Where’s the logic?

I WOULD not have written because Facebook would have been a good medium for expressing my views about the recent slapping incident involving Zaldy Ocon and a lowly traffic enforcer of the RTA. However, your paper has always been a good vehicle to bring information to lots and lots of people in the community. So here goes:

Zaldy Ocon has threatened Atty. Egay Uy with a City Council Resolution to oust the latter as chief of the RTA and Task Force Hapsay Dalan simply because Ocon slapped a lowly traffic enforcer inside the City Council session hall. Huh? Where’s the connect and logic?

And I have also heard that the response of Atty. Egay Uy to this nonsensical, demonic and capricious, if not humbug threat was a simple “thank you because you will be making my life more comfortable.”

From where I stand, this Ocon has already overstepped the boundaries and has even claimed territories that do not belong to him. He has thrown his weight around and has not even demonstrated even the slightest of remorse.

Ocon is a co-author of the City’s Traffic Code. He was caught violating a no-parking regulation. The next things he did were [1] crumple the notice of violation that was pasted on his vehicle, and he did this twice, [2] accused the traffic enforcer of arrogance, simply reversing what really happened–the traffic enforcer admitted without a wink that he recognized Ocon so how could he have been arrogant to a hot-head good for nothing councilor, [3] he called Engr. Oclarit to complain about the “arrogance” of the traffic enforcer, and [4] instead of working for the settlement of the violation, he slapped the traffic enforcer in plain view of Atty. Uy and Engr. Nito Oclarit of the RTA.

Where do these place Ocon? Nowhere. He should be banished from the City. He has done noting as an elected official anyway. He should resign as councilor. –Romanito Conteras, romanitoconteras@gmail.com

So we won’t stumble

EARNEST efforts have been ongoing on the releases of prisoners. But necessary legal processes take awhile as cases are within the jurisdiction of the judiciary, an independent and co-equal branch. We understand their angst and impatience but we are all forgetting that these efforts were never possible nor even imaginable in the previous times. it is only in the Duterte administration that these releases are all happening.

We are appalled why some sectors are now even publicly attacking government for “not delivering enough” and for the perceived delay. Those mass actions and media attacks serve as good reminders for us in government that we need to do more. But putting undue public pressure on the government which has already taken unprecedented steps may not yield their intended results.

President Duterte has exercised bold political will to quickly resuscitate the peace process from where it was. And he does so also mindful that there is a need to balance things taking into account the processes that must be observed and the whole citizenry that he must also engage and serve.

As the President always says and does, this administration will walk the extra mile for peace. Yes, let’s all be in a hurry but let’s all keep the pace and be in step with him so we don’t stumble. –Jesus Dureza, presidential peace adviser