Wednesday, December 24, 2008 Nalzaro: Injustice and greed By Bobby Nalzaro Saksi
SINCE Sun.Star Cebu and Sun.Star Superbalita won’t have an issue tomorrow, I will greet our readers today advance Merry Christmas. May this yuletide season bring peace, love, joy and happiness to your family and to the community.
We will greet the birth of Jesus Christ tonight with a big bang. But as a reminder to all firearm holders, please do not fire your gun tonight. The bullet you fire may cost other people’s lives. Merry Christmas to one and all!
***
The court cleared, Joavan, the controversial adopted son of Talisay Mayor Soc Fernandez, of murder charges in connection with the fatal shooting of Panfilo Barinque, a jeepney driver, two years ago.
Barinque's conductor, Timoteo Aleo, who was wounded in the incident, tagged Joavan as the gunman. He later executed an affidavit clearing Joavan. When the court summoned him, he was nowhere to be found.
Thinking that the case was weakened by Aleo's retraction, the Barinque family executed an affidavit claiming they had lost interest in the case. But there were claims that Soc paid Aleo and offered the Barinque family a house and lot plus employment at City Hall so they won’t pursue the case.
Soc said Joavan’s acquittal was a gift of God because God is good to him. That is blasphemy, Brod Soc. What gift of God are you talking about? Your son escaped prosecution for dubious reasons, but he cannot escape God's wrath.
It is unfortunate that you who have been tasked to spread God’s words through the Holy Bible are not practicing what you are preaching.
***
Some elected officials are taking advantage of Christmas cash gifts to satisfy their greed. Like what the members of the Municipal Council of San Fernando are doing. They passed an ordinance setting their extra cash gift at P45,000 pesos. Department heads will get P40,000 and regular employees will have P20,000.
Just imagine, a fourth class municipality giving that amount? The Provincial Government, which is rich, only gave P12,000 to its employees as Christmas bonus. Minglanilla, a first class municipality, gave P10,000 to its employees.
Is San Fernando that rich? Mayor Nenette Reluya has opposed the move and vowed to veto the ordinance. But I am sure her veto will be overridden because the Council is dominated by the opposition.
Pastilan ning mga opisyales diha sa San Fernando. Ang ilang kaugalingon ra gyod maoy gihuna-huna ug dili ang ilang mga constituents.
