A major first in rice smuggling

Most Filipinos already believe that smuggling cases brought to court or the government prosecutors end up with "areglo." In short, they don’t expect anything positive since rice smugglers are usually well-connected.

Negrenses, however, were in for a surprise. On Thursday, the Ombudsman Visayas dismissed 13 government officials for alleged involvement in the July 2001 rice smuggling case in Masao Port in Butuan City. That reminded them of a similar case in the Bacolod Reclamation Area a few years back, which was foiled by the 303rd Brigade.

Although the incident happened in Masao Port, it gaveNegrenses hope that somehow those involved in the Bacolod rice smuggling will be up for judgement soon, too.

The dismissed were Customs Collectors Diego Odchimar and Customs Police Jose Patriana Sr.

The others included Senior Superintendent Efren Anggo, Superintendent Felix Gonzales, Chief Inspector Reynaldo Batoon, Inspector Adriano Bustillo, Senior Police Officers Domingo Lucero Jr., PO3 Ignacio Espina, PO2 Jessie Doce and Jeffrey Juamawan, PO1 Nestor Almeda, all detailed at the Philippine Coast Guard.

Terminal manager Edgardo Tidalgo, of the Philippine Ports Authority, was also covered by the same order.

Worse, the anti-graft agency also cancelled the service eligibility of the 13 officials so that they can no longer hold any government position. They were also deprived of the privilege of receiving their retirement benefits.

The Ombudsman’s decision, however, can still be appealed before the Civil Service Commission or the courts.

The National Bureau of Investigation investigated the case, which it submitted to the Ombudsman. This involved the smuggled rice aboard MV Rodeo at Masao Port. The rice shipment were undocumented by the National Food Authority. The rice were later smuggled outside the country purportedly through the connivance of the 13 officials.

The Bureau of Customs, the PNP, the Philippine Coast Guard and the PPI were furnished copies of the order by Ombudsman Simeon Marcelo for implementation.

At least, that’s one major smuggling case decisively addressed by the Ombudsman.

One Island, One Region

The one-island, one-region proposal for Negros died a few years back despite the snowballing popularity of the idea. Something funny happened during the weekend. It was revived – at least the possibility was tinkered with – with the completion of the P14.5 million bridge linking Baywan City of Negros Oriental and Kabankalan City of Negros Occidental by the 53rd Engineering Brigade of the Philippine Army.

The actual construction was handled by the 542nd Engineering Construction Battalion. The funding for the project was contributed by four local government units and the Philippine Army.

It was started in May last year and completed two months ahead of schedule, according to Lt. Col. Alexis Tumondog. It has been dubbed as the "Friendship Bridge."

Negros Oriental Gov. Geor Arnaiz said this "one of a kind bridge" will benefit thousands of farmers from both Baywan City and Kabankalan in Negros Occidental.

Negros Occidental Gov. Joseph Maranon, on the other hand, said the bridge seals the brotherhood between the people of Negros Occidental and Oriental.

Occidental Vice Gov. Isidro Zayco also called it the MASZA Bridge to remember those responsible for the construction – Maranon, Arnaiz, Sarana, and Zayco. Zayco refers to Kabankalan City Mayor Pedro Zayco, while Sarana is Baywan City Mayor German Sarana.

The Sagumaynon-Villa Progress Bridge completion also spurred Mayor Zayco to reveal that he and Ayungon (Negros Oriental) officials will soon talk about the proposed construction of another bridge that will connect the Negros Oriental town and Barangay Carol-An of Kabankalan City.

He also revealed that Kabankalan City had spent an additional P2.5 million to pave the road approaching both the west and east side of the Friendship Bridge.

Travel time between the two cities is said to have been reduced by at least an hour. More importantly, it facilitates the transfer of goods and commodities between the two provinces.

On the conversion of Negros Island into a single region, the Visayan Daily STAR pointed out that the completion of the project "manifests the soundness and practically of that proposal."

It added that the military involvement "is yet another symbol of what collaboration and mutual support can accomplish."

The military just found itself triggering a political movement that may still prove successful this time – the one-island, one-region concept.

P16-M Port Dredging

Sometimes, as I had earlier said, there are many government projects that escape our notice despite their obvious impact later on the lives of people and the development of a community.

One of these, I recently cited the P16-million Daan Banwa Port in Victorias City, some 36 kilometers North of Bacolod.

City Engineer Marilou Soriano said the project was funded from local government revenues.

The dredging project will eventually solve the perennial flood problem of the Victorias Port and will environmentally, economically and socially benefit the community.

It stretches two kilometers from the mouth at Guimaras Strait and will deepen the river by 2.5 meters and widen it by four meters also.

The port was earlier used by the Victorias Milling Company in bringing sugar from the mill and refinery to Metro Manila. This was, however, stopped in 1998 when it became too shallow for use.

The Daan Banwa Port, Engineer Soriano pointed out, serves as the major link between northern Negros Occidental and the Port of Ajuy in Iloilo. It serves as the entry point of various products from Iloilo and other key areas in Panay and can reduce commuter time between Culasi and Ajuy and Victorias.

Victorias City Mayor-elect Severo Palanca hailed the project, which was initiated by former Mayor Remedios Bantug, as one that will impact on the lives of the people of Daan Banwa and Victorias City.

Victorias is one of the fastest-growing cities in Negros Occidental Province. The port dredging, if completed by the end of the month, will definitely impact on the future of the city.

* * *

ADDENDA. The Peace Advocates of Negros (PAN) has asked President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to stop the continued existence of the Revolutionary Proletarian Army (RPA-ABB) training camps and their continued violation of the law. This post that recent rifle grenade premature explosion that wounded 16 persons in Barangay Villacin in Cadiz City. That incident, the PAN claimed, "exposed a Pandora’s box of infractions and violations of the peace agreement" between the government and the RPA, election laws and the Constitution. Even Negros Occidental Gov. Joseph Maranon last week asked the PNP to investigate if the RPA had indeed violated the Comelec gun ban. Copies of the PAN letter were also sent to Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Teresita Quintos-Deles Soliman, Defense Secretary Eduardo Ermita and several others, including Bishop Vicente Navarra and Bishop Dinualdo Gutierrez of the Episcopal Commission on Social Action, Justice and Peace... The Bacolod police threw more men into the investigation of the murder of Zynthia Recabe, a retired school teacher and wife of retired Col. Edwin Recabe of the National Police Commission. Her body was found near the HNA housing site in Barangay Pahanocoy Village Friday morning. There were indications, according to Senior Inspector Augusto Buenaventura, that she had been tortured. Police believe that it may have been in an effort to ask her to reveal the pin of the various ATMs in her bag. Col. Recabe joined the police in asking witnesses to the killing of his wife to come forward... On Thursday, a small group of 50 Negrenses, who bonded to form the Movement Against Electoral Fraud, staged a mini-protest at the Bacolod Plaza. Antonio Gamboa, a supporter of presidential aspirant Fernando Poe Jr. and convenor of the group, claimed that some of the certificates of canvass were tampered and do not reflect the true will of the people. However, commuters did not mind them.