ALL this news about fake rice distributed in Davao is disturbing.
What’s the guarantee it’s not in Cebu and other parts of the country as well? If it was reportedly smuggled from China to Davao, bulwark of the iron-fisted mayor Rodrigo Duterte, how sure are we that our local executives are vigilant against the irresponsible traders?
Former senator, now presidential assistant for food security Francisco “Kiko” Pangilinan reportedly tried to fan down Davaoeños’ unrest and fear.
The DBP, a plastic mixed with potatoes and sweet potatoes to comprise the fake rice, is reportedly not poisonous.
It’s supposedly used to soften materials like PVC. Wow! Can you imagine that thing disguised as rice going down our pipes?
He then proceeds to say that DBP does not kill one immediately upon ingestion. Rather, the harmful effects happen when a person ingests DBP every day for at least three months.
Howmygash! The assumption, therefore, is that we haven’t taken in any of that fake rice yet, huh? What if we’ve unknowingly been doing so every day in the last three months? That’s hardly any consolation, Kiko.
One can understand the cynicism meeting Kiko’s appeasement attempts. Social media comments range from utter disbelief to downright sarcasm and disgust.
Writes one named “Toyota”: “This fake rice news had been in a foreign tabloid several years ago and the source is China. I am wondering why authorities have not been informed about it. NFA might have imported tons of this commodity without noticing it. Hindi yata up to date ang reporting ng media natin. Our local media should have reported it on the same date this news was released by foreign tabloids.”
Karabkatab says, “Sa totoo lang alam ng NFA yan... lahat ng kalokohan tungkol sa bigas alam ng NFA yan.”
Here’s one from Kontra Boohaya. “The President, Roxas, Pangilinan, et al are all jumping through the hoops to find out the source.
Yet, (Agricultural Secretary Proceso) ALCALA is deadly silent on the issue. Just like meth or shabu, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist or a James Bond to figure out where the rice originated from. The question is how the rice got into the country. Sige lang, tuloy lang ang kurapsyon baka mamaya kayo na rin po ang kakain ng bigas na yan at mga anak ninyo ay titikim din ng shabu!”
Hosea Magdalo says, “Where else but China, the land of fakes: fake maps and islands in the Spratly’s.”
TANKyuu echoes, “Manufacturing fakes? Sino pa ba ang gumagawa? Yung mga ganid na feeling superpower at master race kuno!”
Clash of Corrupt writes, “Bakit sa Davao nanggaling ang fake na rice? Or bakit dyan dinala from China to Davao? Dapat linisin ni Duterte ang Davao at mahuli ang smuggler ng fake na rice.”
On Justice Secretary Leila de Lima’s move to create a task force and to coordinate with Kiko and the National Bureau of Investigation, people’s comments run the gamut of disappointment to disgust.
Says Islaslolo, “This is how dysfunctional our government is! Do we need a presidential order in order that action be taken?”
And francoalminolibre, “Huwag mo nang iasa kay delima. Her usual excuse: ‘more evidence are needed before the filing of the case.’”
(lelani.echaves@gmail.com)