The retired Catholic Bishop of Pangasinan blew the whistle clad with the cloak of parliamentary immunity inside the August Hall of the Senate. Thus, he seemed to be dreading to stoop down to acts of dishonesty in exposing an alleged Jueteng Scandal without an iota of evidence. Even then, the elderly Church Pastor went on to err in naming names while making wild accusations. Didn’t he appear to be going for broke and taking a ride on his return trip to second childhood?
I hoped his reasons fled not. But I also hoped that he should be a bit more careful in floating the names of persons of consequence as operators of the alleged illegal number’s game. Wrong was he in clinging to the moldering wall of tradition in religion and wrong was he as well in believing rumors mongered for the ostensible purpose of trying to make even with foes. Was he not barking at the wrong tree?
One of the names belonging to government officials falsely charge with was that of Governor Lilia “Nanany Baby” Pineda of Pampanga. The erstwhile supposed-to-be Vicar of Christ on earth put her on top of his jueteng operators’ list in spite of the fact that the generous governor never got directly involved in it much less ran the affairs of anything illegal or immoral. Did he not commit a sin that draws near to grieving the Holy Spirit?
I supposed that the whistle-blowing clergy should cast off the devil of aspersions in a level playing field to let the innocent victims of allegation take a chance of exercising their right to clear their names by filing counter charges. But he seemed to be wagging a tail between the legs in fear to see his day in court. Was he not playing political hardball on the sly to gain media mileage for no reason at all?
My father before he breathed his last said, “Respect to be respected.” I followed his advice in respecting the bishop who never knew that I exist by not hitting him below the belt. I merely described his inclination to put a good woman down in the person of Governor Pineda, the pride of all Kapampangan including the former priest-turned-governor Eddie Panlilio and the lovely Vivian Dabu. Did he err in the safe side?
In fairness, the bishop who was once held sway over the Archdiocese of San Fernando knew full well that Nanay Baby is the wife of Bong Pineda. So what? Did the suspected gambling lord really engage himself in jueteng? Did he not testify in a Senate Hearing and he was never found out to be in the practice of the illegal profession? Did anyone file charges against him in court to prove him guilty beyond reasonable doubt?
I myself tried to pin him down not because he ran jueteng in our town of Minalin but because the rumored rich man might be cheating on his income-tax returns. I failed in my attempt more than a decade ago. I was wrong that he might have been doing an Al Capone even as I checked his B.I.R records and found it to be in order. Did I not learn a lesson in making wild accusation that led me to the peak of spiritual embezzlement?
By the way, US Gangster Al Capone was born in Italy. In the late 1920s, he dominated the Chicago underworld of organized crime. He was particularly successful in the illegal liquor traffic during the Prohibition. In the Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre of 1929, his men killed seven members of a rival gang. About two years later in 1931, the famous gangster of all time was imprisoned for income-tax evasion and not for any of his other crimes.
Now, what’s in store for Bong Pineda? There’s nothing but suspicion. How about his wife Governor Nanay Baby? It’s just an almost tarnished reputation. What lies ahead of the jueteng whistle blower? Nothing but that all his suspects should obey the Christian principle of forgiveness in terms of repentance. Will he repent? The answer will likely be one for the books.
I hoped his reasons fled not. But I also hoped that he should be a bit more careful in floating the names of persons of consequence as operators of the alleged illegal number’s game. Wrong was he in clinging to the moldering wall of tradition in religion and wrong was he as well in believing rumors mongered for the ostensible purpose of trying to make even with foes. Was he not barking at the wrong tree?
One of the names belonging to government officials falsely charge with was that of Governor Lilia “Nanany Baby” Pineda of Pampanga. The erstwhile supposed-to-be Vicar of Christ on earth put her on top of his jueteng operators’ list in spite of the fact that the generous governor never got directly involved in it much less ran the affairs of anything illegal or immoral. Did he not commit a sin that draws near to grieving the Holy Spirit?
I supposed that the whistle-blowing clergy should cast off the devil of aspersions in a level playing field to let the innocent victims of allegation take a chance of exercising their right to clear their names by filing counter charges. But he seemed to be wagging a tail between the legs in fear to see his day in court. Was he not playing political hardball on the sly to gain media mileage for no reason at all?
My father before he breathed his last said, “Respect to be respected.” I followed his advice in respecting the bishop who never knew that I exist by not hitting him below the belt. I merely described his inclination to put a good woman down in the person of Governor Pineda, the pride of all Kapampangan including the former priest-turned-governor Eddie Panlilio and the lovely Vivian Dabu. Did he err in the safe side?
In fairness, the bishop who was once held sway over the Archdiocese of San Fernando knew full well that Nanay Baby is the wife of Bong Pineda. So what? Did the suspected gambling lord really engage himself in jueteng? Did he not testify in a Senate Hearing and he was never found out to be in the practice of the illegal profession? Did anyone file charges against him in court to prove him guilty beyond reasonable doubt?
I myself tried to pin him down not because he ran jueteng in our town of Minalin but because the rumored rich man might be cheating on his income-tax returns. I failed in my attempt more than a decade ago. I was wrong that he might have been doing an Al Capone even as I checked his B.I.R records and found it to be in order. Did I not learn a lesson in making wild accusation that led me to the peak of spiritual embezzlement?
By the way, US Gangster Al Capone was born in Italy. In the late 1920s, he dominated the Chicago underworld of organized crime. He was particularly successful in the illegal liquor traffic during the Prohibition. In the Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre of 1929, his men killed seven members of a rival gang. About two years later in 1931, the famous gangster of all time was imprisoned for income-tax evasion and not for any of his other crimes.
Now, what’s in store for Bong Pineda? There’s nothing but suspicion. How about his wife Governor Nanay Baby? It’s just an almost tarnished reputation. What lies ahead of the jueteng whistle blower? Nothing but that all his suspects should obey the Christian principle of forgiveness in terms of repentance. Will he repent? The answer will likely be one for the books.
