Garin loses bargaining chips with Janette's appointment in DOH

“I don’t wanna talk about things we’ve gone through. Though it’s hurting me, now it’s history. I’ve played all my cards. And that’s what you’ve done, too. Nothing more to say; no more ace to play.” ABBA in “The Winners Takes It All”

By Alex P. Vidal

NOW that Dr. Janette Loreto-Garin has been officially appointed by President Simeon Benigno “Nonoy” Aquino III as secretary of the Department of Health (DOH), father-in-law Oscar “Oca” Garin Sr. loses his political bargaining chips in the 2016 elections.

When Mr. Aquino delayed Loreto-Garin’s appointment (he was supposed to install her after the visit of Pope Francis in January), there were speculations that the president “has changed mind” as he is now notoriously known to do.

February came and still Loreto-Garin and her fans were anxiously waiting on tenterhooks; her fate wasn’t clear.

The scuttlebutt was the “dark forces” within the department prevailed upon the president to forego with Loreto-Garin’s appointment as DOH chief and retain her as undersecretary.

Lo and behold, Malacanang delivered the coup de grace on March 12 when everyone’s attention was somewhere else: Loreto-Garin is now officially the new full-fledged DOH secretary.

Good news for the Garin clan of Iloilo and the Loreto clan of Leyte.  

How about to the older Garin’s political plans in 2016?

Garin Sr., father of Loreto-Garin’s husband, Iloilo first district Rep. Oscar “Richard” Garin Jr., is reportedly planning to run for vice governor of Iloilo in 2016.

UNCLEAR

It is still unclear though, as of this writing, whether Governor Arthur “Art” Defensor Sr. is inclined to accommodate a fellow Liberal Party (LP) stalwart Garin Sr. as Defensor’s runningmate in 2016.

Garin Sr. could have used the delay or rejection of Loreto-Garin’s appointment in the DOH as a bargaining chip to compel Malacanang to consider him as Defensor’s runningmate in 2016, or he will make tampo or sunggod and bolt the party and embrace the opposition owing to the “double whammy” (if Loreto-Garin didn’t bag the DOH’s top portfolio and the nomination as Defensor’s runningmate).

Now that Loreto-Garin’s appointment is moot and academic, Garin Sr. has no more reason to make tampo or sunggod  to Malacanang or to the LP hierarchy.

A political debt of gratitude today could mean a death blow to any ambition for higher posts in the future.

If Garin Sr. can’t clinch LP’s vice gubernatorial slot in Iloilo, he has no more aces in his sleeves to pressure President Aquino and the LP bigwigs.

We have given your daughter-in-law the biggest pork. Leave to us the beans, Malacanang and the LP bosses can always tell Oca Garin straight in the eyes.

After all, beggars can’t be choosers.

-o0o-

THE claim of West Visayas State University (WVSU) professor, Ma. Rosario Victoria E. De Guzman, that some college students, mostly below legal age, are engaging in “survival sex” or prostitution to finish their studies, is not new.

Parents have heard this story in the 80’s and 90’s and even in the early years of the new millennium.

Each time the issue is tackled in the media, school authorities and social scientists have always blamed the economic dilemma that bedevils the students involved in selling their bodies for sex.

We agree to some extent. There really is a need to seriously address this gnawing problem with the active participation of the parents.

Economic realities force students to perform lewd acts in the internet and sexual services to patrons who take advantage of their plight.

Concerned authorities should trace the problem’s origin at home.

Financial problem may not be the only reason why some young students engage in prostitution.

Many members of the younger generation nowadays are hooked on a lot of vices and even illegal drugs.

ATTENTION

They need not only money but attention, as well. Attention from their parents, guardians and guidance counselors; attention from their friends, boyfriends and girlfriends.

In their confusion, some of these young students get the “quickest” and the “most practical” answers to their questions about their sexuality from non-experts or from those outside their homes and schools.   

Here’s another catch: Ninety-nine percent of “experts” in the sexual problems of women never had a menstrual period, a hot flash, or a baby—and never will, according to Dr. David Reuben, an expert in human sexuality.

“In fact they will never have any female sexual experiences at all—because they are men,” he added.

Premature campaign soliloquy

“Never do today what you can do tomorrow. Something may occur to make you regret your premature action.” Aaron Burr

By Alex P. Vidal

THE constant power blackouts experienced by residents of Iloilo City these past weeks didn't augur well with the metropolis’ forthcoming hosting of the two Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) ministerial meetings in September and October this year.

In 1993, when the Panay Electric Company (PECO) sought for a renewal of its franchise for another 25 years, a feisty cooperative group threatened to block PECO’s application if it could not assure the local consumers of a sustained and uninterrupted power supply for the next 25 years.

The cooperative group’s swashbuckling opposition came to a screeching halt when the power firm’s application for renewal of franchise went on a smooth sailing in the Iloilo City Council and in the House of Representatives.

Now that Iloilo City is in the thick of preparation for the important international confabs, PECO is giving the Ilonggos legitimate reasons to be jittery by the off and on power blackouts.

-o0o-

IT’S very apparent that June Mondejar is using his power and privilege as a member of the Iloilo Provincial Board to get undue advantage in his vitriol against Iloilo second district Rep. Arcadio “Cadio” Gorriceta.

If Mondejar did not reveal his intention to run against Gorriceta in 2016, people would not suspect that he was already launching a premature campaign assault to disparage the neophyte congressman from Pavia, Iloilo.

In his privilege speech on Tuesday’s regular session of the Iloilo Provincial Board, Mondejar scored Gorriceta for claiming credits in the implementation of various infrastructure projects in the second district of Iloilo by placing his name on the billboards.

Mondejar, a former mayor of New Lucena, bewailed: “When the old box culvert at Sayang, Baclayan in New Lucena was replaced with new box culvert with a bigger cross-sectional area, there was a printed name of a congressman. People believe or agree that it is his project because of the billboard. But, is it really his project? What effort did he exert so that this project was implemented on that part of the second district? Do not lie. Be honest.”

Since the speech was neither an expose involving an anomalous transaction and misuse of public funds, nor an inquiry on questionable deals “in aid of legislation”, Mondejar’s speech sounded like a premature campaign soliloquy.

If Gorriceta will also use his privilege hour in congress to blast Mondejar as a tit-for-tat, public service will derail.

If Mondejar wants to devote his time attacking his future rival for a congressional seat in the second district of Iloilo, he must resign as a board member and buy a radio blocktime program at a risk of electioneering.

A privilege speech in any legislative body—local or national--should not be wasted and exploited to launch a political assault and promote a political agenda.

-o0o-

  

ILOILO provincial administrator, Dr. Raul Banias, is reportedly being prepared to spoil former Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) administrator Oscar “Oca” Garin Sr’s bid to become vice governor in 2016.

No serious contender against Gov. Arthur “Art” Defensor Sr. has been spotted in Iloilo’s gubernatorial radar in 2016 except, perhaps, perennial loser Toto Serapio Camposano (Independent).

Thus all eyes are in 2019 when Defensor will be prevented by the constitution from seeking a fourth term.

The hypothesis is that Defensor will walk away unscathed for his third and last term in 2016.

As a matter of strategy, anyone who wants to be remembered by voters in 2019 must secure a mandate in 2016 as the next three years will be crucial for name recall.

Garin Sr., an astute political strategist, must have anticipated this.

He is aware that former Iloilo fourth district congressman, Dr. Ferjenel Biron, has been patiently waiting for Defensor’s three terms to expire in 2019 and shoot for the slammer.

If Garin Sr. won’t make his move earlier, the well-rested and well-oiled Biron will decimate him.

Garin has been reportedly trying to inch his way to Defensor’s graces in a hope to secure the dream Defensor-Garin tandem in 2016.

If he wins as vice governor, Garin will be a breath away from the office of the governor.

As Vice Governor Garin, he will have leverage over his rivals, including Biron, for governor in 2019.

But it appears Defensor isn’t yet ready for a political marriage with Garin Sr. although they both belong in the Liberal Party.

The grapevine says Defensor is eyeing Banias, not Garin Sr. as his runningmate in 2016.

Probing cops is like probing Dracula for his love of blood

“It's kind of fun to do the impossible.” Walt Disney

By Alex P. Vidal

WE know that Dracula loves to drink blood, thus we shouldn’t be shocked anymore why he wants to be employed in the blood bank.

We will only investigate, of course, if he was hired as security guard in the blood bank even if he didn’t conceal in his bio-data that he was Dracula, the bloodsucker.

Only hypocrites will claim they don’t know that gambling and other illegal activities exist.

The worst hypocrites are those who argue that no cop, public official and even media practitioner is in the payola of operators of illegal activities.

While we understand the knee-jerk reaction of Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) director, Senior Superintendent Cornelio Salinas, on the sweeping allegations made by former Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) administrator Oscar “Oca” Garin Sr. against some police chiefs and municipal mayors in the first district of Iloilo, we can’t help but quip, “Hello. You don’t know really, sir?”

Salinas wants to investigate Garin’s claims that some of the police chiefs in that district have been getting a regular payola or protection racket from illegal gambling operators.

“Worried” Salinas wants an immediate housecleaning so he can separate the chaffs from the grains under his command.

SUPERIORS

We support him. We believe in his sincerity.

But Salinas should first ask to investigate his superiors in Camp Delgado, Iloilo City and even those in Camp Crame, Quezon City or all the way up to the PNP hierarchy.

The first personnel in these headquarters who will claim they are unaware there are cops who receive payola from illegal gambling operators, should be sent to Mindanao to avenge the massacre recently of 44 PNP-Special Action Force troopers by Muslim separatists.

“Pa-imbestigahan naton ang ginhambal ni congressman (Oscar) Garin. I-find out naton kon paano naton ma-substantiate,” said Salinas.

He said police chiefs should come up with an operational review of what they have done in the illegal gambling campaign of the PNP.

Let’s call spade a spade.

Without police protection, gambling, as well as other illegal activities, won’t prosper.

RACKET

Protection racket means some cops pretend they see nothing, hear nothing, know nothing about gambling activities taking place in their areas in exchange for regular or monthly payola.

Offers from gambling operators are too tempting to be ignored.

Sources say a provincial police director in Luzon gets a monthly payola of P500,000.

To be honest, we have no idea how much these illegal gambling operators dangle for regional police directors and the city and municipal police directors in the Visayas and Mindanao.

But a corrupt police officer assigned in a municipal and district sub-station will consider it peanuts to get only P10,000 a month.

We believe there are still honest police chiefs and rank-and-file cops; and they are still in the majority.

We also believe that Salinas is among those honest PNP officials, based on the words from our beat reporters when we were still with the other community newspapers in the 90’s.

INCREDIBLE

We also find it incredible if all municipal mayors and even members of the municipal council will claim they are clean like Caesar’s wife in as far as illegal gambling is concerned.

We have the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the League of Municipalities to discipline local officials who are “on the take” and to police their ranks.

With or without Garin’s “expose”, it’s the duty and obligation of lawmen, local chief executives and members of media to stop and expose evil in society.

And illegal gambling activity is one of those evils because it further impoverishes the people and teaches them to be lazy.

It’s not anymore a question whether the problem exists.

The question is what have we done to expose it, solve and fight it, and nip it in the bud?

Garin’s nitpicking: No names, no glory

“We can't have full knowledge all at once. We must start by believing; then afterwards we may be led on to master the evidence for ourselves.” Thomas Aquinas

By Alex P. Vidal

THE so-called “bombshell” uncorked by former Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) administrator Oscar “Oca” Garin Sr. against several unnamed municipal mayors and police chiefs in the first district of Iloilo who supposedly “received” a regular payola or protection money from illegal gambling operators, was a dud.

Because Garin didn’t name names and failed to show the Provincial Board even a tiny piece of paper or document that contains his evidence, he only succeeded in besmirching the reputations of the municipal mayors and the police chiefs in that district.

Such a sweeping statement was uncalled for and wasn’t expected from someone of Garin’s stature.

What Garin said during the Provincial Board’s out-of-town session in Guimbal, Iloilo on January 27 can be considered as hearsay or unverified, unofficial information gained or acquired from another and not part of one's direct knowledge.

It can be dismissed as a saber-rattling by a powerful political personality with agenda he alone knows.  

It was the kind of “information” we all regularly hear from the gossip mills.

It was the kind of gossip we regularly hear from the kapehan and barber shops.

Nothing was new.

KNOWLEDGE

It’s public knowledge that gambling and other illegal activities exist.

It’s common knowledge that some cops (not just their superior officers), public officials (not just municipal mayors), and even some media personalities (bogus and active) are “on the take.”

But because we lack the evidence or we don’t have sufficient information to back it up, we don’t say it in formal sessions; we can’t just slander anyone and get away with it.

Laura is a known prostituted woman because she accommodates male clients for sex for livelihood.

That’s a common knowledge in the neighborhood.

But nobody saw Laura having sex and receiving money from the male clients.

No client made a sworn statement that he went to bed with Laura.

If we announce in public that Laura is a prostitute, we’ll end up in jail if Laura files a slander or oral defamation case.

According to some lawyers, “truth is not a defense in a libel case.”

Going back to Garin, a former congressman who is the acknowledged patriarch of politics in the first district of Iloilo, his allegations were bereft of merits if presented in a formal court.

COURT

In the court of public opinion where politicians bring their cases attended usually by pomposity and blunderbuss, “crusader” Garin is a hero.

When we fight the devil, we don't need to convince the public of our casus belli or case for war.

Municipal mayors and police chiefs who felt alluded to in the “expose” and who think they were unjustly crucified, can always run after Garin in a formal complaint (granting they have the guts to collide with this political demigod).

But still, Garin can easily wiggle out from any legal trouble because, in the first place, he didn’t name names.

No one can coerce him to confess his sources and specify his facts–unless he is being tried by the Catholic Inquisition.

A witty and grizzled politician for 30 years, Garin can easily attract media attention even if he will claim that a stray dog has bitten him.

Never mind if it was not him who bit the stray dog.

In the court of justice, Garin’s nitpicking will collapse.

Did Loreto-Garin inherit top post of graft-ridden DOH?

“Money and corruption are ruining the land. Crooked politicians betray the working man, pocketing the profits and treating us like sheep, and we're tired of hearing promises that we know they'll never keep.” Ray Davies

By Alex P. Vidal

IS the Department of Health (DOH) a goldmine?

Indeed nobody walks a saint in government service.

Some of the appointed officials we thought to be doyens of public service turn out to be crooks themselves and no better than some corrupt elected officials.

Both elected and appointed public officials have always been tempted and tainted by the glitters of gold in the public treasury.

With the alleged involvement of Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Enrique Ona and Assistant Secretary Eric Tayag in the so-called “DOH vaccines mess”, it’s doubtful if Ona, on leave since October 29, will be back in his post soon.

If he has delicadeza, Ona should quit.

Ditto for Tayag, who thinks people will just forget his misdemeanors if he dances like a bloated clown.

Acting Secretary Janette Loreto-Garin remains to be one of the only few DOH bigwigs with immaculate record.

So far, Loreto-Garin has been doing a fine job as acting secretary for almost three weeks now.

We hope she maintains this reputation now that her fellow DOH officials appear to be heading to the Hall of Shame.

INVESTIGATION

Unknown to most of us, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has been investigating since June the DOH's purchase of expensive vaccines in 2012 despite a recommendation to buy more cost-effective ones.

This was confirmed by Justice Secretary Leila de Lima who disclosed on November 10 that the NBI has been conducting an investigation into the procurement by the DOH of Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine 10 (PCV 10).

This is reportedly “contrary to the recommendation of the National Center for Pharmaceutical Access and Management (NCPAM), the Formulary Executive Council (FEC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) which recommended PCV 13 which is said to be more cost-effective.”

The 2012 procurement for the vaccines was reportedly upon the "direction" of Tayag and "made possible by a certificate of exemption issued by Secretary Ona."

DOCTOR

If DOH is graft-ridden, Loreto-Garin, a doctor by profession and originally from Baybay, Leyte before she became Iloilo first district representative from 2004-2013, has a lot of adjustments to do.

For sure she is still being surrounded by some subalterns whose reputation reeks with suspicions of dishonesty owing to the culture that permeates the DOH.

Even if Ona and Tayag will be given the boot (which is doubtful given the snail pace of investigation on officials charged with graft and corruption in this country), there are still remnants of scoundrels in the department.

No one can underestimate the tentacles of corrupt officials in any government office nationwide.

Loreto-Garin, 42, trained in Obstetrics and Gynecology, can save the DOH from the abyss with her pristine record in public service that dates back when she became Iloilo provincial board member in 2001.

APPOINT

She was appointed by President Noynoy Aquino as undersecretary on women, children and family health last year.

Although the grapevine says her appointment was an offshoot of a political horse-trading among Liberal Party (LP) giants (Tupas and Garinc clans) in Iloilo, Loreto-Garin’s qualifications as a three-termer solon where she pressed for the Cheaper Medicines Act, the Reproductive Health Bill, Amendment to the Physicians Act, among other health measures, reportedly gave weight to her appointment in the DOH.

With her family’s vast wealth, Loreto-Garin does not need to steal.

She comes from a rich family in Leyte and her husband, Iloilo first district Rep. Richard Garin, is a multi-millionaire son of a billionaire semi-retired politician, Oscar Garin, Sr., the political kingpin of Iloilo’s first district that comprises the municipalities of Oton, Tigbauan, Guimbal, Miag-ao, Tubungan, Igbaras, and San Joaquin.

Garin, Valencia ‘no’ votes reek of 2016

“Men often oppose a thing merely because they have had no agency in planning it, or because it may have been planned by those whom they dislike.” Alexander Hamilton

By Alex P. Vidal

We don’t kick a person who is already down and politics is addition.

These could be the two wisdom or schools of thoughts behind the nay votes registered by Iloilo first district board members Ninfa Garin and Dennis Valencia during the voting September 15 whether to uphold the decision of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (provincial board) committee of the whole to suspend Maasin Mayor Mariano Malones.

The committee found Malones “guilty of simple misconduct” and slapped him with a three-month suspension last September 8.

This was in connection with the complaint filed by dismissed Maasin municipal assistant human resources officer, Elsa Maternal.

When the committee report was tackled for approval, only Garin and Valencia voted not to uphold it.

Those who voted to uphold the committee findings suspending Malones were board members Demetrio Sonza, June Mondejar, Carmen Rita Monfort-Bautista, Emmanuel Gallar, Jesus Salcedo, Jeneda Salcedo-Orendain, Paulino Pari-an and Niel Tupas III.

INHIBIT

Those who inhibited from the voting were board members Licurgo Tirador and Shalene Palmares-Hidalgo.

We have a message for Tirador and Palmares-Hidalgo: The hottest place in hell is reserved for those who refuse to make a stand in times of great moral or political conflict.

While we respect their stand, we find it illogical for Tirador and Palmares-Hidalgo to remain neutral since the provincial board had already approved the committee findings and all that was needed was for them to uphold or reject it.

Neutrality has no place in the committee findings voting.

Meanwhile, other reason for Garin’s and Valencia’s no votes could be political.

Garin’s husband, Oscar Sr., is rumored to be eyeing the gubernatorial post in 2016.

They can’t afford to relinquish the vote-rich Maasin as well as the other towns in the third district where Malones is popular.

When they cast their votes last September 15, Garin and Valencia probably were looking beyond Malones’ suspension.

Malones now owes them a “debt of gratitude” and any payback, if ever the votes had political strings attached, will be settled in the 2016 elections.

Since Malones’ suspension is only for three months, he will still be there when Oscar Garin Sr., or any member of the Garin dynasty, will woe the voters of the third district in 2016.

FEARS

Also, there are fears that Malones’ feud with Board Member Manny Gallar might escalate.

Malones may have lost the provincial board war but the battle with Gallar isn’t yet over.

Before the provincial board rendered a verdict last September 9, Malones and Gallar were locked in a heated verbal tussle with the mayor accusing the board member of maintaining “ghost employees.”

Malones could not forgive his former political ally for supposedly influencing his fellow board members to decide against the mayor’s favor, an accusation vehemently denied by Gallar.

The board members convened as a committee of the whole chaired by Vice Governor Raul Tupas to declare Malones “guilty of simple misconduct”.

The bigger battle is supposed to be Malones’ allegations of “ghost employees” against Gallar.

The accusation did not come from an outsider. It came from someone who knows where the bodies are buried, so to speak.

Malones is also a former board member and is familiar with the culture of hiring casual workers in the provincial board.

DISPUTE

Gallar has never categorically disputed Malones’ charges, but fired back at Malones by claiming that the mayor also had his own “ghost employees” in Maasin.

It appears that nobody from the provincial capitol is interested to tackle Malones’ allegations against Gallar.

Malones did not just whisper to any Tom, Dick and Harry his attacks. He announced them over radio RMN-Iloilo.

Did Malones accidentally unload a bombshell against the entire provincial board?
Tupas and the other board members should conduct a motu propio investigation on the “ghost employees” brouhaha so that the people will not think that they, too, are maintaining their own “ghost employees” and are deliberately playing deaf and blind on Malones’ muckraking.