Tongue-tied in QC BLURBAL THRUSTS Louie Logarta 04/29/2010

Tongue-tied in QC

BLURBAL THRUSTS Louie Logarta 04/29/2010 Quezon City Vice Mayor Herbert “Bistek” Bautista, who is running for the office of mayor under the banner of the Liberal Party (LP) this May 10, appears so confident of victory that he has for the nth time snubbed an invitation to appear before the electorate in order to explain away damaging issues that have been brought to the public’s attention by his political opponents who in doing so are hoping to dampen his overrated popularity. The most telling is this one regarding the plunder raps he’s facing before the Ombudsman for the merienda purchases of the Office of the Vice Mayor amounting to about P106 million (?!%&@ $#) dating back to more than a year ago which were allegedly done without the benefit of a public bidding, as per provisions of the Government Procurement Act or Republic Act (RA) 9184. Bautista’s latest no-show was his refusal to appear before the candidates’ forum hosted by the influential Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) last week. This had come on the heels of similar invites issued to him by businessmen’s groups as well as the academe. In contrast, former Malacañang chief-of-staff Mike Defensor, Bautista’s strongest opponent for the post soon to be vacated by Mayor Feliciano Belmonte, who is serving out his third and final term, has been appearing in public debates as often as possible (and he cannot seem to get his fill of them) and taking advantage of the opportunity to lash out at the tongue-less vice mayor for his alleged corruption.... MORE Source:  The Daily Tribune URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20100429com4.html

COMMENTARY EDITORIAL Curiouser and curiouser FRONTLINE Something’s cooking in the yellow frontStability still elusive in divided Ukraine BLURBAL THRUSTS Tongue-tied in QC SILVER LINING NP desperate VIEWPOINTS It’s the chief, not the clerk COMMENT Junta