Lacson’s frustration

Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery (PARR) Secretary Panfilo “Ping” Lacson complained at a Malacañang press conference that two Cabinet members were not cooperating and sabotaging his efforts as PARR.

He reported that only 10% of 200,000 housing projects needed for resettlement have been built. At a House oversight hearing, Karen Jimeno, representing Lacson, admitted that after six months no post-disaster needs assessment (PDNA) has been submitted. It was also reported that out of P40 billion appropriated in the 2014 budget for Yolanda rehabilitation, only P3 billion has been released. It was also admitted that there is no master plan to date.

Klaus Beck, a United Nations resident and humanitarian coordinator for the Philippines, reported that 5,000 survivors in Leyte still have to be resettled. He said fresh funds are needed.

In view of all of these, it is clear that the Aquino administration has been too slow in implementing the Yolanda rehabilitation program. Survivors have also complained that they could not rebuild their houses because their area has not been cleared of debris.

What will President Aquino now do with Lacson’s complaints about “deadma” Cabinet members? This is a test of his management style. Cabinet members’ infighting is awful.

Surprise resignation

Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) chairman Margarita Juico has resigned effective Tuesday, but she said she will stay at her post until President Aquino accepts it. She said she did not call her resignation irrevocable because that would be disrespectful to the President.          

Margie Juico is one of the closest to the Aquino family, having served as President Cory Aquino’s Appointments Secretary and as her assistant until her death.

Executive Secretary Jojo Ochoa Jr. tried to prevail on her to stay, but she insisted on announcing her resignation. Juico has been besieged by the lobbying of Small Town Lottery (STL) operators not to terminate their contracts.

It has been speculated that Juico incurred the ire of Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Mar Roxas because her husband, Philip, suspended Mar Roxas from his Wack Wack membership.

But overall, she was a hardworking, efficient public servant. President Aquino accepted her resignation.

16 senators in the list

Former Senator Ping Lacson now says that 16 incumbent and former senators are in the list submitted by the husband of Janet Lim-Napoles and her children to Lacson.

As a Cabinet member, Lacson should now release his list and submit the same to Justice Secretary Leila de Lima as additional evidence. “It’s enough to ratify a treaty,” Lacson said.

Catholic Bishop’s Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) joined the clamor for Secretary De Lima to release the list. Why should De Lima review and vet the list when it was officially submitted by Napoles to her? And why should it take De Lima four weeks to review the Napoles’ list?

Mar denies rift

Even without being named, DILG Secretary Mar Roxas, in an interview, said that he did not feel alluded to by Secretary Ping Lacson’s complaint that two Cabinet members are not cooperating with him.

Mar said that no papers are pending in his office and if there are any, Ping can call him. Mar also explained that funds have not been released because local governments have not submitted their rehabilitation plans.

GMA cleared

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales has dismissed the graft case against former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo for her alleged involvement in the P723 million fertilizer scam authorized by then Agriculture Secretary Luis “Cito” Lorenzo Jr. and Undersecretary  Jocelyn Bolante. President Arroyo said she feels vindicated by her acquittal.

There are talks that the plunder case in the PCSO fund against GMA is also weak because PCSO records are missing.

The electoral case against her filed in Regional Trial Court (RTC) in Pasay has also not been decided because the evidence is also weak. The judge should decide the case now.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) should be called to task for filing weak cases. This is true of drug cases which are usually dismissed for weak evidence. The same is true of oil smuggling cases which have been dismissed.

Maybe it is time to grant bail to GMA because the evidence against her is weak.

1 killed, 36 injured

One killed, 36 soldiers were injured by the explosion and fire at the Philippine Army (PA) General Headquarters. PA chief Major General   Iriberri Hernando is investigating the incident, citing negligence as a possible reason for the blast. Some officers must be held responsible.  He announced that the Explosive Ordinance Division will be transferred to Camp Aguinaldo in Tarlac.

Guess who?

A Customs deputy commissioner is alleged to be the mastermind behind ongoing smuggling activities in the Bureau of Customs (BOC).

Clue: He is a Philippine Military Academy (PMA) undergraduate, but he is a lawyer.

Tidbits: Rotating brownouts in Mindanao, especially Cagayan De Oro last 7 ½ to 12 hours.

Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Francis Tolentino said at the House of Representatives that pumping stations in Metro Manila still have to be constructed.

Hiroshi Iwasaki, 49, a Japanese businessman was shot dead by two riding- in-tandem suspects in Parañaque.

Two hundred to 250 persons die from rabies every year.

Meanwhile, 4 passengers were killed when a passenger bus fell into a ravine in Majayjay, Laguna.

Why is the Supreme Court (SC) sitting down on the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) case?