Nalzaro: In defense of Cardinal Vidal

CEBUANOS accused Gov. Gwen Garcia of wasting taxpayers’ money when Capitol bought the controversial Balili property in Tinaan, City of Naga for P98 million. Even if the money did go down the drain, so to speak, considering that portion of the property is submerged in water, at least the Provincial Government is now in possession of that “idle property” and considers it as one of its assets. The matter is subject of an investigation, as the purchase was tainted with anomalies.

But what about the move of Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña to spend the same amount in the guise of financial assistance to graduating public high school students in the city for their college education? Isn’t it also a waste of government funds?

That amount will be gone with the wind as we cannot assure that the beneficiaries will even go to college. The money will be given in a one-shot deal. What is P10,000 per student? It is not even enough to pay for a whole college semester.

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The difference between Tomas’s plan and the Balili property purchase: nobody will receive commissions in the former because the amount will be given directly to the school where the student wishes to enroll. In the Balili property purchase, it seemed there were anomalies, especially with allegations that some Capitol officials received the “SOP.” Tsk, tsk, tsk.

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I am not questioning the decision of RTC Judge Gabriel Ingles to stop today’s plebiscite, dividing Barangay Guadalupe. That’s his prerogative. He saw that it might cause irreparable damage to the petitioner if the activity pushed through. Judge Ingles issued a temporary restraining order (TRO), which postponed the plebiscite, citing meritorious arguments raised by Labangon Barangay Councilor Victor Buendia.

But what I would like to question is the timing of the filing of the petition. The issue of dividing Guadalupe and creation of Banawa-Englis has been a subject of public and media discussions, following the passage of the bill sponsored by Rep. Antonio Cuenco (Cebu City, south district). The date of the plebiscite had long been set. So how come it is only now that this certain Councilor Buendia has raised the matter before the court?

For me Buendia’s move is too personal. He is worried that he will lose his election registration once Rosalina Village, where he resides, will be returned to Guadalupe and will form part of the newly created Banawa-Englis if the “yes” vote wins in the plebiscite. He is eyeing the position of barangay captain in Labangon. But wait a minute.

Are there unseen political hands behind Buendia’s move? I suspect he is being used by those against the division of Guadalupe. Barangay Captain Eugenio “Jingjing” Faelnar strongly opposes the move. And mind you, Buendia’s lawyer is also one of the legal counsels of Faelnar in the Association of Barangay Councils (ABC). What a coincidence?

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Some militant organizations have criticized Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal for accepting money from politicians, who visited him and asked for his blessings.

The prelate admitted in media interviews that candidates, especially those seeking national positions, gave him money. But the cardinal said he immediately turned over the amount to the Caritas, a charitable institution run by the Catholic Church.

So what is wrong if the cardinal receives money from politicians? It doesn’t go to his pocket. It’s also not a form of vote-buying since the cardinal and the church are not endorsing any candidate. Besides, the money was donated with no strings attached. Even the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines receives donations from politicians and from the government. At least, the cardinal was honest to admit it, unlike other religious leaders who asked for concessions if the candidate they endorsed and supported won. The money that was turned over by the cardinal to Caritas can feed several hungry stomachs and help sick people buy medicines.

(bobby@sunstar.com.ph/bgnalzaro@gmanetwork.com)