Mondia murder
suspect nabbed

Well, it’s something that had bothered many for a long time, the assassination of former Pulupandan Mayor Luis Mondia in February, 2010, just beside the Jaro Cathedral of Iloilo.

But after two years of waiting, the Iloilo police arrested Joebert Gumban, the purported leader of the group that ambushed Mondia, who was about to enter his vehicle near the cathedral.

Gumban, was arrested by members of the 2nd Maneuver Platoon of the Iloilo Provincial Public Safety Company under Senior Inspector Charlie Sustento.

The 55-year-old Mondia, who had a house in Jaro, was about to board his vehicle when two men on board a motorcycle sprayed him with bullets.

Mrs. Evelinda Mondia, who was with him, managed to escape unhurt. Mondia, however, suffered three gunshot wounds in the nape, neck and on the side. He died later at a hospital.

Mondia, was running for mayor against Mayor Magdaleno Peña in the 2010 polls when he was killed.

So far, nothing much had been happening to the case, although the arrest of Gumban may finally enable the police to solve the crime.

Let’s hope that the Mondia slay will finally be put to rest if Gumban sings.

***

Two weeks before he finally succumbed to a fatal stroke, the late Dr. Tony Sarabia invited me to a luncheon with his family and Dr. Jocson of the Rotary Club.

I was surprised. It’s been a long time that Tony, a close personal friend with his wife Nellie, has invited me to a repast with his family.

We were joking. And Tony did not show signs that he was fading away. His face was still, with that of Nellie, young looking. And he was jocular.

Later, we were joined in by his children, especially Dr. Mike Sarabia.

Last week, I learned that Tony had died from the final stroke that he suffered.

So, I thought that invitation was a sort of farewell gesture, although he never intimated to me that he felt the end was coming fast.

The Sarabia couple were close friends of my late wife, Dr. Lourdes L. Espina, and myself. For a long time we used to be together. Not only as members of the medical profession but because of our being Christian Family Movement members.

They were actually the ideal couple. And, until that final repast, they remained close to each other. Just sweethearts.

God be thanked for the years of friendship He had given us with them. May God grant him the rest for those who believe in Christ and in God the Father.

***

United Sugar Producers Federation president Manuel Lamata was worth listening to when he urged Negrenses to vote for Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr.

“Why experiment with a new one when we have seen the governor’s performance?” was the point that he raised.

Lamata should know, he has been closely monitoring the program and platform of Marañon, since the former solon became governor of the province.

In short, inferentially, Lamata was pointing out that all one has to do is study what are these programs and projects which Marañon has implemented during his term as provincial chief executive.

In short, if one goes against Marañon, one must be able to take issue with his projects and programs.

Not just fall back on the prodding by former Ambassador Eduardo Cojuangco to run against the governor.

In short, one must be able to take potshots at some of them to be able to be listened to as a credible critic of the incumbent.

As a sugarman, Marañon has contributed his share to the improvement of the sugar industry, the province’s prime export industry.

Then, one must doff ones’ had off to Marañon’s agricultural diversification program where he has managed to make the province self-sufficient in rice, something never accomplished by any former governor in the past.

Then, there is the organic agriculture which has transformeD Negros into the Philippine organic agricultural center.

Then, there are the cattle, the swine and the sheep and the poultry breeding programs. Today, Negros Occidental pork is exported by volumes to outside the province, including Metro Manila.

And, soon, we shall be shipping cattle and sheep to other destinationS.

It was Marañon’s Negros Occidental Language Information and Technical Center that has generated thousands of jobs for young Negrenses. And thousands more are supposed to be placed soon in call centers in Negros Occidental..

True, we lost some P6-billion with the withdrawal by the Ayala Land Inc. from the provincial government’s prime properties’ development simply because of the delay in the approval of the sale of the property to the firm.

That, of course, meant thousands of jobs for Bacolodnons and Negrenses, as pointed out by Frank Carbon of the Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

So, why run against Marañon? There must be a real reason behind it. One just cannot reason that somebody prodded him to run against Marañon for no reason. What is needed is a reasoned and serious debate on the projects and program of the incumbent to justify why a former companion suddenly turns against his erstwhile partner who has not done anything against him or his program of government.*

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