“IF THE good senator has information on that, I think they should provide us with intelligence reports so that we can pursue their line of belief on that matter.”
So riposted presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo on Senator Richard Gordon’s exposé of the alleged involvement of Chinese nationals in money laundering activities in the country.
Gordon disclosed that $188 million in cold cash was brought in by Chinese nationals with the active involvement of their “co-conspirators and protectors in the Philippine government.”
The Bureau of Customs also revealed in a report to Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III that suspected syndicates, some from China, brought in $370 million in cash to the Philippines last year.
The BOC report event went further than Gordon’s exposé, what with Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero alleging that the said syndicates were protected by members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police!
In his own retort to Panelo, Gordon averred: “When I expose something like that, hindi naman ako nagpapasabog. Hindi ko naman ugali na magpasabog dito e. ‘Pag nag-imbestiga tayo, talagang masusi.”
Daring further: “Magpaliwanag kayo kung anong ginawa diyan, ‘di ba? Hindi naman pasabog ‘yan. Bakit ba sila (presumably Malacañang) nasasaktan tuwing China ang involved?”
Wishing no premature ejaculation from a hardened Dick there. As when Gordon took on Faeldon and the Bilibid’s good conduct time allowance for sale mess, only to… soften.
Pinged loyalty
WHEN WE cast our vote on any matter under deliberation, we should be dictated only by our own conscience and what we honestly think is good for our country, and the institution where we belong — and not because of blind loyalty to any person or party.
While loyalty is a virtue, blind loyalty is simply just that — blind.
Otherwise, we can no longer be the Senate of the people that we are supposed to be, but an expensive ‘rubber stamp’ that our taxpayers have to sustain out of their hard-earned tax money.
Having said that, there is no reason to be saddened either way by the voting on Senate Resolution 337. That is democracy at work in the Senate.
(Sen. Panfilo Lacson after Senate vote – 12 in favor, 7 abstention – on resolution seeking clarification from the Supreme Court on President Duterte’s unilateral withdrawal of the Visiting Forces Agreement)
