Amigo: ‘Ooops…I did it again!’

Thursday, January 26, 2012

PRESIDENT Noy’s political adviser in Sec. Ronald Llamas, who happens to be a good friend of this corner, simply did it again.

But good for him, it’s something of “lesser priority” as what the Chief Executive retorted when queried by the working media about his pol ad’s most recent “scandal.”

Have something to report? Tell us in text, photos or videos.

Of course, it was something of a “passable” kind. It just so happened that Sec. Llamas is now a high-ranking official of the land. And yes, that’s downright lamentable.

The good Secretary was allegedly buying pirated DVD discs at C Mall at the corner of Edsa and Congressional Avenue in Quezon City when he was spotted last Monday by an enterprising photojourn and the next thing he knew, he was already hot copy of the tri-media (print-broadcast-TV).

The thing is, this could have been a non-issue if Sec. Llamas remains the same simple man of the masa he was before and if not President Noy’s Administration is not on the hot trail pursuing DVD pirates.

Just last week, Optical Board chair Ronnie Ricketts nabbed several high-speed DVD copying machines, testament to the government’s no-nonsense drive to eradicate DVD piracy.

And now, here you are, a top government official patronizing certified pirated DVD copies.

Passable it may be to President Noy but not to some lawmakers who went too far to asking the President to ax Sec. Llamas pronto like what he did to former NBI chief Magtanggol Gatdula.

That’s too fast, too furious gentlemen, there is a whale of difference with the case on hand.

We understand that it’s too hard a transition for us people from the masa to being that big now.

But we have seen the qualities of Sec. Llamas before as somebody who could land it in the big league: hardworking, intelligent, strategist par excellence, and above all else; a certified political animal.

An activist during his college years and at the same time features editor of University of Santo Tomas’ school organ, The Varsitarian, Sec. Llamas also worked before as a writer of several national papers and magazines. He also organized several cause-oriented NGOs like LEARN (Labor Education and Advocacy Research Network), the Freedom from Debt Coalition and several other groups that even landed a seat in Congress.

And top our observation, Sec. Llamas’ orientation with his long work with and for the masses, could be the reason why he finds hard “acclimatizing.”

Just one caution: Never ever also get caught too glitzy a place as this would also elicit a similar effect on the media.

We could only wonder and ponder what could be the next slip-up our dear friend will commit next time.

(Mobile: 0915-5517486, email: esns03@yahoo.com)