News around the City

Is this usual behavior or resulting from Duterte's new policies?

 

I don't know the guy you brought in, he may have done something in 1997? I don't know and unless you were with him in 1997, you don't either. Lots of people did something not too bright when they were younger. Once is happenstance, twice is coincidence, three times is enemy action. Ask your relative to recommend someone else to bring in, hopefully someone who was never a resident there, and see if something happens to prevent them from working for you.

 

Don't think am going to try that. Our man is as honest as the day is long. I'm a pretty good judge of character I reckon. This has a lot to do with the construction project under way which has 'shamed' the baranguay (as they have done sweet FA about a c.rap situation that is their responsibility to do something about in the first place) and the fact that I appointed the man (born n bred on the island, left for Cebu 8 years ago) rather than the excuse for an electrician I had been using who has 'connections'. Nah, this was spite, and if it wasn't the Phils I would enjoy the sport of suing the baranguay for malfeasance, abuse of authority, defamation of character, you name it.

The idea of confessing to one use of a narcotic in 1997 was my (bad) idea just to make it go away. The chap concerned swears blind he has never used and is prepared to take hair follicle testing voluntarily. I doubt very much if they have that sort of technology here anyway lol. I'll pick up your recommendation to employ someone else not from the island if they don't mind the finger being wagged at them in what are turning out to be very dark days for the Phils.

 

I wouldn't bother suing them either, not when they can pull out a signed confession that they were right. I wouldn't recommend suing anyone else anywhere else in the world where they have a signed confession showing they are right as the burden of proof would be on you and too large of a hill to climb after the confession. Since you have not mentioned complete personal knowledge of the person at the time in question, all you have is opinion and your opinion is not proof to anyone but you.

From some easy searching your relative would have had to not had a haircut since 1997 for drugs taken then to show up in the hair follicle test so it would still be your opinion vs signed confession. I think the entertainment would be theirs...when they counter sue you for defamation. Remember, it can be true and you can still lose a defamation suit in the Philippines. Maybe the judge would go easy on you if it was your first offence.

 

Yep, agree Robert. The accusation was current use...which would stand the follicle test. After to-ing and fro-ing over a 12 hour notice and attempting to get Cebu to talk to the baranguay chief here as well as the police this was the compromise. The form gives the option of stating whether it is current or past use...they also ask signees to declare their status...pusher/runner/user/vendor past or present. I chose the lesser of the evils as it was clear the local baranguay captain was not going to budge. The police didn't care beyond their form getting signed or getting the pass go collect your £200 from the baranguay chief - which just wasn't going to happen.

It's a very small community I live in. The Jefe of the Police was a reasonable chap, he said my man is the last person he would imagine using drugs as they kneel in the same pew every Sunday and went to school together. But as they used to say somewhere in the last century "befehl ist befehl".... I reckon he bent his orders anyhow by allowing the past use option. In any event, had my man not signed I dread to think what may happen.

I've handed it to my lawyer here anyway - I feel bound to do something for my relative. We have the affidavit of the Cebu baranguay chief and the threatening demand from our local baranguay chief on paper, "surrender in the next 12 hours" - so it may be worth the punt. At the very least I would like to see the signed document withdrawn. I think honour will be served if we can have that done. I'm not betting my pension on it though!

Cheers,

C