Duterte extols Vietnamese poacher as “ladies man”

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

SUAL – Known as lady charmer, the Philippine president grudgingly lauded one of the Vietnamese fishermen who developed an affair with a Filipina when he was in jail in Ilocos Sur.

President Rodrigo Duterte, who led the sent off here of the 17 fishermen, said that Vietnam Ambassador Truong Triey Duong whispered to him that one of the Vietnamese jailed at Vigan City, Ilocos Sur had an affair with a Filipina when he and 15 of his compatriots where locked up there.

The other Vietnamese was a minor thus presumed to be under the watch of the Department of Social Welfare & Development.

“Bumulong iyong ambassador daw. Iyong isa daw dito raw may naka uyab raw ng Filipina. Sino?! Mabilis ito? Iba ang yawa! (The Vietnamese ambassador whispered to me that one of them had an affair with a Filipina. Who is he?! He was fast. This demon is different!), the president declared before the hundreds of amused crowds from the national, regional, and municipal offices of the government who attended the first official visit of the president of the republic in this rustic and coastal town and the province of Pangasinan.

On September 8, the 17 Vietnamese fishermen on board three fishing vessels were arrested by the Philippine Navy off Vigan, Ilocos Sur.

Government authorities filed charges against them like violations of Section 91 of Republic Act No. 10654 or An Act to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing; violation of Republic Act 8550 as amended by Republic Act 10654 for poaching and CA 613, Section 37 (a)(1) & (7) for entering Philippine waters at Poro Point, La Union without inspection, admission, and in the absence of nine entry visa and record of arrival in the country.

The Philippine authorities however dropped all these charges because it was argued that the fishermen were forced to reach the Philippine waters due to Typhoon Ferdie and the southwest monsoon from the South China Sea. On October 10, the Justice Department issued a memorandum allowing them to return to Vietnam without fine or penalty.

On October 24, a joint resolution issued by concerned agencies cleared the 17 Vietnamese fishermen to sail for their home country on board their three fishing vessels.

Q & A: DSWD Sec hopes corruption on projects identified by solons minimized

 During the sent off last November 2 of President Rodrigo Duterte of the 17 Vietnamese fishermen who were detained for almost two months after “poaching” at the sea off of Vigan City, Ilocos Sur, Northern Watch Newspaper’s correspondent Mortz C. Ortigoza chanced upon Department of Social Welfare & Development (DSWD) Secretary Judy Taguiwalo at Sual Wharf in Sual, Pangasinan. Ortigoza asked her about the previous tussle she had with the congressmen who insisted that members of congress through the power of the purse should have entitlement on the identification of the recipients of government projects. He asked the Secretary if the solons continue the malpractice of conspiring with the private contractors in rigging the government bid where two of the three bidders quoted a higher construction cost thus losing the bid while receiving a bribe from the winning bidder. Ortigoza also posed to Taguiwalo if the old practice of 20 percent S.O.P, euphemism for cut, continues to be given by the winning bidder to the congressman. Excerpts:

TENSION. Lawmakers drew tension duringthe budget hearing on DSWD as they raise
concern over Secretary Judy Taguiwalo's memorandum that seeks to eliminate the culture of
 patronage. TEXT AND PHOTO CREDIT: RAPPLER.COM

Mortz C. Ortigoza (MCO): Media man ako diri, maam. Ilonggo ako. Taga diin kamo? (I’m a media man here. I’m illonggo. Where are you from?)

Secretary Judith Taguiwalo : Bacolod, indi ka Ilocano? ( Bacolod, so you’re not Ilocano?) (Her staff chuckled).

MCO: Nakapangasawa ako diri. Sa radio program ko, kinumentaryuhan ko ang ginawa ng mga congressmen sa inyo. Kay kabalo kamo, hampang nila ina mga projects sila naga identify. Sa ila ang contractors kay ginatagaan sila sang 20 percent S.O.P. Is still there a pressure from them that they should prevail on what they wanted? (I married a Pangasinense. In my radio program I discussed about the roughed treatment given to you by congressmen when you appeared at Congress. It is still their practice where they identify recipients of government projects and then received 20 percent S.O.P from their favored contractor? Is still there a pressure from them that you should acquiesce that they should prevail on what they wanted?).

SEC: Ang usapan puwede sila maglagay ng mga projects nila during the deliberation because that is the role of congress. Di ba? Pero sa implementation na post enactment na, it would be the department.

 For example, emergency shelters. Do congressmen insist for their favored contractor?

 Hinde naman…

 Hinde nila gagawin iyon...?

 Wala naman…

 Sa Aquino Administration ganoon ang ginagawa nila.

 May mga bidding iyan dapat.