Just jealous?

There is no truth to the perception that the claim on the existence of a “Korean mafia” in the country is an attempt to cover up the murder of South Korean executive Jee Ick-Joo by rogue cops right inside Camp Crame.

South Korea, if my guess is correct, has the largest number of nationals in the Philippines serving as businessmen or investors, students and tourists. In Cebu City alone, food shops, beauty parlors and girlie bars operated by South Koreans abound.

Gone were the days when the Japanese topped the number of inbound tourists and operated many restaurants and entertainment businesses in the country.

South Korea’s consul general in Cebu decried the bad publicity the Koreans are getting after President Duterte alleged that a Korean mafia is leading the illegal drug trade and the operation of prostitution dens.

I don’t suppose President Duterte would make such public statement without intelligence reports to back him up. If Consul General Sung Yong Oh was not provided with the data it’s because the information is highly confidential.

It’s no longer a secret that “gangsters” from Korea have formed a “protection racket” here in Cebu and probably in other places of the country victimizing legitimate Korean businesspersons who are forced to dole out protection money.

One case was about the Korean woman burned inside a car that was left in a mountain in Danao city. The police, however, did not say that the murder was the work of a Korean mafia. I don’t suppose the case was solved.

South Korean nationals have the advantage over us. They can come in as tourists without applying for a visa. They can stay longer as long they have the money to pay for visa extension. In our case, we have to apply for a visa before we could travel to South Korea.

To prevent the entry Korean gangsters, President Duterte should impose new regulation at the Bureau of Immigration that persons of interest or with criminal record shall be barred entry to the country.

Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña was true to his words. He sued Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Mike Dino before the Ombudsman for alleged “obstruction of justice” and asked for Dino’s suspension. But Dino is holding on to his horses.

Anyone could file a case against anyone. Proving the culpability of the respondent is another thing, however. This is not to preempt the anti-graft office, but the case borders on madness if not drollness.

A source told me that Mayor Tomas is just envious of Dino, who is close to President Duterte. Unlike Dino, Mayor Tomas has no appointees at the Cebu Ports Authority and Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority.

Maybe, Mayor Tomas is thinking Dino would run for mayor against him in 2019. Dino denied that cheap talk.