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No sooner than the word was out that the Department of Interior and Local Government has ordered the removal of re-electionist Board Member Eugene Alzate from office, Rep. Manny Pacquiao and Sarangani Vice Gov. Steve Solon immediately called for a press conference to defend their controversial party mate.

Pacquiao coming to the rescue of the beleaguered Alzate is expected as they have been allies since Day 1.

Solon however reportedly went out of his way to call a television station and demanded why it did not cover their press conference.

Assured of being the next governor of the province as he is running unopposed, Solon looks like he is already throwing his weight around.

Solon should not begrudge the press if it will not give anyone the mileage they are expecting just because they think they should.

The press is both an advertiser and consumer of a product that is news. If your product stinks, it wont buy it.

Alzate already had his fair side of coverage when he was first convicted. He was given air time when he claimed innocence and cried political harassment. His claim to an appeal was duly covered by the press.

But the press can only take so much of the charade.

Alzate is a convicted felon as he was also sentenced by the Sandiganbayan to 10 to 11 years in prison for siphoning P300,000 from the countryside development fund of former Rep. Erwin Chiongbian. And unless the court says so otherwise, he will be a convicted felon hiding behind the cloak of his elective position. True, he still has a pending appeal before the Supreme Court and there is a chance his conviction will be reversed.

But Alzate only has himself to blame if the Ombudsman recently ordered his removal from office. Alzate was remiss in his defense and did not file his appeal when the Ombudsman convicted him for grave misconduct and dishonesty in the administrative case filed against him in 2004. The decision, then issued by former Ombudsman Simeon Marcelo, was recently upheld by the Court of Appeals. It carried with it the penalty of perpetual disqualification from public office.

Originally posted here:
SOUTHERN COMFORT: Steve’s short memory