ILIGAN City ― The atmosphere of this imperfect world of ours is charged. We can see it on media-- on TV, on cell phones, on various socmed platforms, in print media, even in the mouths of some Marites.
There is therefore all sorts of documentation, of what is happening in some parts of the world that we are interested in following. Like that hospital in Gaza that had been hit by some bomb. Thus, killing hundreds of people there early this week.
There is fear, therefore, felt by people, principally by those living there or nearby or even on distant shores: And reactions to what is happening.
Here in this city, there is fear too. Although not as intense as what is happening there in Gaza, in nearby Israel, and thereabouts.
That fear here is brought about by reports of mining. In Rogongon, a hinterland barangay of this city. Is this true? Some people are asking, especially those living in the barangays near the shorelines of this city. It is true, says Rady Pugoy, the village chief. And it had been there for a long time he told the Sangguniang Panlungsod Tuesday this week in a regular session. And he had reported the matter to the concerned agencies, like the MGB under the DENR.
What? Did he have some proof on the matter or some evidence or documents that he did so? He didn't answer directly but the answer could be deduced. That it was a "no." Naturally, his declarations on the matter could not be believed.
Now, the matter of Peace and Order in the city had been the battle cry of this LGU and the leadership under then-mayor Celso G. Regencia. His ticket then in earlier elections rode on to victory because of that "cry." Principally, of course. One candidate for councilor in the opposing ticket then remarked that if that's the case "we will just place in our houses, a tarp of Regencia.s face and there will be peace."
That's a rather absurd view of this aspect of "peace." Which makes me remember this joke about peace. In a courtroom, a lawyer had asked the defendant if he was a man of peace. why did he strike the man with a big rock?
And his answer: "After I hit the man with that rock, he became as peaceful as ever!"
Very wrong mistake, of course. I mean, wrong perception. Like this quote which I heard from then-congressman, the late Mariano Badelles, here, saying: "What kind of peace do we want, is it the peace of the cemetery?"
Now in ratings done by the DILG of the peace and order matter, it gave a rating of over 30 percent in 2021. And in 2022, over 90 percent.
The logic over said ratings? Documentations on the matter. The Peace and Order Council, which of course, is chaired by the mayor, during such year 2021, rarely met. Or if they had, no minutes or any other "proof" on the matter. "The proof is in the pudding," they say, whatever that means.
And the diehard supporters of CGR became restless over the said report. So, they went on demolishing the reporters of said report. Was that right? That instead of demolishing the DILG, they demolished the reporters instead?
I think that's what we call, ''shooting the messenger." Now, in this documentation aspect, I heard a lawyer say, alright, it is Lawyer Leo Zaragoza saying that there was: complete documentation on a matter "that didn't happen.'' That of an activity that didn't happen. But some documents said the meeting and the eating in a place did happen. Thus, the financial claims. He was positive, he said, because his inquiry on the matter was easy because he was the lawyer of said place!
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