Shameful behavior should be punished

North Cotabato Gov. Emily Taliño-Mendoza should be punished to the fullest extent of the law for denying food to starving farmers in Kidapawan City and other places in her province.

This uncaring attitude led to the riot that killed three farmers and wounded scores of others.

That incident is a most shameful example of government neglect and oppression of the poor.

Because of that, the New People’s Army (NPA) in that part of Mindanao is probably celebrating.

Without much effort, the NPA has won more sympathizers and potential members among the poor folk than it could ever dream of.

NPA cadres don’t have to convince the simple barrio folk about government neglect. This recent incident speaks for itself.

* * *

Senior Insp. Jonas Tahanlangit, chief of police of Poro town on Camotes Island, Cebu province, was shot dead by gunmen believed to have been hired by a drug syndicate.

Tahanlangit’s antidrug campaign had affected the syndicate’s drug trafficking activities, according to reports.

Very soon, drug syndicates will be feared by law enforcers and magistrates if the government continues to sleep on the drug problem.

In Colombia and Mexico, drug syndicates execute law enforcers and judges who are considered enemies of the drug cartel.

Only an all-out, no-holds-barred, take-no-prisoners campaign against drugs will eliminate or minimize drug trafficking in the country.

* * *

A father whose son studies at a Catholic university in Cavite province tells me his son told him drugs are sold openly on the university campus.

Students buy drugs from fellow students who themselves are pushers.

The university is affiliated with two other schools in Manila which also have a drug problem on their campuses.

* * *

Businessman Kim Wong’s offer to help the government get back a substantial portion of the $81 million stolen from the Bangladesh central bank was rejected by the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC).

AMLC probably is probably scared Wong might uncover more instances of incompetence or laziness from its officials.

* * *

I was on board the ferry, 2-Go Lines’ San Antonio de Padua, docked at the Romblon port and about to leave for Batangas port on Thursday night.

My staff and I, who just came from a medical mission, were waiting for our turn at the ship’s reception area.

Passengers who had just come aboard were either busy looking for their bunks or waiting for their turn at the reception area.

Among those who boarded the ferry were two men and a woman who were headed in the same direction.

They were followed by six policemen in full uniform lugging bags apparently belonging to the three who were apparently VIPs.

The cops, who were lined up parade-style, looked like “muchachos” (servants) of the three.

The woman introduced herself loudly to the ship’s receptionist. “I’m the wife of the mayor. Please take care of the general and the colonel,” she said, pointing to her companions.

When my staff and I checked later, the “general” and “colonel”  the woman introduced turned out to be Senior Supt. Lou Evangelista, acting chief of the logistics division of Police Regional Office 4-B, and Chief Insp. Angelito Guardian, chief, logistics plans and program development of PRO 4-B.

Why did they have to use fake designations just to get special treatment on board?