Bollocks

Written on Wednesday, September 3rd, 2008 at 1:50 pm | by Marck Ronald Rimorin

You kind of feel jilted that four years ago, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo called a certain COMELEC commissioner in the interest of protecting her votes. It takes a lot of gall and a lack of shame to do that in a country where votes matter. Yet what’s so galling and what’s so shameful is what’s (largely ignored) in the news today: the recall petition against Pampanga Gov. Eddie “Among Ed” Panlilio.

I have never met the good Governor, but I respect him. I have to respect him because he has a mandate: he won an elections fair and square. If you have the confidence of the people by virtue of a vote, then you deserve the respect that comes with that mandate. If you screw around with that mandate - like, say, call a certain COMELEC commissioner in the interest of protecting your votes, or if you allow your constituents to suffer the consequences of your own excesses and acts of corruption while remaining Fearless Leader to them all - then for all intents and purposes, you’re screwed.

A group calling itself the Kapanalig at Kambilan ning Memalen Pampanga, and the Pampanga Mayors’ League (thanks to a statement made by Candaba Mayor Jerry Pelayo… good move, Mr. Mayor), will have the initiative to gather the 100,000 signatures needed to recall Gov. Panlilio. In today’s Inquirer editorial, Panlilio is accused of the following odd reasons for him to be booted out of office:

  • Loss of confidence in his leadership
  • Gross negligence
  • Perjury
  • Failure to unify local officials
  • Lack of clear directions and programs of actions
  • Failure to deliver basic services
  • Non-attendance in meetings with the President.

The Sex Pistols have a good word for this, ladies and gentlemen: bollocks.

The fact that Gov. Panlilio won - clearly, decisively, honestly, and with a strong moral foundation to govern - the 2004 gubernatorial elections in Pampanga is enough reason for Kambilan, the Pampanga Mayors’ League, and everyone who has an axe to grind against him, to shut the hell up. I think that the Philippine electorate have had one and far too many occasions that they were duped out of a clean vote before, and the one instance where Ed Panlilio won the governorship of Pampanga cleanly is a small triumph of hope. If there’s anything to be “recalled,” it’s the grave financial and fiscal discrepancies that took place before Panlilio’s leadership, and what he did bit by bit to restore the Pampangueno’s trust in their government.

And since when did having lunch with the President ever become part of the duty of a governor? Wasn’t it a loss of confidence, gross negligence, and a failure to govern that gave the people the courage to boot out the previous dynasties of Pampanga for Among Ed? For a vote to stand up for what’s right? Is this about lawsuits and publicity and 2010 and the tantalizing prospect of putting someone in prison “in the name of justice?” Nope: recalling Among Ed is about perpetuating an old, rotting system of politics.

It’s about screwing the public once more.

Recall Among Ed? Bollocks.

Tags: ,
Add to del.icio.us | Digg this! | Yahoo MyWeb | Google Bookmark It! | Stumble It!
About The Author: Marck Ronald Rimorin is a twenty-something blogger, "critic," and writer from Baguio City, and currently works in Metro Manila as a writer. His personal blog is at The Marocharim Experiment

Filed Under Local News

Related Entries:

Comments

2 Responses to “Bollocks”

  1. cvj on September 3rd, 2008 2:04 pm

    This kind of sham will keep happening if we don’t eliminate the Oligarchs at every level.

  2. Jon Limjap on September 3rd, 2008 2:38 pm

    Poor Among Ed. That’s what happens when an outsider in the grand (corrupt) scheme of things gets into power and doesn’t know how to keep them from playing him into tight corners.

    Among Ed should consult Grace Padaca on defensive politics, as Padaca’s years of journalism has prepared her for the kind of dirty politics and mudslinging dynastic politicians throw upon their usurpers.

    Grace Padaca was successful in defending her mandate despite a 2004 electoral protest, and subsequently won re-election.

Leave a Reply