Instead of wasting her time on filing libel charges against innocent newsmen, Dr. Nenita Po, hospital chief of the Gov. Celestino Gallares Hospital should answer new issues against this biggest government hospital here.

There is a growing consensus that instead of cooperation, medical missions from elsewhere using the GCGMH get "cold, inhospitable treatment" from the people in the hospital. The latest victim of this anti-thesis of Boholano hospitality is no less than the gigantic medical mission (identified with a foundation linked to the First Gentleman Mike Arroyo) held recently.

On top of the "cold treatment" inflicted on top-notch Manila specialists by hospital doctors, the medical mission observed poor, lousy management of the hospital. That, of course, is not news to anyone who comes three meters close to that hospital to observe it well enough.

We botch these God-given numerous medical mission blessings by this embarrassing piece of news due to this hospital. Not only the Palace, irked by the situation, should conduct an honest probe into this seemingly untouchable but repulsive situation in the hospital. To our mind, even the kin of the Gallares clan, upon whose great departed elder Governor Celestino Gallares' name and memory, this regional hospital was named, should feel rightfully aggrieved.

It is a desecration of the venerable, compassionate memory of the late governor to have a hospital, which deals with life and death situations, accused of such unhealthy practices.

This is not the first incident. We gathered that the more than a hundred doctors and dentists from the great medical institution in Manila called St. Luke's Hospital vowed never to come back on a medical mission on the hospital again due to the same: "cold treatment." Moreover, there is reliable information that the medical mission from New York-based Home Reach Foundation is not doing a medical mission this year despite the good timing it gives as we celebrate this July the global reunion of Boholanos in the "Tigum Bol-anon sa Tibuok Kalibutan" or TBTK.

Whether that lack of enthusiasm stems from that same reason we can only surmise but not yet validate for certainty at this point.

Next month, Bohol will play host to the visit of the hospital ship, "Physicians for Peace" which will conduct medical operations on board the vessel to be docked at the Tagbilaran Port from July 6-9.

Twenty-five doctors operating on goiter, cataracts, hernia and tooth extraction will do the honors. We call the attention of the GCGMH to be on stand-by alert because the "mercy floating hospital" will use the regional hospital's facilities as a veritable "Plan B" if bad weather condition pervades during its visit to Bohol.

We earnestly ask Gov. Erico Aumentado and the three solons Edgar Chatto, Roberto Cajes and Eladio Jala to find ways to ensure that no face-losing incident happens once "Plan B" is implemented. That means seriously looking at the management structure and practices at this controversial hospital. One question to be asked is why is Dr. Nenita Po still at the helm of this institution for many years despite the many negative feedback on the hospital performance, connoting command irresponsibility.

That hospital does not even have an efficient Out Patient department because of the so-called shortage of doctors. Likewise, where before a Promissory Note would suffice, poor patients today are forced to cough up 10% of their billings before they are allowed to check out by this hospital.

The health and life of many Boholanos are placed on the hands of a regional hospital that has lacked good news to the public in recent months.

It's about time an honest-to-goodness probe on this so-called biggest regional hospital be conducted no matter who gets a figurative surgery in the process. We cannot play cute on lives of people for too long.

CESAR MONTANO TO ENTER POLITICS?

In a move that hardly surprised us, Boholano actor-director extraordinaire Cesar Montano, virtually floated his own political balloon by deftly answering a popular TV station query the other night about his interest in entering the world of politics. The actor, apparently fishing for feedback, answered that the clarion "call for public service has entered his mind" but he is concentrating in the meantime of his movie and television career.

With the 2007 elections just around the corner and the Cha-Cha train derailed at the loading station with open debates searing the media, Cesar gave an educated, calculating answer.

Without probing his mind, Cesar may have harked back at the success on his two landmark films "Muro Ami" and "Panaghoy," all shot in Bohol, to calculate his destiny - movie or political - could be intertwined with his own place of birth. A competent, dedicated man of legal age and good health is free in our democracy to run for any political position. Cesar is no exception.

A native of Baclayon, Bohol - Cesar Montano has enough charisma and vote-getting appeal to become a meaningful political animal. Young as he is and with a town mayorship a wee bit too small for his stature, Montano can be an exciting candidate for higher positions in local governance. Now, that's we throwing gasoline into the political embers.