Arrest smokers

MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino yesterday started to implement a strict no smoking policy in Metro Manila. He said MMDA agents and policemen will arrest violators.

The next question: If chain smoker President Benigno Simeon Aquino III goes out of Strumms Bar and smokes on the sidewalk, will he be arrested? If chain smoker ES Jojo Ochoa smokes outside the Classmate Nightclub in Quezon Avenue, QC, will he be arrested, too?

Chairman Tolentino is a hardworking government official. He should be commended for starting this overdue no-smoking campaign. But just like his arrest speeding drivers policy on Commonwealth Avenue and his anti-littering campaign, will this be another ningas cogon drive?

In a similar vein, Mayor Alfredo Lim directed the Manila Anti-Smoking Task Force to undertake “a no let up action” against smokers in City Hall.

Lim cited Republic Act 9211 passed in 2003 and City Ordinance No. 7748 prohibiting smoking in all enclosed places like public buildings, malls, theaters and restaurants and also public utility vehicles.

Again, the necessary question, will Mayor Lim arrest violators inside a public building called Malacañang?

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FIGHTING TINGTING. . In an interview over DZRJ-AM last Sunday, Margarita “Tingting” Cojuangco, reiterated that she’s running for Vice Governor of ARMM as a matter of “my right” and nobody, not even her nephew, President Noynoy Aquino, can persuade her to withdraw. She said she has long been a resident of Maguindanao and Tawi-Tawi having built houses thereat.

What is not widely known is the fact that she has two doctorates and a Masters on National Security Administration (MNSA) degrees.

She has executive experience as governor of Tarlac and as president of the Philippine National Safety College.

Tingting confirmed her and husband Peping’s disenchantment with President Aquino, confirming that despite their strong campaign for him, not a single leader from their group has been appointed by P-Noy.

The Pax Mangudadatu-Tingting Cojuangco team is running under the banner of PDP-Laban of Vice President Jojo Binay.

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HEINOUS. . A robber posing as a dental patient entered a dental clinic in Paco, Manila, hogtied and taped the mouth of two dentists, took P200,000 in cash and valuables, then raped a 47-year-old dentist in her dental chair. Heinous!

Didn’t Mayor “Dirty Harry” Lim promise to eradicate crime in Manila? This is no isolated incident. There are on record several cases in Metro Manila of robberies of dental clinics.

In Parañaque, Mayor Florencio “Jun” Bernabe confirmed the rash of robberies and holdups at the BF Homes subdivision.

In Caloocan, businessman Alex Chua was shot in front of his wife inside his restaurant in Camarin. In Quezon City, Edgardo Ramos, 65, was stabbed to death by a female companion inside a motel room in Cubao.

Marlyn de Mesa, 39, publisher of Southern Tagalog Tribune in Quezon and her niece, Vanessa Tabale, 23, have been missing and feared kidnapped since May 22.

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SLUMP, SLUMP. . Follow-up to our column Saturday. Now it’s the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) reporting that Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) slumped by a whopping 52.8 percent to P22 billion for the first quarter of 2011 compared to the same period in 2010. This confirms an earlier report of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

BSP Governor Amando M. Tetangco Jr. predicted slower economic growth for the country in 2011. It grew at only 4.9 percent for the first quarter.

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MAR vs. JOJO OCHOA (2). . Malacañang sources confirm that Usec Ibarra Gutierrez III, who is identified with the Balay camp, not ES Ochoa is the one drafting the Administrative Order reviving the position of Chief of Staff for Balay Boss Mar Roxas.

Sen. Mar Roxas’ protegee and LP official Jessie Robredo has been retained as DILG Secretary. ES Sec. Jojo Ochoa’s and brother-in-law Gerry Acuzar’s boy, Ramon Paje has been retained as DENR Secretary, frustrating LP officer Nereus Acosta’s ambition for the post.

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ZERO. . Usec Abigail Valte trumpeted that President Aquino was going to Thailand to get foreign investors to come to the Philippines, to help our zooming unemployment problem. Did he get any new investors? None. What was announced is that three Thai companions now doing business in the Philippines namely CP Group, Siam Cement Group (SCG) and PTT “vowed to expand their investments in the Philippines”. No amount was mentioned. But no new investors since Thailand is a top investment destination in Asia while the Philippines is at the bottom of the list.

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BOX OFFICE HIT. . The 25th wedding anniversary of Sen. Bong Revilla and Rep. Lani Mercado was a blockbuster with top personalities from politics, business and showbiz.

Among the principal sponsors were former Presidents Joseph Estrada and Gloria M. Arroyo, Mayor Fred Lim, former Speaker Jose de Venecia and Rep. Gina de Venecia, Rep. Cynthia Villar, business tycoons Ramon Ang, Henry Sy Jr. and Manny Pangilinan, GMA-7 big boss Felipe Gozon and Lily Monteverde.

Secondary sponsors were Rep. Manny Pacquiao and Jinkee Pacquiao for the veil, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada and Precy Estrada for the cord, Philip Salvador and Lorna Tolentino for the candles.

The ceremony was officiated by Imus Bishop Luis Tagle at the new Shrine of St. Therese of the Child Jesus at Villamor Airbase. Among the guests at the reception were Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, Senators Loren Legarda, Miguel Zubiri, Edgardo Angara and Joker Arroyo and a big group of Representatives led by Imelda Marcos, Kimi Cojuangco, Mitos Magsaysay, Lucy Gomez, Naida Angping, Teddy Casiño, Rodante Marcoleta, Gabriel “Luigi” Quisumbing, J.V. Ejercito, Ana York Bondoc, Rachel del Mar, Joel Duavit, Toby Tiangco, Cesar Sarmiento, Mel Sarmiento, Arthur Yap, Irvin Alcala, Emmeline Aglipay and Mylene Garcia Albano.

Also present were Governors Jun Ynares of Rizal, Lray Villafuerte of Camarines Sur and Teng Mangudadatu of Sultan Kudarat.