Turning point

By Jun Velasco

TOMORROW, May l4 circa 2007 will go down in Philippine history as a turning point in our nation’s political life.

Some l00 lives have been lost since the start of the campaign.

Friendships have been shattered, families divided, reputations damaged and relationships estranged in this bloodiest election campaign yet.

It must be in every peace-loving citizen’s wish that we were done with it and hope things are back to normal fast.

Back to normal? Well, how should we deal with an exercise that leaves several deaths and shattered families in its path?

The exercise had many revelations. One, logistics – lots of money – is a must for winning. Issues -or what you thought should matter most in choosing our officials – are only secondary to popularity and machinery.

The young will profit more from the experience, but will they still want to jump into the snake pit?

Is it worth it?

If they still see the light at the end of the tunnel, wish them luck. Public service, not politics, is more than a calling; it’s a call for patriotism.

Vote wisely.

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As best as we can, we hate to make election forecasts. Those we might show to be winning may lose, for which we would be rebuked as irresponsible, even if we quote news sources.

We go back to a long held view that the local skirmishes will be affected by the national leadership.

It took only FPJ to dent Pangasinan’s pro-administration character when he beat PGMA in the presidential contest by 40,000 votes. But the movie icon failed to carry his local candidates. He was just extremely popular.

FPJ’s trouncing PGMA in Pangasinan, however, was a political freak. This premier province has remained an administration stronghold.  You may now extrapolate on the outcome of the elections.

In the gubernatorial tussle, all the contenders are PGMA supporters.

Why is PGMA so popular and powerful in Pangasinan? We have always posited that the triumvirate of   PGMA, FVR and JDV has made it so.  It would take a galactic tornado to change that equation.

*           *           *

 In the 4th District, Mayor Benjie Lim’s bravado to fight Speaker de Venecia in the congressional race has touched off speculations its business that got his hubris. Often, we had suggested to him that his campaign be based not on hate but on his offer of a new platform of service.

The ongoing Dawel-Lucao alternate road which has hurt him deeply isn’t good an issue as it smells of business. Everybody knows how things are with Benjie and Belen Fernandez, a candidate for vice mayor, you know. 

His “New Politics” battle cry is good, but his camp is not doing it justice.

*         *         *

Our judicial system is under severe test vis-a-vis Mayor Jolly Resuello’s killing. Our local police led by Chief Supt. Pol Bataoil, Senior Supt. Gani Neres and  Supt. Johnny Bacbac have impressed PNP Chief  Oscar Calderon of  their skills  as well as their integrity in  bringing the case to its solution.

We heard that first suspect Angelito Soriano was supposed to be arraigned in the sala of our old friend Judge Anthony Q. Sison Friday. Let’s hope justice is served with dispatch and thrash the curse, “justice delayed is justice denied.”

*          *          *

        Old pal, former Guam Usec Rolly Zabala, is in town. His partner, Ed Ferrer, says Rolly’s political flair which had its baptism in Amadito Perez’ pre-martial law mayoral campaigns made him irresistible among Guam politicos, thus his dramatic rise in Chamorro country. Rolly is campaigning for Abono and gubernatorial bet Spines Espino. Col. Simplicio Duque is making waves as a mayoral candidate in Alcala town, single-mindedly supporting Jamie Agbayan Prospero. Pichay may not be in the list of the powerful Iglesia ni Cristo vote, but he is the candidate of Pastor Quiboloy and his 5 million voters. More statesman than politician, Butch is the “speak the unvarnished rather than sugar-coated truth” type of politician. Our Rotary partner Angelo Padua is a front running bet for councilor in Sison, Pangasinan. Eloy is not only intelligent, but a patriot as well. 

(For past columns, click http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/category/opinion/think-about-it/)

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