BEFORE proceeding, here’s a toast to AFP chief of staff, Lt. General Jessie Dellosa, for showing to the ordinary troops that despite his being now on top of the military hierarchy, he continues to bother himself with their plight.

On his birthday last week, January 20, this proud son of Lucena City surprised our wounded soldiers confined at the AFP Medical Center with his presence to check on their condition.

Needless to say, his personal touch boosted the morale of our gallant soldiers for it is very rare that one gets to see and talk to the chief of staff.

Mabuhay ka, Sir, and here’s wishing that you succeed in implementing the plans that you have laid down for our AFP in the last year of your leadership, ‘di ba, Col. Arnulfo Burgos?

And speaking of the AFP, Major Harold Cabunoc, Philippine Army spokesman, is on chest-thumping mood these days, with Army shooters topping major competitions here and abroad.

“For the past decade, Army shooters have consistently landed in the Top 3 of the annual ASEAN Armies Rifle Meet (AARM) which is participated in by 10 competing countries. Likewise, they consistently grabbed several gold medals in other international shooting competitions hosted by foreign countries like China and Australia.

“Corporal Rodney Rizano and Sergeant Allan Lao have landed in the Top 1 and 2 spots among 100 soldiers fielded by the ASEAN Armies in the AARM shootfest held in Indonesia last October 2011,” Cabunoc said.

In the ‘Game of the Generals’ shooting competition last December, “Team Army” again dominated the event, which is not surprising considering that it has in its roster the likes of CGPA Emmanuel Bautista and two good friends of mine, Solcom chief, Lt. General Roland Detabali and 10th ID chief, Major General Jorge Segovia.

At dapat nga raw, Major Jake Obligado, “nanalo” itong boss mo na si “Brother Jojie,” kaya lang pumalya daw ang kanyang baril, tsk,tsk,tsk, lusot, ehek, sayang, hahaha!

Kasama rin sa nanalo sa kumpetisyon si P-Noy na kilalang gun enthusiast and what can I say except...natural, alangan namang matalo pa ‘yung commander in chief, hehehe!

***

It is good that presidential “troubleshooter” and DOTC Sec. Mar Roxas (finally) paid a visit at the CAAP office to get a personal appraisal of the situation involving the just concluded review by the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) as to the country’s purported efforts the past four years to comply with FAA standards.

For sure, both Sec. Mar and P-Noy are getting rave reviews from the CAAP top honchos headed by DG Ramon Gutierrez and ADG Elmer Peña as to the country being upgraded back by the FAA to “Category 1.”

Their words may have been so pleasing to the ears of both P-Noy and Sec. Mar and the rosy picture they painted about the FAA upgrade must have been so convincing that P-Noy early this week was made to boast that the Philippine aviation industry is headed towards better days.

Needless to say, people familiar with the issues at hand were shocked to hear your pronouncement, Pres. Noy. “Kuya Paul, alam ba ni P-Noy ang kanyang sinasabi?!” Aray.

And as the CAAP’s immediate superior, Sec. Mar should be ready to take his own slice of shame over the “bad review,” my sources said, given anew by the FAA. No, dear Juan, we can’t be upgraded to Category 1 and yes, we are fit to remain under Category 2.

As disappointing his visit may have been, at least it strikes out the observation by one columnist that insofar as the CAAP affairs are concerned, Sec. Mar is a “laidback” secretary of the DOTC, aguy!

Indeed, how can the country’s aviation sector be headed towards better days when the principal agency tasked by law, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Phils. (CAAP), continues to be run by the likes of DG Gutierrez and ADG Peña?

For other than being close to the powers-that-be and which seems to be the principal reason why they are placed in a job too big and complicated for their own qualifications, pray, CAAP insiders asked, what else can these P-Noy appointees place on the table to convince local and foreign experts that not only the FAA but the European Union and the ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) would soon decide to restore the country to Category 1 status?

By the way, the CAAP fat cats should be ready to be hauled (again) before the Ombudsman in the case of ex-Airphil Express pilot  Capt. Jino Ledesma, whose license was suspended by the CAAP last October based on hearsay information.

Aber, Sec. Mar, ginagawa ka na namang ungas, ehek, bobo, ng mga bataan mo d’yan sa CAAP dahil ayon sa mga insiders, MATAGAL nang pirmado ang lisensiya nitong si Capt. Ledesma!

Why the gang, err, the management of DG Gutierrez continues to hold on to it and persisted in giving the poor guy and even Sec. Mar a regular dose of BS to fool them into believing that an “investigation” on his case is yet to be concluded before his license is renewed truly begs for an explanation?

Incidentally, if I am to write here all the tale of woes and allegations against the CAAP officials from insiders and outsiders alike, one whole edition of People’s  Tonight would not be enough to detail them all.

Yes, Sec. Mar, siksik, liglig, umaapaw na ang mga reklamo sa mga opisyales na inilagay ninyo d’yan sa CAAP! At sa lahat ng ito, pangalan at kredibilidad ninyo ni P-Noy ang nagagasgas, tsk,tsk,tsk!

And with his patience and his wallet both already running thin for being out of work for several months now, my advice to Capt. Ledesma is to haul these CAAP guys before the Ombudsman.

With the evidence in your possession, rest assured the Ombudsman would not find it hard to decide on the kind of sentence, err, penalty, these gentlemen deserve.

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