THIS corner finds no merit in the letter request of Iloilo Governor Niel Tupas asking Education Secretary Jesli Lapuz to relocate the Division Superintendent, Dr. Raymundo Lapating on the vague notion that the latter is a poor performer. That demand sounds anachronistic in the wake of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan Resolution No. 2009-094, dated June 30, 2009, commending Lapating for “outstanding performance in vastly improving the delivery of basic education in the province of Iloilo.”

How could the governor be so “killjoy” when the resolution echoes a factual citation? It cites that during Lapating’s incumbency, the Iloilo division has excelled in the National Achievement Test (NAT), yielding increases in the mean percentage score of grade 6 students from 62.11% (school year 2006-07) to 72.31% (2007-08) and finally to 78.20% (2008-09) which ranked Iloilo no. 2 in the region and no. 7 nationwide.

Word is out, pending official announcement, that for the current school year 2009-10, we are now on top or no. 1 in the region.

It is ironic that Gob could be so jealous of Dr. Ray, who happens to be his wedding hijado. His is a classic example of crab mentality!

Moreover, there is no basis in the governor’s allegation that Dr. Ray wields favoritism in the hiring of new teachers. Our research shows that it’s Gob who has filled up some 168 emergency teaching positions under a special program covered by the Special Education Fund.

The governor must have believed the unconfirmed rumor that her wedding hijada, Dr. Hope Palmares Lapating, would run for mayor of Passi City in 2010.So what? Should not his reaction be to wish her good luck?

Is it Hope or her brother, Powwel Palmares, who is running for mayor of Passi? He is a good friend of 4th District Congressman Ferj Biron, who is all set to defend his turf against Niel in 2010.

Now we know why Manong Niel panics.

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Poor Niel Tupas, by listening to people like Boy Mejo, he has only succeeded in turning friends into enemies. For instance, the governor’s act of detailing Marilou Sumbing, chief of the provincial information office, to the tourism office smacks of poor foresight. It exposes Boy’s preconceived intention to take over the information office – and earn extra income by hook or by crook.

Their alibi that Malou would use the office in favor of former Governor and outgoing Congressman Art Defensor – who is running for governor against Manong Niel’s son Raul in 2010 – is baseless. Malou does not owe her appointment to Defensor. She had been manning the information office long before Defensor became governor in 1992.

If Gob stands to gain nothing from coddling Boy, why does he listen to him? Gob should have been wary of Boy in the wake of reports linking the latter to “kalokalo” biddings among suppliers of hospital equipment.

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Senator Mar Roxas fumes mad over the alleged meeting of the President with executives of multinational drug companies. She must have made a deal with them in preparation for her forthcoming State of the Nation Address, where she would brag at last about the implementation of Cheaper Medicines Law.

Roxas is not happy with the partial list of medicines gone cheaper – say the anti-hypertension Norvasc 5 that would cost only P22 or half its previous P44 price. That’s still expensive when compared to India and Pakistan, which sell the same product at around P10.

Roxas should also blame himself. The original author of the bill, Cong. Ferj Biron, had sought to create a price regulatory council that would control medicine prices but Roxas amended it to give the President power to regulate prices.

Mar was waxing far-sighted, probably thinking he would wield the same power if and when be becomes President.

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GMA, according to a Malacañang beat reporter, has rehearsed her July 27 SONA many times. Her rehearsal audience, mostly cabinet men and congressmen, find it “kumbinsing.”

So what’s new? She had many times convinced congressmen with brown envelopes about her innocence in the “Hello Garci” magic during impeachment proceedings.

I remember the movie True Lies.

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PAGCOR chair Efraim Genuino, rumored to be eyeing a Senate seat, has a radio ad asking the youth to stay away from illegal drugs and extolling BIDA. It is acronym for Batang Iwas Droga, referring to an anti-drug youth march last March that saw 800,000 participants – hence a sure entry for the forthcoming Guinness Book of World Records.

Of course, Genuino did not say that casino gambling – PAGCOR’s lifeblood – is also harmful; on the contrary, it is good for him and the FG.

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If Pasig City shabu drug lord Amin Boratong and his wife Cherry – who have just been meted a penalty of life imprisonment in court – have one regret, it’s that their friend King Raul is no longer Secretary of Justice.

Raul’s relative, Joselito Artuz, said to be financier of drug pushers in La Union, must have initially felt luckier that the King, while still Secretary of Justice, had recommended dismissal of the case against him .

It seems that the man’s euphoria is short-lived. GMA would use his case as sample kuno of her seriousness in jailing drug lords.

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