Monday, October 04, 2004
Sienes: The Amilbangsa Manding that I knew
By Cris G. Sienes
Different Strokes
'To compel his informants to execute affidavits, Manding has threatened them with arrest. But on what charges? On the mere allegations that they are drug pushers, or for refusing to execute affidavits against the policemen they have denounced to Manding? Does mere allegation or refusal to execute affidavits constitute a crime?'
COUNCILOR Amilbangsa Manding is in a bind. Based on raw information passed on to him by shady characters, he has accused some policemen, particularly a police inspector, of being protectors of drug pushers, illegal gamblers and vendors of pirated discs.
Manding's accusation is a serious one, particularly since a high-ranking police officer is allegedly one of the culprits. Such accusation must be backed by hard evidence and reliable witnesses for it to hold water in court.
Unfortunately for Manding, his informants refuse to execute affidavits and act as witnesses against the reportedly erring policemen. So his accusation will remain mere hearsay for now.
To compel his informants to execute affidavits, Manding has threatened them with arrest. But on what charges? On the mere allegations they are drug pushers, or for refusing to execute affidavits against the policemen that they have denounced to Manding? Does mere allegation or refusal to execute affidavits constitute a crime?
Even granting Manding will succeed in having his informants arrested by the PDEA, can they be forced to execute affidavits against their will? Don't they have a right to remain silent?
What Manding should have done was to secure the affidavits of his informants first before coming out with his expose. Now he is left holding an empty bag. I really pity Manding, not only for the fix that he is in, but also because I know him well enough. You see, before he became a city councilor Manding, or "Amil" as we fondly called him, was a co-employee at the DSWD, a close friend, and a cup companion.
Amil then worked at the DSWD Davao City Branch Office, which was right within our DSWD regional office compound. This was before the branch office was developed to the city government. I have only fond memories of him. Almost every afternoon, after work, we would drop by nearby beerhouses for beer and songs.
One late afternoon, fondly recall, we were at this beerhouse sipping ice-cold San Miguel beer. Knowing I love to sing, he asked a waitress in his now familiar Muslim accent: "Miss, naa ba mo'y minus-one?" The waitress answered: "Naa pero tua sa second floor." Amil then told the waitress: "Pabor lang, Miss, ipakanaug kay mokanta ang among Sir."
Thanks to Amil our group had a very happy afternoon drinking beer and singing songs. One of the really happy times that we shared.
To this day I treasure Amil's friendship, and I have only good wishes for him in his activities as a member of the city council.
* * * * *
All my years in the government service, even when I was detailed at the office of the President for Mindanao for several years, I attended to requests for assistance from the poor. The requests were usually for medicine, blood, CT scan, chemotherapy, dialysis and hospitalization.
I did a fine job, too, as during my time, the DSWD regional office in Davao City was picked as the best throughout the country in responding to requests for assistance from the poor.
Davao Medical Center chief of hospital Dr. Gerardo Cunanan can and will readily attest to the so many poor patients that I referred to him for hospitalization.
Probably because I served the poor when I was in the government service, it makes me so mad to know that a syndicate is dipping its dirty hands into the Lingap as Mahirap medicines.
The city government spends thousands daily for Lingap medicines just so the poor can avail of them. For unscrupulous members of a syndicate to deprive the poor of medicines for profits is, to my mind, worse then killing the poor themselves, and that is unforgivable.
I'm glad the Lingap staff members have taken steps to prevent dirty and pilfering hands from taking the medicines meant for the poor. People who rob the poor of the Lingap medicines deserve a skewering at the end of a Japanese samurai.
Point to ponder: "The little cares that fretted me,/I lost them yesterday,/Among the fields above the sea,'/Among the winds at play,.../Among the hushing of the corn,/Where drowsy poppies nod,/Where ill thoughts die and good are born--/Out in the fields of God." (Unknown, Out in the Fields)
(October 4, 2004 issue)
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