“Each life makes its own imitation of immortality.” – SUN TZU.
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An encouraging development.
With no less than His Excellency Pres. Fedinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. identifying and announcing the scrupulous people behind the alleged rice manipulation in the country, Pinoys will be expecting these culprits to go to jail after conviction.
In a recent speaking engagement in Taguig City, PBBM tagged the following: San Pedro Warehouse, Blue Sakura Agri Grain Corporation, FS Ostia Rice Mill and Gold Rice Mill.
Why only four? Shouldn’’t there be more?
Why weren’t the names of the brains behind these groups also identified and announced?
PBB said the government will slap them with violations of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act, the Rice Tarification Law, and the Anti Agricultural Smuggling Act of 2016 (RA No. 10845).
To simplify, it will be the President’s words against the accused.
That means the entire legal government machinery – the National Prosecutor’s Office and the DOJ and NBI – will collectively pursue the prosecution of this case to its conclusive ending.
The Filipino nation, which has long suffered and endured, will be heartily following up developments.
They want the culprits and their co-conspirators – whether in government or elsewhere – to face the music and spend time in jail.
Which is only right.
These criminally-minded, greedy and avaricious manipulators are “guilty” of economic sabotage.
The Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act considers as large scale the smuggling of more than P1 million worth of sugar, corn, pork, poultry, garlic, onion, carrots, fish and cruciferous vegetables, and P10 million worth of rice.
The penalty is tantamount to the non-bailable offense of economic sabotage which the law defines as an “activity that disrupts the economic balance by creating artificial shortage, promoting excessive importation, manipulating prices and supply, eveading payment or undrpayment of tariffs and custom duties, threatening locl production and security, thus gaining excessives profits.”
Again, growing up as a teener in the sixties, this corner had been a mute witness to the manipulation of the price of rice and sugar.
Justice must be dispensed with fairly and judiciously.
Pinoys do not believe that there are no-co conspirators involved.
That is why they were able to exist boldly and enjoyed trading in this type of business atmosphere for so long a time because they were helped by influence peddlers?
Come on, we were not born yesterday.
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May I take a break to tip my hat to coach Tim Cone who steered the RP basketball squad over archrival China in a nail-biting, come from behind 77-76 win in the Hangzhou Asia basketball semifinals.
Cone erased the stigma of defeat in the recent FIBA World Cup as Gilas is already assured of a silver finish, the first medal the Pinoys got since 1998. Whew!
The PBA winningest coach can make it a double whammy if Justin Brownlee and company hurdle Jordan in the finals and avenge Gilas’ earlier loss during the group stage prelims.
Cone is not only a proven and tested bench tactician but also a great motivator.
Basketball officials are again emerging from the shadows to grab the credit for this terrific and electrifying feat achieved against all odds.
Cone was named as interim coach and took the hot seat with a ragtag platoon that were remnants of the much-better constituted Gilas team to the FIBA WC.
Cone and the individual members of the Pinoy national team deserve to be honored sans the SBP officialdom who messed up the already messy situation.
By the time, you are reading this piece, the finals match up between Jordan and Cone’s ragtag dozen has already concluded.
Praying that Cone and his brave wards come home with the bacon! (Email feedback to fredlumba@yahoo.com). GOD BLESS THE PHILIPPINES!
