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Saturday, April 22, 2006
Roperos: War of BOC roses
By Godofredo M. Roperos
Politics Also
Truth to tell, I suddenly recalled my world history in high school when I read the other day the news story of the quarrel between two lady customs district collectors over the Cebu port. The phrase “war of the roses” came to mind, although I cannot now recall what the war was all about.
What drew my attention to the matter were the pointed comments the new United States ambassador to the Philippines made two days ago before a gathering of American businessmen in Manila. Kristie Kenney said that one reason the country is lagging behind in economic development among countries in the Asian region is because of “rampant corruption and poor enforcement of intellectual property rights.”
Indeed, the two district collectors’ “bone of contention” is simply just that—a conflict of interest over the Bureau of Customs (BOC) post.
Past male district collectors assigned to the Cebu port have been noted to value deeply the post next to their life itself. In fact, one collector who was just eased out was said to have employed a platoon of personal bodyguards to secure his life and limb, and paid them reportedly from his own pocket. Where he got the money is beyond me.
The fact, indeed, has become part of the interesting legend surrounding the BOC of Cebu.
And perhaps, what I gathered from a session of coffee shop habitues in an uptown mall could be part of the legend, too. This has something to do with the discovery of “smuggled” South Korean motor vehicles reportedly loaded in five 40-footer vans more than a week ago today. The 10 vehicles were slightly used, and possibly stolen.
But that is not really the point of interest here. It’s the quickness of the incumbent lady customs district collector here of naming her equally aggressive rival as being possibly involved in the said smuggling attempt. What a happy coincidence, according to one of the coffee shop habitues.
Had the transfer of the incumbent district collector been consummated in the early part of the month, it would have been her responsibility to clear the shipment or seize it as smuggled vehicles.
Probably, it is this happy coincidence---which has prompted the incumbent collector to immediately name her rival as being behind the shipment---that could become an added item in the legend of “rampant corruption” in our country that has caused our stunted economic growth.
Of course, the rival, has vehemently denied the accusation, and has hit back at her “tormentor” as being so unkind as to maliciously link her to controversies here. Which is reasonable enough, since she is not around to immediately defend herself.
But as my coffee shop friends averred, the fact of her insisting to be assigned in Cebu despite the issues against her, arouses wonder. Which brings us back to my re-emergent world history bit about the “war of the roses.”
It was a series of English dynastic civil wars between the House of Lancaster and the House of York over their ascendant turfs. It was called “War of the Roses” because the symbol of the Lancastrians was a red rose, and that of the Yorks was a white rose. It happened towards the end of the 100 years war.
Uncannily, the metaphor of the present BOC turf “war” is quite similar. I cannot say though how it will be finally resolved.
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (April 22, 2006 issue)
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