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Tuesday, August 16, 2005
Elias L. Espinoza
LOYAL. Secretary Mike Defensor of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is a loyal Cabinet member of President Arroyo. While some of his co-members jumped out of the ship, he stayed.
Imagine, the DENR secretary had to spend his own money (US$3,500) just to get a second opinion on the “Garci tapes” from Barry Dickey, a forensic expert in Audio-Evidence Laboratory based in Arlington, Texas, USA.
The selfless endeavor of Secretary Defensor just to get his President out of the enormous snag is, as far as I could remember, unparalleled by any Cabinet member in previous administrations.
Remember then AFP chief of staff Angelo Reyes, who was supposed to be former president Estrada’s last straw to stay in power, but bade goodbye as Erap was about to leave Malacanang?
Secretary Defensor is a different breed of public servant and Cabinet member. He knows where his heart’s loyalty is. He is indeed a principled man that he has to sacrifice his credibility for the sake of his beleaguered President.
SMOKESCREEN? After filing criminal and administrative charges against the police for apprehending right-hand-drive (RHD) motor vehicles and threatening to sue the two Regional Trial Court (RTC) judges who issued the search warrants real big trouble now knocks on the door of Port of Cebu District Collector Ma. Lourdes Mangaoang.
If not for the criminal and administrative charges she filed against the policemen, I doubt if the graft and corrupt charges filed against Mangaoang by Charles Almendras would surface.
Imagine, the charges were filed by Almendras even before Mangaoang could file complaints against the policemen from Mandaue City and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.
I suppose the feisty lady customs collector, as some friends described her, is now humbled by the anti-graft and corrupt practices act charges she is now facing before the Ombudsman. The persecutor is also now being prosecuted.
Of course, just like any other accused, Mangaoang is entitled to the presumption of innocence. I don’t think there was a lapse in judgment when Mangaoang banned Almendras and his agents at the bureau.
Mangaoang’s declaration that her transaction with Pilarcita Pearson of Sterling Insurance-Cagayan de Oro City branch on the issuance of insurance bond was above board only deepened the suspicions.
Don’t get me wrong, but I have never said that the strict appearance of Mangaoang and her aggressive leadership and management of the Cebu port is a smokescreen to hide what she does when she’s far from the public’s eye.
(August 16, 2005 issue)
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