Peryahan workers avoid massive NBI raids

 By Mortz C. Ortigoza

DAGUPAN CITY – Before the joint task force of the National Bureau of Investigation struck gambling bet stations in Pangasinan,  personnel of the Peryahan ng Bayan (PnB) were able to take their materials, close their shops, and scamper away to avoid arrest.

According to a staff of its number game’s rival a franchisee of the Small Town Lottery (STL), before the enforcers of the NBI from this city, cities of Manila and Baguio, and provinces of Nueva Ecija and Pampanga launched their massive raid, all the betting stations of the PnB in the 44 towns and four cities’ Pangasinan closed shops and their employees absconded.

“Pinagtatanggal nila iyong mga tarpaulins nila na may pangalang Peryahan ng Bayan and my mga logos ng PCSO. Kung legal sila bakit nila tinangal at nagsipag taguan sila? Major Fajardo kung legal kayo bakit nagsitakbuhan ang mga tao ninyo?” an official, who asked for anonymity, STL’s Authorized Agent Corporation (AAC) Speed Game Inc. dished at former Army major Efren Fajardo whom he cited as the  administrator of PnB in Pangasinan.

Speed Game, Inc, a business rival of PnB, complained about the reduced monthly retail receipt (PMRR)  remitted to the Philippines Charity Sweepstakes Office in Manila because the latter illegally encourages bettors to play on its 1 to 38 number combination against the former 1 to 40 combination figures.

 Mandirigma Supporters, a Facebook account of former PCSO’s General Manager Alexander F. Balutan, blasted the leadership of the charity sweepstakes’ office under Chairman and Officer-in-Charge Anselmo Pinili and Board Members Marlon Balite, Sandra Cam, and Ike Seneres.

 “Bilyong-bilyong piso kada buwan ang nawawala ngayon sa PCSO dahil sa hindi magandang pamamahala sa ahensiya na sinasabayan pa ng matinding kurupsyon. Ang patunay?  Mula Enero hanggang Mayo 2019, 31.74 porsiyento ang ibinulusok ng benta ng Lotto kung ikumpara ito sa kaparehas na panahon noong 2018″.

ORTIGOZA: Mayor Agbayani seals the political coffin of arch-rival

San Fabian Mayor Constante “Danny” Agbayani buried perennial mayoralty rival Mojamito “Jaming” Libunao with massive lead votes that could probably end the lengthy political career of the lawyer and alumnus of the elite University of the Philippines’ College of Law and his former mayor wife Irene in the coastal first class town.

In the May 13 poll, the Commission on Election said that Agbayani walloped Libunao with 20, 145 votes’ or 50 percent margin in a comparison of 29, 872 and 9, 727 votes.

The soft-spoken but “education-deficient” Agbayani told me that the votes he garnered against his wedding godfather or witness was the biggest slam-bang compared to the two electoral collisions they had in 2013 and 2016 polls.

On my previous article I cited that in the 2013 and 2016 elections Agbayani got 18,681 and 24,383 votes while Libunao settled for 12,335 and 12,588, respectively.

The mayor however told me that the landslide he chalked up against the tall, aristocrat- looking, and sartorial elegant rival was the most expensive fight he had.

“It dwarfed my expenses in the first two elections. They were paltry compared to my expenses in the last election,” Agbayani, a businessman, and a protégée of outgoing Pangasinan Fifth District Congressman Amado T. Espino, Jr, told me.

When asked that he just sealed the political coffin of an elite schooled lawyer and ex- mayor despite his inferior education, Danny told me: “He can be an elite and I am a simple person but the voters gravitate to the person with whom  they could identify themselves”.

Son of a gun, I was impressed by that riveting remark!

In that May 2019 poll, Agbayani’s vice mayoralty tandem Noy De Guzman, a sub-contractor of Congressman Toff de Venecia, beat Dr. Maria Rolyn Gubatan who joined with Libunao. Both respectively garnered 21, 275 and 18, 269 votes,

***

In a conversation with a congressional candidate and a political operator himself how to win an election, this what he told me:

Exiting Dagupan mayor signs into law new PUJ route

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

DAGUPAN CITY – To ease up the traffic congestion here and to expand the route of public utility jeeps (PUJ), Mayor Belen T. Fernandez signed into law the resolution passed by the Sangguniang Panlungsod (legislature) .

According to Councilor Jeslito “Jigs” Seen, selected PUJs from the eastern part of this expanding city and those that hail from the three barangays in Bonuan that are barred by the coding system to enter city proper, will be allowed to ingress at the junctions near Silverios Restaurant in Arellano Street and near Jollibee in AB Fernandez Street.

SUSPECT

  Police guard Jeric Gonzales,23, the arrested prime suspect in the rape-slay of 18-year-old Bernadette Saplan in Dagupan City last June 16, at the Pangasinan police provincial office in Lingayen on June 18.CESAR RAMIREZ

Mayor Bobom bows out of office with humility

By Virgilio Sar. Maganes

URDANETA CITY- Outgoing Mayor Amadeo Gregorio “Bobom” Perez IV said he will leave the City Hall here with humility and light heart as he has devoted his nine years of service for the progress of the city.

This he said during the oath taking ceremonies of the newly elected officials of the city on June 22  held at the Urdaneta City Sports and Cultural Center.

He wished the new officials headed by Mayor-elect Julio “Rammy” Parayno III to be successful in administering the development of the city.

“ The election is over. Let’s respect the voice of the people. Let’s be united for the progress of the city. Mayor Rammy, you are the key to unite the people of Urdaneta. All of us should support the new administration,” Mayor Bobom said.

EDITORIAL: Itigil na ang paggamit ng mga plastic

Panahon na naman ng tag-ulan na magdudulot ng pagbaha. Kaakibat ng tag-ulan ay ang pagpasok ng mga bagyo na kung minsan ay mga mapinsala hindi lang sa kabuhayan ng mga mamamayan kundi pati na rin ang pagkitil ng buhay. Sabi nga ng mga bihasa sa panahon, totoo ang pagbabago ng klima (climate change) na hindi masyadong inaalintana ng mga tao.

Sa pagpasok ng tag-ulan, hindi maiiwasan ang pagbaha ng mga lugar dahil ang daluyan ng mga tubig ay nasasarhan ng mga basura lalong-lalo na ng mga plastic. Bagamat may mga ginagawang impormasyon na kung maaari ay ilagay ang mga ito sa mga dapat na paglagyan, talagang matigas ang mga pag-iisip ng mga tao. Kung saan-saan itinatapon ang mga plastic na sa panahon ng tag-ulan at pagbaha ay pumupunta sa mga estero, mga kanal, sa mga ilog at iba pang anyo ng tubig. Nagdudulot ito ng problema sa ating kapaligiran lalo na sa ating kalusugan.

MAGANES: Two faces of oath taking ceremonies

Last week, I was able to attend the oath taking ceremonies of the newly elected officials in Asingan town and Urdaneta City where I observed some differences on how the ceremonies were conducted. Before the ceremonies, it played on my mind that the focus of messages will be about political reconciliation and devoid of politics wrought by the mid term elections. The political ferment should have subsided and the newly elected officials should move on towards political healing and unite the people for a common cause and development agenda.

In Asingan, I appreciated the valedictory address of outgoing Mayor now elected as Vice Mayor Heidee Ganigan- Chua. She echoed her nine years accomplishments as the local chief executive of the town. She emphasized that behind all her accomplishments were due to the support given to her by the Asinganians and the Sangguniang Bayan headed by Vice Mayor now elected Mayor Carlos Lopez Jr. Her message was inspiring, reconciliatory in tone and evoked optimism for future development of the town, especially that it has already gained first class status. Hers was a message of hope for what’s in store for the Asinganians.

Estrella administers oath of elected officials of Asingan

By Virgilio Sar. Maganes

ASINGAN- Abono Partylist Rep. Conrad M. Estrella III sworn into office the newly elected officials here on June 21 held at the Mayor Francisco Sapigao Memorial Sports and Cultural Center.

The newly inducted officials were Mayor-elect Carlos Lope Jr., Vice Mayor-elect Heidee Ganigan-Chua, and Councilors-elect Athena Ira G. Chua, Marivic S. Robeniol, Mel F. Lopez, Johnny Mar A. Carig, Jesus . Pico, Mark F. Abella, Melchor J. Cardinez Sr. and Joselito Viray.

Estrella, in his message, thanked the Almighty and the people for winning again last election during which there were no untoward incidents.

Improve Lingayen, boost workers’ integrity – Bataoil

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

 LINGAYEN – The first order of day for the mayor-elect here when he assumes office at noon of June 30 is to repair the plaza, face lift the market place and boost the integrity of his public employees.

“Ang sinasabi ng taong bayan linisin ang Lingayen. Ang mukha kasi ng Lingayen buong plaza buong palengke at ang municipal government iyon mismong tanggapan. So sa akin gusto ko na e unite once and for all ang ating taong bayan,” former police general and newly elected mayor Leopoldo Bataoil of this capital town in Pangasinan said.

He lamented how he and his slate members were deprived to do their afternoon grand rally because of the knee level flood brought by a downpour.

“Ang lakas ng ulan tapos nagkaroon ng baha doon mismo at hanggang sa kalahating binte na but then the people stood their ground talagang nandoon sila nakatayo at nag cha- chant “Bataoil Bataoil Bataoil!”.

Mayor spends P20-M to aid VM

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

A reelective mayor spent P20 million not to ensure his victory but to give succor to his vice mayoralty tandem beleaguered by the vote buying resorted to by her rival in the recent poll.

“Iyong taga kabila namimili ng P250 per voter noong pakurong. Iyong vice mayor ko P250 kada botante ang kaya kaya binigyan ko ng P250 para P500 kontra sa P250 ng kalaban,” the mayor in Central Pangasinan told this writer.

He did it because his cash- strapped mayoral opponent did not resort to use money to win the hearts of the vulnerable voters.

“I spent P20 million because I gave two hundred pesos to sell myself to the voters and aided my vice mayor with another sum,” he said.

Both candidates are into big contracting business building infrastructure for the government.

 His ally in the gubernatorial race, the chief executive cited, gave him two hundred pesos to add to his two hundred pesos  per voter because his financially- constrained governorship rival did not challenge ingratiating tit-for-tat with the electorates in the first class town.

He said a provincial politician and a tycoon helped him buttress his electoral stocks with half a million pesos and eight hundred thousand pesos.

 “May mega project kasi iyong big time businessman dito sa amin kaya tinulungan niya ako,” he stressed.

The incoming last term soft-spoken former village chief said that in the election of 2013, 2016, and 2019 he spent P4 million, P7 million, and P20 million, respectively, against his perennial opponent who is a lawyer and an alumnus of a prestigious law university in the country.

“He is an elite and I am an ordinary person but in every election poor people gravitate to those who can connect with them that’s why I kept winning the election”.

Despite the tens of million pesos he spent he won in a P1.25 million wager.

“Partida pa nga sa sobrang confident ko plus two thousand votes iyong vice mayor nila one million pesos ang pustahan. Noong natapos ang bilangan panalo ng mahigit three thousand votes iyong manok ko kaya may one million pesos ako,” he sheepishly told this writer.

The mayor, who asked for anonymity, cited too that a pro Art Celeste, a governorship bet, who lived in Lingayen, Pangasinan challenged him with P250,000 bet. He said the bettor lost to him after the Commission on Election proclaimed Amado I. Espino III as the re-elective governor of Pangasinan with 781,307 votes against Celeste’s 582, 380 votes or a margin of 198, 927 votes or 14 percent lead votes.