BACOLOD CITY — I got a phone call yesterday from a woman – very obviously, not a lady – scolding me for saying the barricade at Brgy. Felisa leading to the dumpsite was illegal and wrong.

It did not register a phone number, indicating, it was a landline. She would not listen and would not answer questions, as if she was the only one right and the rest were wrong.

Was she from the Anti Baha Alliance? She would not answer. She would not answer questions as she kept on talking.

There were 17 names in the letter sent by Mayor Bing Leonardia, a copy was furnished me. Ten were women and 7 were men. I could not make out who among the ten women she was, if she was really a member of the Alliance. I sympathize with them. They need that sympathy and understanding.

Or could it be one from the Mayor’s office in order that I would get mad with the Alliance? But, this is not the style of Bing. If the Mayor were Oscar Verdeflor… He was capable of dumping a few trucks of garbage in front of the house of Congressman Monico Puentevella and more trucks to Sta. Clara subdivision where many of the Alliance members live.

And Verdeflor would just say, “You don’t want me to dump the garbage in the dumpsite, so where else would I dump it but near your house.”

But, Bing is more patient, 9 hours of negotiation before ordering the physical dispersal by the police.

* * *

This brings me to the point, if media people were not giving them support, it’s because I learned from many in the media group, the Alliance “was acting as if they were talking to their farm workers in their haciendas.” I don’t know, I have not had dealings with them.

“They were even arrogant in talking with the Mayor in his office,” I was told. Now, they want to have their way with the barricade, even if it was illegal. I myself am happy the Mayor acted decisively in dispersing the barricaders. What kind of Mayor is he if he cannot prevent anarchy in the street?

What business has the Alliance in denouncing the dispersal of the barricades in Felisa? I thought their interest is only in flooding. What is their agenda? The fight between Monico and Bing is for political supremacy in Bacolod.

Are they taking sides in the fight of the two? They better come out in the open. They are mostly businessmen and City Hall or, on the other side, Congress, can make their business difficult.

* * *

Now Bing and BAHA have parted ways. This is better. Why be together when you cannot get along fine? Let them check on Bing and let Bing check through Allan Zamora on their business’ compliance with the laws. This is good for the city.

If they really want people to support their cause, they must first study what cause they will champion. And it must be a cause not perceived to be partisan.

This way media will help. And they must not antagonize media people. One reason, I heard why they distributed flyers was because media, print, radio, and television, were not of help to them.

Why were media not of help, they should ask themselves. Here, they find out what Vic Mercado said, all the power of this social elite, of these wealthy hacienderos is now gone with the wind.

* * *

My suggestion is for them to fight, rally, and denounce graft and corruption of all. Corruption is the country’s number one illness. The country suffers because of corruption. The Bishops, the priests, media have been fighting corruption.

The Alliance gathers evidences against the Mayor and other city officials on the alleged overpricing of the government center, of furniture and fixtures, of the slaughterhouse, of the dumpsite, and others and denounce them. Yes, they can go into probing the alleged P5-million house of Councilor Greg Gasataya.

Then they also gather evidences on the Congressman alleged to have received from Joc Joc Bolante five million pesos for distribution as fertilizers to farmers in Bacolod. Who received them? Then the alleged computer scam, and find out where did the Congressman spend the P70 million a year pork barrel allotted for Bacolod.

Why, was not a part of it used to solve the garbage and flooding problem?

The Anti Baha should have asked this.

* * *

Media will then seek them to ask for more because this news will be good in selling the paper and the radio or television program.

When they are the ones who file cases with the Ombudsman, they will be believed better because their purpose is for clean and honest government.

They can work with the Diocese, particularly Fr. Mao Buenafe.

Let us make the Anti Baha Alliance effective, loved by the public and respected by public officials. Let them fight, not the flood waters alone, but the flood of corruption, the flood of greed, the flood of abuse of power, and the flood of arrogance of those who think they alone have the money.

When you plan to take all these up, count me as one in your group.

Leave a Reply