The Noynoy Oath

By Ermin Garcia Jr.

PRESIDENT-apparent Noynoy Aquino will soon take his oath, he who was elected on the strength of his “Hindi ako magnanakaw” pledge during the campaign period. Did he mean it? Or did he pick it up all because it was a good sound bite for the campaign?

I and millions more would like to believe that he meant it and would carry that pIedge as his administration’s mantra. So if his speech writers are looking for a good sound bite for his inaugural speech a la Erap’s “Huwag nyo akong subukan”, I would suggest they simply give the traditional oath the “Noynoy touch”, to wit –

“Matimtim kong pinanunumpaan na tutuparin ko nang buong katapatan at sigasig ang aking mga tungkulin bilang Pangulo ng Pilipinas, pangangalagaan at ipagtatanggol ang kanyang Konstitusyon, ipatutupad ang mga batas nito, magiging makatarungan sa bawat tao, itatalaga ang aking sarili sa paglilingkod sa Bansa, at hindi ako magnanakaw, Kasihan nawa ako ng Diyos.”

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To expect a President Noynoy to be corrupt-free is given but to expect his allies to follow suit is wishful thinking. His appointees will later simply shrug off calls for honest governance as – “Siya ang may sabi niyan, hindi ako!” – because they know too well that our system never makes anyone accountable for misspent or missing public funds.

While the foolish thought, therefore, that a President Noynoy can set a new precedent by requiring the “Noynoy Oath” as a template not only for his allies and appointees but for local government executives is far-fetched, it is not impossible.

He can insist on it because he is the President.  In the same manner that Presidents can dictate the level of corruption in their governments, so too can a reformist President dictate the norm of public service – Hindi ako magnanakaw! In our book, it’s called “Leadership by Example” in all levels.

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Can you imagine the impact of a “Noynoy Oath” being recited by governors, provincial board members, congressmen, mayors, councilors, barangay captains? I am certain the “Noynoy touch” is what will finally mean anything to both the elected officials and their constituents, and will not be easily forgotten.

What a legacy that would give the Noynoy administration.

But would our LP card bearing members in the province dare lead the move to institutionalize the “Noynoy Oath” in our system? Hmmm…I guess not, for that would make public service a completely and literally thankless job, then out goes that favorite adage among pols – “What are we in power for?”

Frankly, if our newly elected politicos are not inclined to mouth the “Noynoy Oath”, then we can kiss Noynoy and his promise of real reforms goodbye even before he takes his won oath.

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ANOTHER LIBEL CASE.  The PUNCH is being sued for libel, this time by re-elected San Carlos City Mayor Ayoy Resuello. He accused us of malice for publishing the information about the case filed against him before the Ombudsman by some San Carlos residents about the unresolved missing P29 M public fund.  That’s his right and privilege, and we will respect that with our counter-affidavit in time citing our official source. (Curiously, Mr. Resuello did not file a libel case against another local weekly with the same story and basically the same facts. Could it be because our surnames are Garcia, Micua and Biagtan? Just wondering!).

While journalists do not relish being sued for libel, as to be made to appear as malicious and unprofessional, harassment by libel is a small price to pay by any respectable media establishment and journalist worth their salt for asserting their independence with fair reporting. But there’s the caveat – politicians who file obvious harassment cases against media practitioners unmask themselves unwittingly as someone with deep secrets who are deadly afraid to be discovered.

Unknown to many politicians, harassment cases never ever deter journalists (except the AC-DCs in our midst) from exposing the secret ugly truths about persons in government service. Even killing them en masse as they did in Maguindanao only serves to embolden the survivors and those who pick up the trail from the fallen, to pursue the “unfinished expose”.

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UNDER FIRE. The actuations of two prominent Pangasinenses while in office are under public scrutiny these days.

Comelec Commissioner Nicodemus Ferrer has been tagged as the other suspect, ala “Hello Garci”, allegedly in a wiretapped conversation with DILG Sec Ronnie Puno on poll cheating. Media now refer to the alleged new scandal as “Hello Nico”.

Former Presidential Management Staff Sec. Hermogenes Esperon is under a cloud of suspicion for allegedly mishandling a P500-million project for rebel returnees that he initiated. Apparently, the new head of the Office of Presidential Adviser on Peace Process (OPAPP), Annabelle Abaya, has discovered that P170-million remain unaccounted for.

I sure hope the two can acquit themselves of the accusations soon. I’m afraid simple denials will not help their cause.

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