LETTERS FROM THE AGNO
By March Fianza
LA TRINIDAD, Benguet -- Watch out for a change in schedule, but a public consultation for a proposed mall on the present market parking area, according to Mayor Greg Abalos, was set for May 12, Thursday. No time was specified but I believe it will start in the morning.
Most often, proponents do not properly announce schedules for public consultations so that the public will be confused. As a result, people who are not sure about a schedule will not be able to attend the next time another public hearing is set.
But that is what the proponents want. As much as possible they want that not so many people will be able to attend. As much as possible, the proponents want that those in attendance are on their side. The proponents along with their gang in the municipal government want lesser opposition to the construction.
These are people who “love” La Trinidad in other ways, that is – they want to help shape a “future” for La Trinidad, and will make it a point to be present in the public consultation and tell the proponents that they are in favor of the proposal to build a mall on the parking area.
Certainly, newspapers tell us about present-day public officials anywhere in the country who have successfully turned their positions into gainful money-making ventures. Some of them could have received something in exchange for “endorsements.” La Trinidad folks should not allow that to happen.
But that is all up to us if we allow public officials of that kind to be in government, especially those who came to live and survive in La Trinidad just a few decades back who are now masquerading as “doing public service.”
Anyway, the truth is they ran for public office not because of the perks, favors, fringe benefits and the “pagsay-atan and pakakitaan,” but they really “care” about La Trinidad. I am not naming anyone because every La Trinidad citizen knows who these “public officials” are.
On the other hand, there are true-blue La Trinidad boys and girls who feel bad about a misplaced mall on a people’s park. Km3 down to Km6 is too crowded now and traffic jams have become ordinary. What more with a big mall at the parking area by Halsema-Pico road intersection?
See you at the public consultation.
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Another confusing item that failed to catch the attention of past officials is the power of LGUs to collect taxes from institutions that have been making money out of contracts signed by them as tax-exempt entities and their profit-making partners.
In La Trinidad, the mayor who is also a lawyer is convinced that Benguet State University has not been paying the right taxes due to the host municipality when it started leasing its properties to private commercial establishments such as fastfood chains, banks, barber shops, a hotel, restaurants, wagwagan stalls, and other commercial buildings.
Mayor Abalos also believes that Beneco should pay certain forms of taxes to the municipality. All these, he said, will improve the municipal government’s financial status.
Talking about improving LT’s economic situation, Abalos, together with certain officials of the towns of Tublay and Sablan are thinking about “merging” together to boost each other’s potentials. But that is another story that newsmen can follow up with Abalos.
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One more matter that our lawmakers would want to know more about is why Ombudsman Merci Gutierrez resigned. But that is not what bothers me. What is confusing even to lawyers is why she allowed Gen. Carlos Garcia who was charged for plunder to plead guilty to a lesser offense while a plea bargain in relation to the plunder charge was still being heard in court.
Worst is, Garcia was also allowed to post bail with P60,000 only, even while the Sandiganbayan has not yet approved the plea bargain. There were also unconfirmed reports that a retired military officer helped Garcia gain freedom just so he does not let the cat out of the bag and name the people involved in his crime. The irregularity of Garcia’s plea bargain and bail raises serious confusion, especially among ordinary people including me.
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What could be more intriguing than confusing is the recent news about Osama Bin Laden’s “controversial death.” First, the American raiders said Osama put up a fight that is why he was killed. Later, a second report said he was unarmed.
When Muslims said on world TV that he could not have been killed because they did not see his body, the Americans said Osama’s body was taken into custody and was immediately buried at sea. Then later, news from Washington said, President Obama is deciding if they will show to the public the pictures of the remains of Osama. But then, Obama decides not to.
Some of the pictures, however, managed to slip under public camera and Muslims said they did not appear like Bin Laden’s.
The news items about Osama’s death appear to have brought justice, especially to the families of 2,977 victims of the “Nine-Eleven” attack, majority of whom were civilians, including nationals of over 70 countries, as gleaned from most news media interviews after the “shooting.”
But there are questions that remain unanswered. What is the truth behind Osama’s contentious killing? Where is the body? Pakistani’s ask why they were not consulted about the attack – which gives rise to suspicions that there was no Osama killing, etc.
And if the incident actually happened and Osama was unarmed, how come the raiders composed of war experts killed him – not maim him, when their bosses in Washington knew all along that capturing the “terrorist” leader alive was very important because of the information that they could squeeze from him.
Maybe if this was the “actual” scenario, instead of what the news says about what “really” happened, then this could result to more pogi points for Obama. Anyway, that, I think is the main reason for all the brouhaha. – marchfianza777@yahoo.com
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