A FORMER governor who was miserably defeated in the last elections is now on the prowl for job opening in the BBM administration.
Because he believes he is gifted with various skills that make him an “above normal” person, he is eyeing a cabinet position.
Initially, he was considered especially when he mentioned his sponsor and endorser, a very prominent politician of yore.
But when his past “record” was discovered during the vetting session, he was dropped like a hot potato. Nowadays, it’s very easy to surf the Net and locate any animal on the planet. His graft and corruption record was so glaring that he was immediately torched.
Masyadong mabigat ang bagahe ni Gov, said the source.
So what are his chances of getting that lofty seat in the cabinet?
Malabo yata, added the source.
* * *
I recently met a Boholano in Manila during one of my OBs there. And because we are both fond of sharing/swapping stories over a cup of coffee, we retired to a cozy coffee shop near MOA.
And along came plenty of stories. We started with updates about ourselves, our spouses and members of the family and later to the brutal killing of former Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo.
We share the same suspicion about the mastermind because we also believe that he is the same mastermind to the past killings involving lawyers and media personalities in Dumaguete.
And like me, he simply whispered the name of his suspect, the same gesture shared by Negrenses because of fear over the violent nature of the perceived suspect.
Nobody wants to bet on the good mood of the mastermind because he is rich and endowed with massive resources that would spell disaster to anybody who crosses their path.
Lisod nang pamilyaha kay maundang imong birthday kon ma-initan ka nila, he echoed my observation. Imbes birthday, mahimo nang death-day, hahay lisora, and he guffawed.
I was not surprised about his familiarity to our common suspect because he finished his college days in Silliman University in Dumaguete many years back.
* * *
And I narrated my college days with a member of the clan. Back then, we would gather under the shade of the big acacia tree near Hibbard Hall about 5 of us and that guy would get the plastic pouch inside the cargo compartment of his motorcycle.
Out came plenty of dried marijuana leaves and flowers and he generously rolled some to several joints and passed around.
Ah, daghana man ni, one of those present would comment and the member of the clan would simply say, naay daghan ana sa balay.
True enough, they have several flower pots planted with Baguio Gold, some of which already have that distinctive red flower, an indication that the plant was already matured enough and just right to be used.
And he boasted that even their sugar plantations were intercropped with marijuana.
Walay dakop kay mga sundalo may ga-gwardiya, and laughed loudly at his joke.
* * *
Eventually, our conversation drifted to what’s going on in Bohol.
He commented that with the onset of the travel season, he was glad that the tourism industry in the province is back on its feet.
Nindot na tan-awon ang mga sakyanan nga mo-biyahe padung sa Bohol, pirming puno sa mga turista, he said.
A very valid observation, I suppose.
And he said something from out of the blue.
Natinga lang ko anang OGAR, a body formed to review and look into past transactions of the previous provincial administration.
Nalipay unta ko nga mga maayo ug kasaligan ang mga tawo nga naa sa OGAR pero nahibung ko sa ilang gihimo, he initialled.
When I said why, he was quick to the draw.
Nagtuo ko nga mao na gyod ni ang higayon nga makasohan na ang gituhoang utok sa pangurakot sa Bohol pero naunsa man ni nga mga sundalo ra man ang nakasohan, wala man maapil ang mga heneral, he said.
Sa pila ka bulan nilang utingkay sa mga record, mao ra gyod to ang ilang nakita, mao ra toy ilang output, he asked.
Kinsa man diay ilang target, mga sundalo ba, dili ang mga heneral, nganong small fries ra man, asa na man diay ang mga big fries, he asked.
As a lawyer, nganong nag-interes man ang OGAR sa testimonya anang mga small fries, wala diay mga dokumento nga ilang nakit-an aron ma-pin down ang gituhoang utok sa pangurakot, he followed up.
Mas importante diay nila ang testimonya sa mga testigos kay sa mga dokumento mismo kabahin sa procurement, he quickly added.
* * *
Unya karon kay misukol man ang ilang gikiha, makuha pa kaha gihapon ang ilang giplano nga cooperation sa mga small fries, he asked.
Mo-testigo pa kaha nang mga tawhana pabor sa OGAR, he wondered.
And I could only listen and nod my head occasionally.
Kon ilang padayonon kining ilang style, dili kaha usik-usik lang ni sa panahon ug kwarta sa gobierno, he told me.
* * *
I really wanted to join his lament but am not sure where we’re going when the two of us were on the same blind trip.
I share his sentiments, just like my other friends.
And nobody knows the answer because nobody is telling us the timeline for the filing of graft cases against the mastermind of corruption in Bohol.
Karong tuiga ba or next year or year after next.
Kanus-a pa kaha?
