WE SEE strong relevance to the observation of fellow Davaoeno journalist Serafin Ledesma Jr. that there are a number of left-mouthing organizations in the country that are so paranoid of being red-tagged by the government through its military and police intelligence communities.
They insist they are not and that what they are doing are just expressing their legitimate rights to protest what they believe as wrong doings of those who are charged to run the government.
We, too, are in accord with their intention to bring to government officials’ consciousness the various issues that ail the nation. Unfortunately however, their protestations against what they believed to their groups being red-tagged are somewhat doing them in.
Yes, they do not wish to be tagged as fronts of the bigger Red group but their banners, flags and bannerettes and streamers are all in blazing color RED. So some discerning people cannot help but think that these groups do not want to be red-tagged, but rather seem to be red-tagging themselves.
We are reminded of a statement by the leading lady character of a Korean telenovela “Crash-landing on You” sometime ago which we could not help but view some of its episodes because that was what the younger members of the household were addicted once.
The quote is: “Sometimes we board into a wrong train but we arrive on the right station.” In the case of the concerned groups they may have espoused the reverse of the quote. That is, that they might have thought they “board on the right train and are sure of arriving at the right station.” But what is happening instead is that “the train they are on board is bringing them to the wrong station.” Or is it their way of reaching their objective/s?
We are simply asking because if one person, or organization for that matter does not have any hidden agenda for his/her group, we believe there is nothing really to be afraid of. As we always say, it is the ghost in a person or group that makes everyone paranoid or fearful even by the shadow he/she or it casts along the way.
************************
We do not know if this is a case of reversal in fortune or just a simple part of the so-called “territory” in the work or profession of one person.
Yes, we are referring to the case of P/Lt. Col. Jovie Espenido and some of his men who were once assigned in Ozamiz City in Misamis Occidental. Espinedo and his group were responsible in putting to a stop the alleged gangster-like illegal organization of a political family in that city that was notoriously famous for alleged extortion and illegal drugs trafficking in Mindanao and the Visayas.
Espinedo and his policemen raided the house of a leading member of the family and in the process killed a number of the family and household members and arrested several others as well as confiscated a number of high-powered firearms.
As law enforcers Espinedo and his men definitely believe that what they did was the right thing to do or the “right train to board.” But by a twist of fate, they seem to have arrived in the “wrong station.” Yes, through Espinedo the police has filed cases against the family members who are suspected to be involved in illegal activities.
But Espinedo and his group later realized, to their chagrin, that the destination they have arrived in, also ended up having themselves “transferred” to another “train.” The “train” the suspects believe is the right “train” for the policemen who are this time have gotten the distinction of being “the right passenger on board the wrong train.”
Imagine, Espenido and company are now the primary accused in the charges of 6 counts of homicide in Ozamiz City! Is their case an example of our people’s apparent “abuse” of a constitutional provision pertaining to our justice system that “any accused must be considered innocent until proven guilty by a court of law,” or that an accused being considered guilty until proven innocent by the court?” Which one will you pick?
*************************
Indeed a lot of residents of Davao City, especially those in the north and northwest sectors, are already highly anticipating for the completion of the Davao City Water District’s (DCWD’s) bulk water project now being undertaken for the semi-government firm by its partner group the Apo Agua Infrustructura, Inc.
Yes, the long wait may be over in about a year or a little over. What with an estimated 5,000 workers being fielded by the contractor to undertake the various work activities needed to accomplish the P12 billion pesos project notwithstanding the many years of inconvenience suffered by the motoring public in roads affected by the pipe-laying works.
But the project’s accomplishment sooner is believed to be the final solution to the long-suffered problem of lack of potable water in the areas of the city earlier-mention. We hope so as well.
But to be honest about it, we are not putting all the eggs of our optimism in one basket. We’ve got to have some reserves knowing that the water firm has for several occasions failed to make good its promise.
We take as example the case of the loss of water supply in the morning of almost every day of the week in majority of the parts of Catalunan Grande.
The problem has been prevalent even before the start of the pandemic in 2020. And in several occasions that we inquired when we can have the efficient water supply back in the barangay concerned we were told that in due time the improvement works being undertaken by DCWD on its water lines in the area will be completed and the water supply will return to normal.
Unfortunately, the loss of water in the Catalunan Grande area from as early as 8:00 in the morning to about 1:00 in the afternoon has already developed into the area’s “new normal” until today.
What is happening to the promise? Only the DCWD people’s honesty on the real situation can provide the residents the answer!
