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Thursday, February 05, 2004
Mongaya: Answered prayer
By Anol Mongaya
THE death sentence for the six accused in the high profile Chiong case also brings to Cebu the debate on whether the Arroyo administration should start executing death convicts to stop the rise in criminal activities. While this move sits well with many Filipinos, the Catholic Church is quite active in its advocacy against the death penalty.
There are several arguments against the death penalty. Anti-capital punishment advocates point out, for one, that only the poor gets executed under our flawed justice system.
But the Chiong case showed that even scions of prominent families are not spared from the said penalty if they are found guilty of crimes like the kidnapping and killing of sisters Marijoy and Jacqueline Chiong. Public sympathy, in this case, leans towards capital punishment.
With Thelma Chiong exclaiming that the decision was an “answered prayer” and an achievement of “justice,” maybe the Church can consider the possibility that death penalty sometimes has Divine approval.
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Director Reynaldo Esmeralda called up to assure me that with him at the helm of National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) 7, nobody can spirit away any unit or even accessory of the right-hand drive vehicles the agency seized weeks ago. Reporters also confirmed that the two Prados that some unscrupulous individuals covet are still in the NBI compound.
Esmeralda said he has instituted a system of monitoring people who go near the vehicles pending resolution of the case.
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Despite initial uncertainty on whether he would push through with his visit, presidential contender Fernando Poe Jr. arrived in Cebu last night and stayed at the Cebu City Waterfront Hotel overnight. He was seen with Senators Ed Angara and Tito Sotto and actor Eddie Garcia.
The opposition standard-bearer greeted Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal, who will be celebrating his 73rd birthday tomorrow, during a discreet visit last night.
Da King’s visit should boost the local opposition ranks led by former mayor Alvin Garcia, who set a meeting with FPJ this noon. Agila for FPJ leader Boy Odilao said he is coordinating with Garcia and several FPJ operatives to make the visit a success.
Still, our sources within the FPJ camp note the tremendous organizational problems the opposition camp is experiencing. For example, they have no overall coordinator in Cebu and the Visayas.
In an earlier column, I cited the opposition’s lack of organization in Cebu province since they have failed so far to entice the camp of Junie Martinez to abandon GMA and join them. But how true are talks that negotiations bogged down because of money? The FPJ campaign reportedly still lacks funds to satisfy potential local allies.
Perhaps, FPJ now has to circulate the collection bowl. Or are potential financial backers thinking twice about supporting a candidate who could not even utter a birthday wish for his running mate, Sen. Loren Legarda, before a television camera? But I was told some politicians have expressed support for Da King, especially in Mindanao.
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Mayor Tomas Osmeña has, in effect, told his leaders in Cebu City’s south district that he is firmly behind Rep. Tony Cuenco when he attacked Sen. John Osmeña. The senator is supporting his protégé Totol Batuhan.
Maybe, the mayor is anticipating the possibility some of his barangay leaders will go for a Tomas-Totol combination just like in 2001.
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With Vice Gov. John-john Osmeña busy parrying blows from the Perdido Lex scam, his rivals, Capitol consultant Gwen Garcia and Martinez should be able to advance their respective campaigns unhampered by negative issues for the meantime. But I expect fireworks to also erupt between Garcia and Martinez camps in the next few days.
(e-mail: superbalita@ sunstar.com.ph or anol _cebu@hotmail.com; text: 0917-9761193)
(February 5, 2004 issue)
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