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Thursday, January 29, 2004
Mongaya: Smoking gun needed
By Anol Mongaya
There were actually over 30 right-hand-drive luxury vehicles that arrived recently, but the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) 7 only chanced upon 25 in a warehouse owned by Patok Jao. The others were already sold. More vehicles would have arrived had not the NBI raid happened, according to the Customs grapevine.
Patok, who is an old timer in the importation game, had friends who could have helped him. But these contacts reportedly got pissed off. One told me the luxury vehicle importer refused to heed their advice, and then the raid.
District Collector Billy Bibit may be getting a beating in the media over the NBI raid. But I don’t think he will be relieved from his post for as long as he hits his collection target and the accusations are not proven. So far, what the NBI succeeded is only to make the public believe something was wrong. It has yet to produce the smoking gun, if ever there is one.
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Pasajero Motors Corp. (Pamocor) filed graft charges against former General Services Office chief Rolando Ardosa for refusing to accept the delivery of Hino dump trucks in 2003. Pamocor delivered the trucks on Jan. 18, 2003 but was paid the P19 million only this month. The firm blamed Ardosa for the delay in payment.
The case glosses over the months of controversy on whether the trucks were brand new or made of surplus parts assembled here. In fact, the mess even divided BO-PK for a time, which the mayor solved by promising a bigger pork barrel share.
Pamocor’s move also preempts the filing of a case questioning the purchase of surplus trucks priced as brand new units.
I think Pamocor should show the import documents of the trucks so we can be sure these were imported as completely built vehicles and not knocked-down units, or worse, mere replacement parts. If only Pamocor did this when the controversy first erupted in the media. But it’s not too late, if only to put the issue to rest. If Pamocor fails to do so, expect the issue to drag on with the political season heating up.
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A friend, who is identified with the camp of Junie Martinez, was amused over the exchange of words between Gov. Pablo Garcia and Vice Gov. John-john Osmeña.
Both accused each other of involvement in the Perdido Lex Foundation mess. But come to think of it, the assistance to Perdido Lex was released when Garcia and Osmeña were still chummy with each other.
Another friend asked if similar projects were hatched when the governor’s alliance with the Martinez camp was still strong. If there was one, Junie must watch out.
I think it would be best if politicians leave any investigation into the controversy with the Ombudsman and the NBI. But with the election season, this is at best wishful thinking on my part. Expect the waters to be muddied with clashing media spins that will only obscure the truth.
I’m glad the NBI did not waste time looking into the identity of the Perdido Lex incorporators. That the name Veronica Caceres turned out to be Osmeña’s caretaker was not new. The vice governor earlier admitted this when he claimed he was framed up.
If the search for the incorporators leads to a blank wall, perhaps the NBI and the Ombudsman should look more closely into the documents available at the Capitol. I am sure there is more information there that can be uncovered than what has come out so far in the media.
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Don Bosco batch mates of Dondon Hontiveros are doing their best to convince the Cebuano basketball sensation to attend this Sunday’s whole day alumni homecoming, which is part of the Golden Jubilee Celebration of the Salesians’ Presence in Cebu.
Aside from medical and legal clinics, organizers have lined up basketball and football exhibition games for the alumni.
(e-mail: superbalita@ sunstar.com.ph or anol_cebu@hotmail.com; text: 0917-9761193)
(January 29, 2004 issue)
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