Confused Manhunt
Authorities are shifting their efforts outside the country in trying to locate Congressman Romeo Jalosjos. The Department of Foreign Affairs has sought the help of Indonesia in verifying reports Jalosjos left for Manado right after Christmas.
Chief Superintdent Manuel Pepino heads Task Force Jalosjos in Mindanao. He's sure the congressman left for Indonesia last December 26. Pepino says Jalosjos is staying at a beach resort in Manado, a few hours by boat from General Santos City.
Interior Secretary Robert Barbers warned Pepino about disclosing any information that may involve another country. But according to a report coming from Jakarta, Indonesian police announced they would help find Jalosjos. "We hope we could immediately find the Philippine legislator," says Brig. Gen. Ahwil Lutan, head of the Indonesian Interpol secretariat.
The DFA had formally made the request. It has already cancelled the passport of Jalosjos to prevent him from moving to another country in case he's already left the Philippines. But the NBI still believes Jalosjos is in the country. Jalosjos has many friends in politics and in show business who may be helping him hide.
Authorities say Jalosjos cannot hide forever. It took them almost three years to get Rolito Go. And he, too, was earlier rumored to have fled the country. Sooner or later, they say, Jalosjos will run out of places to hide.
Dapitan Raid A Farce
ABS-CBN correspondent Chari Villa went to Dapitan City and found out that Jalosjos, despite all the rumors about him, enjoys warm ties with church leaders and the local police.
Selinog Island owned by Jalosjos is a few miles off Dakak where the congressman owns a resort. The policemen who raided Selinog Island were obviously familiar with his staff. Local reporters who accompanied the raiding team said the operation was more like a gathering of old friends. The police did not search all the rooms of Jalosjos's resthouse known as the "Sultan House". The night before the search, a team led by the police provincial commander, Superintendent Merlino Te, went to the resthouse in Selinog. Some people suspect they warned Jalosjos.
Dapitan residents say the congressman has always been friendly with the local police. "A philantrophist." That's how supporters of Congressman Jalosjos in Zamboanga del Norte regard the man. With his flourishing business in Dakak, they say Jalosjos has been giving much of his own money even before he became congressman.
Jalosjos has also been generous to the Catholic church. He donated over a million pesos for the renovation of the church in Dapitan alone. Probably one of the reasons parish priest Monsignor Emigdio Sosias could not believe the charges against Jalosjos.
Retired city prosecutor Hermogenes Balisado worked for the city government for 40 years. He's the father of one of Jalosjos's lawyers, Vincent. A long-time friend, he says he knows the congressman well. Romeo Jalosjos is a womanizer, Balisado admits, but he does not have a violent past unlike his brother Dominador Jr.
In 1984, Dominador Jr. was charged with murder after he fired at a convoy of a local mayor, Robert Poculan. That same year, Dominador was implicated in the murders of three young men. Both cases were dropped after Congressman Jalosjos paid the victims' relatives. Balisado believes it was Dominador, posing as his brother who raped the 11-year-old girl. Jalosjos recently called some of his supporters on the phone to reassure them he's alright. But out of respect, they say they did not ask his whereabouts. Sosias advices Jalosjos not to surrender to protect himelf from from getting lynched by a mob.
Time Is On Jalosjos' Side
Authorities are closing in on the properties of Jalosjos. Prosecution lawyers want to freeze his assets in favor of the 11-year old rape victim. But time is on the side of the suspect. The assets of Congressman Romeo Jalosjos are headed for the freezer, and it's now a question of how much. What can be frozen is how much the prosecution wants for moral and exemplary damages. Lawyers for the victim are expected to bat for a minimum of P1 million for every count of acts of lasciviousness and rape.
On paper, Congressman Jalosjos is worth P26 million. And if the court issues coresponding writs of attachment for every charge, most of his declared assets will be frozen. Still, all that will be useless without an arrest. To make matters worse, the law provides for a prescription period for crimes.
Prof. Alfredo Tadiar of the UP College of Law, says Jalosjos could be immune from arrest if after a prescribed time he is not caught. It is as if he loses all liability and the crime is forgotten. Tadiar adds Jalosjos will have to remain in the Philippines or in a country with an extradition treaty with the Philippines. And since Jalosjos is accused of rape, Tadiar says he will have to hide about 20 years.
Inside The Fugitive's Mind
Congressman Jalosjos is by all acounts, a man on the run. Pia Hontiveros talks to a pscyhologist to find out what it's like to be a wanted man. For a wanted man nothing else is more important than survival.
Dr. Tina Jayme-Montiel is a psychologist at the Ateneo de Manila University. She says a fugitive trusts very few people to give him the right information by which he makes his moves. An outlaw is paranoid and because he's always on the look-out, he is usually on the edge. Material resources like money and assets, mental resources like the ability to make the right moves, emotional resources, the will to stay alive, even a network of friends and supporters, is a resource. A wanted man does everything within his power to keep from going to jail because he feels a great injustice was done him.
Jalosjos sees himself as a victim, not a victimizer. But for how long can Romeo Jalosjos hold out as a fugitive? Psychologists tell us a fugitive will only give up if or when he runs out of material and emotional resources, and if or when those closest to him ask him to surrender.
Sen. Herrera For Vive President?
In politics,we take a look at the race for the vice presidency. Are there any takers? They are known among members of the Senate Press as the dynamic duo. Every Friday, Senators Blas Ople and Ernesto Herrera invite reporters for lunch. This week it was to announce what Ople hopes will be the LDP's duo for 1998. "Sen. Herrera will contribute to an Angara-Herrera ticket of Laban. Very strong base in Visayas and Mindanao." Herrera, of course, was flattered. But there are those who won't settle for number two. Senator Gloria Arroyo for example. The camp of Speaker Jose de Venecia had been floating the idea of drafting the popular Arroyo for vice president.
Speaker De Venecia may rank poorly in surveys but he seems determined about the presidency. And the only option he's open to is having his immediate rival, Defense Secretary De Villa for his running mate. Finding a suitable running mate seems a major concern for aspirants to the presidency.
But the old north-south formula of teaming up a candidate from Luzon with a running mate from the Visayas, hardly matter anymore. The last presidential election shows voters can elect to office a president and a vice president who belong to the same region even if they don't belong to same political party.
1997 Budget: Senate, House Deadlocked Again Over Pork
The Senate and the House are still deadlocked over the 1997 budget.
In today's meeting, they failed to resolve the matter of how to spend the pork barrel. The House objects to the Senate's demand that part of the countrywide development fund be earmarked for specific projects like roads, schools and bridges. The House insists Congressmen must have the power to decide where their CDF will be spent.
Protests Over ID System Loom
Human rights groups are preparing to stage protests against the government's National ID System. They fear it will curtail civil liberties. Human rights groups say President Ramos violated several constitutional rights when he issued Administrative Order 308, implementating the National ID System.
A study by the Integrated Bar of the Philippines says once implemented, the ID system will enable the government to peek into citizens' private transactions and access almost all kinds of information. Malacanang says the ID system is only meant to simplify transactions with government offices. The Human Rights commission believes the system will not be used as tool for repression. But just the same chairperson Aurora Recina suggests Malacanang publish the guidelines of AO 308 to calm the public's nerves.
Members of the Lower House say since the system will cost millions, it should pass legislation. "There are funds to be used, and you can't just source the funds from the existing budget of participating agencies because that would be depleting them of money for programs already earmarked," says Albay Congressman Edcel Lagman. The government says only criminals have reason to fear the ID system. But opponents are already planning massive protest actions for those who remember martial law. "It's better to be safe than sorry."
PAGCOR Stops Private Casino Operations
The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) ordered Mondragon International Philippines to stop its casino operations in Clark for breach of contract. But Mondragon chairman Jose Antonio Gonzalez says the closure order was lifted today after a meeting with senior government officials.
Pagcor's managing head for Public Relations, Senen Leynes says based on their agreement Mondragon's Regency Casino should be catering to a generally foreign clientele and not to locals. Pagcor says Regency's amenities such as limousine services and discounts on losses of players entice Filipinos to patronize the casino.
Gonzales requested the Philippine Stock Exchange to stop trading Mondragon shares this morning due to the closure order. But PSE President Vitaliano Nanagas denied the request. It reached a low of P8.60, but recovered on news the casino will not yet close. A three-man arbitration panel will be formed to resolve the dispute between Pagcor and Mondragon.
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1997 Is A Bad Year For The Economy - Monsod
Now here's an opposing view from the generally bullish forecasts for the year. Economist Solita Monsod predicts a bad year for the country in terms of its medium term economic plan. Monsod said most of the government targets such as the projected 8 percent growth rate and lower current account deficit have a slim chance of being reached due to the lack of emphasis on fiscal policies and tax collection. She says there is too much dependence on non-recurring source of revenues like privatization, while tax collection efforts have not bore fruit either.
Meanwhile, the peso recovered today settling at P26.337 to the dollar at the close of trade. This, after the demand for dollars eased. The steady selling of the Bangko Sentral also discouraged banks from speculating against the peso.
Joey Salceda, a director at SBC-Warburg says although the peso was falling, it still reflected positive fundamentals since it was trading within a narrow band. He says a positive outlook on inflation indicates the peso would not weaken further.