Not on Target with Chavit

It seems that age is already affecting the thinking of former Ilocos Sur Governor Luis “Chavit” Singson.

In recent months and days, the public and even those close to him have noticed that he frequently speaks and meddles in various issues where it is clear he does not have sufficient knowledge and has no receipt (proof).

Like what happened in a recent TV interview where he was invited as a guest to discuss the flood control issue.

Many were surprised when he suddenly brought up the topic of Small Town Lottery (STL) in their province, which had nothing to do with what they were discussing.

But out of respect for him as an elder, the hosts allowed him to speak about his complaint that the government withdrew STL operations in Ilocos Sur from his group.

He even blamed First Lady Liza Marcos, claiming she was interfering with the operations of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), the agency that grants and can also withdraw licenses to operate STL in a location.

It is very clear that Manong Chavit has personal animosity toward the First Lady and just wants to blame her for what happened, even though he has no proof, because in truth, the First Lady is not interfering with PCSO operations.

Everyone knows that GM Mel Robles runs the PCSO and his partner is Board Chairman retired Judge Felix Reyes.

And because of their good work, the agency has received many awards and recognition from various private and public agencies.

Wait a minute! Since we are talking about proof anyway, why is Manong Chavit meddling in STL operations in Ilocos Sur when he is not even part of the Authorized Agent Corporation (AAC) called S Grande?

Based on documents, S Grande is composed of Felicisimo D. Artajos (Chairman), Herminio R. Libao (President), Maria Elena C. Arce (Treasurer), Gilberto J. Ramos (Corporate Secretary), and Miguel R. Reboldela.

And if he claims that S Grande is his, why is he then lashing out at the government?

Granting an STL license is a privilege, and since the government is his counterpart in this, it comes with corresponding responsibilities in accordance with existing laws.

Manong Chavit’s problem is that he feels like he is the king of Ilocos Sur, so his temper explodes when his wishes are not followed.

We are only discussing STL here—how much more when we talk about the allocation of tobacco excise taxes, which we hear amounts to billions of pesos.

But let us get back to the STL issue: it is clear that Chavit missed the mark in accusing the First Lady of withdrawing the STL operation license in their province.

Add to this that he has no role in STL in the province based on the proof we gathered.

So this should be a lesson for him that the next time he accuses and attacks someone, he should make sure he has proof in hand to back it up.