GRACIOUS IN DEFEAT, NOT THREATENING. Some people are so heartless. They invent stories in a bid to further pull down a defeated. Bagsak na nga, tinatadyakan pa lalo.

I woke up Friday morning reading a message from a neophyte elected municipal councilor of Mapandan town about lies spread against former Congressman Mark Cojuangco who lost in his gubernatorial bid.

Cojuangco has graciously accepted his loss. Mapandan Councilor-elect Luigi de Vera posted this message and shared by Vir Maganes on Facebook.  Here are random thoughts of Luigi:

“And let me say this as clear as possible: Mark Cojuangco is NOT THREATENING anyone: he is not sending barongs, shoes, coffins, flowers, bullets, or goons. Their family respects the will of the people, and they have done so with grace and humility. Any talk about Mark Cojuangco making threats is just plain BS. These lies about him not only in Mapandan but in various towns in Pangasinan won’t do us any good to move forward as one people.

PS:

Mark Cojuangco casually laughs about these lies because they’re insanely ridiculous. Yes, I know because we had a good time talking about these over scotch, gambas, and sisig! So please, give the guy the peace of mind he rightfully deserves.

PPS:

Sa mga maraming time na mag-tsismis, mag-volunteer na lang po kayo sa Brigada Eskwela o mag-donate sa Tulong Balik Eskwela project ng Empower Mapandan.”

There, folks. Luigi clearly stated what hundreds of thousands of pro-Cojuangco supporters feel.

After his defeat, I saw in Cong. Mark a deep sense of care for the people who sincerely supported him. He said sorry for failing them in their expectations. But what’s most admirable about him is he still worries for the welfare and future of his “real men and women” who fought it out for his bid.

One time after the polls, I was present when he asked a group of supporters on how he could help them stand again from a fall.

Of course we all know it pains much to lose. But unlike other defeated candidates who just disappeared or become nowhere in sight, Mr. Cojuangco is a real gentleman and a truly caring ally, like a father or a big brother, who is selfless and reaches out and shows much concern on how he could help his friends and allies stand up again.

For him, there are many lessons learned. Being gracious to accept defeat is a virtue. Being magnanimous and humble in victory is something winners and their supporters must adopt in their lives. Grow up, guys.— Tita Roces

 

NEED ANSWERS TO MISSING FUNDS. If the report is true that newly-elected Narvacan, Ilocos Sur Councilor Luis Chavit Singson has filed a case of plunder against a top National Tobacco Administration (NTA) official and his kin for alleged misuse, among others, of tobacco taxes, then we are no longer surprised.

We were no longer taken aback by Chavit’s post-election move as we already saw a similar case in Pangasinan filed before the Ombudsman weeks prior the election, The case was initiated by a group of tobacco farmers who named a former congressman and his wife as respondents.

In their desperation, these farmers assembled one time brandishing their placards before an already closed facility that were confirmed earlier to have been funded partly from shares on tobacco excise taxes.

In a talk after his proclamation, Gov. Amado Espino Jr., the newly elected congressman of the Fifth District, vowed to find out where the district’s share of the excise tax went for the sake of the tobacco farmers in his district who want some answers.

It is possible that based on the new congressman’s findings, more names of former and outgoing officials who were involved in the suspected plunder case may surface, as in the case of a town executive from eastern Pangasinan. If so, more names will likely be included as respondents.

We agree that there must be reconciliation among protagonists in the last election following the pronouncement of Gov. Espino but to some who went overboard in their official acts, justice must be served, too, because it was the people’s money that had gone missing.

Look at the projects that allegedly were funded by a share of tobacco excise taxes and partly from the Priority Development Assistance Funds (PDAF). These failed to serve the intended beneficiaries, and are for all intents and purposes, no longer operating, and considered white elephants

Had these projects boosted livelihood opportunities in towns and communities, these could have further boosted their political stocks. Sayang! – Leonardo Micua

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