Mystery figure

“Who is this shadowy Al-Razel Abula?” inquired engineer Leonor Lagsaca from Iloilo City. The column “Mindset of abuse”(CDN/ July 30) mentions Al-Razel Abula in passing. With two companions, Abula encashed 41 percent of checks from the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao public works office.

“Abula is not a municipal government employee,” notes the Commission on Audit’s report: “Selected Municipalities (Trust Fund).” This special audit tracks Abula, flitting from town to town, encashing multimillion -peso checks, “sometimes even without endorsement by the Muncipal Treasurer.”

In Shariff Aguak, Abula drew P1.48 million. He picked up P1.44 million in Datu Piang. And in Parang, Abula encashed P1.54 million through a Land Bank check.

Abula withdrew P708,778 cash for a check meant for Datu Saudi Ampatuan town. “These checks (were) endorsed by Mayor Datu Ombra Sinsuat and another person whose signature was not legible. These transfers were not received by the municipal government,” COA says. “The encashment of these checks were nonetheless authorized.”

“Will Mayor Ombra Sinsuat tell us who Abula is?” Lagsca asks. “Was Abulla collecting for someone else? Who? If he pocketed that cash, did Abula report such extraordinary income to the BIR? Silly question?

“Under Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, the Ombudsman for Mindanao could not be bothered by such questions. But now, there is a new upright Ombudsman. Will we finally get some answers?”

From Sto. Domingo Ilocos Sur, lawyer Mariano Tajon comments on the column “Flypaper effect” (CDN/July 26). This spotlighted local governments’ diversion of the 20 percent Local Development Fund from human needs into pork barrel items.

The Sto. Domingo Sangguniang Bayan didn’t appropriate an LDF of P795,798.40 for development projects. It paid instead for 40 guns of various caliber. These were distributed to barangay captains, unlicensed to possess firearms.

Impounded by the Commission on Elections, the guns were released after elections. “Thus, I filed a case of of technical malversation against the mayor, municipal treasurer, and municipal accountant” with the Office of the Deputy Ombudsman (Luzon).

Section 287 of the Local Government Code stipulates that LDFs are to be used exclusively for social, economic and environmental projects. Guns are out. Local Government Memo Circular 2010-138 amplifies this thrust. So does the Budget Department’s Circular 2011-1.

Ignoring these guidelines, the investigating prosecutor recommended the dismissal of the complaint. “So we lodged a motion for reconsideration.” The outcome will have repercussions on how LGUs administer a vital development resource—a point that new Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales will appreciate.

In Abu Dhabi, Leo Quillo and fellow OFWorkers read the column “Self-applied muzzles” (CDN/July 23 ). “Did we err in working abroad?,” they wrote.

“If we entered politics, we need not put in long hours, scrimp, battle homesickness and arrogance of foreign bosses, adjust to quirks of alien co-wrokers, etc. Instead, we’d just scoop a bit from hundreds of millions flowing from Pagcor’s billion-peso coffee pot, sweepstakes ’intelligence fund,’ ARRM plunder, overpriced helicopters etc.

“How did all these happen? Were there no Heidi Mendozas that time? It is very disappointing for people like us. We save to acquire a small lot and house back home. Not multi-million mansions, like our politicians.

“How can we pay for a modest house over three, five or even 10 years? What if we lose our job? Or fall ill? We toss such questions in our minds and conversations. This is how difficult an OFW’s life can be.

“Is there still a chance for our leaders to make a 180-degree turn? We hope P-Noy can really make a difference. Because what’s appearing today are insults to the OFWs’ sufferings. Most Filipino OFWs choose to be fair and decent. Is it too much to hope that our politically leaders do likewise?

“The Viewpoint column ‘Silenced Songbirds’ (CDN/ July 5 ) reminded me of that seminal work by Rachel Carson titled ‘Silent Spring,’” former United Nations forester Napoleon Vergara wrote from Los Baños.

Carson wrote about silenced songbirds, chirping insects and other wildlife. Many were rendered almost extinct by the indiscriminate use of insecticides, pesticides, etc. These are lessons that we still have to take to heart.

Mt. Makiling National Park and the Makiling Botanical Gardens are nature reserves managed by University of the Philippines Los Baños. They’re the largest and best conserved natural and man-made forests. Close to Metro Manila, they attract a lot of local tourists, especially city dwellers and young students who are hungry for “a taste of nature.”

Unfortunately, large segments on the lower slopes of Makiling are in private hands and travelers along South Luzon Expressway see the stark contrast between the green densely forested Makiling National Park and the areas under private control. Makiling’s forest vegetation (and the natural habitat of wildlife) is well-conserved. But the intrusion of people has silenced far too many songbirds.

As a young UPLB student in the early ’50s, I was thrilled by the cacophony of music made by the large hornbills, the black and yellow orioles, the green-and-red parrots, the green-breasted doves, monkeys, etc. right within the campus. Now they are silent and gone, victims of unregulated hunting.

Conservation laws were passed with the best of intentions. But they’re toothless from weak-kneed implementation. Too bad.