Scrolling down: Former mayor's name was read from the president's "narco list" but his role in illegal drugs was not mentioned and no evidence was ever offered; not like the case of Tomas Osmeña who was not in Duterte's list but was implicated in an affidavit of a self-confessed drug lord, who alleged he gave the mayor "protection money"; what could be General Sinas's role in helping politicians clear their name in drug activities'
FIRST, before that, Sheila Aballe (or Eballe) may not be categorized as a "desaparecido" or victim of an involuntary disappearance. She told some of her neighbors that she was just hiding from people she associated with the quarry operations in Tinaan, City of Naga. Either she's truly scared or she's continuing to play the propagandist's role in their activism.
She is best remembered for talking to, or with, the president last September 21 in Naga. Duterte noticed her freshly manicured nails.
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Just 'first step'
It's true: a negative result from the drug test that former Cebu City mayor Mike Rama submitted to last Friday (September 28) doesn't mean much.
It only says Mike was drug-free at the time of the test, not before when data were supposedly gathered against him by the police and PDEA, if ever such a dossier exists.
Yet it may remove some of the steam from the charge of his rival, Mayor Tomas Osmeña, that he and Barug partymates were drug addicts. That accusation could be mere black propaganda but Tomas's "Team Suyop" label seems to have stuck. The mayor just kept repeating it even without any proof.
Then there's this other complication: Rama's name was mentioned twice in President Duterte's list but there were no specifics. Was Mike a drug user, drug trafficker or drug protector?
The accusation against Tomas was more detailed: an affidavit of a self confessed drug lord alleged that he paid the mayor "protection money." And yet Mike is suffering, Tomas is not.
Mike said the drug test was only the "first step." Maybe but those other steps must be taken more quickly. The COC filing deadline is only a few days away.
Similar drug tests
PNP Regional Chief Debold Sinas set a precedent of sort by being present at the drug test for Mike Rama.
Would he say yes to similar requests by politicians who are also cast with suspicion of being linked to illegal drugs?
The rest of the Barug party, labeled by Tomas as Team Suyop, might wish to submit themselves to a drug test. Would the general himself be available too?
'Villain' of the week
Easily the title holder is Representative Aniceto "John" Bertiz III, a party-list congressman of Acts OFW, who was caught on video "harassing" an airport security officer and later, "bullying" in Hong Kong an overseas worker in a meeting with Filipino OFWs.
The scene in which Bertiz shoved his ID card in the face of the airport employee and confiscating the worker's own ID displayed arrogance of a lawmaker outside Congress. His haughty remarks to the OFW in HK fitted into a pattern of behavior that says "we lawmakers are superior to you."
All caught on video, a lesson that a number of public officials still have to learn: Always behave properly and prudently, especially in public; there's probably a camera recording you.
Bertiz apologized, after the harm was done on others and himself.
Beef with JPE canned food
It's not measured yet how a boycott against a brand of corned beef is hurting Jaka Group of Companies, owned by the Enriles, manufacturer of the canned food.
It will be a test of how much the product can survive an assault, not for its defect but for people's grievance against Juan Ponce Enrile.
The former senator has been getting a lot of flak over his interviews with
Bongbong Marcos, his colleague in the Senate and son of Ferdinand Marcos Sr., JPE's master co-conspirator in the imposition of martial law. Enrile is accused of revising history. A sample big fat lie: Marcos had never put to jail any critic of the Marcos regime.
A group in social media is using the tactic used by Cory Aquino supporters in the Edsa Revolution: boycotting products of known cronies of Marcos.
Even if this specific brand would be wiped out of the market, which is highly unlikely, neither JPE nor his daughter Katrina, Jaka's CEO, will suffer much. They've already made their pile of wealth. There must be a more effective way to stop the whitewashing of filth in the Marcos history.
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