BRIEFLY YOURS

By Joel Son Panti

"Meet force with force” - Verceles

 At the Capitol Dome are piled about a hundred sacks of rice and assorted goods already in plastic bags.

If indeed Catanduanes is in a state of calamity, why are these relief goods untouched or undistributed despite the lapse of about a month since "Reming" and "Seniang" kissed our province goodbye? Where are the "thousands" of victims?

It is not only detestable but also unconscionable to make a fortune out of the misfortune of others. Are typhoons, and the destruction they cause, our most lucrative industry? 

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May we call the attention of the local DTI to look into serious allegations that local gasoline stations are cheating motorists and gas dealers?

After one load station fired eight of its employees for cheating motorists, what action has the DTI initiated?

Among other things, the DTI is mandated to protect consumers. In this case, it has failed miserably because the kicking out of the employees is a very loud admission that they have cheated not only the motorists but also management.

Again, reports have it that one pump unit each of the two load stations cheats or shortchanges gasoline buyers.

Singaking Bebot, gising! Ano ba?

We suggest that you gather a platoon of cops and conduct an unannounced calibration test. This should be resorted to very often to protect the unsuspecting consumer.

Ningas cogon should be burned if you are to be true to your job.

Kayo namang mga gas station owners, kunting ingat. Baka magalit ang taumbayan, sunugin na lang kayo sa gasolina ninyo!

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Rep. Jun Verceles lost a lot when he jumped overboard the political boat of President Erap. What a stupid guy!

It is an admitted fact that one who runs under a ruling party has a far greater chance of winning an election than one who runs under the minority party. This is a rule rather than an exception. He lost this opportunity.

Verceles was already assured by the President during their US visit to be his official bet for governor in the province come election time. He lost this opportunity of full support.

Presently, Verceles is the senior vice chair of the most powerful and juicy Appropriations Committee. He will soon lose this truly juicy position.

Last week, he admitted to broadcast and print mediamen that he was able to squeeze from Erap millions of pesos for projects in the province. Now, he is damned sure he will not get a single centavo from the President. What a stupid guy!

But what made him bolt Erap's party?

"Our decison was painful, but we have to forego of political and personal ambitions over things which are extremely of national import as in the impeachment case," argued the solon.

He said that the jueteng scam has sent the Philippine pesos tumbling down to an all-time low of P51 to a dollar.

To regain the confidence of the business sector and local and foreign investors, President Estrada should be jettisoned in a jiffy. Pronto!

But, what if Erap is spared by the senators due to the tyranny of numbers? And he vehemently refuses to step down despite the verbal jabs, the jeers, the jolts and the jerks thundering from Aparri to Tawi-Tawi? Saan ka ngayon pupulutin, Kuya Jun?

But all is not lost, after all.

Reports have it that Lakas-NUCD national headquarters have already expelled Gov. Sanchez from its roster. Lakas is reportedly taking Verceles to head the provincial party.

Sanchez, who went to Malacanang and gave his full support to Erap, may run under LAMP. But since the glow of Erap and his LAMP has literally flickered like a firefly in the world of popularity and politics, Sanchez is sure to go down the drain.

The Juetengate will definitely pull down all of Erap's candidates, Sanchez and company included. However, if in a better twist of fate, the Senate hearing on the impeachment decides to convict and send President Erap to the gallows, then Verceles' bolting LAMP will finally pay off.

And, in the process, making Sanchez a truly lonely cowboy. Or a boy without a cow! Not even a donkey!

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"I'll meet force with force," declared Verceles in a talk with broadcast and print journalists last week.

"But that would not happen because I'll see to it that they are neutralized even before the campaign period," Vercekes hastened to add.

He was reacting to intelligence reports that his political foes had been landing high-powered firearms into the island from Masbate. Earlier reports had it that long firearms wrapped in plastic had been shipped to Caramoran using an ambulance.

Will 2001 be bloody? We believe Catandunganons will never allow that to happen.

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A provincewide survey has been conducted by the DILG and confirmed earlier survey results. That Verceles and Santiago are far ahead in popularity and acceptability among the electorate.

Only this time, NTC Commissioner Joseph Santiago garnered a higher rating than Rep. Verceles. Santiago is gunning for the congressional seat while Verceles is eyeing the seat soon to be vacated by Sanchez.

The exact figures are not available since the source of the information does not wish to embarrass his boss, whose rating is embarrassingly low.