PEOPLE are talking about...
* SARA NETANYAHU BEING COMPARED WITH IMELDA MARCOS. The wife of former Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu pleaded guilty to the charge of misusing state funds and was ordered by the Jerusalem magistrate to pay a fine of $15,000. Sara, 60, ran large tabs in luxury restaurants amounting to more than $100,000. She and her husband led "indulgent lives at public expense." And for that, Sara was compared to Imelda Marcos of the Philippines by Associated Press. Not quite accurate. Imelda did a lot more, in scale and style of spending. The husband is facing trial for bribery, fraud, and breach of trust, with the first hearing scheduled in October.
* EDGAR LABELLA BEING 'GRATEFUL' TO PAV DINO. The incoming mayor will seek the help of the presidential assistant for the Visayas, Michael Dino, as Labella did during the campaign, regarding projects for Cebu City during his term. Atty. Frank Malilong disclosed that in his dyCM commentary program "Frankahay Ta" Monday (June 17). President Rodrigo Duterte probably wishes to see the man he endorsed in the last election succeed in running the city.
Juicy parts left out
The reshuffle of some 320 diocesan priests in the Catholic Church's Archdiocese of Cebu, described as more "massive" and widespread than in past reassignments, will take effect August 6 when they will report to their new posts.
READ: Majority of priests in Cebu to be reshuffled
News stories, after the new posting was released last Friday (June 14), have left out some details, such as who got the plum assignments, where BKPs (better-known priests) have been moved to, and whether those known to be clingers to their preferred spots have finally been unlatched.
It will be some days before parishioners will hear some of the grumbling expected of an overhaul that is billed as -- what was that again -- massive. It's doubtful if they will see print, not even on Facebook or Twitter.
The juicy parts of the story still have to be squeezed out.
Ancient problems
Has the reshuffle, which was the result of several meetings by the Personnel Board (according to Archbishop Jose Palma last March 9), solved such long-festering problems of the archdiocese as:
* Equitable distribution of income among priests; how clergy assigned in poor parishes get to enjoy the benefits of those managing rich parishes; whether the long-planned salary (instead of priests depending on collection during masses) has been implemented and, if so, whether it has worked;
* Priests who are disliked by their parishioners or have committed offenses during their stay in the parish: whether their expected reassignment affects investigation and discipline, if any.
The church, which tends to be secretive, may need to tell their parishioners more information about how those problems are being tackled, especially on fiscal affairs of the parish and erring priests.
Two priests in trouble
As cases in point, parishioners may wish to know what happened to two priests who were involved in separate publicized incidents:
* Last March, in Dumanjug, Cebu, where a girl, 17, complained of having been molested by a priest; the priest was arrested and presumably released later on bail.
* Last December 2018, in Mandaue City, where a priest beat a girl, 15, convent worker and "mentally challenged," who forgot to feed the priest's dog.
How were their cases handled? How did that affect decisions on their assignment?
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