Monday, April 28, 2008 Mongaya: Scapegoats? By Anol Mongaya Panahom
EVEN when the lamppost corruption case was filed against Mayors Teddy Ouano and Boy Radaza last year, I already suspected something fishy.
The lamppost project was connected with preparations for the summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. From what I know of the inner procurement process in relation to the summit preparations, the major decisions were made at the national level. Regional and LGU officials only followed orders.
Thus the question formed in my cynical mind. Why were the national officials spared the lamppost case? Why focus only on the two mayors?
After reading the recent Visayas Ombudsman decision, I was surprised about some points.
I’m not a lawyer so perhaps friends who are into law might want to explain to me if the mayors’ signatures of the program of works and estimates or POWE crucial to the approval and implementation of the project in the respective cities.
If the signatures are important, then why were the lampposts also set up in Cebu City when Mayor Tomas Osmeña did not sign the program of works and estimates? If these were not important to the approval and implementation of the project, then why were their signatures on the POWE crucial evidence against the two mayors?
The ombudsman’s decision noted that the DPWH, under the auspices of then acting secretary Hermoge-nes Ebdane, Jr. , spearheaded the acquisition of the lampposts, apparently through an alternative method of procurement (as distinguished from the general mode of procurement which is the public bidding). Why was he spared?
The evidences that supposedly implicated the two mayors were based on a comparison of costs based on the POWE of Mandaue City. Substantiating the questions raised was a witness in the Mandaue side. Then why drag along Mayor Radaza?
Besides, it was the DPWH 7 that planned and bid out the lamppost project.
I’m not really a great fan of the two mayors but in fairness to them they were just fall guys. The whole thing seemed like damage control that benefited certain national officials.
***
No, Jan-jan’s case against the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) medical personnel who operated on him was not another damage control job to make us forget Jun Lozada’s accusations against the Arroyo administration.
After all, Cebuanos already wrote finish to Lozada’s accusations after he badmouthed Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal.
Still, allow me to raise some more points on the Jan-jan case.
Why is Jan-jan protecting the role and identity of the call boy who started it all by inserting the perfume spray canister up his anus on New Year’s Eve? Why not include him in the case for causing him much embarrassment? Well, as some gay friends would say, he probably does not have much “dada.” As for the medical personnel and VSMMC, Jan-jan is suing them for P6 million in damages.
From where I sit, there was no need for Jan-jan to feel ashamed since no one knew he was the guy with a spray can up his anus. VSMMC people refused to give anybody the medical records of the case to ensure confidentiality. Only the so-called call boy who placed it there in the first place knew about it, but I’m sure he didn’t tell anyone aron di madaot ang iyang market.
However, the medical personnel shown on YouTube practically have a lot of explaining to do.
In pleading for the VSMMC personnel involved, my brother Nonoy asked: “Kinsa may di makatawa?” Well, I guess they now know the painful way that their profession demands a certain kind of discipline stricter than that of many grinning columnists and radio commentators.
***
Modern hero Manny Pacquiao took on the role of the country’s first hero Lapu-Lapu who killed Ferdinand Magellan, which was played by Dennis Trillo, in the Kadaugan sa Mactan yesterday. Kudos to the organizers for a successful celebration.
Nevertheless, my sources said many also expected Pacquiao to drop by the Pacman airsoft competition at the Mactan National High School yesterday but Wacky Salud already had his hands full with people wanting to also have a piece of the Pacman’s attention.
According to Ahmed Cuizon, the airsoft competition was a way of introducing new ways of celebrating Lapu-Lapu’s fighting prowess and making him relevant to present-day yuppies.
(Check out my blog “In Between Columns” at anol.blogs. friendster.com/anols_blog/)
