Dear Pareng Tarzan

(I have been asked by my five Fil-American readers (internet) to translate a Kapampangan open letter to Rep. Carmelo Lazatin by his cumpadre Alex Cauguiran. The Sun Star readers, presumably sons and daughters of Angeles natives, now US-residents, seemed interested in what is happening in their ancestral community)

DEAR Pareng Tarzan:

How are you? May I ask you to go around the 33 city barangays and explain what kind of government you want to establish in Angeles?

Tell our people what is wrong with the following:

Medikalinga, which provides free surgery to the indigent sick, including free cataract operations.

The Renal Care Center, the expansion-improvement of the city (ONA) hospital renamed after your father.

Providing free medicines to the poor through health centers, at the City Hall, and during our Barangay Day (outreach program).

Tell them what is wrong with the following:

Donation of computers at the City College.

That the administration is not accepting bribes or engaged in corruption.

The building of classrooms where these are needed.

Tell our people why you do not like these projects and programs. I am asking you this as you are promising them to bring back a “good government” in the city.

(The writer cites numbers and statistics on ONA patients served or treated for TV, Leprosy, cases; supplemental feeding program, maternal care, free cataract operations, dental services, medical checkup, anti rabies vaccination, scholarship grants, job placement, trainings, and land titling/distribution.)

Do you still find something bad or evil in these programs?

We have a cleaned up the Sapang Balen Creek, built a material recovery facility for solid waste management, as well as mass tree planting.

As you want to take over the city government, talk to the residents of 33 barangays and explain how you will improve or show a better performance than what we are doing.

May I appeal that you refrain from using a spokesperson. Please do the talking yourself.

And if you get back to City Hall, Pare, please avoid making absences. And don’t utilize a “proxy” mayor, so that our people can regularly meet you.

I pray that the Lord will give you a sound health so that you can accomplish your plan for a “good government.”

By the way, Pare, explain to our people also why you are now allied with the Nepomucenos today. Isn’t it that they were your enemies for many years, and hate them like vomit? I do not want our people to think that you are now swallowing the same.

Finally I hope you are in fine health when this letter reaches you so that you can read it.

Kindly tell Kumaring Luming (Tarzan’s wife) that her godson, my junior and namesake had been accepted at the New York University. He is now in Paris for further study.

I regret it, Pare, that I have only one son. I wish I had taken after you and have many children. But I am not certain, Pare, if my wife would have allowed me to imitate you.

Thank you, again Pare.

(Sgd.) Alex Cauguiran, President
Partido ABE Kapampangan

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Attn: CJ Lourdes Sereno

Here is one shaping scandal in the judicial system that Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno should look into and take appropriate intervention.

A Manifestation and Motion to declare moot and academic a land dispute already won by spouses Atty. Eligio and Mrs. Marcelina Mallari, is being kept inside the freezer of the Court of Appeals.

Sources from legal circles in Pampanga are wondering aloud why the CA, despite the final and executory decisions of the Office of the President and a Department of Agriculture order, has been unable – or refused – to resolve the petition of the Mallari couple.

The motion will be one year-old on November 28 this year. Opposing the Petition to clear two land titles in favor of the Mallaris is the Lucio Tan owned PNB. Local lawyers are convinced that Mr. Tan has a long and deep seated influence with Court of Appeal Justices.

Practical and skeptical practitioners advised the Mallaris to set aside at least a hectare each to men in robe concerned as the fastest way to a CA resolution of the case.

The lawyers suspected that corruption is long and deeply embedded in some “Your Honors.” They want CJ Sereno to take a long, deep look into the CA freezer.

CJ Sereno had vowed to undertake judicial reforms as among her priorities. Let us wait and watch what will happen to this particular case, and similar others.