HELLO, TORONTO!

After more than a year in hiding, Sen Panfilo ‘Ping’ Lacson is back in the country.
He was first spotted at Mactan International Airport in Cebu City alighting from Cathay Pacific flight CX921 before noon of Friday, 25 March.
My kabarangays are now poised to hear naman ‘ the other side of the story’ as the Senator will surely make the public know his sentiments, fears and hopes as he confidently faces the public after a Court of Appeals decision quashing a warrant, issued by the Department of Justice for his arrest.
In fairness naman daw, according to my neighbor Rolly, ‘Ping’ was, in the past, not known to run away from trouble and accusations- kaya nga marami ang nagtaka at talagang very disappointed when the Senator was reported to have fled the country- tinakasan ang mga akusasyon at pagdidiin sa kanya sa Bubby Dacer/ Corbito murders (at ang nagdiin pa ay ang dating trusted subordinate in the Presidential Anti- organized Task Force (PAOCTF) during the Estrada Leadership, one Cesar Mancao). Very different daw from the ‘Ping’ na nakilala ng bayan that many respected enough to elect as a national official.
Malacanang in the meantime announced that it welcomed Sen. Lacson’s return to the country in the hope that a closure will now be reached on his alleged participation in the unsolved murder case. Even Interior Government Sec. Jesse Robredo said there is no obastacle for Sen. Lacson to going back to performing his duties in the Senate- stressing that the investigation into the murder case will not stop despite the quashing of the warrant of arrest on Lacson. Sabi pa ni Robredo, pagkakaintindi din daw nya na si Sen. Lacson himself hopes for the case to be reopened. Inamin niya na di nga naman maigi na nakapiit si Sen. Lacson habang iniimbistigahan ang kaso.
Yes, Sen Lacson’s return is a big blow to government investigators handling the case- lalo na pa sa mga mahal sa buhay ng mga nakitlan ng buhay sa kasong ito. But patience is truly a virtue- magpasensya lang muna, pursue the case, and pakinggan naman the side of the chief suspect/ accused…closure will be within reach. We do not know the parties who will be happy with the closure- Ping’s side ba or the Dacer/ Corbito kin? The public, more aware and more outspoken than in the past is looking and observing- di na yata pwedeng sila ay malusutan; truly, sila ay tunay na maangas na, buti naman.
As for me, ok na that Sen Ping has surfaced- at least, di sya nagpatiwakal at tuluyang naisara na ang kaso. He will face the accusations daw and he aims to defend himself. Nagsisimula pa lang ang boxing.
That’s ok, too for most Pinoys on- the- street that I’ve asked- they will be seeing justice served from the sidelines
Addendum lang po- iba naman pala ang galak nitong Sen. Jinggoy Estrada sa pagbabalik ni Sen. Ping. May iba pa ring ‘kapakinabangan’ ang kanyang pagri- resurface, hehehe. Sa kanyang tingin, makapagbibigay daw ng additional wealth of information itong si Sen Ping sa mga ‘pabaon’ goings on sa military- dahil meron din daw nito sa PNP. ‘Welcome back, I am looking forward to again working with him especially now that he is needed in the impeachment complaint against the Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez, ” that’s the official word from Sen. Estrada.
…Hmmmm, not so prominent in the national papers of the previous week was the news item on the nt results of the most recent Pulse Asia Survey. The study, conducted in Feb 24 to March 6 this year showed VP ‘Jojo’Binay emerging as the ‘most trusted’ national government official in the land, edging out the still popular pa naman ding si PNoy (the President).
From 78% in October last year, the latest survey showed an increase of the VP’s trust rating this March to 81%. The President meantime, had a declined approval rating of from 79% in October to 74% in March. Hmmm, mataas pa rin naman pero talagang naungusan ni VP Jojo.
It is worth noting that the non- commissioned survey was conducted starting February 24, a few days after the VP left for Beijing, on instructions of the Chief Executive, to appeal for a stay/ postponement in the execution of 3 Filipinos convicted of very serious drug- related crimes. The survey which terminated in March 6 utilized personal, face to face interviews of some 1, 200 adult respondents.
Natural, happy ang Binay and camp. In all humility, Binay acknowledged the ‘good policy directions and leadership’ of the President on the move that saw him making appeals to Chinese officials on behalf of the three convicted Pinoys. He thanked the President for the trust given his way to perform well in the undertaking.
Sidelights of the survey: Samantala, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile’s rating remained unchanged at 56%. Congress chieftain, the Speaker Belmonte enjoyed a 4 point increase from his previous 39% rating. Chief Justice Renato Corona’s rating was deemed statistically changed- from 29%, he slid to 28%. However, there was a notable rise in his distruct rating to 27% from a previoys 20% in October of 2010.
PNoy, the VP and Manong Johnny got major trust ratings across all geographic areas of the country samantalang si Belmonte naman, kasama ng tatlong opisyales ng gobyerno ay namayagpag naman sa MetroManila ( 52 to 78%).
Sa iba’t ibang bahagdan ng socio- economic ladder, mataas din ang approval rating nina Pnoy, VP and Manong Johny- Binay had 76 to 80%; PNoy 71 to 78%; and Enrile 56 to 57%..The ratings would be duplicated in the national level for these three officials.
Chief Justice Corona failed to obtain a majority trust rating in a geographic area or socioeconomic class. Further, his disapproval rating went up in MetroManila (13%) and the Visayas (14%)
Hmmmm, six years is a long way to go. If the VP performs as creditably as he did in the previous months in future undertakings assigned by the President or not, there will be a number of presidential wannabes who will start getting nervous. Dito naman kasi sa ating bayan, tanggapin na natin, umi star talaga ang isang nakagawa ng kagila- gilalas na resulta maski na ito ay pinag- utusan lamang. Biglang mabangung- mabango at magaling na magaling! Sa akin lang, no harm done naman- nakayanan naman nyang diskartehan e di sa kanya ang papuri, di ba? What if it was the other way around- napalpak at sya ang nasisi (parang yung isang lakad sa Hongkong na di naging matagumpay).
Sabi naman ni Andoy, my favorite Pinya Formosa vendor (but this pineapple variety is ultra sweet talaga, parang de lata!)-‘ Trabaho lang muna, wala munang kampanya. Mabubuking at mabubuking ng balana kung may gumigimik na nang maaga. At yung di sincere. Tyak, talo sya pag pipol ang humusga.’
THANK YOU, TORONTO!