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Thursday, July 07, 2005
Mongaya: The opposition, too
By Anol Mongaya
The ongoing controversy on the “Hello Garci” tapes has yielded several interesting information. These include the one that said that not only administration candidates called up Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano.
In an interview by a national daily, Garcillano named former senator Loren Legarda and Rep. Francis Escudero, among others. While these opposition personalities denied this, Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile admitted calling up the commissioner.
Meanwhile, T/Sgt. Vidal Doble admitted to being once a member of Paoctf. At that time, the police unit was under Panfilo Lacson, now a senator.
I just hope the congressional inquiry would result in something concrete in terms of legislative oversight and in aid of legislation. This amid suspicions the tapes are part of destabilization moves.
***
Sources at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Palace of Justice said key officials were satisfied with our expose of a wiretapped recording that suggested possible wrongdoing at the Department of Justice (DOJ). This involved the controversial kidnapping case filed by James King against Roderick Go.
If we are to believe the contents of the recording, money exchanged hands when the DOJ reversed itself on the case. After reading my column, DOJ Chief Raul Gonzalez immediately ordered the NBI to investigate the allegation.
Gonzalez also told State Prosecutor Napoleon Dilag to take a leave of absence while a probe is ongoing. Dilag granted the Jan. 15, 2005 motion to annul, which Gonzalez approved on June 20, 2005. This, in effect, dismissed the kidnapping case against Go. The secretary wants to clear the DOJ from any allegation of wrongdoing.
According to my sources, CDs of the recording were distributed in Manila and Cebu long before I wrote about it in my column. But colleagues in media chose to ignore it probably because mere possession of a wiretapped recording is illegal. Nevertheless, the recording suggested wrongdoing that should be addressed by proper authorities.
As of this writing, I am eagerly awaiting the results of the NBI investigation as we vow to continue issuing exposes as our small contribution to making this society better.
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Former district collector Billy Bibit has made good his threat to go against the administration if pushed to the wall or pushed out of his customs post in Cebu. Bibit’s threat had made top customs officials careful in yanking him out of office.
Unfortunately for the former rebel soldier, his stint at the Cebu bureau showed how the office can be transformed into a fiefdom, which irked officials in Manila. Soon, top customs and anti-smuggling officials seemed to gang up on him.
In contrast, the present collector enjoys solid support from her bosses in Manila. She demonstrated this recently when it only took her one week to remove a newly-appointed customs police official that crossed her path. “Malakas talaga si Mam,” one importer was overheard saying.
(superbalita@sunstar.com.ph or anol.blogs.friendster.com/anols_blog)
(July 7, 2005 issue)
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