BEFORE proceeding, many thanks to former PASG and current Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) chair, “Manong” Antonio “Bebot” Villar, for the sumptuous lunch he hosted for the elite, err, select, columnists of this paper -- yours truly, Erwin Tulfo and Vic Reyes and our well-respected group editor, Gus Villanueva.

And it is quite understandable if Erwin failed to come due to pressing engagement elsewhere. Marami pa namang pagkakataon.

At marami rin palang kuwento sa buhay itong si Manong Bebot, senator and Lakas president, Bong Revilla, kasama na ang mga pinagdaanan nilang dalawa ng iyong iginagagalang na ama na si ex-Sen. Ramon Revilla, Sr.

At kung naintriga ka, si Manong Bebot na lang ang tanungin mo, hehehe!

Again, many thanks, Manong Bebot. Mabuhay ka! The same goes to his trusted deputy, Jake Patawaran.

Happy reading also to Supt. Roger James Brillantes, a good friend for many years now and who, just recently, got posted at the PRO7, after a stint in Region 3. Kumusta ka na ba d’yan brod? Hope to see you soon!

* * *

My good friend, Col. Leo Baladad of the 202nd Brigade, admitted to yours truly that he is quite at a loss on how to account for the 22 “body counts” that Apolinario Matienza, spokesman of the Edgardo Dagli Command of the CPP-NPA in Batangas, said they had inflicted on members of the brigade and the Calabarzon PNP last year.

“Pare, hanggang ngayon hinahanap ko pa kung saang yunit at kung sino-sino itong mga sundalong ito dahil sa bilang namin, limang sundalo lang ang casualty namin noong 2010,” Baladad told yours truly, more amused than irritated about the claim.

Peace talks and what else besides, the stark reality is that propaganda has always been a major component of the raging civil war in our country for over four decades now.

And as always, the task for journalists and chroniclers of events is to be careful in sifting the facts from fiction.

Over in the Davao region, residents are fast getting tired of the rebels’ frequent use of landmines in their tactical operations against members of the 10th ID under another good friend, Major Gen. Jorge Segovia.

“Mabuti” nga naman kasi kung mga sundalo at pulis lang ang nabibiktima ng mga landmine na ito pero ayon kay Major Jake Obligado, chief ng CMO Battalion, humahaba na ang kanilang listahan ng mga sibilyan na biktima ng mga landmine.

The Ottawa Treaty of 1997, an international agreement of which we are a party, specifically banned the use of landmines in warfare. For their part, the rebels maintain that their “command-detonated” landmines are exempted by the treaty.

Kaya tuloy ang “ligaya,” ganun ba ’yun, Leoncio “Kumander Parago” Pitao?

Expectedly, the GRP and the NDFP peace panels are expected to split hairs on this issue when this comes up for discussion. Abangan!

* * *

Hindi kataka-taka kung bakit malakas ang loob nitong si BOC Collector “RR” na pabayaang mapansin ng madlang pipol ang maluhong pagka-casino ng kanya umanong “BFF” na si ‘Gina Luwang’ ng Cebu.

Aber, lumutang na rin pala sa Aduana itong isang alias ‘Beverly’ na BFF naman umano ng isang mataas na opisyal dyan sa Office of the Commissioner.

Kung itong si Gina Luwang (ano ba ang maluwang o maluwag o malaki dito sa isang ito, kaibigang Benny Antiporda) ay todo gastos umano sa mga casino table dahil nga kay Coll. RR, aba’y todo kaluwagan naman daw umano, kasamang Vic Reyes, ang ibinibigay na pabor ng OCCOM dito sa mga kargamento nitong si Beverly!

Malakas siguro ang karisma nitong si Beverly sa mga opisyales ng OCCOM, kaya kahit daw P40,000 na lang per 1X40 footer van ay pikit matang tinatanggap sa assessment division.

Aber, hindi lang nakatimbre ang seksing ito, ehek, ang aleng ito, nakadiin pa! Sobrang “diin” pa nga siguro na may kasamang gigil. Grrr! hahaha!

Paging Comm. Lito Alvarez: Baka puwedeng hubaran, ehek, talupan, ngek, imbestigahan mong mabuti itong si alias Beverly dahil isa siya sa sumisira ngayon sa iyong tanggapan.

At kuwidaw kayo dito kay Gina, mahilig daw itong magsanla ng pekeng signature bag kapag natatalo sa casino kung saan nabiktima na ang isa kong kaibigan.

Sagot naman ni Coll. RR nang abalahin sa kawalanghiyaan ng kanyang noby.... ehek, kakilala: ‘Anong pakelam ko d’yan!’

’Yan ba, kaibigang Jun Burgos, ang karakter ng mga opisyal sa Aduana na nagpapakilalang “sanggang dikit” ni Senate Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada?

Aber, masyadong ginagasgas nitong si Coll. RR ang pangalan ni Sen. Jinggoy sa pantalan... baka hindi pa niya alam!

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