“If you look in general at people who live in anarchy, they have quite high rates of death from either homicide or warfare or both. Anarchy is one of the main reasons for violence, and it may be the most important.”
—Steven Pinker
By Alex P. Vidal
THROUGH the sworn statement of a cop who reportedly drove the car of the alleged killers of his son one year ago, former Banat Partylist Rep. Salvador “Buddy” Britanico identified four more cops that may have participated in the sensational broad daylight murder.
In a statement released “on behalf of the Britanico and Lao families” on the first death anniversary of his son, Delfin Celestial Britanico, the former lawmaker from Oton, Iloilo pointed to Philippine National Police Corporal Joseph Andrew Poneles Joven, who allegedly named his companions in the Mitsubishi Adventure as Police Staff Sergeant Ricardo Cabrera Morante and Police Master Sergeant Vernie Lui Escorial.
Former Congressman Britanico said Morante and Escorial are the ones who allegedly shot Delfin dead on Iloilo River Boulevard in Brgy. Nabitasan, La Paz, Iloilo City on January 19, 2020 based on Joven’s sworn statement.
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| DELFIN C. BRITANICO |
Joven, according to the former congressman, “was earlier identified in the investigation conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) as the driver of the Mitsubishi Adventure used in the killing of Delfin.”
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The father Britanico said Joven named his son’s alleged killers in his sworn statement together with his application to be a state witness filed with the Office of the Prosecutor General in the Department of Justice in Ermita, Manila.
“Joven further stated that their other companions in the vehicle were Police Staff Sergeant Michael Demegillo de Felipe and Police Staff Sergeant Freddie Hibalo Libo-on,” former Congressman Britanico further stated.
“Delfin, a businessman, was shot dead after conducting his wife, Katrina, home after Sunday Church Service and then taking a random Sunday noon drive on his motorcycle in Bgy. Nabitasan, La Paz, Iloilo City last January 19, 2020,” recalled former Congressman Britanico.
“Justice is rolling!”
He further stated: “The Britanico and Lao Families pray and trust that justice will take its course.”
Morante, Escorial, De Felipe, and Libo-on haven’t yet made a press statement to refute the allegations against them.
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Boxing scribe Scott Christ has started conducting an on-line survey on who will win between Sen. Manny Pacquiao and Ryan Garcia, a new ring sensation who has been making headlines even during the COVID-19 pandemic.
As of this writing, fans overwhelmingly picked the former 8-time world champion despite his age.
It was not yet actually official, but Christ confirmed that “things seem to be moving toward Pacquiao-Garcia becoming a reality.”
For Pacquiao, it’s a big fight to be made that wouldn’t see him coming in as a substantial underdog, like bouts against Errol Spence Jr or Terence Crawford would, observed Christ.
The 22-year-old Garcia is talented and has the size to fight Pacquiao, whether it’s at 135 or 147 or 140 or whatever, he’s fast and can punch, but Pacquiao obviously has a metric ton of experience going for him. According to Christ, “There’s nothing Ryan Garcia can do that Manny Pacquiao has not seen, and that’s whether you’re a believer in Garcia or not.”
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Analysts, including Christ, pointed to Pacquiao’s age at 42. “He hasn’t fought since the summer of 2019. He has without question lost a couple steps; this makes him still very good last we saw, but he’s not the phenom of 2009, that guy’s long gone. It’s not a knock, he just got older. It happens,” observed Christ.
“Assume the fight happens at at least 140 pounds if not a bit north or even a full 147, as I cannot imagine Pacquiao is going to go down to 135 for this, he hasn’t fought at that weight in 13 years, when he smashed David Diaz to bits.”
Does the age gap favor Garcia?
Though his speed and power won’t be unseen to Pacquiao, is Manny now too old to handle what Garcia can bring?
Or does the experience give Manny the big edge?
Is Pacquiao still good enough, with too much skill and too many tricks of the trade, to be overcome by any physical advantages Garcia holds?
(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two local dailies in Iloilo)
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