By Robert B. Roque, Jr.
In the world of police officers and alleged extortion, the truth can be as elusive as the suspects themselves. The recent drama surrounding the five alleged Manila Police District “kotong” cops brings to light a tangled web of conflicting claims.
Enter Staff Sergeants Ryann Paculan and Jan Erwin Isaac, the two officers yet to surface. These officers seem to be playing a cat-and-mouse game with the authorities, and it’s but natural to think they’re hiding from accountability.
But their disappearance adds an element of intrigue, considering that they’re claiming some serious fishy business they allegedly stumbled upon at that computer shop, whose owner is now crying extortion.
The officers vehemently deny the accusations in their statement, turning the tables on the 73-year-old businessman. They claim he offered them a tempting weekly payola, which they smartly refused.
However, the plot thickens as Isaac and Paculan assert that if the probe team of Philippine Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) Executive Director Gilbert Cruz only checked the CCTV footage inside the computer shop, some in-house illegal activities would be revealed.
Are these officers trying to divert attention from their potential misdeeds, or have they stumbled upon a corrupt businessman trying to save his own skin? Perhaps, these MPD officers’ commanding officer should also be questioned — he might know more than meets the eye.
Knowing what an exemplary police general Cruz was in his days in the PNP, I’m confident his PAOCC will take on this challenge to bring the truth to the surface from the depths of this murky case.
China-lover
Former president Rodrigo Duterte’s rendezvous with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing fuels speculation about the depth of their friendship. As China’s state media gushes over Duterte’s “strategic choice” to cozy up to China, one wonders what truly transpires behind closed doors.
Was it a meeting of equals or a “one-sided love affair?” While Duterte may have relished the flattery, the timing is questionable, considering the ongoing South China Sea disputes. Let’s not forget that national interests should take precedence over personal camaraderie.
Perhaps, this is another political move aimed at undermining the supremacy of the present occupant of Malacanang. If so, that play with China is not getting his daughter next in line to the presidency. That’s political suicide to get in bed with the encroachers of our West Philippine Sea territory.
For President Marcos, the Philippines must navigate its relationship with China with the utmost caution, ensuring that the South China Sea concerns remain in focus and not be sacrificed on the altar of warm words and diplomatic theatrics by someone who is not even the country’s leader anymore.
* * *
SHORT BURSTS. For comments or reactions, email firingline@ymail.com or tweet @Side_View. Read current and past issues of this column at http://www.thephilbiznews.com
