Bzzzzz: NPAs strike at military, police; Loot name dragged on public stage anew

FIRST, people are talking about...

* TWO STRIKES BY NPA, both on the same day, December 19 (Wednesday): two soldiers, 12 militia men seized and abducted by New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in Sibagat, Agusan del Sur; a police senior inspector, one Porferio Gabuya, was shot and killed in a restaurant across the police station in Guihulngan, Negros Oriental.

“This is war,” PNP regional chief Debold Sinas was quoted as saying. Trite and usually used in a cartoon film scene where the roadrunner has just been whacked on the head by its foe. But in real life, that could mean each side targeting the other, with the police being visible and conspicuous in their uniform placed at a huge disadvantage.

Remember the “Sparrows” (for the acronym Sparu) in the 70s who shot and killed cops on the streets? Is the police ready for that kind of urban guerilla war?

Once more, in a ‘joke’

Retired police general, now town-mayor-on-extended-leave Vicente Loot is back in the news after President Duterte mentioned last December 19 Loot’s name in talking about a failed ambush on the Cebuano’s life last May. It was former senator Mar Roxas who ordered the ambush, “not me,” said the president.

A joke, the Palace said. Now which was the joke about Loot being castigated anew for his alleged link to illegal drugs or the alleged order to kill from Roxas?

Apparently aimed to hurt Mar who is running for senator, it also slammed Loot anew.

If it was a joke, the explanation would partly clear Roxas (stain of an accusation never completely disappears) but obviously it smears Loot once again. Worse, Loot was blamed for “triggering the joke” on Mar.

CDN’s shift to digital

Cebu Daily News will continue serving its public by dishing out news and features on the digital platform. What will end on December 31 is the print edition.

“The readers in the region and the Cebu community are first in our minds when we decided to continue CDN via the digital platform,” said CDN publisher Abelardo Ulanday.

The print run of the paper started in February 1998.

‘Team Karaoke Minus One’

Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña sees the “withdrawal” of Councilor Erik Espina from the Partido Barug council slate as a disability.

Espina sees it otherwise. There are two things to consider, he said: (1) A team slate rarely makes a sweep at the polls; two or three from the rival camp often get into the winning column. (2) Chances of others in the Barug team are increased if one steps out.

That’s his view. His colleagues may see it differently; they may think his presence will boost team morale and increase chances of winning. But it’s Erik’s decision. Nobody should be forced to run.

Meantime, Tomas finds it an occasion to joke about. He calls Barug “Team Karaoke Minus One” – minus Espina, of course. Which is not yet a done deal. Erik might choose to stay.

***

Tell us about it.

[paseares@gmail.com]