By: Alex P. Vidal
“When I saw corruption, I was forced to find truth on my own. I couldn’t swallow the hypocrisy.”—Barry White
NOW it can be told: “Juan Dela Cruz” isn’t just a suspected merchant of chaos and intrigues.
He is both a sniper and one who operates a remote-controlled land mine in the Iloilo City Hall.
“Juan Dela Cruz” is a city hall insider with Google-like information about just any transaction the city government had undertaken, and about just any personality involved in the transaction.
And he still apparently holds a lot of keys that can help unlock more Pandora boxes.
As long as he remains anonymous and has unlimited access to the mainstream media, he can detonate a land mine that will make life miserable for many corrupt, characters, including those who may be–and may have been–falsely accused of committing a wrongdoing.
But because “Juan Dela Cruz” is a fictitious name, many scoundrels zapped by his sniper won’t be formally charged in court, but will just merely be exposed to shame and embarrassment.
-o0o-
But, look, he isn’t a pushover.
Many of the names and designations (including their mode of shenanigans) “Juan Dela Cruz” mentioned in the second wave of his terror attack really exist (we aren’t saying though the allegations against them were true).
His motive in sowing a massive bedlam is still unclear.
In his opening salvo, “Juan Dela Cruz” wobbled (but failed to bundle out) the Manikan couple– Local Civil Registrar’s Office (LCRO) chief Romeo Caesar “Juncae” Manikan and wife, City tourism assistant chief Eireen Rita.
In his latest blitzkrieg, “Juan Dela Cruz” ripped through the territorial waters of mostly Mayor Geronimo “Jerry” Treñas’ own acolytes, accusing them of conflict of interest and other monkey-business.
He showed to all and sundry he isn’t Treñas’ bogeyman, after all!
One thing we can be certain of is “Juan Dela Cruz”, being familiar with the terrain, must’ve hobnobbed with some of the character he had mentioned in some other time and clime or even regularly.
He is apparently familiar with the extent of their participation in the crime, including the murder weapons.
“Juan Dela Cruz” knows where the bodies are buried.
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A recent video that circulated in the social media showed several armed young men and women walking in an identified place believed to be a mountainous area somewhere in the Visayas or Mindanao.
Most of them looked healthy and strong and were only in their 20s and 30s.
They were like ROTC cadets and appeared to be new recruits of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP)-New People’s Army (NPA).
In the ’70s and ’80s some of the NPA cadres who participated in gunbattles versus the government forces looked skinny and malnourished.
Now they look like Olympic athletes and are brimming with pride and confidence as they march wearing Nike baseball caps and large backpacks.
So the CPP-NPA is still very much active and continues to attract young warriors?
(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two local dailies in Iloilo)
