Highwaygate not just Watergate

Was DPWH Undersecretary Ramon Aquino murdered over money or in relation to a burglary that some suspect could have, would have or may still lead to a major exposé and a gigantic corruption scandal?

Was Usec. Aquino assassinated or liquidated because of a potential “Highwaygate” leak equivalent to the US “Watergate burglary” which began with a break-in of a political headquarters but ultimately led to charges of cover-up, obstruction of justice, perjury and destruction of evidence all of which led to the impeachment of US President Richard Nixon.

Little has been said or done about the brutal and public murder of DPWH Usec. Ramon Aquino. Yes there is a task force assigned to the case, but it is quite interesting to note that the action and reactions from government officials and Malacañang have been relatively mute considering that Aquino is one step away from Cabinet rank.

Aquino may have worked for the most corrupt government agency in the country, but Aquino also held a position second only to a Cabinet member and was reportedly the chief of staff of Secretary Jun Ebdane. One would imagine a national outcry from people at the DPWH, especially Secretary Ebdane, but for some strange reason “the Sound of Silence” on the attack is eerie.

I hope that the Secretary is merely being strategic in his approach since he was once the chief of the Philippine National Police. But just so he knows, people are beginning to ask what the connection was between the DPWH burglary and the murder of Usec. Aquino one week later?

There is also the claim that the killers of Usec. Aquino were specialists and high caliber assassins who even used special “double action” bullets that tore every organ in Aquino’s body. In hindsight, it may just have been a case of so many bullets, but if the claim of “double-action” ammunitions is true, then the next question is: why did they take the extra measure?

Some people try to dismiss the matter as revenge for a deal gone bad. Unfortunately that does not hold water for people who have a long history with the Department of Public Works and Highways. Shooting an official they say is like killing the goose that lays the golden egg and would scare off the rest from dealing with you. The practice is to give “make-up” opportunities for losers. You can get mad but you never get even by killing because you never get your “investments” back.

It will be sometime before we get real answers as to why Usec. Aquino was killed. But it would be worth investigating what was stolen at the DPWH the week before. Did Aquino have any role, involvement or responsibility concerning the inputs to the World Bank report on corruption, Did Aquino have any role or responsibility concerning the funds of the Road Users Tax or the Road Board scandal where millions or billions of pesos were misused or misplaced? Or did he have access to such sensitive information that has landed in “the wrong hands”? Dead men tell no tales but real cops can get real answers.

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Davao: “Gone Smoke”

Anyone who claims you can’t enforce the smoking ban in a city is either a lazy person or a liar. That is what Davao Mayor Rodrigo Duterte has proven to the country and the world. As a reward, the City has become an international symbol of political will and has become a preferred destination for conferences and seminars on health particularly for anti-smoking advocates.

Needles to say, Duterte and the City of Davao along with Mayor Jojo Binay and the City Of Makati could probably become vital proof or evidence once anti-tobacco activists start filing cases with the Ombudsman against Mayors who intentionally or by omission, do not cause the enforcement of laws pertaining to the sale, promotion and use of cigarettes in their city.

So far, NGO’s have concentrated on convincing local government officials to implement rules and regulations regarding the regulation of cigarette smoking but history has shown us that “shame campaigns” and the “Green Peace style of aggressive action” will ultimately take place if LGUs don’t act.

Ignorance of the law excuses no one certainly not Mayors, health and police officials most certainly not Barangay officials. Perhaps NGOs and their lawyers can start sending “NOTICES”, Letters of intent to sue or similar formal statements to point out to Mayors and their officials that they have been remiss in their duties. Sometimes a nice polite letter, copy furnished to media may be enough.

For instance:

A quick scan of many public high schools in the Pasig area alone showed us that many students smoke before school, during recess, lunch and after dismissal. Most of them smoke just outside the school walls and they buy their cigarettes from stores within 200 meters of the schools. This may be a small or minor concern to LGU officials but it is enough proof that they failed to supervise the health and safety of students, failed to regulate prohibited products and the sale of such products to minors and failed to implement laws that have long been enacted by Congress.

Just to raise your level of disbelief, I discovered that the DILG released an un-numbered memo lobbied by a congressman cautioning LGUs from being over zealous in the implementation of the law regulating the sale and use of cigarettes. However, the DILG has not seen it fit to survey and cite the LGUs that have failed to protect the health and safety of MINORS!  

Eventually, if LGU officials don’t have the political will that Duterte and Binay have, then political will, will have to be replaced by political necessity in avoidance of legal-political embarrassment.