More body bags at the BoC

Some people die at 25 and aren’t buried until 75

                    — Benjamin Franklin

MONDAY was Valentine’s Day but my wife and I didn’t have a date as the day fell on the first day of the week—and we had to report for work. Still, we had a good dinner with the kids and we reminisced the good years that passed us and were well-spent together. Though cash-strapped, we are hopeful to spend more happy years in the future despite me being 65 winters and all. 

Being a senior citizen the past 5 years, I believe it has been a fortunate and unfortunate experience because of the privileges promised to us but mostly unfulfilled. 

Would you believe that for five years being one of the country’s elderly folks, I was never able to receive any gift or stipend from the national or local government? That’s thanks to our barangay chairman Pete Valentin, our OSCA barangay chapter president Lando Subido and our good mayor of Caloocan City, outgoing Oca Malapitan, whose family name will soon be perpetuated in a dynastic move by his son, also outgoing 1st District congressman Along Malapitan. 

I know what our cabeza in Barangay 33 Zone 3 would say aftercreading this—that he had always reminded me every year that I had a Christmas package (and also a birthday present every December 22) waiting at our barangay hall. Apparently I was not able to get any of them because every time I visited, there was nobody around to give me the ‘gifts’ reserved for me. 

And now I ask if our barangay is so big that our chairman finds it difficult to have my Christmas package and birthday gift (and also for other seniors who are either bed-ridden or incapable of walking long distances) delivered at my (or our) doorstep? I guess sobrang busy si cabeza sa mga guwapitong kabataan sa aming barangay kaya hindi niya naisip o nagawa ito—talk about public service, eh!

And in the case of Mr. Subido, apparently ang kilala lang nitong pangulo namin sa mga senior ay yaong mga kapitbahay niya lang at kamag-anak sa kanyang lugar na 50 lang naman ang bilang kung ihahambing sa mga matatandang tulad ko dito sa aming lugar sa Guido 4 at Damayan na umaabot sa 600 at unti-unti ng nangangamatay. 

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WE all thought that the killings would stop but it didn’t. Last week on Friday, February 11, another Bureau of Customs (BoC) employee was killed in an ambush in Santa Ana, Manila. 

According to initial reports of scene-of-the-crime operatives (SOCO) of the Manila Police District (MPD), Gil Cua Manlapaz, 47, an information technology operator of the BoC, had just entered his vehicle, which was parked near his house at the corner of Pedro Gil and Pasig Line streets, when he was attacked at around 7:30 in the evening.

BoC records show that Manlapaz is the fourth employee of the Bureau attacked and the second to die in an ambush since December last year. Unfortunately, no one has yet been arrested in connection with the four incidents. 

Although witness were able to narrate to the police probes that a lone assailant, who rode a motorcycle, approached Manlapaz and shot him in the head, not one of them could identify or provide details of the gunman’s appearance for policemen to get a lead in the latest killing. 

The BoC is now coordinating with the Philippine National Police (PNP) on the investigation of Manlapaz’s murder and Customs commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero has strongly condemn the attacks against the Bureau’s defenseless personnel  

Guerrero added that he has alerted all BOC personnel to take precautionary security measures because the threat against them appears to be a “clear and present danger.” 

But how so may we ask? 

Didn’t the good commissioner expend efforts to hide the so-called ‘Death List’ from the eyes of everyone? This according to sources in the BoC and without apparent reason. 

So we fear that the killings would continue. And why? Could it be because some critics of the Bureau have had enough of Guerrero ‘s Gestapo-like policies—or even more, could the orders for the killings be emanating from the Office of the Commissioner itself? 

Just asking and maybe some of my friends in the media covering the Aduana beat have some knowledge or hint about the real situation in the BoC. 

Still, I believe the Bureau will need more body bags until a new commissioner is appointed by the incoming president after the May 9 elections. 

(Photo courtesy of Philippine Star)