BID Cebu on alert for Napoles, Lim

CEBU, Philippines - Immigration officials at the Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA) are keeping watch against Janet Lim Napoles and her brother Reynald Lim.

BID’s Alien Control Officer Brandon Enad said they  already received a copy of the hold departure order and warrant of arrest against Napoles and Lim.

Pictures of Napoles and Lim are being displayed in the BID tellers and counters at the international departure and arrival areas at the airport.

Enad said they are on a alert at all times and their tellers are trained to detect fake documents and passport.

But Enad said based on their intelligence report, Napoles and Lim are not in Cebu.

Napoles and Lim are suspects in the serious illegal detention case filed by a former employee of JLN Foundation, the organization that Napoles heads that allegedly misused P10 billion of the pork barrel funds of several senators.

Because of the controversy, a march rally calling for the abolition of Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) also known as pork barrel will be held on Monday.

The activity, which is expected to gather five to 10,000 people in Cebu, will push through despite President Aquino’s change of heart.

The nationwide simultaneous rally calls not just for the abolition of PDAF but also to eradicate corruption in government.

“We are happy that the president announced the abolition of PDAF but it takes long. We don’t just focus on dropping PDAF but on the prosecution of guilty and change the compensation of elected officials. Apart from their salary, legislators are given huge amount of money that they can use to their discretion, which is very tempting,” Marc Canton of Movement for a Livable Cebu said.

Another MLC convenor, Louella Alix, stressed that the march will push through even with national officials supporting the abolition.

“The march will go on inspite of the president’s statement because it is a march against the pork barrel and in effect against corruption.

We still want to let government hear the people’s disgust over the pork barrel scam. Enough is enough. We believe that the most potent weapon against corruption is an informed and participative citizenry.  The march is the voice of the people,” Alix told The Freeman.

Canton, however, emphasized that while he is helping in securing necessary permits from the city government, he is not bringing MLC during the activity but as an individual taxpayer.

He emphasized that the rally stemmed from a group of doctors who wanted to publicly express disgust over the pork barrel scam and corruption.

“I happen to know some of these doctors and they asked me to help them

in securing necessary permits. But this is really more of an individual effort with no particular leader or organizer,” he added.

Posted via Facebook group “Cebu PEACEFUL Protest Against the Pork Barrel System”, participants were instructed to wear white and to refrain from using identified political colors or shirts.

Assembly area is Fuente Osmeña Circle at 7 a.m. and the group will start marching towards Plaza Independencia at 7:30 a.m.

There will be CITOM personnel who will coordinate traffic and certain streets near Plaza Independencia will be closed and will serve as parking areas for 4-wheeled vehicles.

Motorcycles and bicycles will be allowed to park on the roadway fronting Fort San Pedro but are advised to position their vehicles proper as the area is also where the emergency vehicles will be parked.

While discouraging political colors at the event, Canton said public officials are welcome to come provided they join as an individual.

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama said he will be attending the march rally not as mayor but as a taxpayer and private citizen.

Canton, after meeting with the mayor to discuss traffic and security scheme for Monday’s activity said he is pleased that the mayor shares the same sentiment in calling for the abolition of pork barrel and curbing corruption in the country.

Agreed during yesterday’s meeting at the mayor’s office is the reversion of the route and venue of the rally attended by Rama, City Traffic Operations Management (CITOM) Executive Director Rafael Christopher Yap, Parks and Playground chairman Librando Macaraya, as well as local coordinators for the event.

Designated parking areas include Compania Maritima, Plaza Sugbo and other existing payparking areas.

Considerered No Parking zone are M.J. Cuenco Avenue in front of Plaza Independencia, Legaspi Ext., Malacañang Sa Sugbo, and Fort San Pedro grounds.

“Before the start of the march, Osmeña Boulevard will be opened. When parade is about to cross intersection, we close it. When parade is done or when there is a break in between marchers, it will be opened,” Yap explained.

Meanwhile, local officials expressed mixed reactions on the president’s favoring of the abolition of PDAF.

Cebu City South District Representative Rodrigo Abellanosa did not favor, saying it is disadvantageous to the constituents in terms of delivery of public services.

“That is sad news for our poor and marginalized Cebu City constituents who could lose yearly at least P140 million of national government funds for their hospitalization, medical, health, emergency and other urgent basic services,” Abellanosa said.

He added that abolishing the PDAF is “more politically bloody than the present setup of the PDAF’s automatic equal appropriation for all the districts of the country.”

“If PDAF is abolished, what is the alternative? Do we want a setup where we either lick or fight the imperial Malacañang for our fair share of the national budget?” Abellanosa said.

On the other hand, Cebu City Councilor Alvin Dizon lauded the president’s move.

“I applaud president Aquino’s statement to abolish the pork barrel system. It’s a substantial step towards deeper systematic budget reforms. While the president’s statement is well appreciated it must not dampen the people’s vigilance to fight corruption,” Dizon said.  (FREEMAN)