By Atty. Antonio P. Pekas
One of the events was the welcome news on the acquittal of Major Harry Baliaga Jr. who was charged for the alleged illegal detention of Jonas Burgos. Jonas disappeared several years ago and was never found.
From what I learned about the case from those who are close to Major Harry Baliaga Jr., it was a case where some documents allegedly submitted to the Supreme Court would even attest to his innocence. Why he was charged was allegedly to force the military to reveal who caused the disappearance of Jonas.
My source said that the guy who committed the crime was a very good looking military man. As alleged, he could have made it to the movies if looks were the only measure. Of course it was just tsismis but, if this were true, then Major Harry Baliaga Jr. was definitely not the one who committed the crime. For while he is good-looking, I wonder if he could make it in the movies. Those manning the gates to stardom would have commented that he was not mestizo enough. I don’t think he has the singing and dancing talents of the late Marky Cielo who, despite his tribal looks (like you and me?), became a star even if the nearest thing about him that could be described as mestizo was because his father was a Visayan while his mother is from Besao, Mtn. Province who settled in Bauko town of the same province.
For sure, the military might have flexed its muscles to ensure the acquittal verdict on Major Baliaga Jr.. Otherwise, demoralization would seep down the ranks. Every soldier who would be called to undertake an operation would hesitate as he would be doubtful if he would be properly taken care of in case of trouble such as the trial Major Baliaga Jr. had to go through.
In sum, the town mates of the major, the people of Besao, Mtn. Prov., should celebrate that one of their own who is promising in his military career was victorious in the crucible of a trial that could have landed him in jail for a very long time.
The other event was the burning or bombing of the facilities of HEDCOR Sabangan, Inc. in Otucan Norte, Mtn. Province. The facilities there enables the electric power being produced by the company’s power plant in Sabangan to be transmitted to the national grid.
Hours after we received the email advisory from HEDCOR, another email came in from the supposed spokesman of the NPA’s Leonardo Pacsi command in Mountain Province claiming responsibility for the destruction. It simply stated that it was done because HEDCOR allegedly cheated and is still cheating the people of Sabangan who are only getting a pittance from the profits of the hydro operation while the company is raking it in to the tune of millions of pesos.
Was that really the cause? Or was it for extortion purposes?
My gut feel is that the company might have refused to pay “revolutionary taxes” or what was being demanded might have been too huge that paying it would mean the financial ruin of the company.
The bottom line for me is: Can the NPA provide jobs for those in the employ of HEDCOR in case it closes down? I don’t think so. They might even be unable to feed themselves without their usual extortion activities.**
