Senator Lito Lapid's wife arrested for dollar smuggling

Senator Lito Lapid's wife, Marissa, was reportedly arrested in the United States for dollar smuggling. She had with her a bag containing US$ 50,000.00. That's 2.5 million pesos. 


Lapid confirmed the arrest and says that his wife is okey and out on bail. The alleged smuggling happened last November 2011. 


This is another embarrassing situation for us, Pinoys. Imagine, Leon Guerrero, who is supposed to be poor and the representative of his economic class, having at least US$50,000 just for shopping money. 


Of course, we are not in the position to question Senator Lapid. He's not the poor stuntman anymore. He was once Pampanga governor. And that US$50,000 is just, what, loose change?


Anyway, I don't know with you, but this calls for an inquiry. The issue involves a Senator. Maybe it's also time to open up the SALNs and ITRs of Senators? 


Will this issue spark calls for another cleansing process, this time, the Legislature? Maybe. Let's see.

Ed Panlilio as President--Sure. Let's Get Real.

I have one question for my friend and colleague over at Filipino Voices. Cocoy wrote an entry entitled " The President Priest" which he asked Pampanga governor Ed Panlilio to go run for the presidency. He says Panlilio's "gift of discernment" could be used to solve the nation's problems. He also says that Panlilio could provide the "rallying point" for "deep thinkers and strategists" to come together and solve the people's problems. Sure.

Cocoy, if Panlilio can't even unite the fragmented political groups in Pampanga, asa pa tayo that he can do such a thing as president. Okey, so how would he lead a peace negotiation, by prayer? Would Panlilio be expected to pray over the peace negotiators from the MILF? How would Panlilio act before the atheistic members of the CPP-NPA-NDF? Would Panlilio lead them all to a prayer session before resuming peace talks?

How would Panlilio approach the Reproductive Health bill? Would he sign it? How about an abortion law? Would he sign it? Or, how about when Congress passes a law that bans prayers in Catholic schools, would Panlilio sign it?

How would he then talk with the leaders of the Iglesia Ni Kristo? Or Eli Soriano of the Dating Daan? How would he feel about the Hindus and the Buddhists living in this country? What if a Catholic institution or a Catholic corporation encounter graft charges? What then would be the position of Panlilio?

If, say, terrorists again bomb Mindanao and kidnap members of the civilian populace there and the only measure is a military strike which, obviously, would mean killing scores of people, what then? How would Panlilio decide on this? Will he wage war against the enemies of the state? Or, will he just ask everybody to just pray that we tide these things over?

Let's admit it---Panlilio's win as governor of Pampanga is, at best, an aberration. The reason is quite simple---at that time, the people faced both the devil and Beelshebub. A known big-time jueteng lord wants to be governor while a political scion of a discredited name also wants to continue his graft-filled governance. Faced with no better option, the people voted for Panlilio.

IN 2010, the people will be faced by so many options, better than Panlilio. Let me ask the handlers of Panlilio---are you friends or two-faced enemies of the governor? Why are you pushing him out of Pampanga politics where he's actually the best bet of the people there? You're pushing Panlilio to hell. Why, because you're disappointed of his performance and you want a sequel of the Macapagal-Lapid-Pineda triumvirate?

If Panlilio and his supporters really want to help the country, ask him to run again as governor. That way, he'll be able to destroy this triumvirate and continue on the reforms he already started in Pampanga.

Manong Ed---your mission is thwart the plans of the evil triumvirate of Macapagal-Lapid-Pineda. Do it. Run again as governor. Don't go for the presidency. Or maybe you're decision was made out of fear. You're afraid that the people might not vote for you anymore? Prove that your governance in that province is no fluke.

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.