Wednesday, January 09, 2008 Editorials: Term extension
IT'S certainly up to the President to extend the term of AFP chief General Hermogenes Esperon and even with the opposition from the Senate it is likely that it will come to pass though it would be interesting how this would affect troop morale owing to last November's failed mutiny attempt.
Just the same, it's time for the President to shop around for possible replacements and find someone who earns both the respect and has the ability to command the country's Armed Forces in its bid to crush and finish off the communist insurgency and terrorist threat once and for all.
Reclamation issue
There were several complaints already raised by residents of Barangay Lapasan this city about the reclamation area allegedly owned by one of the sons of City Councilor Alfonso Goking as aired over a local radio station for some weeks now, but it's only been Tuesday when Vice-Mayor Vicente Emano addressed this issue during an interview with said station.
Said station used to be headlined by opposition Councilor Zaldy Ocon before a disagreement between him and the station led him to pack his bags and transfer to another radio station. Before that station didn't even get a peep out of Emano, then the mayor and if they did, Emano would always take time to needle said councilor while thanking the radio host at the time for giving him the time of day.
But that's in the past. Now in his interview with said radio station, Vice-Mayor Emano who claimed that he only knew about the issue Tuesday said it is up to the mayor to resolve the complaints of the residents about the reclamation area, which reportedly got turned into a dumping ground even if it is located near a coastal area.
While we certainly don't expect the vice-mayor to be the all-knowing, all wise public official that he sometimes get portrayed to be at least we do expect him to crack the whip on even his most trusted allies if only to reiterate to the public that he means business. Then again, as rulers of this City of Golden Friendship, the vice-mayor can get away with a lot of things.
Still, at the very least he could have advised Goking to address the issue himself and not have to leave all the work to Mayor Constantino Jaraula who is also attending to the case of the soon to be unemployed casuals and consultants.
As it is, since he is vice-mayor he dumped it on the mayor's lap.
Anyway, it would be interesting to see if and when this matter would be raised in the City Council if at all since opposition Councilor Teodulfo Lao promised to do so during their sessions but so far nothing had come out of this.
Now that the report has reached the ears of some top people in the city maybe some action would be taken. Maybe.
