City Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado’s trip to the United States was to fabricate documents to be used in the conspiracy to defame him.
“Ayon sa bali-balita namin ay gagawa ng kung anong dokumento. Itong darating na mga araw hanggang sa panahon ng pagkakampanya, e magbibintang dito, bintang roon, kahit na alam naman po nilang kasinungalingan,” Binay says.
The vice president said his detractors will intensify their campaign to damage his image as the elections near.
“Pagdating ng oras, sasabihin, ‘Hala! Ito po ang imahe ni Vice President. Kaso rito, kaso r’yan. Pero ‘yun ay mga bintang na walang batayan at kasinungalingan. So ‘yun ang part of conspiracy. Kita mo, of late, kung ano-anong unit dito, unit doon. eh ‘yan, napapakita naman na walang katotohanan,” he says.
Binay said Justice Secretary Leila de Lima should be asked about the real destination of Mercado since she was the one who approved the trip.
De Lima has been mum on the call of United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) interim president Rep. Tobias Tiangco of Navotas to confirm Mercado’s reported US trip because his “secret” departure has raised so much speculations.
Tiangco earlier said the reluctance of government agencies like the Bureau of Immigration to confirm Mercado’s departure substantiates doubts that his trip to the US may be part of the conspiracy to ruin Binay’s chances in the upcoming election.
Binay admitted that he was affected by the allegations hurled against him but he had already moved on because the people he met in his provincial sorties have told him they do not believe his accusers. And, of course, because these people allow themselves to be fooled by Binay, they have to be telling the truth.
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“There is no Plan B, only Plan A!” Mohagher Iqbal, chair of the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC) said at the launching of the Primer on the BBL.
The BTC which drafted the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), he said, is not looking for an alternative beyond the law in case the peace deal won’t work.
The MILF emphasized that it has placed all its cards behind the proposed BBL as the solution to the Bangsamoro problem and end the decades-old Mindanao conflict.
Even past pronouncements by MILF leaders indicated that it is counting much on the BBL to give Mindanao an inclusive, just and durable peace, which has remained elusive despite the signing on September 2, 1996 of the Final Peace Agreement (FPA) by the Government of the Philippines (FPA) and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).
Iqbal believes the “BBL is the antidote to (Moro) secession.”
The European Union (EU) funded the printing of around 58,000 copies of the primer in English which will later be translated to six local dialects to explain in the dialect of the stakeholders what the BBL is all about and how it will affect the everyday life of the Bangsamoro people.
The BBL is currently undergoing review in both houses of Congress and being discussed in many forums by experts, civil society organizations (CSOs) who are for or against the measure.
Both Houses of Congress have expressed full support for the BBL which President Aquino certified as urgent.
Congress said it would be able to pass the BBL in 2015 which shortens the time frame for the MILF to implement the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) which will eventually abolish the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).
If the road map for the Bangsamoro new political entity (NPE) runs its length, election for the pioneer officials of the NPE would be synchronized with the 2016 national elections.
But the MILF is willing to wait.
Maybe the legislators think that is the best time, Iqbal said.
“We think that is the best time to do that, although time is short and is running very fast, I hope we can come up with a very appropriate Basic Law so the BTA will be given enough time to do its job,” said Iqbal.
“And if we can not be able to succeed, then at least we have done our part and people will witness that we are doing everything possible,” he said.
“I think the government is really committed to pass that law. And while there are obstacles along the way in terms of people raising some concerns against the BBL, but the movement forward, I think, is still on track,” said Iqbal.
Secretary Teresita Q. Deles, head of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP), and Secretary Bai Yasmin Busran-Lao, CEO of the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF), shared the MILF’s optimism.
“No, it is not a setback. The Senate has said it will be in January at the earliest, and even up to February. We just need to work that the plebiscite can be held immediately after,” the OPAPP chief said.
Deles also allayed fears the BBL might be watered down by Congress, saying it won’t happen, although some amendments are expected.
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