Polibiz
No pressure for the Syjucos to win the gold medal
Whether or not Provincial Administrator Manuel 'Boy' Mejorada has a political agenda is beside the point.
When he started unveiling several shocking exposes against the Syjuco couple, TESDA Secretary Augusto 'Boboy' and Congresswoman Judy Jalbuena, it has become a public interest since both Boboy and Judy are drawing fat salaries and allowances from the taxpayers.
Mejorada's critics, that include characters sympathetic to the rich couple, should give him the benefit of the doubt while he is busy unearthing alleged irregularities in relation to the multi-million pork barrel supposedly channeled to the dubious foundations of the couple.
We will talk about Mejorada's political ambition later; only after it has been established whether the Syjucos are indeed honest and immaculate couple (in as far as they being public servants is concerned) as what they are trying to portray themselves in public.
So as not to get confused, let us put it this way: Mejorada's purported plan to run for congressman in the second district is one minor issue. Whether his charges against the Syjucos are true or not is another issue.
***
Even if it will be established that Mejorada is a devil incarnate or a relative of Osama bin Laden, still, it will not solve the gnawing question whether or not the multi-million pork barrel of Syjuco when he was still (and is still?) calling the shots in the second district of Iloilo was properly used for the taxpayers or not.
That is why as a columnist I am hurling a challenge to the couple to prove that Mejorada's charges aren't true.
Calling him names will not answer the real issue. Also, the public has the right to demand for an accounting of all the expenses incurred in relation to the pork barrel. If the Syjucos have nothing to hide, they can easily liquidate the gargantuan cash they gobbled up while in power. They can even use the internet to make a public report.
There is nothing harmful if a public official renders a black and white, no-holds barred public report---unless one is a crook and a grafter.
Only government officials with lots of skeletons in their closets get mad if asked to make a public accounting.
They panic and make excuses and lose their sanity. They also resort to below-the-belt tactics to evade the issue. They even bribe reporters in order to sway sympathy.
In Mejorada's case, he is unfazed even if they will question his culture and sanity because he knows that history will be his judge; that all he was asking from the Syjucos is a plain and simple public accounting.
Mejorada never asked the Syjuco couple to participate in the SEA Games dance sport. He only wanted a crystal-clear response from the concerned party. There is no pressure to win the gold medal.
***
NOTES: Belated happy birthday to Gov. Niel D. Tupas last November 27... Happy trip to Alex Vidal. Ang pasalubong namon ha. Dala ka damu nga snow... Some of the street lights continue to flicker until 12 noon on Ledesma St., City Proper. Calling the attention of the city government... SEA Games united the nation, but not the Ilonggos since it is only Bacolod that seized all the booties. Congressman Monico Puentevella, how could you?