Senate Probe on Loren Legarda

Loren Legarda, the presidentiable is in deep s...h...i...t. She has a lot of explaining to do.

Now that the PNP has charged Mayor Isnaji and his son Haider of complicity to the kidnapping and even received ransom money as what this photo is showing, the PNP and the Senate should call for an investigation into the extent of Senator Loren Legarda's participation in the kidnapping negotiations.

Loren was the one who announced the "unconditional" release of Ces Drilon. She said that the kidnappers released Ces "without paying any ransom money" to the kidnappers.

Now, this. The photo shows wads of bills being counted by the Sulu Vice Governor and Mayor Isnaji calling the kidnappers, telling them that the money has just arrived. The PNP said that the family of Ces Drilon paid 5 million pesos in ransom money and 3M pesos went to Mayor Isnaji.

Question---how about Loren Legarda? How much pork barrel funds did she commit to the kidnappers in exchange for the life of Ces Drilon? Sources say that this was the tactic used by Loren in previous releases. Loren allegedly promise a part of her pork barrel funds to kidnappers of Arlyn dela Cruz and even when she negotiated for the release of an AFP officer hostaged by the CPP-NPA-NDF.

Loren should be made to explain this thing before the Senate. There could be ethical violations on the part of the legislator.

This is a big scandal which could rock the very foundations of Congress. Or, quite possibly, affect the career of Loren.

This is why other presidentiables, such as Mar Roxas, avoided being enmeshed in this controversy. They recognized early on that politics has nothing to do with police matters, such as this high-profile kidnapping.

Politics complicates police operations since politicians are not trained to be negotiators. Over at Filipinovoices.com, Nick pointed this out and surely, Loren should have been advised not to involve herself with this. She may have earned "ganda" points, but what about this latest development? Surely, her name would be dragged into this controversy.

I hate to say it to a friend, but Loren has a lot of explaining to do.

Dramatic Ending on Ces Kidnapping Caper?

PNP Chief Avelino Razon Jr. is reportedly in Zamboanga City right now. He's monitoring the situation. There's a lot of buzz that, within the next few days, Ces and her TV crew will be "rescued", courtesy of the PNP. And for what?

For Razon's "senatorial" campaign? Since the start of the year, there are talks that Razon is being primed as a senatorial bet come 2010. I have nothing against Sonny Razon. In fact, he's one of those "nice" guys I would love to see debating against the likes of Lito Lapid who, incidentally celebrated this day as his first day when a bill of his was passed into law (Mark this day--17 June 2008 as the day when Lito Lapid became a legislator). Or, it would amuse us even further to see Razon debating against the erudite Miriam, probably even daring Miriam to go jump over that fabled bridge in Sta. Ana Manila.

Seriously, there's something brewing out there and I think that within the next few days, we will see Razon escorting a tired and stressed out Ces to be presented in Malacanan. Ces has become hot property right now, thanks to a "silent" media. Despite legitimate appeals from Malacanang and Teresita Ang-See, journalists still scrambled to go to Sulu and Zamboanga to cover Ces' kidnapping.

I am sure that within the next few days, Ces, his cameraman and Prof. Dimampo will be released by their young captors. Like those before her, Ces will be hauled immediately to Zamboanga to board a plane for Manila. There, like the rest of the kidnapped victims under this administration, they'll be presented to the president for that precious photo op.

And surely, Razon, the would-be senator, will be there.

Will we see Mayor Isnaji also in Malacanan? Possibly. Or that Vice Governor becoming governor through the funds of Malacanan? This kidnapping stunt added more pogi points for them. The more these things happen in their island, the more powerful these two will become.

Expect surprises, my friends.