Coffee, tea, or me

Beware HR departments! Our Eye-spy uncovered a thriving blackmail scam that victimizes married elderly businessmen with good reputations and considerable financial success. The MO is really quite simple: An attractive young woman in her twenties responds to an ad for secretary or receptionist, clinches the job, and after a week, creates a scene and bursts into tears in front of other employees, claiming that she was sexually harassed by her employer. Because there are never any eyewitnesses, she can make up any story she wants, like the harassment happened while she was taking dictation, serving him coffee, handing over some documents, or whatever scenario involving the employer. The young woman then declares that she has connections with the NBI, and will file a case against her employer and call on fellow employees to testify. Thug-like characters claiming to be NBI agents would pay the poor businessman a visit and terrorize or blackmail him into paying hush money. Some Rotary Club members as well as foreign businessmen have been victimized by this scam, who all ended up paying to seedy characters named Rommel and Zaldoh just to avoid the hassle. The NBI should look into this, and if it’s true that unscrupulous agents are involved, hang them by their thumbs.

Romancing Jezebel, Part 2

To continue with the hot-blooded Congressman Omega Man’s tale from last time, what he doesn’t know is that PR Jezebel even brought home a golf set for the RTC judge as a pasalubong after her trip to the US a couple of months ago. Jezebel had previously applied for a US visa but was denied. However, she was able to obtain one because she had a guarantee letter from the Omega Man when she reapplied. In fact, she even had his passport attached to her papers, which she deposited with the US Embassy. Jezebel denies her involvement with the judge but our Eye-spy says a red plate vehicle registered under an Ilocos RTC branch fetched her from the airport and dropped her off to their Pasig lovenest. The judge also accompanied Jezebel and her kids to Baguio during Holy Week. Seems she’s not inclined to drop the judge for the Omega Man because the former is reportedly very generous, giving her an appliance showcase recently.

How To Be The Golden Snitch

"Mister Palengke" Sen. Mar Roxas is set to propose reforms in the Unexplained Wealth Act that will make it rewarding to snitch. Kohoutek Antonius, our Senate mole, reported that Roxas believes that if the government can reward informants whose tip leads to big drug busts, then surely the government can also reward those who report on officials with unexplained wealth. Under Republic Act 1379, an official’s "grossly disproportionate" asset is presumed to have been illicitly acquired unless proven otherwise. Roxas’ proposal, which has yet to be finalized, will allocate a portion of the reward money to the Office of the Ombudsman to be used for the anti-corruption drive. "If we invest P10 billion to fight corruption, and in the process we save P100 billion, then that’s a whopping tenfold return on investment," the freshman senator said. Now you don’t need Harry Potter to turn you into the Golden Snitch.

Binondo Bets On Pagdanganan

Fu Manchu, our top Binondo Eye-spy, reported that Filipino-Chinese business leaders recently sent a letter to GMA endorsing the reappointment of Secretary Obet Pagdanganan as Tourism Secretary. Citing the success of their current projects with the DOT, they wrote that Obet can "deliver the administration‚s tourism goals." A copy of the letter revealed that it was signed by Robinson Sy (FFCCI president), Donald Dee (PCCI EVP), Samie Lim (PRA chair emeritus), Alegria Limjoco (PFA president), Sergio Ortiz-Luis, Jr. (PECI, President), Miguel Varela (Philippines, Inc. President), Rene Soriano (ECOP President), and the president of the PCCI’s Foundation. With business leaders betting on Pagdanganan, GMA can expect private sector support to help make "a country as beautiful as the Philippines benefit most quickly from international tourism," as she bared in her major foreign policy speech last week.

Spy Tidbiz: Hysterical Victoria

Before you go into hysterics again, Victoria, The Philippine STAR and its publisher would like to inform you that they have always had the policy of allowing letters of replies and letters to the editor to be published. This, however, depends on the availability of space. As usual, your hurrah yesterday was a veritable case of fiction to deceive the public. Spinning does not and will never make you a Waltzing Matilda. Nice try, Cachupoy!

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