Monday, November 17, 2008 Pangan: Body of lies By Benjie Pangan At Close Range
GOING by the Big Joke, Joc-Joc Bolante's style of answering questions from the reputable members of the powerful Senate Blue Ribbon committee, one is tempted to surmise that government officials, at least the ranking ones, have pro forma or de kahon answers to probers.
Aside from invoking executive privilege, execs undergoing questioning invariably use evasive styles to get off the hook.
As the Big Joke wanted it to appear, the alleged P728 million fertilizer fund scam was not a rip off after all: the money was given to the intended beneficiaries, never mind if they live in the metropolis and urban areas and there is no farm land to till, but, lo and behold!
There were supposedly documents to prove receipt of the contested funds. So much precious time and resources were uselessly spent on a futile exercise. Because of this, more taxpayers' money seemed to have gone the drain.
And there's the Senate Moscow fund probe. Senator Mar Roxas, a presidential timber, was in his top element when he upbraided cashiered PNP Director Eliseo dela Paz and the other now-called Euro generals.
Senator Mar mused that it took a foreign country to catch and apprehend the absconding generals and thus put to very bad light our lenient customs and immigration officials.
There is indeed much corruption in government agencies, observed Roxas, and the PNP is no exception. Why is there so much cash for so-called intelligence work and travels when there is nary a peso for the soldier's food and arms?
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In the same light, the Commission on Audit was put to task by the Senate probers. Some are now wondering which goes first, the grease money or commissions and then the moro moro audit? Or the sham audit and then the team gets money?
In both ways, the lameduck agency does misplaced favor to executives of government corporations, instrumentalities and local government units by playing footsie with the execs and turning blind eye to irregularities found during the so-called audits.
Unliquidated cash advances abound and so many anomalous transactions are masked by so-called vouchers which, one municipal mayor says, are presumed to be regular and in order.
In his town, a team of 'trouble shooters' reportedly (and diumano) prepare remedial documents to cover up anomalies plus, of course, the envelopes and villa for the audit team. This is, again, reportedly, de riguer in this municipality and perhaps in other local government units undergoing regular audits.
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Pseudo engineer and sham contractor. One flamboyant municipal mayor has so much trust on a maintenance man that the latter monopolizes construction work and infra projects in the municipality although his completed tasks are, most of the time, substandard: leaking roofs, sagging floors, substandard and overpriced materials, etc.
Now this pseudo engineer is heading a big construction project in a big subdivision enterprise. Say, with the huge income he got, still gets and will get from 'captive' projects, is this employee declaring the correct income and paying correct income taxes and, more, filing a correct annual Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Networth? Paging the BIR and the Civil Service Commission, please.
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Optimum arrogance. Some guards of the Optimum Security Agency who are posted at the entrance to the huge Xevera project in Barangay Tabun, Mabalacat are arrogant and tactless.
I should know because I had been slighted twice when I went to the site to see and talk with the project engineers, particularly Engr. Bernie Pacheco. Despite my showing a valid ID, one guard bluntly asked me what I was supposed to do inside, as if intended to steal some steel bars or bags of cement. Wouldn't other guests feel offended or be turned off by such arrogance?
Speaking of the Xevera project, palakasan might be the key word there. If you do not have an influential backer, as some sources say, do not entertain the idea of ever getting assignments in the construction phase.
But one lucky guy, my source intimated, who is a veterinarian-turned-contractor (?) has cornered a substantial chunk of the construction job. Buti kung standard ang pagkakagawa.
Has someone noticed that the huge project has buildings built on former lahar soil? A photojournalist friend observed that erosion might set in and cause damage to the buildings already built there if no levee, a reinforced one at that, were built along the near- dead river banks, south of the subdivision project.
The concerned officials should look into this valid observation and do something before erosion sets in and dishevel most of the structures. Sayang lang ang ginastos at panahon, kung magkagayon.
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Dead recall petitions. The supporters of governors of Pampanga, Samar and Sulu have the reason to rejoice because of the pronouncement of Comelec Manila that recall petitions against these incumbents cannot proceed to be heard at the election body allegedly due to lack of funds. Recall proponents, however, would never say die as they cite the flimsy excuse of the Comelec to defer action on the petitions. What? No funds? But there's aplenty for the 2010 elections?
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All quiet on the shabu front. Or so, it sees but Roxas Street in Dau will always be the site of shabu trading, using and pushing, whichever side one is deep into.
It is said that demand is steep yet the supply is low, that is why the street value of a gram of shabu is very high, something like P10,000 per gram and rising.
Who are the participants in the trade? The protectors? Ah, but this is one hard habit to break, good intentions and all as the young and old alike partake of methamphetamine hydrochloride. And damn be the anti drug abuse laws.
