Bombings have caused both nightmares and opportunities to newly-designated chief of the 120,000-strong PNP (Philippine National Police) General Avelino "Sonny" Razon.

Known as an "FVR Boy" and a member of PMA Class 1974 (that included AFP Chief of Staff Hermogenes Esperon and Navy Chief Reggie Calunsag), Razon was designated as part of PNP unit of the elite PSG (Presidential Security Group of FVR) designated to secure the life of visiting pontiff Pope John Paul II back in 1995.

Razon's Group busted a "plot to kill the Pope" when an accidental fire caused by chemical combustion exposed the apartment of the assassins along Quirino Avenue. The horrible plan called "Oplan Bojinka" not only meant to kill Pope John Paul II but to fly "a light aircraft to crash into the headquarters of the Central Intelligence Agency."

The first plan was foiled by the arrest by Razon's men of Abdul Hakim Murrad, part of the three Al Quaeda terror squad but the second plot was carried out six years later in the infamous September 11, 2001 bombing of the World Trade Center and the CIA Headquarters.

General Sonny, after shattering Oplan Bojinka, rocketed into fame in the PNP hierarchy that he was appointed NCRPO PNP Chief, a plum slot. However, Razon's Valentine dreams were shattered with the bombing of the MRT along EDSA at the height of February 14, 2004 celebration - apparently detonated by terrorists.

Once again, just a few days this year after he took over as PNP top honcho vice Oscar Calderon (a relations of the president from Pampanga), General Razon was greeted by that loud explosion in plush Glorietta 2 in the heart of the financial district of Makati that resulted in 11 deaths and over 100 people hurt.

It was a public relations nightmare for the GMA Administration who was touting its economic statistics and that the Philippines was the place to be - having checked inflation, foreign exchange and budget deficit woes. That plus the deafening political noise coming from one corrupt scandal to the other in the GMA administration, made the investors take understandable pause and rewrite plans.

At he beginning of the investigation, talks were rife that some chemicals of C4 - a lethal bomb element were discovered in Glorietta. Days later, the official report of the Multi-Agency Investigative Report Group changed its tune - it was an industrial accident caused by methane gas and LPG under the basement of the Ayala-owned uppity mall.

That report is still under dispute by the very personality hurt most by the disaster - the Ayala Corporation - whose spokesperson Alfonso Reyes said their own independent probe completely negated the official government report. Further, the powerful conglomerate decried the lack of access given to them by the authorities to further investigate the SOC (Scene of the Crime).

It is sad for the authorities that because of the massive deterioration of credibility of the GMA administration, their probe results are taken with a grain - if not a sack - of salt by people. It is sadder that this is deja vu of the last waning months of the discredited Marcos regime that even if it was telling the truth, hardly anyone believed it anymore.

So even if Ferdinand wore an Armani suit and his wife Imelda a Prada, people would still say their king and queen were stark naked.

Questions arise whether the Government is deliberately defusing the "terrorist angle" in order not to let the assassins ride on the media mileage which is their main vehicle to spread terror in the hearts of 84 million Filipinos in one act of dramatic bombing in Makati. But if so, why has not one terrorist group claimed responsibility for the ghastly act? Was the Rajah Solayman claim really false alarm?

Before the public could calm its nerves from the Glorietta blast and think Christmas shopping, a bomb attached to a motorcycle was detonated from afar (last November 13) by a cellphone of assassin right in the innards of the Congress of the Philippines (south wing) that killed Basilan representative Wahab Akbar and wounded two other lawmakers Henry Teves of Negros Oriental and Party List group Gabriela (activist) Luzviminda Ilagan. Ten other people were wounded and three congressional aides killed in the gruesome incident.

The United States of America, herself, was shocked by the brazenness of the act that challenged the very essence of democracy by bombing a site that housed by people elected by their constituents (some honestly; others not - we may add).

Within 48 hours, a firefight ensued in nearby Payatas district between the PNP and alleged Abu Sayyaf members linked to the Congress blast. Three alleged terrorists were killed and three others: Caldar Aunal, Adhan Kusain and Ikram Indama will be criminally charged as accomplices of the terror group.

Still, the government credibility was questioned by the indecent haste by which the plot was immediately linked to terrorists and it is a sad commentary that the PNP is expected by Filipinos to take ages to solve a crime. Many lawmakers doubt the PNP conclusion, likewise.

General Sonny Razon was of course exasperated saying that "people are not satisfied even after we have solved the crime." The general statement was the "Batasan Case is solved but not closed" since the mastermind(s) have not been identified for certain.

If the Batasan bombing is a terrorist case rather than a partisan one - then General Razon has gone full circle now - battling a case against the same beasts he discovered plotting to assassinate the world leader of the Roman Catholic Church.

It seems now terrorist bombers follow Razon's career path. But the more the spunky general solves them - the nearer he gets to full adulation from peers and doubting Thomases as well.

Will Razon solve the Batasan Blast and win another anti-terror feather on his cap? Or are the terrorists hitting back at Razon - for exposing Oplan Bojinka - by planting bombs here and there not just to embarrass the terrorists" scourge (Razon) but scare the public that Terror is Back in vogue. Or are they just scheming minor bombings to attract international funding to further their terror acts in the Philippines by displaying capabilities to create public mayhem and fright?

General Razon has plenty on his plate today. He has said he wanted "Mamang Pulis" to get back the community's respect by good behavior and getting 90% of them visible to citizens and criminals alike.

He had asked policemen to retrain in using guns (being a decorated sharpshooter himself) and be physically fit to fight crime and trouble-makers. Now he has apparently met his match in a new terror and bombings that seem to follow his footsteps.

Right after graduation at the PMA in 1974, Razon, Calunsag and company were deployed in Jolo after the MNLF reduced the city and towns into a howling wilderness.

It was to haunt his soul the rest of his life as he saw six of his young classmates die in those Jolo firefights with the Muslims and struggled with that nightmare throughout his military career.

Will the new wave of bombings be the crowning glory or finishing backlash as the new PNP chief descends into the twilight of his otherwise illustrious career of 63 military medals? He retires next year in September - being 56 years old then.

One thing sure, the PNP chief would rather romance the ballroom floor than this invisible terror.

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