C-130s chop-chopped in Mactan?

Before I forget, when I left for Manila last Sunday, I couldn’t help but notice that the remaining unflyable Lockheed C-130 Hercules cargo aircraft of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) based at the Ebuen Air Force base in Mactan have been sliced or chopped into separate pieces, which means they are obviously bound for someone’s junkyard. These military aircraft are just sitting there for all the public to see, which brings us to ask, are these planes being sold to a junk dealer? Was this the proper way to dispose these government properties?

Mind you, Mactan is unlike the famous “Boneyard” in Tucson, Arizona where hundreds of mothballed or junk airplanes are stored for safekeeping or broken for parts to be sold. Since the C-130 Hercules is still very much in use by many Air Forces around the world, I would like to believe that many of its internal parts can still be sold for a hefty price. Perhaps Philippine Air Force (PAF) officials ought to give us an explanation why these aircraft have been chopped into pieces.

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I fully agree with the statement of Supreme Court (SC) Administrator Midas Marquez about that wave of defiance against the SC, which has brought a serious mistrust in our Judiciary. Special mention was Justice Secretary Leila de Lima’s defiance in not honoring the high court’s Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) on the travel ban against former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and the government’s inability to enforce a court-issued arrest order against former Palawan Governor Joel Reyes.

Has it really come to this that one of the major pillars of our democracy is cracking up because the two other co-equal branches of government no longer respect the Judiciary? We’ll, the litmus could be just around the corner when the SC comes up with its final decision on the Hacienda Luisita case or if the SC issues a TRO against the Comelec who purchased those highly unreliable PCOS “cheating” machines. Abangan!

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Last Thursday, I finally fulfilled a promise that I gave my friend, Rudy Bediones to make up in the country’s most prestigious Rotary Club, the Rotary Club of Manila, which holds its meetings at the Manila Polo Club. Thanks to my good friend, Mr. Robert “Bobby” Joseph who fetched me from my hotel at the Makati Shang and made me his special guest. I come from the Rotary Club of Cebu, which was established in 1932, 13 years after the founding of the Rotary Club of Manila. Hence we are the second oldest Rotary Club in the country and it was an honor to make up there.

What I did not expect was to see many old friends who are members of this most prestigious Rotary Club. Aside from my friends, Bobby Joseph and Rudy Bediones, I met with Obet Pagdanganan, Roy Zosa, Gen. Ramon Montano (Ret.), our fellow Star columnist Babes Romualdez and yes, Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim.

Mayor Lim had to make a statement or correction belying the reports last Thursday that he put a stop to his future mayoralty rival, former Pres. Joseph “Erap” Estrada, from giving gifts to his constituents in Manila. The Manila Mayor said, “If Erap wants to give his money away to the poor people of Manila, I will cheer him on.”

I don’t know if Erap’s decision to run against Mayor Lim is already final… or whether he is merely testing the waters. But we were in Binondo District on a tour with the Visayas and Mindanao media last Monday and I interviewed a lot of people and asked who would be a strong mayoralty candidate for Manila in 2013. Almost all of the people I talked with said that Mayor Lim was their man… but they would vote for Erap if he runs again for President. Well, I guess, the man to beat in Manila is still Mayor Lim, who by the way is already fixing the damage seawall along Roxas Blvd.

The Rotary Club of Manila’s guest speaker was Palawan Mayor Edward Hagedorn who gave a special video presentation on what he has done for Palawan… like keeping its forest intact and growing and having the famous Underground River turned into a UNESCO World Heritage Site… plus Palawan is the nation’s only “Carbon neutral” Province.

After the meeting, I noticed that Mayor Lim’s vehicle was an unmarked Toyota Fortuner, which should shame many mayors who proudly brandish a “Mayor” plate number in their official vehicles. Incidentally, Obet Pagdanganan is the president-elect for this incoming year… that means he is definitely not running for a public office. I dare say that being president of the Rotary Club of Manila is a more prestigious position than being an elected official as it has a nobler goal in the service of mankind.

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