Drilon pulls back

After 3 hearings on the issue of excessive pay and allowances to officers and directors of GOCCs and GFIs, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Franklin Drilon has announced the termination of his inquiry. He only covered MWSS, SSS, LWUA and MECO. He did not look into the excessive perks at PAGCOR, DBP, GSIS and BSP which are even higher than MWSS.

For example while he said that P1 million retirement pay of a MECO director is “major, major scandalous”, a Pagcor director got P10 million retirement pay while Ephraim Genuino’s chief of staff received P11 million retirement. GSIS trustees got P6 million while DBP officers can get as much as P8 million in retirement benefits.

It appears to us that Sen. Drilon and some members of the Senate are protecting their friends at Pagcor, DBP and GSIS.

BIR Commissioner Kim Henares is on the right track. She ordered an audit of the tax payments of executives and directors of GOCCs and GFIs. Commissioner Henares said: “We are not limiting ourselves only to what come out in the newspapers as a result of the Senate investigations. These people would be subjected to a much closer scrutiny.” Yes, Ma’m, the public is certainly entitled to know how much Pagcor Chairman Ephraim Genuino, DBP President Rey David and GSIS President Winston Garcia and their board members actually received and declared in their tax returns.

It is interesting to watch whether Pagcor Chairman Cristino “Bong” Naguiat will continue to receive the salaries, bonuses and allowances of his predecessor including a P400 million intelligence fund. Reports have come in that they are already using the luxurious suites at the MARINA Hyatt Hotel where Genuino and FG Mike Arroyo used to entertain their guests.

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Police fumbles. While top PNP officials are busy trying to explain their mistakes in the hostage fiasco, criminals are having a field day killing, kidnapping and robbing citizens in Metro Manila and all over.

In Tugaya, Lanao del Sur, Ex Mayor Alimatar Guru Alim, a candidate in the special elections was shot dead and his four companions wounded in an ambush. Abdulcarin Magarang was kidnapped in Marawi City and released upon payment of a P2 million ransom.

Five identified gunmen gunned down Reynaldo Ayop, 58, a rice trader in Malabon, the 15th shooting victim in the last 9 months. Regina Murillo, a trader, was shot dead in Novaliches, Quezon City. Mary Joy de Guzman, a Cebu Pacific employee was stabbed and seriously wounded by two motorcycle riding males near the NAIA, Pasay. Ramil Pacia, a tricycle driver was shot dead at Upper Bicutan, Taguig.

In Cavite, a BDO branch in a mall in Dasmariñas was robbed by six men who shot the security guard on the way in. In Silang, 11 blue guards and an ex Philippine Army soldier, Oscar Alvarez, killed Francisco Buergo, Crispin Hubilla and Christian Salvador whom the security guards thought were cattle rustlers. A survivor, “Mark” who pretended to be dead, tried to explain, they were just catching spiders but they were mercilessly gunned down. In Las Piñas, Jose Gonzaga, a barangay treasurer of Bacoor, Cavite was shot dead by a holdupper inside a jeep he was riding.

A Briton, Anthony Nicolas, 68, was shot dead in Sipalay, Negros Occidental. In Rodriguez, Rizal, Nonoy Rifaldo, a water refilling station clerk was shot dead as he left his store, the 2nd killing in the area in a month. Even inside the QC jail, Samuel Silverio, 47, was strangled to death. Also in QC, barangay executive Gil Corpus, 30, was shot dead in front of his barangay hall.

Last Friday, there were two bus holdups, one in the Edsa portion at Reliance St., Mandaluyong City at 11 a.m. and the other at Manila East Road, Taytay.

In Manuela 4A Las Piñas, husband and wife Victor Tabu, 78 and Rosario Tabu, 77 were robbed of P7 million in cash and jewelry by a man and woman team that waited outside their gate. In Libis, Quezon City, a fast food branch was robbed of its day’s earnings of P150,000 as it closed for the night. On Tuesday night, a house in Fairview was robbed of P3 million in cash and jewelry with the occupant hogtied by six armed men. Broadcaster Ted Failon reported that holdups of churchgoers are a daily occurrence at the Baclaran Redemptorist Church.

In Mabalacat, Pampanga, Dolly Licup and his nephew Leonardo, quarry operators in Porac were shot with a .45 caliber pistol by two gunmen.

In Echague, Isabela, palay traders Lucio and Rosemarie Pua, and their agent Gemma Antonio, were reported missing.

The above epidemic of crime and the hostage fiasco are more than enough proof that the PNP is falling asleep on its job. Under GMA there had been a clamor to reform the Philippine National Police (PNP) but it fell on deaf ears.

With the retirement of Director General Jesus Verzosa, President Aquino has a golden opportunity for a wide ranging revamp of the PNP leadership.  In 1992, President Fidel V. Ramos, a former PC-INP Chief retired 68 Generals and Colonels. President Aquino should consider following that precedent. In 1998, President Joseph Estrada went into a deep selection to appoint General Panfilo Lacson as PNP Chief.

Many years back, upon recommendation of US advisers, Costa Rica retired 50 percent of its police force. Two weeks ago, Mexico retired 3,200 ranking police officers due to drug dealing. President Aquino must shake-up the PNP.  

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No. 1 player. The most influential “player” at the Customs zone is Manny the Saint who claims to have strong connections with BOC top brass. He is the main facilitator of noodle shipments which pay only P50,000 in Customs duties, way below the P500,000 it should be paying. His “quota” is P20 million a week.

Divisoria traders informed us that the P500,000 per container demand by Custom’s players has been reduced to P440,000. Commissioner Angelito Alvarez, the cheating golfer, announced he will ask Congress to legalize “ukay-ukay” imports because BOC has been unable to stop it. Shall we also legalize the importation of illegal drugs because it is available all over the country anyway? How about firearms smuggling? Shall we legalize that, too? Alvarez’ stand on ukay-ukay shipments betrays his incompetence and lack of imagination. Until Congress amends the law, it is Alvarez’ duty to stop ukay-ukay imports.