Are they from Mindanao?

Police Chief Ricardo de la Paz pontificated yesterday that it was a Mindanao-based organized group that staged the swift heist of the CentrAL Negros Electric Cooperative office Friday.

De la Paz said Police already have the names of the suspects but refused to reveal their names pending the filing of the case against them.

One thing that bothered me was the claim by De la Paz that police had managed to secure the pictures of the suspects and present them to witnesses.

How were they able to secure those pictures since the CCTV was absent from the Ceneco building?

Police said they went to an area in Bacolod where the hideout of the suspects was allegedly located but failed to arrest them.

Now the question that bothered me. Where are the motorcycles used by the fleeing gang and the Hi-Lux pick-up they had used in fleeing the area when they completed the well-planned and coordinated robbery in just three minutes?

Questions, questions.

Police even went to the extent of alerting business establishments in the city that the gang could still be in Bacolod and could victimize another firm.

CENECO president Arnel Lapore said the coop board may even offer a bounty for the arrest of the suspects.

But he did not explain how come the board and the Ceneco management had failed to put CCTV in the lobby and other important offices of the coop as pointed out by one of the tellers they had long asked for these to be put up for security purposes.

Another point in question. How come the gun-wielding members had managed to be deployed inside the lobby on a one-on-one guarding of the firm’s security guards.

That could only mean that the frisking of the six others had not been done thoroughly for them to have managed to bring their guns inside.

VILLMAPI guards managed to try and wrestle the guns of two of the hold-uppers outside the lobby. In short, they managed to spot the gun-toting early before they could enter the compound.

But that was meaningless because their cohorts were already inside and had dropped the other security guards of another firm.

The only positive result from Friday’s incident was the announcement by Lapore that Ceneco had already installed eight closed-circuit cameras in the firm and will install ten more to prevent similar incident again,

Too late the phalarope, Sir. Or, the Italians say it – Tarde piace.

***

Okay, the entire caboodle came in last night to accompany the body of the former Rep. Ignacio Arroyo (5th district, Neg. Occ.) which arrived early evening at the Bacolod Aiport.

It was immediately escorted by a caravan of close friends, relatives, and sympathizers to the St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church in Hinigaran.

Among the top escorts of Iggy’s remains were former First Gentleman Mike Arroyo together with Aleli, his wife, and partner, Grace Ibuna.

Also expected last night were Arroyo’s sister, former Kasangga Rep. Marilou Arroyo, nephews Rep. Mikey Arroyo of Galing Pinoy Party List, and Rey Diosdado (Dado) Macapagal Arroyo, (2nd District, Camarines Sur).

Conspicuous was Franklin Fuentebella and Cano Tan, former DOTC Metro Manila director, and several important political figures of the Fifth District, including Board Member M. Ibañez.

The expected tussle between Grace and Aleli from the very start never had occurred, a tribute to the sense of delicadeza between the two who had earlier engaged in a verbal tussle but later settled on a compromise to maintain their equanimity to give Iggy the rest that he deserved.

Thank God, that never happened. A credit to their lady-like aplomb.

***

Even if to prod the Department of Energy on the issue of the probe in the disparity of fuel prices in Negros compared to Metro Manila and other provinces, the UNDOC must be supported by Negrenses.

And, yes, also for the list of erring gasoline stations who had violated the calibration standards of DOE in their dispensing of fuel.

Both had long been the subject of complaints by Negrenses. So with the gasoline stations mentioned in their report.

So, far, none of these erring gas stations had been named. And the local government units, including Bacolod City, have come out with the list.

UNDOC certainly, as with other vehicle owners, are asking also the members of the House on the development of the congressional inquiry on the price disparity between Negros and Metro Manila.

In short, they have the right to mount protest rally on March 15. After all there have been a continuing increase in the steep price of vehicle fuel which could eventually spill over into increased prices of prime commodities.

That is something we can ill afford. Unfortunately, it seems the government has been focused on the impeachment trial of chief Justice Corona and seems impervious to the other more serious problems besetting the country.*

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