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Friday, January 24, 2003
Kintanar: Mayor Caminero answers
By June Kintanar
In response to my column a few days ago, Argao Mayor Wilfredo “Willie” S. Caminero wrote me a letter dated Jan. 17, 2003. I appreciate his being responsive to legitimate complaints of his fellow Argawanons. Also, I admire his humility in admitting his responsibility for the indiscretion I wrote about. Government officials who possess these qualities are becoming rare. Argawanons should be proud of him.
Here’s the mayor’s letter:
I read your column calling my attention about the negligence. I personally accept responsibility for it as chief executive of the town.
After reading your column, I immediately went down and took a serious look at the historical landmark that, per investigation, was unintentional and without malice paint brushed by our people who repainted the flagpole in September last year.
Thank you for calling my attention to this intolerable act. Rest assured we‘ll immediately restore the inscription to its original form.
Again, thank you for your concern and we hope that you will continuously manifest any observation that you think can help to improve to improve the efficiency of our service to the Argawanons.”
Meanwhile, I also would like to take this opportunity to thank my good friend and fellow mediaman Jerry Tundag of The Freeman for supporting my cause in one of the paper’s editorials. I doff my hat to him.
****
What happened to eager-beaver Linda Montayre of the so-called People’s Consultative Assembly in the House of Representatives the other day was not only embarrassing to the former nun. It was outright humiliating.
Montayre, an Arroyo supporter who is now a bitter critic of the President, hand-carried the complaint for impeachment reportedly prepared by former senators Juan Ponce Enrile and Francisco Tatad and lawyer Homobono Adaza. She sought out just one congressman to endorse the complaint, as required by the House impeachment rules.
But Montayre experienced the loneliest moment of her life when not a single congressman, not even the critics of President Arroyo, would entertain Montayre, saying the complaint still had to be studied thoroughly.
Montayre must have been so embarrassed she could have buried her face in the sand like an ostritch. In the first place, why are these people in a hurry to impeach the President? Don’t they realize it would take almost an eternity to make their case prosper?
I‘m now inclined to believe the suspicion of some people that they are only out to embarrass the President and at the same time get free media mileage. These people are said to be preparing for the senatorial elections in 2004.
****
Speaker Joe de Venecia’s “quiet diplomacy,” his home-spun strategy of attracting followers for his “cha-cha” campaign, appears to be gaining momentum. One of his latest recruits is presidential adviser Joey Rufino. Reports say Rufino is now carrying the ball for charter change.
But de Venecia is still facing a formidable foe: the Senate. Senate President Franklin Drilon categorically stated the Senate is against de Venecia’s proposal to amend the Constitution through a constituent assembly. Drilon said they will agree to a charter change only after 2004 and through a constitutional convention.
An irresistible force meeting an immovable object.
(January 24, 2003 issue)
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