‘Yolanda’ victims can rely on Lacson

Some quarters have expressed apprehension why relief and financial aid to victims of Supertyphoon “Yolanda” do not reach their intended beneficiaries.

This would have some basis if former Sen. Ping Lacson had not been appointed rehabilitation czar of the devastated Eastern Visayas.

I have no love lost for Lacson but this guy can be trusted with money.

He showed that he can be relied upon when it comes to public money when he didn’t touch his pork barrel when he was senator.

Lacson did not accept “jueteng” bribe money either when he was then Laguna provincial commander of the defunct Philippine Constabulary.

Ping Lacson has shortcomings—who doesn’t, anyway—but dishonesty involving money is not one of them.

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One of President Noy’s saving graces is appointing Lacson to head the rehabilitation efforts of the Eastern Visayas.

P-Noy’s handling of the crisis in the immediate aftermath of Yolanda was less than exemplary. He reacted late in the day, obviously overwhelmed by the magnitude of the problem.

The CNN report that there was no semblance of government immediately after the typhoon was accurate.

Except for the military presence at the Tacloban City airport, government people were running around like headless chickens in Samar and Leyte.

It took P-Noy’s administration several days to react to reports of intense hunger and thirst, looting, and even alleged cases of  rape.

So unlike P-Noy who was in control in the Zamboanga City siege and the Bohol tragedy.

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Charmaine Zdrzynski submitted her passport to an immigration officer, Philip C. Reyes, as she and her husband were at the departure area of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport’s Terminal 3 on Nov. 13.

She and her husband, Arthur Zdrzynski, were leaving for Australia via Kuala Lumpur after a short vacation in the country.

Cruz got hold of her passport, went to his office and came back with the pages of her passport all ripped out.

When Ms. Zdrzynski complained about the torn passport, Cruz allegedly told her to shut up and threatened her husband. As a result, the Zdrzyskis were not able to leave.

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Sometimes, this column inadvertently becomes a forum for people trying to get back at others for personal reasons.

This columnist does not condone such behavior, especially from persons I know.

An acquaintance of mine reported last week that a certain Nap Magno was impersonating an agent of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and liaison officer of the agency at the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

I relied on a certification he presented from the NBI’s personnel division saying the NBI does not have a Nap Magno in its roster of employees.

But Nap Magno came to see me Wednesday, saying he is not an NBI agent. Neither does he introduce himself as one, he added.

Magno has been designated liaison officer of the NBI at the DFA, according to a letter the NBI sent to the DFA.

The letter was signed by NBI officer-on-charge Medardo de Lemos.

In short, Magno is an NBI liaison officer but is not an NBI employee.

My apologies to Nap Magno.