Thursday, October 02, 2008 Espinoza: Dogs fighting over a bone By Elias L. Espinoza Free Zone
THE Bureau of Customs in Cebu has a lot of explaining to do with the apprehension of a container van by the Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group (PASG) in Manila assisted by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) 7 a few hours after it was released to the owner.
Misdeclaration of cargoes is a modus used by some importers to avoid paying high duties. Since the shipment slipped out of the customs bureau’s hands unnoticed, was its x-ray machine defective?
Intervention by PASG-Cebu and some Mandaue City policemen after NBI 7 operatives got hold of the cargo at a warehouse in Mandaue only raised suspicions that the owner is under their protection.
A reliable source told me that the cargo was imported tiles but was declared as stones. PASG Manila suspected it was resin and tasked the NBI to do the apprehension instead of the local PASG.
PASG-Cebu Chief Ariel Palcuto strongly denied insinuations his unit was not trusted. He said his accomplishments can speak for him and his office. NBI was supposed to assist Edmund Arugay of PSG Manila, but he was not at the scene.
The confrontation between NBI 7 agents and PASG-Cebu elements over that suspected smuggled cargo was reprehensible and disgraceful. They were like dogs fighting over a bone.
The incident was not the first, though, between law enforcement agents. This is not because of lack of coordination but of lack of trust.
“Our agents were compliant, not resistant. They continuously identified themselves as NBI agents. Our agents did not have their firearms drawn and thus did not pose a threat. It was easy to determine how to employ the necessary force,” said NBI 7 Director Medardo de Lemos.
Meanwhile, Mandaue City Police Director Mersan Premne should instead concentrate on the peace and order situation in his turf. Petty crimes abound because of the police’s inability to prevent them.
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Does Cebu City Vice Mayor Mike Rama have knowledge or understanding of the dynamics of the real estate industry?
This question cropped up after Mayor Tomas Osmeña mentioned this qualification as something anybody who wants to be the city’s next mayor needs. Osmeña held a press conference recently on the proposal of Filinvest Land to develop 50 hectares of SRP lot. His term ends in 2010.
Mayor Osmeña had put his name and the city’s finances on the line for the SRP and he does not want an authority to manage the multi-billion-peso reclamation area. With an authority, he might be pushed out of the blanket, so to speak.
Osmeña only needs a city mayor that he has full trust and confidence in to look after his interest in Filinvest’s SRP urban center project. He/she doesn’t even have to be brainy.
Rama will run for city mayor in 2010 come hell or high water. But whether Mayor Tomas would support him or not remains to be seen. This despite his answer to my question during a press conference at the Casino Español on Filinvest’s proposal.
I asked him if he entertains fears that the next city mayor would make life difficult for Filinvest. He quickly pointed to Rama as the next city mayor, and Mike responded with a very wide grin and a short talk.
But some of Mayor Tomas’ disciples I talked with have serious doubts on Rama becoming Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan’s mayoralty bet. Mayor Tomas has another person with whom he has total confidence and trust.
