The customs grapevine has several conflicting stories re the recent bodega fire at the Cebu International Port. However, the alleged involvement of men of former district collector Billy Bibit is plausible. DUring his time, a lot of swing operations at the CIP occured. The absence of these anomalous cargo would now be explained as due to the fire.
I expect the anti-GMA rallyists to go into a confrontation mode this afternoon to draw attention away from the President’s state of the nation address and seize the initiative, thus breaking the present political stalemate.
I think I can’t go tonight because I want to be hands on for the coverage of GMA’s Sona. But Superbalita will participate in tonight’s pageant finals of the Miss Barili 2005.
This is part of Superbalita’s promotion program that started with our support for the Miss Bogo 2005 during the town’s annual fiesta.
As in the Bogo stint, the group of entertainers include the Dos Pakatok dancers, the Sunstar mascot, and this year’s reigning Miss Superbalita
The CIDG attempt to apprehend two vans cleared by Customs and extort money incensed Cebu District Collector Lourdes Mangaoang. The CEbu collector has a point. Under the law, the CIDG has no business messing with shipments cleared by customs.
I gathered that the CIDG team initially wanted P50,000 but eventually settled for P15,000.
Curiously, it is not just the CIDG that is interested. The Mandaue City police apprehended one of the vans after it was released by the CIDG. They also want a piece of the customs pie.
Cebu City Hall closed down Halo REstobar because of alleged violations of the law. According to the bar grapevine however, the reason is different. A girl was reportedly the crush of an Osmeña. HOwever, she turned him down. Thus, the powerful resbak. hehehe.
In my column for tomorrow, i wrote that the current political controversy has entered a stalemate phase and each camp wants to gain the upperhand by mobilizing the bigger number. the opposition camp had their rally yesterday. i think this is part of the build-up for a much bigger push on july 25, 2005.
the gloria administration, on the other hand, is organizing a much bigger rally on saturday.
the opposition is trying to create a critical mass that will snowball into another mass uprising. the administration is trying to create a critical mass that will propel their cha-cha move forward.
i anticipate that on july 25, 2005, the day of gma’s state of the nation address, both camps will mobilize tens of thousands. i hope the police can maintain peace and order.
I found it ironic that the man who yanked out former district collector Billy Bibit from his Cebu customs post, former commissioner Bert Lina, also rebelled against President Arroyo.
NOw, both Bibit and Lina are in the same anti-GMA boat.
Former president Fidel V. Ramos is the biggest winner in among the political players in the current Philippine political crisis. Publicly, he is now known as the one who saved GMA at the height of last Friday’s Cabinet coup. He also got GMA’s active espousal of his charter change agenda.
Moreover, his men are back at the frontlines of Ate Glo’s Cabinet — like Claudio, Tiglao and Ermita who came out to defend GMA last Saturday. Other former generals are still in place. Expect some more FVR boys to move into the posts vacated by the Cabinet coup plotters.
Earlier, the Cabinet faction identified with FVR succeeded in getting Mike Arroyo and his group out of the power loop. (This coup should translate into reversals in policy in the Piatco issue …. hmmm let’s see …)
After all, FVR is the AM boy of Philippine politics. His support for a cause also means the US is going along with him.
But come to think of it, I believe Ramos was right in the midst of the core that stirred the current crisis against GMA. And this we saw when retired Gen. Fortunato Abat first emerged. (according to the grapevine, FVR attended a meeting regarding the GMA destabilization plan in Cagayan de Oro.)
COlleagues in media seem to be afraid of exposing material that came from a wiretap. HOwever, I figured that the CD recording of a conversation that suggested alleged P200,000 payoff in the DOJ reversal of a decision in the King versus Go case should be looked into. Thus, I wrote it in my column despite the risks. I think the issue is corruption and it is the public’s right to know these sheninigans.
Nevertheless, I figured that those in the tape would not admit that they were the ones recorded. If they will file a formal complaint against me, it means they admit being the ones on the recording.
Justice Chief Raul Gonzalez has ordered an investigation into alleged bribery involving the reversal of the DOJ ruling on the King v. Go kidnap case. The bribery talks arose when somebody distributed CDs here in Cebu and Manila re a wiretapped conversation between accused Roderick Go’s lawyer and Go’s parents.
