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If
there's one big beneficiary in the holding of the synchronized
barangay and SK elections, our hands down choice would be
the drug testing centers that piled hundreds of thousands
of pesos until the deadline last Thursday evening.
The
poll body's requirement for candidates to submit drug test
results is useless and has not served its purpose. Drug users
who plan to run as candidates can easily pass the test because
drug testing centers are not that stringent in the urine test
except for the PNP crime laboratory which also conducts drug
tests.
In
Tagbilaran City alone, there are 15 barangays with an average
of 30 candidates for the barangay and SK elections. A minimum
of 450 bets undergo drug test and pay P300 each. That is easily
P150,000 already. How about in Loon, Ubay and in the entire
province for that matter? Some people must be laughing all
the way to the bank.
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City
Mayor Dan Neri Lim arrived here yesterday afternoon from the
United States in time for the birthday bash of Deputy Mayor
Mario Uy.
Without
any appearance of a jet lag, the city mayor immediately buckled
down to work before he enplanes back to Manila this morning
for another round of undertakings there.
We teased the city mayor for missing the alleged cash dole
out courtesy of Malacañang last week.
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As
of yesterday afternoon, nine persons were confirmed dead and
100 others injured in last Friday's blast at the Glorietta
in Makati City.
While
the fundamentalist Abu Sayaf Group has denied any hand in
the mall bombing, both the military and the police say it
could be a possible terror attack.
During
the weekly Mayor's Report yesterday morning with Vice Mayor
Jose Antonio Veloso, we gathered reports that a Boholano was
among the victims in the mall blast which rocked the nation
last Friday. Worse, the opposition has put political color
behind the tragedy as a cover up, code named Operation Green
Base, for the impeachment to immunize issue and the half million
dole outs in the Palace.
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Our
four-part series on the Writ of Amparo ended last Wednesday
in time for its effectivity on Oct. 24.
The
new rule is the Supreme Court's answer to the disappearances
of militants and extra-judicial killings which hounded the
Arroyo administration described by many as even worse than
the Marcos time.
Kin
of Jonas Burgos are rearing to avail of the new rule as their
efforts to locate and search for the activist proved futile
after several months now.
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SP
UPDATE. During the regular session of the 10th Sangguniang
Panlungsod last Wednesday, the city councilors confirmed the
renewal of the contract of Candy Bernardo as consultant of
the multiple intelligence program in the city's day care centers.
The
city lawmakers also confirmed the contract of Cecil Corloncito
as the city's new consultant for environmental concerns. Only
the contract of Lutgrado Labad is yet to be ratified as consultant
for the culture and the arts of the city government.
With
the arrival of the city mayor from the US, we expect Vice-Mayor
Antonio S. Veloso to preside again the regular session of
the city sanggunian on Wednesday.
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POSTSCRIPT:
Our belated birthday greetings to Deputy Mayor Mario Uy who
marked his natal day with a gathering of friends last night
at his Miravilla in Booy this city…Ditto for our only
begotten son, Dan Blyke who turned 20 last Friday
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For
comments and suggestions, just e-mail to the following e-mail
addresses: obiter@boholchronicle.com
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