Gratitude, Trillanes style

A national official is reportedly eyeing a building sitting on prime real estate in a Metro Manila city.

Using the powers of his office, the official is  about to have the building condemned.

When the building is condemned, the value of the property will go down considerably, favoring the official.

You see, the official has a dummy corporation which deals in real estate.

The official’s family owns more than half of prime real estate property in the city where the concerned building is located.

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Even after this space exposed on Thursday the Marine detachments in Barangay Bacungan in Puerto Princesa City when there is no need for them, the detachments are still there.

Purportedly, the detachments were set up to counter New People’s Army (NPA) guerrillas who had allegedly made intrusions into the barangay.

This claim is definitely not true. I can attest to it as I have a farm in Barangay Bacungan which is 30 minutes away from the city proper.

The reason for the detachments is to guard the property of Lt. Gen. Juancho Sabban, Western Command chief, and Mayor Sherwin Gatchalian of Valenzuela City, Metro Manila, according to tribal residents of remote sitios in the barangay.

Using soldiers to guard one’s personal property constitutes graft.

Sabban and Gatchalian are liable under the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Law.

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Beleaguered Director General Jose Gutierrez of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) is a reportedly a close relative of President Noy, the reason he has not been removed despite the unsavory reports about his wife.

Estrella Gutierrez has incurred P100 million in gambling debts, according to some people who have loaned her money and who I was able to interview.

Estrella is deep in debt because she’s allegedly addicted to gambling, but her husband seems to look the other way.

Where will the PDEA chief get the money to pay his wife’s huge debts?

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Neophyte Sen. Antonio Trillanes  should not have engaged Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile in a verbal war, not only in deference to his age but also out of gratitude.

Enrile worked out Trillanes’ temporary release from detention on charges of rebellion so he  could attend sessions in the Senate.

That’s gratitude for you.