Press club president promotes languages

This is something for the books. Felix Villacastin, president of the Butuan City Press Club in the Caraga region, recently paid tribute to local languages. That was the singing of the National Anthem in several vernacular languages.

"It was unprecedented... A tribute to the richness of our languages. A determined effort to preserve them and to assure the survival of our ethnolinguistic minorities," said Dr. Joey Dacudao, head of the Save Our Languages through Federalism.

SOLFED, incidentally, seems to have triggered a cultural revival of sorts in various parts of the country. In Negros Occidental, Baguer of the Bacolod Capitol Lions Club recently put up a Villaluz CD of Ilonggo songs which are now selling briskly at the Negros Press Club.

Aklanons are involved in activities designed to promote the preservation of Akeanon. And Antique’s Sally Zaldivar Perez, the energetic governor, has been on the forefront of fanning the interest in Kinaray-a, the root of Ilonggo.

Both in Cebu and Bohol, there has also been keen interest in reviving Cebuano literature. If only to accent their cultural identity, during the recent third Cabinet meeting of Lions District 301-B, the provincial choir repeatedly sang the Bohol provincial anthem.

In short, there’s no stopping the cultural revival. This is stimulated to a large degree by the National Commission on Culture and the Arts.

A New Battle Royale

While Bacolod officials kept residents confused with a series of "recall" moves, suddenly they found themselves stunned by a surprise development, this time involving officials of the city prosecutor’s office.

Two prosecutors were named in an administrative complaint filed with the Department of Justice. The allegations included serious irregularities and abusive exercise of authority, and disregard for quasi-judicial discretion as head government prosecutors.

The complainants are Bacolod City prosecutor I Eduardo Sayson, assistant city prosecutor Abraham Bayona and Rosanna Aril-Toledano.

Subjects of the complaints are city prosecutor Augustus Rallos and first assistant city prosecutor Jesus Ocdinaria.

More pointedly, the joint affidavit, subscribed before prosecutor I Dennis Jarder last April 20, cited alleged irregularities in the handling of drug-related cases by Rallos and Ocdinaria.

The trio coursed their complaints against the top Bacolod prosecutors through regional DOJ prosecutor Domingo Laurea Jr.

Both Rallos and Ocdinario were charged with usurpation of the functions of assigned inquest prosecutors whose cases were taken over by the reviewing or city prosecutor. This reportedly resulted in the issuance of release orders for drug pushers and users and the eventual dismissal of the cases.

Rallos, however, said, "If they felt slighted, I can understand their feelings because I was also once an assistant prosecutor and some of my resolutions had not been rewarded..." He also contended that he did not want to wash dirty linen in public.

The three complaining prosecutors, however, also requested the deployment of uniformed policemen to their offices as a precautionary measure.

They pointed out: "The persons associated with our superiors are dangerous elements. We have nothing but the tip of our pens, courage and faith in our government machinery to defend ourselves."

PDEA Probe, Too

It is not yet clear whether the complaints would have an impact on the ongoing probe of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency on the alleged role of prosecutors in the "mishandling of drug-related cases."

The principal focus of the PDEA remains on policemen of Region 6 who allegedly bungled drug-related cases they had filed in court.

PDEA regional director Rolen Balquin said they are preparing criminal charges against 12 policemen, four of them assigned to Negros Occidental.

PNP regional director Doroteo Reyes gave assurances that there will be "no mercy" for policemen involved in bungling drug-related cases.

Six of the 12 cops have already been administratively charged for dereliction of duty. Similar complaints are also being readied against the six others.

PDEA records show that 66 drug-related cases were junked in Western Visayas, six of them in Negros Occidental.

Records in Negros Occidental for 2003 and 2004 showed that 55 of the 360 drug-related cases filed were dismissed by the courts.

Prosecutors reportedly complained about the non-availability of police witnesses in the prosecution of drug offenders.

Policemen found guilty of the cases filed against them face imprisonment of six to 12 years. They also face dismissal from the service.

At any rate, all eyes will remain concentrated on the outcome of the complaints of the three assistant prosecutors against Rallos and Ocdinaria.

That could lead to a lot of interesting developments.

The development, however, did not stop Mayor Evelio Leonardia and Vice Mayor Rene Novero from exchanging brickbats as to who was really against the recall moves launched against both city officials.

Leonardia said he is amenable to a dialogue with Novero following the latter’s challenge last Wednesday with the launching of the Novero recall in front of City Hall.

Leonardia, however, stressed that such a dialogue could be "sincere only if done behind closed doors."

Otherwise, the mayor said, it could develop into a debate which is reportedly okay if done during the election campaign but could be a waste of time and money now.

One thing sure though, despite efforts to defuse the situation, is that the lines have been drawn and the political emotions roused may continue to bug the city government.

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ADDENDA. Henry Chusuey, president of the Boracay Regency Hotel, disclaimed reports that he is facing tax evasion charges and that he had not obtained the environmental clearance certificate required by the DENR. Chusuey, who is also president of the Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry-Panay chapter, pointed out that BIR Commissioner Guillermo Parayno recently gave him an award for being the third top taxpayer of the region... Three persons reportedly died from rabies in Capiz after they were bitten by stray dogs recently. Twenty others were also bitten by unpenned canines. Provincial veterinarian Leonel Abordo said the three fatalities all came from the same place in Pilar, Capiz. Dr. Obdulia Gloria, Capiz integrated provincial health officer, said there has been a marked increase in the number of dog bite victims... Good news for those aspiring to join the police force. Regional PNP chief Doroteo Reyes said the PRO 6 needs at least 340 more cops this year. Most of them will replace policemen who were dismissed, retired, resigned or went absent without leave. Well, that may hopefully be filled.