WHEN Cebu Gov. Junjun Davide reportedly “blew his top” over critics who alleged there was “binuang” (foolishness or, maybe, irregularity) in the conduct of its biddings, Capitol watchers want to know if Junjun raised his voice, pounded on the table, scolded or threw anything at anybody. How does this governor lose his cool, as the “Freeman” headline of the story put it?
There are public officials who ramble and rant, do some “buyboy” (“I’ve been good to you”), or threaten to complain to the publisher or station owner. Some say they won’t listen to the radio program or stop reading the paper.
Junjun has been known not to get angry publicly, So when media says he “blew his top,” what did he do?
Maybe he just said what he was angry at, or whom he was angry with, but no obscenity or threat was hurled, no furniture got a beating, no object flew.
At least, the news report didn’t say so.
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‘Like a DJ or a D.I.’
It torments enough that one witness, testifying before the House committee investigating the illegal drugs business at the national prison during the term of then justice secretary Leila de Lima, said he delivered P1.5 million in cash, which he alleged she personally accepted.
The witness was a convict named Engelberto Acenas Durano (not Arcenas or it could be a typo in his affidavit). And what salt did he rub on wound?
Durano narrated that as he walked away after having delivered the cash, he looked and saw the now senator walk like a model towards Jaybee Sebastian (a convict whom another witness suggested had an affair with de Lima). She stopped at an iron post, the witness said, touched the post and her scarf, then raised one arm while she lowered the other, as if she were posing for a photograph, and said, “Ok ba, Jaybee?” He added in his affidavit, she was doing it as if she were a DJ or a D.I. but “may edad na siya, so T.I. na lang.”
Was it added to inflict more insult on de Lima or to give a detail that would lend credibility to the testimony?
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Doubly qualified
An applicant at City Hall was asked for his qualification when he applied for a job. His answer: “Tomas Osme¤a and Edgar Labella.”
“No, your educational attainment, civil service eligibility...”
“Sorry. I was told one of the two officials will qualify me. But I voted for both.”
[bzzzzz@sunstar.com.ph or paseares@gmail.com]