Smuggling issue: Congress 0; Smugglers 1

Didn’t we tell you that those so-called congressional hearings “In-aid-of-legislation” would result to nothing? Well it seems that the congressional hearing conducted by the Committee on Good Governance chaired by Rep. Pedro Romualdo (Camiguin) wasn’t able to convince or should I say “pressure” Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group (PASG) Chief Antonio Villar to reveal the supposed six influential names of people that were tagged as the major car smugglers using the Port of Cebu.

A few months back, we questioned whether this congressional hearing was being conducted to let the steam off the public pressure or outcry of Cebuanos that the Port of Cebu was used by these smugglers. The article we wrote incensed chairman Rep. Romualdo to the point of even inviting me to attend this hearing in the hope that they could extract those names from me. But I told Rep. Raul del Mar that I would only attend if I get a subpoena from Congress. They never got around to doing it.

But Rep. Raul del Mar was frank enough to admit when I asked him how many laws have been enacted that emanated from those so-called “In-aid-of-legislation hearings that he couldn’t recall of any such laws. Thus you can say that those Congressional or Senate hearings are just mere propaganda exercises aim to promote grandstanding politicians so that their names can easily be recalled by our electorate when election day comes.

 So at the end of the day, our Congressmen has hit a blank wall on their investigation, despite the fact that people who bought those smuggled vehicles know where they bought them and from what auto dealership. We’ve been saying all along that the names of car or rice smugglers is common knowledge in Cebu as this is what most people talk about in coffee shops.

That Congress couldn’t “force the issue” on the PASG only speaks volumes of how inutile Congress has become when they go into an investigating circus. So what else is new with Congress? The last time Congress went on an investigating binge, Rep. Antonio Cuenco did come up with the names of the drug lords of Cebu. In truth, the names that Tony Cuenco mentioned weren’t common knowledge at all because of the secrecy in the illicit drug trade. Well apparently those brave days are gone. Even Tony Cuenco could not disclose a single name as to who smuggled those hot cars in Cebu.

To add to our woes, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) can no longer locate some 400 vehicles that were shipped via the Port of Cebu and given allegedly fictitious plate numbers. What a country! We’ve got only a few islands yet 400 vehicles vanished without a trace? It is not that these vehicles have “disappeared” but that no one is looking for them.

In my tv interview with Mr. Jose “Dodo” Cuenco of the Cebu Auto Dealers Association (CADA) the other week, he pointed out that these car smugglers are very well connected in high-places of government. We can only second guess that it is for this very reason why the PASG Chief would not dare blurt out any names, lest he get kicked out of his job! So we’re really back to square one on the question of who are the smugglers in Cebu.

If there’s anyone laughing at all this brouhaha, it’s the car smugglers who are laughing all the way to the bank. As for Congress, this failure brings down their credibility to new lows. Congress 0, Smugglers 1!

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Last Friday we were invited for lunch with the Sudiles/ Noumea (New Caledonia) delegation with Chairman Alain Descombels who led his delegation escorted by Ms. Christiane Waneissi at the Mactan Island Shangri-La Resort and Spa. French Consul from Cebu Richard Fourteau was also with the delegation composed mostly of politicians, the head of their Economic Development, their General Secretary and a host of Tribal Chiefs who are now their local senators. The New Caledonian delegation hoped to sign agreements for cooperation in the construction, food and beverage, electronics and tourism sectors between France and the Philippines.

The New Caledonian delegation came to Cebu to finalize the purchase by the New Caledonia Shipping Firm Sudile for a Roll-on, Roll-off passenger (ROPAX) catamaran from the FBMA Marine, Inc. This catamaran designed to carry 300 passengers and 60 cars will be used not only for transportation, but also for tourism purposes. It was a coincidence that a month ago we were in FBMA to witness the christening of ROPAX “Pentalina” bound for Scotland. It turns out that Caledonia is the Latin name for Scotland! Now that’s two Scottish islands buying ships from FBMA in Cebu! Whatever happened to our Buy Filipino campaign? Why can’t our local shipping companies buy from FBMA? It’s time to ponder.