LAST TWO MINUTES

By REY O. ARCILLA 

Malaya

(The first thing Noynoy has to do is to get rid of the deadwoods in his cabinet and those tainted with corruption or he will find himself at a loss, with no one to pass the ball to, at the last two-minute buzzer of his presidency.)

Those senators who insist on President Noynoy Aquino apologizing to Hong Kong’s administrative head are off their rocker.

Noynoy had already expressed regrets and condolences over the Luneta hostage-taking incident more than three years ago to the former administration in that special administrative region of the People’s Republic of China. Too, compensation has been paid to the unfortunate victims of the incident. As stated by the DFA spokesman, Raul Hernandez, there has been a “substantive closure” of the incident.

“A renewed appeal for compassion was directly made to our government last October 2013. We responded to this appeal without equivocation and in a most generous manner,” Hernandez said.

“We have been made to understand that the victims and their families have agreed to this offer,” he said.
People must not forget that Hong Kong is not a sovereign country. It is a mere administrative region of China. If it insists on an official apology from our President, let President Xi Jinping do it. Then, as I said three months ago, we should also demand an official apology for the death of one of our nationals and the serious injury to three members of her family due to the terrorist attack in Beijing about four months ago. China never apologized for that incident but dutifully expressed regrets for it. And we left it at that.

Those who claim they are worried about our OFWs in Hong Kong needn’t be. The Hongkongites need and want our nationals. They wouldn’t dare do anything to harm them. They are not prepared or ready to dispense with their services. They need them to carry on with the lifestyle they are now used to. Besides, there are international laws and conventions that afford them protection.

Hong Kong requiring Filipino holders of official and diplomatic passports to have a visa for a stay of 14 days or more, either for official or personal reasons, is really of not much adverse consequence to us. How often are meetings held in Hong Kong that require the attendance of official and diplomatic passport holders? Not much. And we can always decide not to attend. That would be their loss, not ours.

Politicians and other “big shots” who carry diplomatic passports will simply have to forego their frequent and extended trips to Hong Kong.

Anak ng hweteng, Hong Kong lang magpapa-bully tayo?! Ano ba ‘yan?!

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Aside from the peace agreement that Noynoy is trying to forge with the MILF, the two other issues that should receive his major attention are the rampant smuggling in the country, e.g., rice, and the cost of electricity.

Rice affects everyone, especially the poor which comprise Noynoy’s largest constituency, his avowed bosses. Electricity also is a commodity everyone needs, including business and industry. The economy, in other words.
I personally would not want to see a repeat of history. The revered President Cory was referred to as the “Queen of Darkness” because of the extended brownouts the country had at some point during her watch. It would be unfortunate if Noynoy were to follow in his mother’s footstep and be branded the “King of Darkness”.
We can see that he is now mightily trying to shed his hated moniker as the “King of Pork Barrel” by giving up on the illegal Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP). That’s good! He should also give up all his other pork barrel like the Presidential Social Fund which is funded mainly by PAGCOR and PCSO. He has to set the example for others to follow.

Incidentally, may I again draw the attention of the authorities concerned that pork barrel is also reportedly present in the provincial, city, municipal and even barangay levels? The Commission on Audit should be on the lookout for those greedy leeches who still avail of their pork barrel at those levels after the Supreme Court has declared it unconstitutional.

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Noynoy every now and then boasts of the so-called Three Furies, namely Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, COA Chairman Gracia Pulido-Tan and Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales.

The first two appear to be living up to their reputation. But the third, Morales, does not. She is more noise than action… lotsa bark but no bite.

When the case was lodged against alleged plunderers Senators Enrile, Estrada and Revilla, along with pork barrel queen Janet Lim-Napoles and several others before the Ombudsman last year, doubts were expressed that Morales would send the case to the Sandiganbayan posthaste. She retorted by boasting that everyone would be surprised, that she would prove them wrong and that the case will be with the Sandiganbayan before the end of 2013.

Well, it is now February 2014, Madame, and the people are still waiting for the case to reach the Sandiganbayan. What could be the reason for the delay? All the evidences compiled by the Justice department and the NBI are already with her. Curious.

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Last two minutes, that is all the time Noynoy has left, according to him. He’d better get cracking then. The first thing he has to do is get rid of the deadwoods in his cabinet, including those who are perceived by his bosses – that’s supposed to be us, the people – as truly incompetent and tainted with corruption.

In the view of many, the following are the ones who should go for ineptitude, some of whom corruption-tainted: Albert “Amboy” del Rosario-DFA; Mar Roxas-DILG, Proceso Alcala-DA, Virgilio de los Reyes-DAR, Ramon Paje-DENR, Jericho Petilla-Energy, Florencio Abad-DBM, Emilio Abaya-DOTC and, not the least, Paquito Ochoa-ES.

Noynoy’s friends and relatives by affinity or consanguinity who are engaged in nefarious activities and are dragging him down must not be spared either.

Noynoy should always bear in mind the old adage “Walang sumisira sa bakal kundi ang sariling kalawang”. Those who are now around him and are taking advantage of the position he has given them will not be around when he is already out of power. They will make hay even more in the last two minutes of his administration. That is all they are thinking about now. Be aware and be wise.

If Noynoy doesn’t act decisively NOW, he will definitely find himself lost at the last two-minute buzzer, with no one to pass the ball to.

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Reminders (for Noynoy):

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.

In an attempt to jar his memory and spur him to action, quoted hereunder is what Noynoy said about the anomaly in his first State of the Nation Address on 26 July 2010:

“Let us now move on to the funds of the National Food Authority (NFA).

In 2004: 117,000 metric tons (of rice) was the shortage in the supply of the Philippines. What they (the government) bought were 900,000 metric tons. Even if you multiply for more than seven times the amount of shortage, they still bought more than what was needed.

“In 2007: 589,000 metric tons was the shortage in the supply of the Philippines. What they bought were 1.827 million metric tons. Even if you multiply for more than three times the amount of shortage, they again bought more than what was needed.

“What hurts is, because they keep purchasing more than what they need year after year, the excess rice that had to be stored in warehouses ended up rotting, just like what happened in 2008.

“Is this not a crime, letting rice rot, despite the fact that there are 4 million Filipinos who do not eat three times a day?

“The result is NFA’s current debt of 177 billion pesos.

“This money that was wasted could have funded the following:

- The budget of the entire judiciary, which is at 12.7 billion pesos this year.

- The Conditional Cash Transfers for the following year, which cost 29.6 billion pesos.

- All the classrooms that our country needs, which cost 130 billion pesos.

“This way of doing things is revolting. Money was there only to be wasted.”

So, how come, Mr. President, you have not done anything about this in the last three and a half years?! And to make things worse, the corruption in the NFA today appears to be even worse than during the Arroyo regime. Your bosses want to know!

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

Noynoy should also order Vergara to report to him on COA’s findings that:

(a) He received the obscenely excessive compensation of P16.36 million in 2012 making him the highest paid government servant then (how much did he get in 2013?) and;

(b) That, as of seven or eight months ago, at least P4.13 billion in contributions and loan payments made by 12 government offices to the GSIS had not been credited to the offices as of Dec. 31, 2011.

COA also said at the time that the amount of unrecorded remittances could go much higher because only 36 agencies have so far responded out of the 186 that were sent confirmation requests by government auditors. Of the 36, 27 confirmed “discrepancies” in their premium and loan payments ledgers when compared with those of the GSIS.

There are three questions being raised when remittances, or parts thereof, of government agencies are not recorded by the GSIS on time: a) Where are these huge sums “parked” in the meantime?; b) Do they earn interest?; and c) To where (whom?) does the interest, if any, go?

Pray tell, Mr. Vergara, what is the present status of these funds, including those that may have been remitted since and not yet recorded by the GSIS?

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

4) Resort to his immense presidential powers to expedite the resolution of the Ampatuan massacre case that is now on its fourth year.

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Today is the 261st day of the seventh year of Jonas Burgos’ disappearance

The Justice Department has dismissed the charges against several of those accused in Jonas’ disappearance. Cleared were former AFP chiefs of staff Hermogenes Esperon and Alexander Yano, ex-PNP chief Avelino Razon, retired Lt. Gen. Romeo Tolentino, Brig. Gen. Eduardo Ano and Lt. Col. Melquiades Feliciano. Only Maj. Harry Baliaga will be charged for arbitrary detention, murder and obstruction of justice on the disappearance of Jonas.

“Pwedeng kasuhan ang kamay ng krimen pero ang utak ay hindi?” rued Lorena Santos, daughter of a desaparecido like Jonas.

Mr. President, is this what you meant when you called for a “focused, dedicated and exhaustive” probe of what really happened to Jonas?

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From an internet friend:

A husband read an article to his wife about how many words women use a day… 30,000 to a man’s 15,000. The wife replied, “The reason has to be because we have to repeat everything to men….” The husband then turned to his wife and asked, “What?”

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Email: roacrosshairs @outlook.com