Sunday 10 November 2013

OPINION: Michelle Odi: Freedom to criticize behind mask


By ALREDO P HERNANDEZ


IS FREEDOM to criticize, express opinion as well as raise the fears purportedly of a group of individuals in the community fair when dished out from behind a fictitious identity?

This issue has one again reared its happy big head amidst a harshly concocted Facebook attack on the capability of the Mambulao government to crack the whip on evil-doers in the community.

A notorious Facebooker clinging like a leech on the account of the Jose Panganiban Camarines Norte group recently posted nasty observations on the community goings, putting the Office of the Mayor on the spot.

A certain Michelle Odi, which most of the groups’ habitués believed to be a fictitious name, made worse by the fact that the account owner is wearing the face of an ugly horse, has accused a number of people – municipal government people at that – of hauling off the remnants of the just completed bridge connecting Parang and South Poblacion to the metal scrappers.

She has insinuated that the proceeds allegedly went straight to the pockets of certain individuals – and who could that be? There are only two guys in the government who could make the scrap metals disappear – Dong Padilla and Ariel Non.

But this suggestion is truly outrageous!

In her/his sarcastic posting, which first praised the Mambulao government on its grandiose vision to improve the lives of its more than 55,000 constituents, Michelle Odi narrated a staccato of rubbish intended to shame Ricarte “Dong” Padilla and the members of his government.

A number of Facebookers who felt that Odi’s allegations of many wrong-doings within the local government were not meant to be relayed to the relevant units of the LGU but merely to embarrass the individuals for whom she has an ax to grind – people who are supposed to know what she was talking about.

But Odi’s failure to come forward and unmask her/himself for all the world to see and determine if she/he is credible enough to stand her ground on her cocktail of shit has slammed the door on her face.

Surprisingly, the spurious account has been pulled from the site, obviously by the owner after she/he received a good measure of bashing for her ridiculous “insights”.

In a statement posted on the JPCN Facebook account, the local government through FB user Kassandra Et Robin aka Cynthia P Canoy of the Office of the Mayor, has expressed dismay over Odi’s “well knitted accusations … meant not to expose any anomalies but to tarnish the morale and reputation of those mentioned and the institution (LGU) as a whole”.

The LGU said: “As of the moment, each of the issues raised are being examined as to its veracity and will be dealt with accordingly by the concerned departments.”

The LGU has appealed to the public to channel its grievances, issues and concerns through a “more appropriate manner”.

It has assured that the Office of the Mayor is “always open for your comments, suggestions or queries”.

The LGU is an organization that is equipped to deal with issues and concerns raised by its constituents.

It is just proper that sensitive matters such as those raised by the fake account holder Michelle Odi be coursed through the proper channel – with proofs and all - for proper disposition.

Detonating a claymore mine in the midst of well-meaning Facebookers seeking a homey environment during their relaxation was really disgusting, just for the sake of gaining a mileage – which Michelle Odi achieved while scoring points for a hidden vested, selfish interest.

By the way, an MWBuzz reader has alerted this writer that Michelle Odi is allegedly one gold financier with operations that include those taking place at the bay waters immediately next to the Mambulao town hall.

There’s no way for me right now to personally verify this tip.

However, there could be some truth to this.

Sometime ago, she vehemently opposed my call to the concerned national government agencies to stop these small gold miners from further polluting the bay with silt and gold-snatching mercury.

Her main concern was that stopping the operations would deprive the gold sluicers their source of livelihood.

Somehow, I agreed.

But then, with the info that she allegedly has gold interests, Michelle Odi’s motivation to keep the bay polluters at work has become suspect.

We could only wait for new rubbish from Michelle Odi, of course under another fake Facebook handle and face, which I speculate she would grab from the top-rating TV series The Walking Dead.



For comment, email the writer: ahernandez@thenational.com.pg and alfredophernandez@y7mail.com
















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