President Duterte said that as an incentive to the soldiers fighting it out with terrorists in Marawi, he will send them to Hong Kong with their wives or common-law partners. All expenses will be covered.
Santa Banana, why give the soldiers incentives when it is their duty to fight the enemies of the state? Then again, Mr. Duterte is the commander in chief and he must feel the soldiers deserve it. My only question, as a taxpayer, is this: Why include the wives and the common-law partners?
* * *
Listening to the congressional hearings about the smuggling of shabu through the Bureau of Customs, I am convinced of the incompetence of that former mutineer, Customs Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon.
When President Duterte appointed Faeldon to the post, I warned him against placing a newcomer to the bureau. There is an entrenched cabal of corrupt brokers and importers who act in tandem with Customs personnel. A “novato” like Faeldon would need at least six months to learn the system and procedures in the agency.
It became worse when Faeldon brought along his fellow Magdalo mutineers to occupy sensitive positions at the BOC.
Thus, when shabu passed the express lane at BoC, the smuggling cartel in connivance with corrupt Customs officials went to town. In other words, “napalusutan si Faeldon.” He obviously did not know what was going on in his turf.
This is always the dilemma of a president. If he names an insider, he cannot be sure that the appointee is not part of the syndicate. If he chooses an outsider, corrupt officials in the agency will run circles around him. This is exactly what is happening with Faeldon.
In my younger years as a journalist, I covered Customs. I know for a fact that being Customs chief is a 24/7 job. It is worse when you have an incompetent commissioner at the helm.
* * *
It appears that Philippine National Police Chief Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa is out of touch with reality.
Take the killing of the former journalist and PR consultant. He and his brother were murdered in San Juan. And then, a councilor was shot dead outside a shopping mall in Las Piñas. A judge was slain and his wife was wounded in an ambush.
In these killings, no arrests have been made. The police still have to establish the motives of the perpetrators.
It seems that the police is failing in its job to serve and protect the people. Until these killings are solved and the perpetrators are brought to justice, we will no longer feel safe in our homes and on the streets.
* * *
The Japanese are often associated with the Bushido Code. It demands honesty, discipline and honor.
It is fascinating how the Japanese live these values. We saw this in action in 2011, when Japan was struck by a tsunami. The discipline and consideration that they showed amid tragedy was remarkable.
Another aspect of this honor system is accountability. It is typical of the Japanese to accept responsibility for all the consequences of their actions.
Unfortunately, as in every culture, there are exceptions.
This may apply to the high-profile estafa case against top executives of the giant firm Fujitsu. The circumstances that led to this lawsuit are rooted in honor.
Berny Realty and Development Corp. sued Fujitsu Philippines and its board members Shiro Ogata, Hiroshi Nakamura, Junichi Sato and Tomoji Sato for failing to uphold a property sale that was agreed upon both verbally and in writing.
Fujitsu sold, through a broker, a 20-hectare property at the First Philippines Industrial Park in Tanauan, Batangas for P150 million. Ogata and BDRC representative Necisto Sytengco shook hands in the deal and this was witnessed by representatives. The agreement was later on formalized in writing which was signed by Sato.
Given the signed paperwork, BRDC issued checks amounting to P30 million as down payment, which was received by the broker. Naturally, knowing that they already bought the property, the BRDC spent another P5 million in repairs and secured all necessary Philippine Economic Zone Authority permits to proceed with the business.
It seems Fujitsu had a different idea. Despite the perfected contract of sale and money changing hands, they refused to execute a Deed of Absolute Sale.
The supposed reason? They needed to obtain approval of the firm. Santa Banana, since when do you need the go-signal of the previous owner to sell something that you already own?
The plot thickens. After weeks and months of follow-up, and offering to pay the remaing balance, Fujitsu informed BRDC that it could no longer sell the property because it had sold it back to FPIP!
Things became even more absurd when it was revealed that the FPIP bought the property back for only P110 million—P40 million less than what BRDC was ready to pay.
You have to admire these people, my gulay!
Whether there was conspiracy or collusion between Fujitsu and the FPIP is anybody’s guess.
Months ago, the Office of the City Prosecutor of Makati denied the motion for reconsideration of the Japanese executives, saying it found no merit in the counter-argument of the expatriates.
An old Japanese proverb seems to apply here: “A hundred years cannot undo a moment’s loss of honor.”