BACOLOD CITY — Let me give the loudest applause for Visayas Deputy Ombudsman Pelagio Apostol. In a country battered by graft and corruption, he stands as a bright star in a dark night.

He is serious and appears to mean business. I throw my full support behind him. He deserves that support. Everybody must support him too.

I must confess, I have been disappointed with the Ombudsman’s office as I saw the fast deteriorating morality in public service.

Our falling into No. 141 of the 180 countries in terms of graft and corruption is embarrassing.

Many years ago when the late Dr. Pat Tan was the head of the provincial Graftwatch, I was made the chairman of Bacolod City Graftwatch. We did not have the facilities to make the investigation and gather evidences but relied merely on reports and documents submitted to us, which we forwarded to the Ombudsman in Cebu for investigation.

No response, nothing, not even acknowledgement. It was so disappointing. When some people from Ombudsman’s office came, together with fellow media man Modesto Sa-onoy we lodged the complaints. But nothing happened.

What was bad and insulting was when officials complained against thumbed their nose at us, telling us we were “wasting” our time, because “The matter could be fixed in Cebu.”

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I don’t know if they were fooling us or not. But the fact that none of the complaints we sent were acted upon, we could believe what we were told was true.

I told friends of what use was creating the office of the Ombudsman. Apostol is going the correct way: go to the public officials, meet them, tell them straight, go down to the barangay level where corruption is also committed.

Show to these officials the Ombudsman means business by acting speedily on complaints and send them to jail, if warranted.

Ombudsman Apostol is right when he said a corrupt official is worse than a murderer, pointing out many patients in hospitals die for lack of medicine because government budget is stolen. And worse corruption is there inside the hospital too.

We tell Deputy Ombudsman Apostol, “Get ‘em!” And we in media will be in full force behind you.

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Don’t discriminate among the officials. The perception is the Ombudsman is afraid of lawmakers who can reduce or even scrap their budget. Be fearless. We in media will stand by you.

We have very many honest people. The dishonest ones are few except that they happen to hold important positions.

We are happy the city has many bill board and outdoor signs of “BE HONEST. Even if others are not. Even if others cannot. Even if others will not!” These are put up by private persons.

We hope we can get civic spirited people to put up billboards and outdoor signs that say, “A corrupt official is worse than a murderer.” – Deputy Ombudsman Pelagio Apostol. “It’s our duty to expose corrupt officials.”

I hope our Deputy Ombudsman can give media an outline of the many ways corruption is committed. We will give this the widest publicity, making people know that if a government official does this it is corruption or a preparation for corruption.

Let us also give recognition to honest officials. We are promoting honesty among our people by giving them recognition.

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We don’t know what action the President made, if ever she did, on the complaint of the sugar coops. We are just happy to hear from Fr. Arman Onion who leads the fight, that Rep. Jeffrey Ferrer assured him of action in Congress.

Congressman Monico Puentevella and Congressman Kako Lacson also gave assurance of support.

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Retired World Bank official Jess Zarandin discussed last night the economic crisis in the TV program of Joel Dojillo over Channel 14. We will have this replayed on our Feedback Friday including the interview we had with Nordy Diploma about the Negros Occidental Science High School in Victorias where the lot was donated by him in his 60-hectare forest. Principal is Michael Acuyong who is also science supervisor of Negros Occidental.

In ancient times, important rituals were held inside the forests. To have a science high school inside a forest is beautiful and symbolic.

I want to write a lengthy article on the achievements made by the students of this science high school of the province. They won contests abroad on math and science.

Let us improve our science and math education. If this country is to move fast forward, we should have a good science education.

2 Responses to “Bright star in a dark night”

• 1
  Dr. Antonio Gestosani
  October 2nd, 2008 22:17

  My kudos to you, Mr. Primo Esleyer! It is about time that we have media people like you that will take the challenge to fight and expose the corrupt practices of the so called ” Public Officials” in the government. I was in Iloilo recently and was embarrassed to read that the Philippines made to the level of Kenya, Iraq and Pakistan as the most corrupt country in the world. Can you get lower than this? This is inexcusable anymore. Please do something my friends. Don’t just say: Bahala na! It will bring nowhere. I call all Ilonggos to support Deputy Ombudsman Apostol to carry the real change to fight graft and corruption in the government. Prosecute and jail those bastard politicians. Amen.
• 2
  Kune Vilanasco
  October 6th, 2008 00:47

  I ve been following your comments and editorial that daily in VDS. And yes the item that caught my interest is the name of Jess Zarandin. I know Jess since we were kids. We grow together in a section of Iloilo City. Went to the same elementary school together wity Dolores D.. He transfered to Bacolod in 1947. And that was that. Twenty years+ later we met again as coemployees at the WB in Washington DC. That was the last time that I got word of him. I would like to communicate with Jess if and when possible. Primo,thank you very much,

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