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Tuesday, May 27, 2003
Editorial: Transfer of two Talisay cops
are sincere in the fight against illegal gambling, specifically the proliferation of video carrera machines in Cebu City and province.
The controversial transfer of two policemen from Talisay City to Cordova is a good case to look into especially because it now carries with it allegations of possible collusion between video carrera operators and some officials.
The policemen, PO2s Noel Villamor and Leopoldo Palconit, claimed Talisay City Councilor Emil Go instigated their transfer after they went after video carrera operation in the city. Go has earlier been linked to video carrera operations, which he vehemently denied.
But what should also interest the Regional Intelligence and Investigation Division (RIID), whom Police Regional Office 7 Director Robert Delfin tasked to investigate the controversy, is the conflicting statements on the transfer by two police officials.
Cebu Provincial Police Director Maximo Calimlim claimed he ordered the transfer of Villamor and Palconit following a recommendation by Talisay City Chief Pablo Lamosao, who in turn denied making the recommendation being new to the post.
What makes this point even more interesting is the claim of the two policemen that their transfer came after Go met Calimlim. (Calimlim has, as usual, made himself scarce from reporters following up the case.)
Of course, one cannot discount the possibility Villamor and Palconit are making up stories to hit back at officials they believed were behind their transfer. Or that they are also covering up for some fishy dealings of their own.
This, then, is what should make the probe interesting: It can either clear the protagonists or expose who among them are protecting video carrera operators.
Of ships colliding
The sinking of mv San Nicolas after it rammed into Superferry 12 at the mouth of Manila Bay is indeed puzzling to some people, considering the vast expanse of the sea.
For them, two ships colliding with each other should be as rare as an airplane slamming into another. Or for that matter, a coconut falling on the head of somebody walking below it.
Coincidence? Fate?
It looks like, in this country, it’s none of the above. For more often than not, the human factor and primitive vessel and equipment, not the stars, are to be blamed for the ship collisions happening in the country, especially the really deadly ones, like that involving mv Doña Paz in 1987 that killed more than 4,000 people.
While it is still too early to pinpoint the blame in last Sunday’s sea disaster, early reports already point to, again, the human factor and primitive vessel and equipment.
The problem is, in incidents like this, government officials go through the motions of investigation and blame-throwing, and end up doing nothing to improve the shipping industry in the country.
(May 27, 2003 issue)
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