Talked to Jun Elias, publisher of one of the most credible weekly tabloids of Amianan, and also a correspondent of the Philippine Star. At the media bureau office at the San Fernando City hall. We talked about media bribe-takers from jueteng lords through their military/police backers.
There was a time President Fidel Ramos visited La Union and addressed a motley group of agency regional heads and local officials at the Central Bank building in San Fernando. Before and during the visit, the illegal numbers game stopped operation in the province. But the following day, the illegal numbers game collectors were all over. Wrote about this in the Philippine Daily Inquirer. The article was published a day or two after submitting it. Voila, the provincial police director at that time called me for a dialogue at their camp in Lingsat. Franco--he was one of those who joined the Magdalos in Makati-- was ready with the bribe money and his winning smiles. I was with Hermie Calica. Backed off. Haha.
Most of these takers are from Pangasinan, print and broadcast. estimated to be a hundred or less including fake ones. Publisher said he was not in the list of bribe -takers, and I believe him. In my time, publishers based in San Fernando, practically all of them, are the fair-haired boys of the police.
No comments:
Post a Comment