Radaza suspension: We still lack justice

For our special presentation on our talk show “Straight from the Sky,” we bring you a continuation of the visit to Cebu by his Excellency Amb. Jaroslav Olsa, Jr. Ambassador of the Czech Republic who was our special guest last week. But the Czech Ambassador came to Cebu for a special screening of a Czech Film entitled “Miracle in Prague” last week. But because the Czech Republic fascinates me, I interviewed the Czech Ambassador first.

So for tonight, we have with us the director of the Czech film “Miracle in Plaque, Mrs. Kenka Kny and producer Alex Hudsky who will give us an overview of the Czech film industry and its challenges. For us Cebuanos, the movie “Miracle in Prague” is especially appealing because it is a miracle attributed to the Infant of Prague, the twin of our Señor Sto. Niño. Now which holy icon is older is something that we should establish. Chances are, the Infant of Prague is older, after all, Europe is the old world.

Anyway, please watch this interesting show about the Czech film industry and the movie “Miracle in Prague” on SkyCable’s channel 61 at 8:00 tonight with replays on Wednesday and Saturday same time and channel. We also have replays on MyTV’s channel 30 at 9:00 tonight and at 7:00AM and 9:00PM on Wednesday and Friday.

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I was not surprised that the so-called “Long Arm of the Law” has finally caught up with former Cebu Congresswoman Clavel Asas Martinez, Provincial Board Member Celestino “Tining” Martinez III, and current Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Paz Radaza for that alleged 2002 misuse of some P15 million in public funds from Rep. Clavel’s Priority Development Assistance Fund in 2002 that was originally intended for the Girl Scouts of the Philippine for its anti-drugs campaign.

The Ombudsman found out that only P600,000 of the P15 million was spent for the purpose and the bulk withdrawn by the former lawmaker from the GSP-Cebu council treasury. It said that the transactions neither appeared in the Monthly Financial Report of the GSP in Cebu City nor were these pre-audited by the internal auditor. This is what we said 13 years ago… that this case doesn’t need a hotshot lawyer because there is a paper trail that leads investigators to the culprits.

But before you folks start cheering that Justice has been served. First of all, we’d really like to know why has this case taken for the Sandiganbayan so long to act on this 90-day preventive suspension? If we were dealing with ordinary persons here, this case would have ended in convictions a long time ago. But here the Sandiganbayan is still in the suspension stage, which makes all of us ask the question, when will we see a conviction of this very easy to prosecute case?

Mayor Paz Radaza has been slapped a 90-day suspension but for what? To prevent her from further influencing this case? As for Tining Martinez, this is the first time I knew that he was involved in the Girls Scout scam. I must have missed his name due to the long time this case has dragged for more than a decade. What we get from the Sandiganbayan is another proof that we have a serious lack of justice in this country because I strongly adhere to that legal dictum, “Justice Delayed is Justice Denied!”

Why has this case taken so long? Thanks to our present and stupid political system where political butterflies flutter from one ruling political party to the next. This is why for me the Liberal Party of which Mayor Radaza and PB Martinez belong (Clavel was also once in the Liberal Party) should stop using their Daang Matuwid slogan. I say the LP will go the way of the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan, Partido ng Masang Pilipino (PMP), PDP-Laban, Lakas-NUCD, and UNIDO.

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The past few days were literally amazing because of what we now call ‘Smaze’ over Cebu. Hmmm, this is a new word for me… a mix of the word Smoke and Haze. As you know all residents in Cebu were advised by Engr. William Cuñado, director of the Environment Management Bureau in Central Visayas (EMB-7) who said we should wear goggles or dust masks or better stay indoors and keep the windows in your houses shut down.

I don’t blame the EMB-7 for issuing that warning because it found out that our air has “high particulates.” But I still believe that Indonesia is just too far away… that this “Smaze” must have come from somewhere else. But we had two major happenings over the weekend that prevented us from staying indoors. The Cebu Country Club had its Presidents’ Cup, while the Star Touring & Riders Group was celebrating its 7th year for its Biketoberfest at the AsiaTown I.T. Park so no Smaze or an EMB advice could prevent us from going outdoors last weekend!

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