Farewell, Iggy

Yesterday, his family finally-gave former Rep. Ignacio Arroyo (Neg. Occ., 5th District) the rest he had long waited for. He was buried the family mausoleum at the Manila North Cemetery.

But it must have delighted Iggy to note that, despite the hulabaloo over his wake at Hinigaran’s St. Mary Magdalene Church, the past few days, his constituents had shown their appreciation of what he had done for him by the send-off they gave him last Thursday. Reports said some 2,000 of them lined up the one-kilometer road leading outside Hinigaran to send him off. And they showered his bier with flowers and set off fireworks.

Farewell, Iggy. May God grant you the rest you deserve.

***

There was something which sort of jarred me yesterday. This was what Senator Sergio Osmeña III had worried about – that the Philippines may be blacklisted by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) as a dirty money haven.

Because of the possibility that the trial of Supreme Court Justice Renato Corona may reach beyond the expected termination next month, leaving Congress only until May to act on the amendments, the possibility looms that the passage of the amended act may hang;

That, for most of us may not mean much, but that failure and the FATP blacklist can make it harder and time-consuming for Overseas Workers to remit money back to families and loved ones here.

That could mean a lot of difficulties to most OFW families.

***

The latest to have pledged support for the sugar industry was Senator Allan Peter Cayetano. But it seems that of late there has been a spate of reports of how the agriculture department is concentrating on promoting coco sugar. This is an alternative to sugar from sugarcane.

In short, President Benigno Aquino III should once and for all clarify whether the thrust of his administration is to promote more coco sugar export or to help the sugar industry develop more markets and such other incentives than what it is setting from government.

For that matter, actually, what incentives has the government given to the industry in short with 2015 nearing fast, we still have a lot of things to do to shield the industry from a possible collapse.

And the government does not have much time to put in place preventive measures to protect the industry from the consequences of an almost free tariff by 2015.

***

The 12 suspects in the Ceneco P3.6 million robbery last week actually may no longer in the province.

That is not a major finding. Just common sense. When you’ve gotten away with such big stash no sense your staying in the city to enjoy it. You can’t. Better go scot free.

In short, what is going to happen is that the police may be able to file the charges against the 12 in court but that is where the case will remain, and the warrants of arrest issued without servings. Just waiting for the time when the suspects either come back or the law catches up with them elsewhere in the country.

But then Chief of Police Ricardo de la Paz shall have already claimed the case solved and the problem closed.

***

Have you noticed something wrong? The Manila newspaper columnists yesterday had decried to a certain extent that they had been swamped by all types of slashing attacks against Supreme Court Justice Renato Corona who mounted his counter-attack via a statesman like report of alleged meetings with President Noynoy and Senator Teofisto Guingona.

But all that we saw under the barrage of attacks was the report that a 90-year-old nun, Sister Flory Basa, one of the original stockholders of the Basa-Guidote Enterprises Inc. was ready to testify in the impeachment trial against Corona.

Ala, eh. They’re throwing every thing against Corona. Only lacking is the kitchen sink.

And the Palace claims that it is not motivated by anger. Just fairness against someone who is not guilty unless found so beyond reasonable doubt.

Just like Nuguiat of the Pagcor.*

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