Senate inquiry diverting public attention away from smuggling–lawyer

By: Bong Lozada - 11 years ago

Argee Guevarra. Photo from https://www.facebook.com/argee.guevarra

MANILA, Philippines – The current ballyhoo over the alter ego of alleged rice smuggler Davidson Bangayan, who also goes by the name of David Tan, has diverted the attention of the public towards the issue of rice smuggling and the increase of prices, an activist lawyer said.

Lawyer Argee Guevarra said that even if the Senate inquiry proved that Tan and Bangayan were the same person, the results would not affect the continuing problem of rice prices and rice smuggling.

“Does this mean that Davidson Bangayan and David Tan are one and the same person,” Guevarra said in an interview with Inquirer Radio 990AM Wednesday morning.

“Will we have cheaper rice? Will there be no more corruption?”

Guevarra added that proving the identities would not provide any concrete development for the country.

“The threshold question here is ‘so what?’”