Viva France! A salute to Croatia

"The beauty of the World Cup is that while thirty-two countries get to cheer for their respective teams, the event also affirms a global pluralism - it is as much a festival of cultural multiplicity as it is a competition featuring some of the best athletes in the world." 

--Clint Smith

NEW YORK CITY -- First of all, let us salute the brave and marvelous Croatians.
The gods were definitely loving and enjoying the match.
Like ordinary mortals, they “watched” the beautiful game’s finale, a fantastic championship match for 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia between France and Croatia in Moscow July 15 that had soccer fans in the entire planet on the edge of their seats for 95 minutes.

The Frenchmen were crowned world champions after clobbering an underdog Croatian team, 4-2, and capturing its second World Cup title and its first since it hosted the 1998 tournament 20 years ago.
Didier Deschamps, Les Bleus manager, jittery with five minutes left before the end of the match, was the captain in 1998 when his team toppled Brazil in Paris, and on Sunday he became the third to ever win the World Cup as a player and coach.
Jason Burt saw it the other way around. Writing for The Telegraph, Burt surmised that “maybe even the Gods were angry. Or maybe they just did not want this glorious World Cup to end. France are champions, and deservedly so as they were the best team and the most efficient team at what was probably the best ever World Cup, but this was a final marked by controversy, firsts, brilliant interventions and blunders as the incredible resilience and belief of Croatia was finally defeated.”
There was thunder and lightning with heavy clouds ringing the Luzhniki Stadium here in Moscow as France scored from a free-kick that they should not have earned and a penalty for handball that was evidently not a clear and obvious error to give them a half-time advantage that was a travesty.
Not that they will care.
They have won the World Cup for the second time, and the first time for 20 years, with coach Didier Deschamps becoming only the third man ever to take the trophy as a player and a coach after Franz Beckenbauer and Mario Zagallo.
And that is exalted company while Deschamps will feel utterly vindicated in overhauling his squad after the disappointing of losing the Euro 2016 final and also determinedly going for a more pragmatic style which demanded greater discipline from the likes of Paul Pogba and compromising some of France’s attacking flair. That debate does not matter amid the celebrations.

Even so for almost an hour Croatia were the better team, by far the better team, before first Pogba - thereby becoming the first Manchester United player to score in a World Cup Final - and then Kylian Mbappe scored.
Mbappe, at 19, became the first teenager since Pele to strike in a World Cup Final. The scoreline then was 5-2 and this was the joint highest score since - aided by a terrible goalkeeping mistake by Hugo Lloris who gifted Croatia their second goal as he attempted to play the ball around the relentless Mario Mandzukic who stuck out a leg and diverted it into the net.
That gave Croatia hope when it seemed hope had gone and surely the tiredness and pain of going to extra-time, and twice to penalties, in all three of their previous knock-out ties at this World Cup would finally catch up on them.
But they never, ever gave up in what was their first final and one that they can look back upon with remarkable pride at the achievement.
Antoine Griezmann had been involved in both of France’s first-half goals as he cheaply won the free-kick - it appeared like a dive and Marcelo Brozovic was furious - which he swung in.
The ball skimmed off the head off Mandzukic and flew beyond goalkeeper Danijel Subasic. Even then there was drama as it appeared Pogba had been in an offside position as he challenged Mandzukic who scored the first ever own goal in a World Cup Final.
That was as nothing to the controversy with France’s second goal which came from a hotly-disputed, VAR encouraged penalty.
It came from a near post Griezmann corner which flew over Blaise Matuidi and struck the left hand of his marker Ivan Perisic who was close behind him. Referee Nestor Pitana bizarrely gave a goal-kick but the French players, led by Lucas Hernandez and Olivier Giroud, angrily demanded a penalty.
Pitana was eventually told by the VAR, Italian Massimiliano Irrati, to review it and ran over to the touchline.
It seemed an eternity but he finally returned, pointing to the spot with Griezmann calmly stroking the ball home. It seemed harsh - Perisic did not attempt to move his hand, could not see the ball - but Croatia were behind again.

What does FIFA World Cup mean to us Filipinos?

“Knowing what to say, in the right way - at the perfect moment - can mean the difference between a world-class life and an average one.”
--Robin S. Sharma

By Alex P. Vidal

ARLINGTON, Virginia -- Filipinos are not part of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia in terms of actual participation, but we are very much involved in many practical and historical reasons and circumstances.
By virtue of our being part of the global sports fraternity; in terms of the spirit of Olympism; and because we have been inflicted, in one way or the other, with a soccer mania since time immemorial, we are within the parameters of the World Cup village.
What does it mean to be part of the World Cup?

It means we need to further improve our sports program, not just in soccer but also in other events with global impact--Olympic events that will bring us in the threshold of world class competition.

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We must show that we belong not only in words but also in drawing inspiration from extra-ordinary performances of these incredible players and their teams and use this inspiration to improve our own standards even in regional competitions like the Southeast (SEA) Games and Asian Games.
We breath, cheer, discuss, argue, monitor, broadcast and write about World Cup but we don’t and can’t have a team in the elite competition.
We root for certain teams like Spain, Brazil, Argentina, Portugal, final qualifier France, but we aren’t there physically to savor the prestige and actual excitement felt by competitors watched and cheered by billions of fans all over the planet.
We need to review and upgrade our sports facilities, as well, and send our athletes in tough competitions abroad.
We can’t afford to be obscured in the doldrums or be lagged behind and remain as kibitzers for life just because we are a Third World country.
Supremacy in sports translates into supremacy in economy, but we can always pull the rug from under and walk extra mile to show the world that the Filipinos can also become world class athletes even if we are a struggling economy.

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France has booked the first slot in the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia finals by virture of its 1-0 conquest of stubborn Belgium in one of the all-European semifinals.
The descendants of Voltaire, King Louis, Marat and other precursors of the French Revolution will wait for the result of the other semifinal shootout between Croatia and England.
England is near the hearts of many Filipino soccer fans but we love to see Croatia reaching in the championship level for the very first time and win this year’s World Cup.
The world has always been crazy if it’s a World Cup and is getting crazier as the showdown for the finals approaches this Sunday.

‘Do we have a Pinoy team in the World Cup?’

“The World Cup experience is more than just the game of soccer. It's an event. And it will fly by faster than you think. It will end and you'll be saying, 'Wow, it's over already?' You have to remember to take it all in and enjoy it.”
--Cobi Jones

By Alex P. Vidal

NEW YORK CITY -- A lot of Filipinos not necessarily soccer fans have been asking me in person and through the Facebook messenger these past two weeks: “Do we have a team in the World Cup?”
We all know, of course, that we don’t have.
We never had a chance.
We have the Azkals (Street Dogs), our national football team that regularly competes in international football, but it did not--and could not--play in the World Cup.
Not even in 2022 Qatar, with due respect to our national players and the coaching staff.

The reason is because the Philippines has never qualified for the World Cup.
The farthest that the RP national football team has achieved, so far, was having been qualified in the AFC Asian Cup in 2019.
Its best trophy in a major tournament was second place to Palestine at the 2014 AFC Challenge Cup.
The Filipinos can’t even dominate its rivals in the Southeast Asian (SEA Games) and Asian Games.
There’s a drought of gold medal for the Philippine football team even in the regional invitational games.

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Without the Filipino-European and Filipino-American booters in Azkals, we can hardly beat Myanmar, Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia.
It was not too long ago when we were once the veritable “whipping boy” in the region.
Not anymore when the Azkals, now coached by Terry Butcher, was formed.
Even if we don’t play in the World Cup, our football has developed by leaps and bounds and our team is no longer a pushover.
Even before Uruguay became the first country in history to win the FIFA World Cup in 1930, the Philippines was already playing at the international level in 1913.
After 78 years, only seven countries, the so-called “Elite Seven”, have won the World Cup in 18 stagings: Brazil (five times); Italy (four times); Germany (three times); Uruguay (two times); Argentina (two times); England (once); and France (once).

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In the ongoing 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia, two of the four semifinalists (France, England, Croatia, Belgium) could join the Elite Seven.
If Belgium will beat France on July 10 and Croatia will defeat England on July 11, it will be a Belgium versus Croatia match in the championship.
Either Belgium or Croatia could become the eight country in history to bring home the World Cup.
But first they must hurdle their semifinal assignments.
If France and England will clash in the finals, one of them could win the World Cup only for the second time in history.
As we have been saying in the past weeks, the world is going crazy now that the final two teams are about to be unveiled this week.

2018 FIFA World Cup: Goodbye, Brazil!

By Alex P. Vidal
Belgium bombed out Brazil in the quaterfinals, 2-1, at Kazan Arena in Kazan, Russia Friday to barge into the seminfinals versus France, which ousted Uruguay, 2-0, in the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia.

“There were incredible hearts out there. Sometimes you have to accept that Brazil have so much finesse and quality that they’re going to break you down. But we didn’t accept it. Not for one minute did they give up,”
Belgium coach Roberto Martinez said.
“This was something special. These boys deserve to be very special people back in Belgium. I hope everybody back in Belgium is very proud. The execution of the tactics was magnificent.”
Martinez added: “In two days they changed their tactical disposition, I couldn’t be prouder. We cannot let people down. We need to enjoy beating Brazil in the knockout phase, treasure it, and pass it down the generations. But we need more energy for the next game. We will be as good as we can be in the semi-final.”
Brazil advanced to the quarterfinals after beating Mexico in the Round of 16, while Belgium advanced to the quarterfinals after ousting Japan in an exciting Round of 16 game.
The highest scoring side at the 2018 World Cup, Belgium seemed to come out of the blocks slower than Brazil who created a flurry of chances but failed to convert any of them early on. 
Soon enough Belgium grew into the game with power, pace and exquisite passing which caught Brazil napping. The Belgians went onto register an emphatic 2-1 win to set-up a semi-final clash against France.

Iloilo’s ‘Claudio Teehankee Jr.’ kills a boy

“Even in killing men, observe the rules of propriety.”
--CONFUCIUS

By Alex P. Vidal

NEW YORK CITY -- The manner the senseless crime was executed, the attacker’s behavior, and the circumstances before it happened can be compared to the celebrated Hultman–Chapman murder case, which occurred in Makati City in the Philippines 27 years ago.
But in the shooting incident that killed a 15-year-old male member of the Jalandoni family in Laguda Subdivision in Brgy. Magsaysay, La Paz, Iloilo City on June 28, 2018, all the victims belong in one family.
Victim Jezreel Jalandoni, a Grade 10 student at Alphacrest Academy, suffered gunshot wounds on his head, neck and nose. He died while being treated at Medicus Medical Center in Mandurriao.
His mother, Marites, who was driving their vehicle, and brother, Jedidiah, 18, also incurred multiple wounds but survived.
The actuation of suspected triggerman, Teopisto “Totong” Castroverde Sebanta, 47, was similar in many ways to that of Claudio Teehankee Jr., lone gunman in the unprovoked killings of Roland John Chapman and Maureen Hultman inside the Dasmariñas Village, Makati City on July 13, 1991.
Either they were “psycho killers” or trigger-happy maniacs under the influence of illegal substance or liquor. Or both.

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Both Teehankee Jr. and Sebanta approached their victims’ vehicles and started shooting them at close range.
Teehankee Jr., son of the late former Chief Justice Claudio Sr., first stopped Hultman’s group and asked for their companion, Jussi Olavi Leino’s identification card. When Chapman intervened, Teehankee shot him dead.
He then shot Hultman, who died in the hospital after several weeks. Leino, who was also shot, survived.
Like the victims in Makati City, the victims in Iloilo City were also unarmed and just came from a dinner.
Sebanta did not say any word and started peppering the victims’ vehicle with bullets when he saw it.
Both the attacks happened at night; Teehankee Jr. and Sebanta “shot” the victims several times even if they could not defend themselves as they were unarmed and not prepared to engage the shooters in a deadly altercation.
The only difference is Teehankee Jr. was arrested and convicted in the trial court.
His conviction was sustained by the Supreme Court, while Sabanta remained at large as of this writing.

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I was the lone Filipino in a jampacked Colombian resto on corner 82nd and Roosevelt Avenue in Queens, New York City July 3 afternoon when Colombia battled England in one of the last and most exciting Round 16 matches.
There, I witnessed how the Colombians heartily cheered their soccer players in the giant screen and how they noisily exploded when Colombia leveled the score at 1-1 just when the match was about to end in the last five minutes.
After failing to score in a five-minute extension, both England and Colombia tore each other apart in the tortuous penalty shootout.
England snatched victory from the jaws of defeat with a decisive 4-3 to book a quarterfinal slot in the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia.
The Englishmen broke the Colombian fans’ hearts, including the sympathetic Latino crowd in Moscow and in the Colombian resto here in Queens.
I saw tears in their eyes as they all disappeared one by one, while I stayed behind for another couple of minutes to finish my smoothie.

Can Dorben Acap survive?

“When people are laughing, they're generally not killing one another.”
--Alan Alda

By Alex P. Vidal

NEW YORK CITY -- If it is true that those who wanted Iloilo City PO1 Dorben Acap dead were his own superiors, then he really has reason to panic and “feel helpless” as reported.
There is a popular saying in the underworld that if your bosses are your own “enemies” you can’t be rescued even by the ghosts in heaven.
Acap is reportedly under the watch list of those suspected to be engaged in illegal drugs in Western Visayas.
He denied it and swore he is not a rogue cop.
Acap has been talking to the media and even threatened to “tell everything” once he has fully recovered.
In a mob world, if the victim’s superiors ordered the hit and he survived, they usually consider the target as a “dead man talking” (Not to be confused with "dead man walking").

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Targets of assassination by a “big organization” (whatever it is) who survived usually are mowed down in the second or third attempt.
The harassment and assault, which have the “imprimatur” from “above”, will never stop.
This can be attested in the films made about mafia or big syndicates that exterminate their own men who either have rat against the group or have become “too big for their britches.”
Let’s hope this won’t happen to Acap especially if he is innocent and is actually a dedicated and honest police officer who leads a life as a role model to his children.
Acap is always presumed innocent until proven otherwise.
He could be a victim of mistaken identity or intrigues.
If Acap is really “notorious” whatever that means, he should be given his day in court and not subjected to gossip and summary execution.

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There was no evidence, however, that Philippine National Police (PNP) bigwigs in Western Visayas were behind the failed attempt to finish off Acap, who survived an ambush staged by motorcycle-riding gunmen while driving his car in Arevalo district June 26 afternoon.
It was not immediately established that the foiled attempt to kill Acap had something to do with President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s order to kill all drug traffickers, including village officials and “narco cops.”
Acap, however, insisted he was able to positively identify PO2 Melvin Mocorro as one of the three gunmen who was hit when he fired back.
Moccoro was placed under hospital arrest by Senior Insp. Mary Grace Borio, Arevalo police station chief, while confined for gunshot wounds at the Iloilo Mission Hospital in Jaro district, while Acap, assigned at Camp Martin Delgado Regional Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit, was treated at The Medical City in Molo district.
Both policemen will survive.

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It’s Russia versus Croatia and Uruguay versus France in the first waves of quarterfinals.
By the time this article comes out, we shall know the results of the remaining Round of 16 matches in the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia.
These matches are: Belgium versus Japan; Brazil versus Mexico; Sweden versus Switzerland; and Colombia versus England.
This year’s World Cup has been touted as “one of the best” if not the best because of the series of upsets and surprises, not to mention the quality of performances executed by both the highly touted and not-so-great soccer players.
We are near the semifinals and the finals and the world is going crazy.

Is ‘Bugok’ mad at Gonzales pa and son beyond politics?

“I shall allow no man to belittle my soul by making me hate him.”
--Booker T. Washington

By Alex P. Vidal

NEW YORK CITY -- Does the bad blood between former mayor Vicente “Bugok” Ramirez of Lambunao, Iloilo and the Gonzales father and son--former mayor Reynor and incumbent mayor Jayson--transcend beyond politics?
The question surfaced because hardly had the disqualification case 74-year-old Ramirez filed against Mayor Jayson Gonzales simmered down (the mayor has appealed the decision of the Commission on Elections in February this year which disqualified him for lack of residency), Ramirez came out swinging anew with another hatchet.
He wanted the Office of the Ombudsman to throw the books at the Gonzaleses for "unliquidated" cash advances, the latest of which was in 2016 totaling P8.983 million in a complaint he filed on June 26, 2018.
Ramirez had also filed a similar complaint against Mayor Jason’s dad in 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015, according to reports.
Ramirez’s problem is that no matter how he wanted to paint the Gonzaleses as bad guys, majority of the people in Lambunao believe otherwise.
I have yet to meet a Lambunao resident who will say (even in strict confidentiality) that Mayor Jason Gonzales is corrupt and inept.

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We have nothing against Ramirez’s latest fusillade against Mayor Gonzales, but some observers, especially the people of Lambunao, might suspect he is “politicking” since all the cases that were thrown against the Gonzaleses father and son, so far, came only from one person: Bugok Ramirez.
Although there is no law that prohibits the likes of Ramirez from peppering certain public officials with Ombudsman cases, the fact that Bugok Ramirez has been identified as the Gonzaleses’ veritable political “whipping boy” in Lambunao makes the entire brouhaha look like a charade.
If political enemies of the Gonzaleses think they have the “smoking gun” and want the people to believe them lock, stock, and barrel, they shouldn’t focus on Ramirez as the lone “gunner” when emptying their bullets.
To make their cases more sound and credible, they should let other personalities “who can go to court with clean hands” file them, not the recycled, overused and tainted Ramirez.

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Ramirez wanted the younger Gonzales criminally and administratively charged respectively for alleged violation of Article 218 and Article 217 of the Revised Penal Code and for dishonesty, gross misconduct, conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service, and grave abuse of authority.
Also included in Ramirez’s charge sheets were the town’s municipal accountant; municipal treasurer; individual officials and/or employees granted with the unliquidated cash advance; signatory to the obligation request (ObR); and other public officials and employees who signed the disbursement vouchers and other supporting documents of the subject transactions.
Mayor Jason Gonzales was prepared to face Ramirez’s accusations, according to some reports.

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Like many Ilonggo soccer fans, we will continue to follow the nerve-tingling 2018 FIFA World Cup matches until the semifinals and the finals.
These are the remaining matches entering the round of 16 as of this writing: Brazil versus Mexico; Spain versus Russia; Croatia versus Denmark; Colombia versus England; Sweden versus Switzerland; Japan versus Belgium.
All matches are getting exciting and thrilling now that Argentina and Germany have been given the doors.
My eyes are always on Croatia, Spain, Belgium.
I hope to see one of the three in the finals.

2018 FIFA WORLD CUP: Uruguay ousts Portugal and Ronaldo

A brace from Edinson Cavani saw Uruguay edge out Portugal 2-1 on Saturday at the Fisht Olympic Stadium in Sochi to secure a quarter-final place at the 2018 World Cup.

Cavani applied a fine finish to Rodrigo Bentancur's pass in the second half to seal the win. He had earlier linked up expertly with Luis Suarez to head La Celeste in front after seven minutes, only for Pepe to head home a corner after the break to level proceedings.

Uruguay will be sweating on Cavani's fitness for the next round after he left the match midway through the second half with an injury, though.

Even before the tournament began, Suarez and Cavani stood out as one of the World Cup's deadliest duos; they scored a combined 71 goals last season for Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, respectively.

CHEMISTRY

What makes them even more effective for Uruguay is their chemistry, which they showcased by linking up superbly for Cavani to hand their side the lead just seven minutes in.

Suarez and Cavani have both found the net in three consecutive World Cups, and they have five goals between them here in Russia.

After Cavani limped out of the match in the 73rd minute—having been helped from the field by Cristiano Ronaldo—all eyes will be on his fitness for the quarter-final against France.

Suarez is still a threat on his own, but the understanding up front between he and Cavani makes a world of difference to Uruguay in the final third.

It's fair to say Ronaldo did not have his best game on Saturday. Against Uruguay's organisation and tenacity, the forward cut a frustrated figure, per ESPN FC's Dermot Corrigan.

There was little to no improvement in the second half, in which he also picked up a yellow card that would have seen him suspended for the next round.

His missed penalty against Iran now looks even more costly, as it would have set up a last-16 tie with Russia instead of Uruguay.

The Selecao talisman will be two months shy of his 38th birthday come the next World Cup, so this may be his last appearance at one, but his legacy for Portugal is already secured.

HAT-TRICK

His hat-trick against Spain and decisive goal against Morocco played a key role in their progression to the knockout phase, and the strikes also left him on 85 goals for Portugal, making him the second-highest international goalscorer of all time.

Along with his indisputable record, he also helped the Selecao win their first major international trophy at UEFA Euro 2016. Despite suffering an injury early on in the final, Ronaldo remained on the sidelines alongside manager Fernando Santos to motivate the team.

His failure to take Portugal further at the World Cup will hurt, but he's had a significant impact on their fortunes in his career.

Mooted as dark horses before the tournament began, Uruguay did little to live up to that tag as they scraped through their first two matches against Egypt and Saudi Arabia, respectively, with unconvincing 1-0 wins.

However, after dispatching hosts Russia 3-0 in the final group game to become one of just three sides to take a maximum nine points and their resolute performance here, no one will want to play them.

Quarter-final opponents France scored some superb goals in their 4-3 win over Argentina earlier in the day, but Uruguay are capable of going all the way, particularly if they get Cavani back. (Christopher Simpson)

Quo vadis, Iloilo politicians?

“Everything is changing. People are taking their comedians seriously and the politicians as a joke.”
--Will Rogers

By Alex P. Vidal

NEW YORK CITY -- If self-confessed womanizer Pantaleon “Bebot” Alvarez is ousted as House speaker before the 2019 congressional elections, many Ilonggo politicians who have entrusted to him their political future will be in real big trouble.
There are strong whispers spreading around that majority of the Philippine congressmen/women want either Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Jay Velasco, 40, or Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, 71, to replace the loud-mouthed Alvarez, one of the big bosses of the ruling PDP-Laban.
Things aren’t anymore normal in the House leadership ever since Alvarez engaged Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte in an ugly word war early this year, the grapevine says.
Many Ilonggo politicians who kowtow to Alvarez thought the 60-year-old Davao del Norte representative was untouchable and unshakable being one of the closest allies of President Rodrigo R. Duterte.
For some of them, Alvarez is the modern Marcus Aurelius, a stoic and leading icon of Pax Romana.

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Like vermin, some of these Ilonggo politicians turned their backs from their former benefactors and political parties and embraced Alvarez like a king of Persia.
They formed a beeline and praised Alvarez to high heavens, looked up to him like a demigod and sought his blessings for anointment of their local bets for the May 14, 2019 elections.
They had no idea that Alvarez was also facing a king-sized insurrection right in his own turf.
Unknown to most of them, the playboy House boss was already a ticking bomb and could explode anytime; his invincibility will soon come to a screeching halt if he can’t dodge the deadly wallops of the Cassiuses and Brutuses in the Philippine House of Representatives.
If Alvarez capitulates, quo vadis, Iloilo politicians?

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While having my usual mid-afternoon smoothie (a thick, cold beverage made from pureed raw fruit and sometimes vegetables blended with ice cream or frozen yogurt) session inside a Colombian resto on corner 82nd Street and Roosevelt Avenue in Queens Sunday, a group of revelers wearing yellow shirts and caps exploded in the intersection.
Suddenly flag-waving fans riding in cars honking loudly joined the festivity that started past three o’clock in the afternoon and ended at around past seven o’clock in the evening.
They were Colombians living in New York City celebrating Colombia’s triple hammer blow that dumped out Poland in the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia.
Colombia’s sensational win kept its hopes alive of barging in the Last 16.
Some of those in the crowd proudly chanting and cheering were a mixture of old, young, men and women soccer fans pouring out their joy and happiness like they won the Olympic Games.
Others brought along their dogs strapped with the Colombian national flag.
New York City cops passing the intersection just watched as they continued to patrol the predominantly Latino community.
I wished we Filipinos could also celebrate like them.

I’m a Viber FIFA 'chatbot' participant

“FIFA stands for discipline, respect, fair-play, not just on the field of play, but in our society as well.”
-- Sepp Blatter

By Alex P. Vidal

NEW YORK CITY -- The Philippine National Police (PNP) in Western Visayas has set up two hotlines where Ilonggos can use directly to call and report abuses committed by organic PNP members, especially those involved in illegal drugs.
Because some lawmen are still in cahoots if not directly involved in criminal activities, the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6), headed by Chief Superintendent John Bulalacao, has to belabor creating the hotlines for the organization’s bad eggs instead of using the hotlines directly for Ilonggos to report certain criminal activities unfolding or about to unfold in the communities.

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If only all the Filipino cops are honest and well-disciplined, the two PRO-6 hotline numbers 09989673651 and 09985629523 would be used to accommodate only calls or text messages from Good Samaritans or “concerned citizens” to track down the real lawbreakers wearing civilian cloths, not a police uniform.
The fact that the hotlines were established purposely for the rogue cops means the PNP has acknowledged that the serpents in paradise and the snakes in the forest have not been totally stamped out within the ranks.

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I have accepted the invitation of Viber to participate in its World Football Chatbot.
As a “participant”, I get daily match reminders, predict results, collect points and challenge my friends during the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia from June 14 to July 15.
And if “I want to make it interesting”, I can take part in the global competition and win daily prizes for spot-on predictions.
If I am lucky to earn most points I can win the grand prize: VIP tickets and trip to see FC Barcelona vs Real Madrid in Spain. Wow.
Because I was interested, I agreed to tap “Yes, I agree” to accept terms and enter the prize winning competition.

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For a start, in the matches scheduled on June 22, I picked Brazil over Costa Rica with a score of 1-0 in Group E; Nigeria over Iceland with a score of 1-0 in Group D; Serbia over Switzerland with a score of 2-0 also in Group E.
Also, in the matches scheduled on June 23, I picked Belgium over Tunisia (1-0) in Group G; Korea Republic and Mexico a draw (0-0) in Group F; Germany over Sweden (1-0) also in Group F.
I am not a Nostradamus of soccer, but I hope I’ll win. Good luck to me.

Imagine if Filipinos were the ones who upset Germany

“The first World Cup I remember was in the 1950 when I was 9 or 10 years old. My father was a soccer player, and there was a big party, and when Brazil lost to Uruguay, I saw my father crying.”
--Pele

By Alex P. Vidal

NEW YORK CITY -- Imagine if it were the Filipino soccer players who pulled the rug from under the 2018 FIFA World Cup defending champion Germany in the group stage opener on Saturday morning (June 17) in Moscow, Russia.
"Dutertards" and "Yellowtards" would have instantly halted their mudslinging activity; Filipino Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages would have been inundated with soccer melodrama; and delirious Filipino fans would have caused not only a minor but major “earthquake” simultaneously in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao like what happened in Mexico when the underdog Mexicans upset the mighty Germans, 1-0, courtesy of Hirving Lozano.
Some of the heroic Pinoy soccer players would easily be clinching elective positions in the next elections.
A soccer player would likely be the next Senate President or House Speaker. Only in the Philippines.
Any win registered by any country in a World Cup match actually becomes a national festival even if it isn’t a championship; the booters are considered as real celebrities and heroes.
Soccer itself is a mystical sport. 

FIFA World Cup is the biggest and most popular outdoor sporting event known in the universe.

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If the Philippines did it, offices and classes would be suspended; traffic would be halted; politics would be thrown in the backseat; stock exchange trading would be held in abeyance, crimes would deteriorate; malls would be abandoned as the entire nation celebrated the World Cup stunner.
The Filipinos would have rejoiced like they won their first Olympic gold.
But I’m sorry to cut short this fantasy and vainglory.
Winning against a powerhouse team like Germany is like bordering on megalomania.
In the first place, the Philippines can’t play against any soccer superpower in America and Europe in a World Cup match for the simple reason that the national team has never been qualified for FIFA World Cup despite its reputation as one of the oldest national teams in Asia.
The Philippines has been playing at the international level since 1913, but the farthest that it has achieved, so far, was having been qualified in the AFC Asian Cup in 2019.

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The Filipinos’ best finish in a major tournament was second place to Palestine at the 2014 AFC Challenge Cup.
We can only share the great moments with the Mexicans who resemble like Filipinos in height, talent and other physical features.
It was only Mexico’s second win against Germany in 12 World Cup matches since 1968.
The Germans bundled them out six times and drawn their matches four times.
It’s a long way to go and Germany can either bounce back and win its second title or Mexico will continue its giant killing spree or even pocket its first World Cup crown.
Or both of them will be eliminated.
Let’s continue to enjoy watching more explosive World Cup matches.