GOV. DEFENSOR CRIES WOLF

Hole of Justice

Peter G. Jimenea

Gov. Defensor Cries Wolf

 

It surprised me to see Gov. Art Defensor, Sr. of the Iloilo Province so mad while being interviewed on television. I learned it was Kuan Yu who caused his bad sense on why he seems to run amuck. But is he really riled by the mess of that contractor?

Gov. Defensor is not branded a political genius for nothing. He was murmuring from the start on how Kuan Yu was able to bag the award from government’s PSALM to undertake the job. It is a contract to clean up the bunker fuel spilled at Estancia’s shoreline during the lashing-out of typhoon Yolanda last year.

Defensor’s managerial capacity is way above that of a chief occupant of Capitol. He had been a USEC of DepEd, PCGG Commissioner and a congressman. Hence, he understands the protocol of government transactions. This is what we see in the governor’s cards.

Few have the faintest idea that Gov. Defensor is a wise gambler. His critics have never seen any error in Gov. Defensor administration because he is playing his cards close to the chest. Nobody knows of his game plan. Look, Kuan Yu bagged the contract without necessary equipment for the job. Yet, despite the residual imperfection their will was done!

In fact he could have assigned a group to scrutinize the documents of Kuan Yu and its capacity to perform the job. Does Kuan Yu have the equipment for this undertaking? Does it have records or experience doing the same project before? Is its paid-up capital of P60,000 suffice to qualify in the bidding?

Now as public clamor began to spring out over the dismal performance of Kuan Yu, Gov. Defensor immediately shout wolf to save face. But why only now when the wolf is about to finish eating its victim? Why did Defensor allow this mess to continue for long? Had he acted earlier, we could have saved a large sum from that P87M of the people’s money!

I could have asked Gov. Defensor about Kuan Yu personally. Unfortunately, he does not want to appear in a small-time TV program like Kape kag Isyu at Hotel Del Rio. So I have no recourse but to bring this issue out in my column for the sake of my followers and of the interested reading public.

Not only that, the still unanswered question in my mind is - what enticed Gov. Defensor last elections to risk his integrity in joining the traditional politicians in Garin and Tupas as his earlier claim hinted at? Was it due to his friendship with Sen. Franklin M. Drilon who is now a star of national controversy?

Look, after the forged agreement between the three warlords, Gov. Defensor has become the only rich man in the Capitol full of poor employees. But does he had the moral ascendancy to govern when he also swallowed his pride to join the people he claimed corrupt public officials and from which he hated most?

Funny indeed, the governor cried wolf only when the animal is about to finish eating the victim or the P87M of taxpayers’ money.  I didn’t err in rewriting this Latin line repeatedly that says, “qui peccat ebrius luat sobrius”- he who offends when drunk shall be punished when sober!

This seems true in the case of Manuel “Boy” Mejorada and Senate Pres. Franklin Drilon, friend of Gov. Defensor. This Mejorada has been peeling-off Drilon in the mainstream media all over the country. They are fighting a battle with intensity that when the smoke cleared, one must be dead!

I don’t know which of Drilon’s stooges in the province and in Iloilo City has the temerity to jump to his rescue. But as I see it, the senator could pull down any man who may attempt to help him clear his name from this unwanted trouble created by underling he claims to have been tapping before at the Capitol.

This issue about Kuan Yu in local and social media is not in a Senate Session hall where lawmakers shielded by congressional privilege can slander people merely by rumors and defective evidence. In this case, anyone involved in this corrupt deal can be expected to put up a strong defense!

There is no spanking delivered yet in this issue for somebody’s stupidity. But it will come in due time without anybody getting wind of it. In the meantime, I hope to have made your day in this column. He asked for it, unlike me and Dirty Harry who ask others to make our day!