The fuss over the euro generals and Joc-Joc's arrival

SO there's gonna be a Senate hearing today on this "euro generals" case. Asa pa kayo something will come out of it. This thing is gonna drag on as usual, and straight into next week, just as fertilizer scammer Joc-joc Bolante comes home from the U.S., after being deported by the U.S. immigration authorities. (Btw, props to Sen. MAR Roxas for persuading the U.S. gov't to deport Joc-joc to the Philippines and not to Hong Kong w/c was the latter's port of origin as he fled the country before the Senate's investigation on his scamming began.)

(Police Deputy Director General Avelino Razon, 3rd from lef, presents an award to outgoing Regional Director PCSupt Eliseo dela Paz during the turnover of Police Regional Office 8 at Camp Kangleon, Palo, Leyte, May 21, 2008. Photo from PIA. Tsk, tsk, sinayang ang pagka-award winning.)

Not to belittle naman this euro generals case, but I think a Senate investigation is uncalled for. Eliseo dela Paz, former financial comptroller of the Phil. National Police has admitted his mistake. He apologized for it. And he is supposed to return the funds. Is there a deeper reason why he did what he did? Maybe. But as far as I'm concerned, tapos na ang issue and all media has to do now is follow up on the liquidation of the funds used for this trip. Media has to make sure the Commission on Audit reviews the uses of these funds. If these were cash advances indeed from the PNP coffers, then they should be covered by the appropriate paperwork.

Why were the wives included in this trip? If they paid for the trip from their own pockets, wala tayong pakialam. Obvious bang they wanted to do some sightseeing? and shopping? But if they used government funds, and it's easy to check that by looking into the records of the travel agency which arranged the trip or the PNP records mismo, then a case can be filed against the PNP for misappropriation of funds. Or just have these wives fork over the cash covering their trip arrangements. To punish their Takosa (takot sa asawa) husbands naman, the PNP or the DILG leadership should withhold a portion of Dela Paz's pension benefits (e kasi stupid sha, nagpahuli e!), and suspend the other officials who brought their wives on that trip.

With Senadora Tililing at the forefront of this investigation, I suspect the administration is using this as a smokescreen so the public won't notice Joc-joc's arrival next week. Is this Senate investigation the "pressing matter" that Sen. Edgardo Angara has been referring to as his reason not to pursue the Joc-Joc Bolante case? (Palibhasa sipsip ka ke GMA.) Why is it only Sen. MAR Roxas the one concerned with this case? Why isn't the Senate pressing the arrest of Joc-Joc? Are you telling us that when the scammer arrives next week, he will just casually waltz into town like nothing happened? Avavava gardner!