Second time around

Ben Contreras

IF at first, he got away with it, I guess it won’t be the case the second time around.

The first time Mayor Moreno was found guilty by the Ombudsman and ordered dismissed and disqualified perpetually from holding any government position, he got away with it due to the brilliance of his lawyer, because of his connections, by other means for whatever consideration and by sheer shameless gut to stay in office.

But his “kalbaryo” does not and won’t stop there because more seem to be coming. He has adopted and adapted to the saying, “I don’t mind if you know what I am doing as long as you don’t see me doing it” quite well. Besides, he’s got a lot of drumbeaters not because they believe in his innocence but because they also benefit from him and his sins.

This time, the Ombudsman found him guilty again of the charges filed against him. Would our court come to his rescue again by issuing a temporary restraining order?

A court is supposed to carry out justice as fairly as possible and not to subvert it for any reason. Public perception was that Moreno got away with the first dismissal because the Court of Appeals (CA) allegedly sided with the mayor for certain considerations. But with this second dismissal order, the Ombudsman can’t be wrong by committing a mistake, if ever the first was, the second time around.

Moreno’s drumbeater tried to come to his defense as if he knows the law more than the Ombudsman. Well, it’s never about the law but what he owes his benefactor. And they are legion.

For someone who knew Moreno only too well, she loves to see him with his comeuppance. And it makes anyone puke when he and some of our city councilors cite biblical verses to camouflage their sins.

Moreno knows what he’s been doing all his political life, not to mention his personal and family life. And they’re not something to be proud of. And this time, he knows where he stands.

He needs today more than just the CA but a political godfather like Nene Pimentel. Sensing the older Pimentel may have lost his clout in this administration, Moreno is seen trying hard to get to the President of the Republic to save his neck.

Moreno’s former city treasurer Glen Bañez once said that Moreno is not in the good graces of the President. I tend to agree. But this time, Moreno has a stronger backer who is said to be a very close friend of President Duterte.

If this gentleman is truly a friend of Duterte, the last thing he should do is to refrain from trying to save Moreno from his present travail because to do so would tantamount to asking the President to go against his pledge to fight corruption in the government.

Moreno deserves his fate as handed down by the Ombudsman not only once but twice. I believe there would be more in the near future.

• •

Amid the text messages being spread openly and privately, a question arises whether it’s time for Christians to arm themselves or not. Personally, I suggest we should prepare for any eventuality.

Any miscalculated move by these terrorists and their supporters can be very costly and bloody. Let us all be very cooperative by being vigilant and report any suspicious people and behavior.

We can’t take the warning lightly.