By his resignation, Senator Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri has earned the respect and admiration of the country.
He still has two years left on his six-year term and traditional legal processes would have allowed him to drag out the election protest against him to 2013, at least. That way, he would have retained all the facilities and resources of his senatorial seat to campaign for a “re-election” in 2013, not to mention P400 million in pork barrel.
A well-known environmentalist, Migz Zubiri performed well as a Senator, registering a perfect attendance while sponsoring or authoring hundreds of laws including the Clean Air Act and The Biofuels Law. Migz Zubiri has the distinction of being the youngest Majority Floorleader during his first year in office. Now he has added a historical footnote as the first person to resign from the Senate.
Let’s hope that he has set a good example for incompetent officials of the executive branch to resign when it is time to do so.
Congratulations, Senator Zubiri for a supreme act of patriotism. See you back in the Senate on June 30, 2013.
One thing more, Congratulations too, to his parents Joe and Vicky Zubiri for bringing up an honorable son.
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WHO’S THE MASTERMIND. . . It is admitted by Bureau of Customs Commissioner Angelito Alvarez that 1,910 containers which arrived at the Port of Manila (POM) and the Manila International Container Port (MICP) have disappeared without paying duties. Released by POM and MICP for transhipment to the Port of Batangas (POB), it never reached POB.
The bottomline is who is the master smuggler? The consignees on the Customs entries are fake. Depending on the contents, the 1,910 containers cost an estimated P3.6 billion to as high as P10 billion. Who can finance such a big importation? And when received, who has the capability and network to sell the smuggled goods? The bribes to Customs personnel also amount to millions. Subsidiarily, who is well connected enough to pull off such an unprecedented scam?
Customs old-timers agree that only one person can pull off this high priced operation. They agree that a well known long time (30 years?) smuggler who has a chain of stores is the logical suspect. He is also reputed as one of the biggest contributors in the 2010 presidential elections. It’s time for BIR Commissioner Kim Henares to audit the tax payments of well known big time smugglers. You can count them with your fingers. Ask any Customs policeman and he will identify all the well known smugglers.
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MORE PNP HORROR STORIES. . . 19 policemen including Senior Inspectors Leopoldo Ferre Jr. and Klinto Rex Jamorol were placed under investigation for a cruel hazing of new recruits at Camp Eldridge Los Baños, Laguna as shown in a video submitted to the Commission on Human Rights.
The trainees were forced to undress with their private parts rubbed with chili and were also forced to eat and drink red hot chilis causing them to vomit.
Hazing of trainees has been going on for years including being hit by paddles and drinking water from toilet bowls. But PNP top brass continue to tolerate it.
PO1 Harold Meneses assigned to Tondo, Manila shot dead 18-year-old Filipino Norwegian Michael Troy Rasay in a bar at Timog Ave. in crime ridden Quezon City. Another patron, Arjay Lagdameo was shot in the face.
The parents of Bradley Imway, 16 and Gilbert Ocampo filed murder charges against two Los Baños, Laguna policemen who shot them in a bar on July 26. Policemen PO2 Allan Vergara and PO1 Orlando Villamayor claimed they were killed after they engaged them in an armed encounter.
Meanwhile, Pampanga Auxiliary Bishop Virgilio David asked President Aquino to stop the flourishing jueteng operations in that province.
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MINDANAO ON FIRE. . . After the Patikul, Sulu encounter where seven Marines died and 21 wounded and the Trento, Agusan del Sur NPA raid, and the Zamboanga City kidnappings, it’s Cotabato City again. Two people were killed and 10 wounded when an improvised explosive device (IED) planted in a motorcycle exploded in front of a pharmacy establishment in downtown Quezon Avenue, Cotabato City.
Abu Sayyaf challenge. An angry President Aquino directed the AFP to crush the Abu Sayyaf rebels. The Abu Sayyaf’s answer: They kidnapped a midwife, Evangeline Taverisima, 55, in Indanan, Sulu.
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CRUDE OIL PRICES DROP. . . The price of crude oil has dropped $14 from $99 to $85 per barrel. The oil companies should reduce their prices by at least P5 per liter. P2 or less would be totally unacceptable. P-Noy must direct DOE Secretary Jose Rene Almendras to effect this reduction to help check inflation.
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TIDBITS. . . Malacañang Asec Reginald Tongol resigned following a dispute with Sec. Ricky Carandang.
Death toll from typhoon Juaning — 72. What happened to zero casualty target announced just three typhoons ago?
Two women real estate brokers were shot dead by a lone gunman in front of the Alicia Hotel in Legaspi City.
President Aquino has cancelled the plan to build a new international airport in Panglao, Bohol. He prefers to extend the Tagbilaran airport just 20 minutes away by 700 meters. Sounds reasonable.
There are about 6.5 million senior citizens, according to the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB). NSCB Secretary General Romulo Virola suggests that GSIS pensions for senior citizens should be increased especially because of the high price of medicines.
Our special greetings to former Comelec Chairperson Harriet Demetriou, a regular reader of our column. A little birdie told us she turned down a lucrative offer to join GMA and FG’s panel of lawyers.
Also, to Ambassador Vicky Bataclan who is being assigned to Belgium.