One for Guinness

Ben Contreras

WHAT’S the latest that would qualify for a Guinness world record? A public official who’s been found guilty several times by the Ombudsman and still holds on to his office. Never mind the court that enables him to stay every time. It’s all about conscience if they still have. But if it’s about money, there a manner to take it back the hard and painful way. The Karma way!

Getting a TRO or WPI does not in any way cleanse one’s image. It only deepens public perception of one’s guilt.

Former councilor Prexy Elipe has been attacking the mayor on his radio program but whether deliberately or not, his attacks have been insufficient of substance to make a dent on Moreno.

Someone from the accounting office said Elipe needs more than just words to dig deeper into the “job orders/ghost employees” and the P79-million checks. According to her, the issuance of the checks was wrong. Although that would make Beda Joy Elot, Glenn Bañez and Percy Salazar liable, Bañez was said to be against the idea and warned Salazar about it. Elot allegedly insisted on it.

Accordingly, when the city COA office discovered it, Elot allegedly ask the COA to give them time to remedy it before sending their findings to COA regional office. Unfortunately, when the COA regional office received the report, they took note of the vouchers used which were not the usual kind of paper, whatever that means.

She also urged Elipe to look deeper into the hiring of “job orders” where many, she claimed, are ghost employees.

Would Elipe do that? Would he be able to get access to certain records when he is no longer inside? And what are the councilors doing amid these reports? Watch the show and benefit from them? Aren’t they making themselves indirect accomplices to the alleged crimes?

The last time I heard, a few of them were in talks with Rep. Klarex Uy. Is Klarex flexing his muscles for the next elections? Wala na bay lain? Aren’t there any decent enough to say “enough is enough”?

How much taxes are going into the wrong pockets from overpriced purchase of lands? The Fernandezes have been accused of such due to a new house but the charges remain unsubstantiated. His power has been clipped, and in place are people who allegedly formed a real estate brokerage firm supposedly to capture commissions or the excess from the overpricing, up to the last centavo.

But thank you, lady, for your verbal reports. I will always be all ears for you. The next time around, she promised to tell me stories of the man with the golden hand who signs for someone’s behalf. She’s another Camille in the making.

How many counts more? How many TROs more? How much money more? And where will all the money come from? Can we blame people from giving new meaning to CA?

Councilor Edna Dahino has no sound and fury but she dared question the hiring of the 435 JOs for the city hospital. Please don’t stop, Madame. Discover things before Elipe does. Dig, dig and dig deeper. The gold is just a few inches deep.