Hurricanes, typhoons

We have missed two important events – the hurricane in the Caribbean and the Southern United States and the super typhoon battering Taiwan, Tokyo and Okinawa.

But, before the damaging visits by the turbulent winds and rains, there was the report of a prolonged drought in the American Midwest. That is already predicted to raise the price of corn with the crops of the US decreasing by as much as 50 percent in some areas.

As of my last TV monitoring, the super typhoon, made so by the Fujiwasara phenomenon, was already battering Taiwan and Okinawa and heading towards Japan. Worse, it is reportedly heading again for Shanghai and South Korea.

Haiti in the Caribbean, was also battered by the hurricane which, as of press time, already resulted in the postponement of the Republican Convention in Tampa, Florida. But the hurricane had veered South and threatens Louisiana including NWW Orleans.

We still have to hear the word from Taiwan, especially the South where the winds had reportedly hammered eight-meter high waves against the shores.

But there was the promising prediction about Okinawa where the TV commentator claimed that the residents are already well-prepared to cope with high intensity winds which roared as much as 150 miles per hour.

How Japan coped with the typhoon is anybody's guess, although we can more or less foresee that the Japanese are just as well-prepared as Okinawa to absorb the punishment.

Thank God we were spared the possible return of Igme to the Philippine area of responsibility. Instead, that typhoon continued on its way to Taiwan and then to Japan and China.

These visits of such powerful natural catastrophes was quoted in terms of the time in 50 to 100 years.

Thank God, we got spared.

***

The imbroglio over the assassination of Kabankalan RTC Judge Henry Arles is something that will not go away despite the attempts by the defense lawyers to deride the result of the NBI investigation.

Whether we like it or not, that is something that will impact on the 2013 elections.

While initially tagging only Ilog Mayor John Mark Alvarez as the alleged mastermind of the killing, the latest is reports disclosed a new witness, named only as Honeybee, calling vice Governor Genaro Alvarez, John Mark's father, and Vice Mayor Tabujara as also allegedly in the plot to do away with Arles.

And F. Britanico, brother-in-law of Arles, claimed that he and Philip Arles, son of the slain judge, have more witness lined up ready to spill out names.

Both the Vice Governor and the Vice Mayor Tabujara denied having anything to do with the case and dubbed it as lies and figments of the imagination.

NBI Bacolod chief Federico Lavin denied having a hand in the latest revelation by Honeybee. It was actually Britanico who presented her to the press.

In fairness to Governor Alfredo Marañon, Jr. he has not said anything about the case and the scandal it has triggered. It is the talk of the town and won't go away or a long time.

Instead, Marañon has left it to the NBI and the other investigating bodies, despite the fact that he had been the victim of underhanded tactics.

He had been rejected as chairman of the Nationalist People's Coalition. No less than Kabankalan City Mayor Isidro Zayco, former acting governor of the province, was named chairman of the NPC. Zayco, incidentally, was former chair of the Liberal party in the province

Oh, well, something is gonna give soon over the Arles murder case.

***

As of yesterday, Naga residents had trooped in endless lines to pay their last tribute to DILG Secretary Jessie Robredo who is given the singular honor of a state funeral by the Aquino administration.

But one wonders whether this was a belated tribute to a good and well-loved Cabinet officials who had been cold-shouldered early on by no less than the President himself.

Of course, Robredo deserves the accolade given him. But it also seems that the Aquino Cabinet seems to have overdone it by trooping to Naga City to pay their final tribute to Robredo. He certainly deserved it. But somehow, one begins to suspect that the LP is taking advantage of the Robredo demise to milk it for all it is worth for their senatorial ticket in 2013.

Well, politicians will always be what they are reputed to be – politicians. And they will milk every occasion for a chance to project themselves and their party in the best light possible.

Unfortunately, Robredo is beyond all that now. He will be remembered not as a LP leader, but as the epitome of good governance. Hopefully, the LP bets will also live up to the general expectations that they will emulate the example of Robredo.*

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