Blowing the whistle on the whistleblower

Civil Society groups led by former Senator Jovito Salonga have finally filed an impeachment complaint against Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez. I say finally because for a moment, I thought that no one would dare try to unseat the Ombudsman who have remained defiant and refuses to budge. I for one (and I’m sure that the Dilaab Movement led by Fr. Carmelo Diola are also behind this) am foursquare behind this move because the entire Philippine Government establishment seems inutile in solving this impasse.

We expected Congress to do the job of impeaching the Ombudsman because she obviously doesn’t know the meaning of delicadeza. However, our supposed Representatives of the Filipino people don’t seem to want to get rid of the Ombudsman, perhaps for fear that she might turn against some of these Congressmen who might have graft cases in her office. This act promises to make things more interesting in the months ahead.

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Last Feb.19, we wrote that the dropping of the cases between Gov. Gwen F. Garcia and our The Freeman neighbor and ABS-CBN Broadcast journalist Leo Lastimosa was a great day for Press Freedom especially in Cebu because it’s one more irritant away from our local news at a time when we Cebuanos need to work together in this global crisis. 

But what I didn’t realize was, this reconciliation apparently left Mr. Cris Saavedra out in the cold or virtually holding an empty bag. Now it seems that Mr. Saavedra is at odds with Leo Lastimosa, virtually accusing him of abandoning the cause in his supposed fight against corruption. Perhaps we should ask Mr. Saavedra, where was he when Leo was in court? It is very easy for so-called whistleblowers to “con” media personalities into believing they have the evidence to support their allegations, but when they don’t get anywhere close in proving these accusations, they end up using the media for their own political agendas.

I read the commentary of Super Bobby Nalzaro last Monday. Since I was in Manila, I didn’t know until I read Nalzaro’s column that Mr. Saavedra was voicing out his allegations that Leo may have joined the “corrupt group” when he made peace with the Governor. Mr. Saavedra should instead thank Leo for giving him valuable airtime. But when push came to shove, Mr. Saavedra couldn’t prove anything; Leo knew what his next move would be.

We too have targeted Mr. Saavedra in this corner, but instead of replying directly to what we’ve written about him, he used his time in DyAB to lambaste our credibility. But never mind, as a seasoned (I don’t want to use the term old) columnist, we know that this goes with the territory. It is time for Mr. Saavedra to face the truth, that it is the media that took his side that has abandoned him, but they have not abandoned the fight against corruption!

I’m trying to be extra polite to Mr. Saavedra, but my media friends like Super Bobby went for the jugular in his column. To quote him: “I think it’s time we unmask Mr. Saavedra. Stop projecting yourself as an anti-graft crusader because you are not. You are not a real whistleblower as you claimed. You are a fake anti-graft crusader and a carpetbagger. Why do I say that? First, you were just sour-graping when you filed case against the PNP and DPWH officials over the spy camera.

You participated in the bidding and won, but the agencies concerned did not accept your items because these did not comply with specifications. You sued them, claiming they rescinded your contract because you did not succumb to their demand of a 15-commission. Oh come on, tell that to the dead marines in Mindanao, not to the people of Cebu, Señor Cris!”

Ouch! I sure that touched a raw nerve! That’s what Mr. Saavedra gets for hinting that we belong to a “corrupt group” in the media. Super Bobby also reiterated what we wrote before that Mr. Saavedra was taking sides in that Lamppost scam, trying to pin down former Mandaue City Mayor Teddy Ouano, while clearing Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Arturo Radaza. What Super Bobby wrote that Mr. Saavedra demanded P1 million from businessman Efrain Pelaez Jr. to file a graft case against Mayor Radaza was something I also saw in the cellphone of Jun Pelaez.

My advice to Mr. Saavedra is to go quietly and mourn the loss of your free airtime in some dark corner. But never ever pick a fight against the Cebu media for we would absolutely close ranks to defend our honor. Now, we’ve blown the whistle on this alleged whistleblower!