The Ballad of Monalisa

Hole of Justice
by Peter G. Jimenea


Where's Monalisa?


Monalisa, is a legendary portrait of a beautiful lady, obssessed by men of her time. In fact, a song inspired by her was born and became a hit in the music market of yesteryears. 


Today, we have an alive and modern Monalisa, the resigned Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez. The story of cases filed at her office replicates the many dead dreams of foolish men at the doorstep of Monalisa the legend.


Like Monalisa, Omb Gutierrez' story would never go away. Never has there been public official so derelict and irresolute in duty and responsibility than her - the Monalisa of today.


Her deliberate neglect on that Low-Cost Housing scam filed against then Mayor Jerry Trenas and few city officials, gives us the  impression that she is bent on protecting the errant stooges of the Arroyo administration.


The Iloilo City low cost housing project site for city hall employees is in the eight hectares city government lot in Pavia, Iloilo. It was bankrolled by the P120M loan for the construction of 413 houses as stipulated in the contract between the contractor and the city government.


During the first month of the construction by Ace Builders of Alex Trinidad (a close friend of Mayor Trenas), the P120M loan with PNB was transferred to the Philippines Veterans Bank (PVB). On why, only God knows.


But the cost of transfer from PNB to PVB amounted to P12 million, making the new obligation of the city government to P132M. But this P12M is too much for documentation. On who shared the loot, just guess the rest!


The new problem is the discovery of substandard materials used by the contractor. The city council passed a unanimous resolution urging the mayor to rescind the contract and sue the contractor for that matter.


But the mayor ignored them, instead, he continued paying the contractor's billing in millions. He only suspended the project after two members of the city council filed a case against him and few city officials with the Office of the Ombudsman. 


Yet, Trinidad had already pocketed P90 million before he abandoned the project. Worse, despite the slippage of the project, the city continued paying P17,000 daily interest including holidays for over a year or another P24M plus.


The project for the 413 houses that started during the first term of Mayor Trenas in 2001, ended in 2009, months before he stepped down without a unit built. Lowly employees are most sorely tempted to steal but don't. Yet Trenas is an honorable man!


The case was filed with the Ombudsman against the mayor and few city officials about eight-year ago. But it slept there without result until Omb Gutierrez was forced to resign due to impeachment threat. This is what got me so disgusted about.


Congress is forum non convenience - an inconvenient place for conducting judicial business. so, finally she stepped down badly beaten by her looks. At last the arrogant lady make fun of crass words to save face. I hope the new Ombudsman takes this lesson to the heart. 


An employee at the office of the Ombudsman in Quezon City, claimed that Monalisa... ehe, este Omb. Gutierrez took the case folder of that Housing Scam on the premise of reviewing it personally. Well said, it is a review-in-eternity!


Monalisa wherever she is now, may have already learned that qui peccat ebrius luat sobrius - he who offends when drunk will be punished when sober. This pathetic government is not Ninoy Aquino's dream, because as usual, it's still Juan de la Cruz who get screwed in the end! 

Death - a logical solution

Hole of Justice
by Peter G. Jimenea


Death - as a logical solution


I should have refrained from writing about the murder of fellow mediaman Lito Jimena, but my columnist-friend Mr. Alex Vidal has mentioned me in his column "Look what you've done Musa Amiong" which referred to the former intelligence chief of the Iloilo City Police Office.


What's more, another writer Adobo Ilonggo, in his analysis of Jimena's murder, also posted a blog citing the same column of Mr. Vidal with my name and whom the latter claimed to be the one who informed him about the death of Jimena.


There are so many speculations about the motive of the killing and as to who is the mastermind who ordered to kill him. Lito (Jimena) as we fondly called him, was also an insurance agent and at the same time a mediaman. It was only a misfortune that he decided to join Cinsp. Musa Amiong as sidekick of the latter.


What propelled Lito to befriend Amiong is his obssession to become a gun-holder. When I'm still  writing about illegal drugs, Cinsp. Amiong and I often meet at the office of then PDEA-6 Regional Director Roybel Sanchez who provided me information about drugs.


As host of a blocktime cable tv program "Smart Views" with DOJ Sec. Raul Gonzalez, I learned that Amiong is also a bodyguard of the secretary. Sad to say, it did not take long after Lito joined him when they were implicated in two shoot-out incidents in the city. 


By then Amiong and Lito are widely known hunter of drug-pushers and Lito as I see it, enjoyed the job being a civilian agent of PDEA. Unfortunately, rumors  has also started grinding overnight about their involvement in messy activities. One issue against them is "hulidap."


But that is not only what we are looking for.  Before Lito was killed, a retired police official is said to have been asking his background, regular hang-out and handler.The man is an identified aide of a city official who is the favorite target of Lito in his radio program.


I set aside this speculation knowing the negative tirades of Lito over the radio against this public official does not suffice to warrant this concept of justice at odds with due process. The reported swindling perpetrated by the victim against the bigtime supplier of illegal-drugs in Negros could have more weight.


The first attempt on Lito's life was linked to illegal drugs. This is known among friends in local media industry. Another report reached this writer that Amiong was also nearly collared by unidentified gunmen at Bacolod pier the other day. Lucky for him the presence of few police officers intimidated his supposed assassins.


In the business of the underworld, there is always jealousy, betrayal, swindling, double-cross and all other mess of gangsterism. Underworld characters involved in illegal activities have no recourse to court of law for settlement of differences. Death is the most logical solution to all judicial problems!


It is good that Malacanang had issued an order to the PNP for the investigation of this murder of Lito as no media killing has yet been resolved to date. This reminds me of a former PDEA agent, police officer Frederick Capasao who was killed in front of his house in La Paz, Iloilo City, few years ago. 


He is a police officer, yet, no positive result of police investigation has been reported. His murder has created an erroneous suspicion without affirming the perception that the police has no way to reach a conclusion for this case as the culprit-perpetrators are widely believed members of the police!


I hope the PNP investigation of this murder case of Lito Jimena will not redound into another unsolved crime added to the long-list of journalists killed. We need positive result or else, like the murdered PDEA agent in La Paz, the public may tend to believe that those who killed Lito are policemen themselves!

Guns-for-Hire

Hole of Justice
by Peter G. Jimenea


Guns-for-Hire


Articles that delve on the brewing war between the camp of Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog and Iloilo Press Club (IPC) Pres. Rommel Ynion are now getting attention from local and Filipino friends abroad.


Perhaps, visibly piqued by the title of my column "Si vis pacem, para bellum" (if you want peace, be prepared for war) posted in facebook, friends are compelled to submit varying commentaries and opinion after reading the story.


Old time buddies like Benjie Estuche, Deo Antonio Llamas, Romela Sanggalan, Ronald Gumban, Berd Vargas, Jose Allen Aquino and new FB friends in Rizalita Jagolino, Gina Apostol, Bryan Kevin Tung, Blessie Avetria Jardin, and many others, posted their comments too.


I want to share with you the opinion submitted by the following friends: Here's by Bryan Kevin Tung, in toto; "Ynion has all the pseudo-journalists behind him. All Mabilog has is Adobo Ilonggo. I am truly disgusted with these pseudo-journalists in the city."


He added; "Ilonggos are not dumbasses and douchebags! We had dethroned the self-proclaimed king of the city! We will never allow a barbarian to enter the city hall!" I think Adobo Ilonggo has found an ally in Mr. Tung.


Mr. Benjie Estuche's comments, also in toto; " You tagged us Peter. I share Bryan's thoughts about the ongoing word-war between City Hall and Iloilo Press Club. It was exciting at the start but now it became, and it looks pathetic." True, it is saddening.


He added; "The ilonggos had never tolerated a bunch of hoodlums to rule over them. Never before and never in the future. If Adobo Ilonggo insinuates that Rommel Ynion and company are a bunch of hoodlums, he may be right, but the Ilonggos will also know if the mayor and his cohorts are running the city like Al Capone." I've noticed neutrality in this remark. 


Ms. Gina Apostol also commented; "There is so much verbal war going-on between the media purportedly controlled by Mr. Ynion and the mayor and hearing and reading it, The Ilonggos are confused which one is the big liar and which one is the lesser liar. Perhaps the better war is to put it in the proper courts." What a good suggestion.


Rizalina Jagolino also commented the media has failed to observe thejournalistic ethics in the exercise of their profession. Mr. Deo Llamas subscribes to this. It gives us an impression without affirming the preception that media practitioners involved here are once constabulary soldiers turned guns-for-hire.


Ronald Gumban and Berd Vargas probably enjoyed it as they insinuate the mayor has power  to stop the ongoing construction of the Press Club building.  By golly, if he did, this neither stop the charges from coming in, nor getting out of the Court because of recklessness!


Look, while Manuel "Boy" Mejorada, an ally of Mr. Ynion, filed a graft case against Mayor Mabilog at the office of the Ombudsman-Visayas, the latter also disclosed during our cable TV program Kape kag Isyu, that he filed a P5M damage suit against two media people identified with the group of Mr. Ynion. 


There's a need for somebody acceptable to both parties to come in and mediate in the ongoing mess. A man of integrity and character. I said so as in Latin expression, boni judicis lites dirimere est - it is the duty of a good judge to prevent litigation.


At present, these warring groups thus far have shown that there is a grim possibility for peace to progress.  Yet, the recurring theme of the war is to discredit each other for thousand reasons. But cui bono? - For whose benefit, for what good and for what purpose? Well, "stay tuned folks!"

Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum

Hole of Justice
by Peter G. Jimenea


Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum


This Latin expression means - if you want peace, be prepared for war. The idea came into my mind after reading the column of Adobo Ilonggo who tagged my name in his article to ascertain I'll have the entire story in my facebook account.


He also posted a Youtube in the facebook featuring Manuel "Boy" Mejorada, the former Iloilo Provincial Administrator, who is then filing a graft case at the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas against Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog.


But as noted, the essence of the writer's work is in defense of the mayor as he had been throwing barrage of negative tirades against Mejorada, the Iloilo Press Club Pres. Rommel Ynion and Panay News publisher Dan Fajardo.


Adobo Ilonggo disclosed that the Iloilo Press Club building and the other  businesses of Ynion in the city has no permit. Despite the notice of no-permit violation, the press club officers continue with the building construction as the claim hinted at.


This is not new. Anyone accused of involvement in corrupt deals is expected to put up a strong defense. We are not surprised if Mayor Mabilog and Cong. Jerry Trenas will hire an expert in counter-arguments and stone-walling to protect them.


Those who want to go after corrupt officials should also prepare for a tough legal battle ahead. But what complicates this problem is the ongoing press club building construction that Adobo Ilonggo claimed to have no permit insinuating the mayor may use it for counter-offensive.


Add to this the locatorial clearance that needs the signature of the mayor before a structure can occupy a specific site in the city government property. The press club has  nothing to worry had former Mayor Mansueto Malabor signed all its documents before stepping down from office, but he did not.


Now Adobo Ilonggo is emboldened to pomposely engage with the group of Mr. Ynion in verbal tussles under the shadow of a covert identity. Perhaps, he fears for his life on the perception that once he is identified, he may end-up a Lechon-Ilonggo, not Adobo anymore.


Besides, Facebook or WordPress is not a Senate Session Hall where lawmakers are shielded by Congressional privilege and can slander people merely on rumors and defective evidence. Thus, a pen-name Adobo Ilonggo keeps him away from litigation in eternity.


But he is widely believed a barking dog let loose by the boss to run after IPC Pres. Ynion and group who had been critical to the mayor. The city mayor is a little president. He personifies the law that holds the community together, either bearable or miserable. But the local media practitioners had also been dreaming of a press club building to call their own.


This scenario has compounded the problem. If the mayor is vindictive and determine to give the Iloilo Press Club officers a runaround in the construction of their building, he can do it. But he must think twice as this move will only create more enemies for him.


The mayor is already in the pot but if he jumps into the fire that is a personal prerogative. On what seems a tireless attacking of Adobo Ilonggo against Mejorada, the latter has already proven his worth as shock-absorber to spare the boss albeit sort of - sound idiotic. 


The man has created an impression that he is only good when talent brings in the dough for his coffers. Besides, he has already an idea that the prize at stake in this Ynion-Mabilog war is worthy of the battle he is fighting for.


There's no Palestine and Israelite in this war, only two major players of a terrorist group. Oddly enough, the dreamed peace of the city mayor seems to have disappeared because he continue to uphold the absurd hand-over legacy. Yet, he cannot get off the hook easily as his smart predecessor does. 


Maybe, the most logical solution to be drawn is ...... see the title! 

Overkill

Hole of Justice
by Peter G. Jimenea


Overkill


I find no fault in the intrusion of some local media to the private life of Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog except, that others have gone too far by stepping over-the-line of pardonable behavior. For keen observers, this is an overkill.


The stake involved in this below-the-belt campaign against the mayor virtually shown the tawdry spectacle that followed - intimidate and destroy. Look, even the overpriced City Hall has become a recurring theme that riled the squatters who are once unmindful of the issue.


It creates a public impression that the adversaries of Mayor Mabilog are out to distract attention so the many things he could do will be set-aside and left undone. This too, is also widely believe done by critics in exchange for a fat commission off the top!


Take a look at the issues against the mayor. He became a respondent in a case filed by two media personalities at the Office of the Ombudsman for alleged encroachment in the Iloilo River. But it turned out that the lot involved is actually a property of the mayor's parents.


The complainants who had been scorching the earth on all sides to find an issue against Mayor Mabilog has finally become respondents in a P5M damage suit filed by the latter. Now the guys are badly beaten by their looks, the oppressed who prefer to accept money than apology!


Let's not forget that press freedom belongs to those who own one and understand it. Yet, there are media people emboldened to intrude into the private life of the mayor and wife including their marriage record that no journalist before had decided to do.


But before we go over the issue, let's ask ourselves on what is important in this desire to unearth records of a private life.  Is it beneficial to the p;eople? Or is it harmful to public welfare? If there is none, then something bad is brewing against the subject-person.


Mayor Mabilog has wrote in his Certificate of Candidacy (COC) that he is married. But recently, a lady named Maria Victoria Griengo (widely known to be his wife) inquired from the National Statistics Office (NSO) if a certain Jed Patrick Mabilog is married, for a simple reason that this is needed for her loan application.


The NSO responded by writing Maria Victoria that from 1945 to 2010, no person of such name had a record of marriage in this office. This stirs the peace in the camp of the adversarial media who immediately feasted on the isue.


The letter from the NSO became a document to intimidate the mayor. But why call for another shot to effect a desire already done by former DOJ Secretary Raul Gonzalez? Well. let's give the public an idea if the game's prize is worth playing with for those people.


If the motive of overplaying rhetorics is the disqualification of the mayor, sorry, the time to file a disqualification case has already prescribed. Beside which, the last election victory of the mayor has already exonerated him from administrative charges so far.


The most compelling issue against the mayor is his being married in the COC under-oath which may constitute "perjury." But this marriage issue, as I see it, will eventually gain ground if filed in court. There is always a presumption of marriage between a man and a woman cohabiting under one roof.


This new subplot that resurfaced to discredit the mayor is another overkill. But the plan of Mayor Mabilog to remain silent until things are sorted out, earned for him the sympathy of the majority who are already tired of senseless haggling and blame-tossing!


I am also a staunch critic of Mayor Mabilog and Cong. Jerry Trenas. But prudence dictates, let's not go beyond their officials functions to bismirch the family's reputation. Let us always consider the prize at stake in every battle - if it is worthy of the war we are fighting for!

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