War recharged
Taking out the Parojinogs herald a recharged war on drugs that alarmed those named by President Rodrigo Duterte like Mayor Vicente Loot, Peter Lim, and Mike Rama.
Digong supporters like the Kilusang Pagbabago (Doris is the KP Visayas lead convenor) immediately hailed this success in the administration’s war on drugs even while they focus on social development and housing projects at the grassroots.
“The Kuratongs were a menace to Cebu during my early terms as mayor. I have no sympathy that their leaders are dead,” wrote Mayor Tomas Osmeña in his Facebook page.
After the campaign against slain Albuera mayor Rolando Espinosa, Chief Insp. Jovie Espenido was reassigned to Ozamis City. Today, Espenido might find himself being reassigned to either Cebu or Iloilo. Hala mo diha!
In fairness, the Cebuanos whom the president named – Loot, Lim, and Rama -- are now doing their best to clear themselves.
Although Loot claimed he is already cleared, he needs to do more after Duterte lambasted him again. Lim has decided to meet the media. Admitting he is afraid for his life because of the supposed unfounded accusations, he will attend preliminary investigations by the DOJ in Manila this month. Rama, with the intervention of someone the former mayor did not name (di niya kaya nga moadto kang Digong bos), went to CIDG 7 Director Royina Garma.
As these unfold, arrests and deaths of suspected but lesser known drug personalities have intensified.
Customs Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon is fighting a seemingly losing battle against House bigwigs, Speaker Bebot Alvarez and Rudy Fariñas, over the P6.4 billion shabu shipment from China.
While the police risk their lives in the streets, multi-billion-peso worth shipments of shabu pass through the BOC green lane. Faeldon is increasingly finding it difficult to distance himself from the shipment. He might not be personally involved but the bureau under the watch of a supposedly military reformer has proven to be so porous that a shipment so massive could pass through with ease.
In Cebu, I found it hilarious that local customs stakeholders published a full-page ad in a local daily congratulating Faeldon and District Collector Elvira Cruz for a negative collection performance.
Many could not understand why the LTFRB consider Uber and Grab units as colorum. Uber and Grab operators are not exempted from the franchise law just because these services fill in a need and there is a huge demand.
LTFRB Chairman Martin Delgra’s order on local LTFRB officials to resolve the few franchise applications does not mean automatic approval. It could also mean throwing an application into the trash can for lack in requirements.
For instance, drivers of public utility vehicles need to have professional licenses. But most Uber and Grab drivers only have non-prof licenses. And they prefer to just ferry passengers and earn money right away than follow up their applications. Paet.