Punchline
Why Duterte-Cayetano
By Ermin Garcia Jr.
UNTIL last Friday, friends continued to ask me if I had changed my preference for Davao Mayor Duterte and Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano as my candidates for president and vice president, respectively.
My answer: I have not! “Why not?” was the common question that followed. Indeed, why not? Let me count the ways.
Sure, I have misgivings about Mayor Duterte’s unpredictable off-the-cuff, off-color and irreverent remarks. He cusses too often for comfort. His ways are often uncouth and unpolished and he knows it which was why perhaps he had to promise to be prim and proper as president.
In the same vein, I have misgivings about the staid, much too trivial and trite statements, the same overused promises about plans and pledges by the other candidates to make the country a paradise for the poor.
Imagine the public statements and platforms of candidates Senator Grace Poe, former DILG Sec. Mar Roxas and Veep Jojo Binay being interchanged on print, and I am certain one would not easily detect any difference in their messages until their respective tags. i.e., “Daang Matuwid,” “Gobiernong May Puso,” Only Binay” appear. (Sen. Miriam Santiago is a class of her own but woefully her political base has already seriously weakened).
Bottom line: They all sounded like broken records with toothy smiles on their faces. More of the same over the last 20 years!
* * * *
PEOPLE’S ASPIRATIONS. In sharp contrast, the Duterte-Cayetano platform is refreshing, distinctive, forceful and consistent.
Messrs. Duterte and Cayetano were the only tandem that acknowledged and offered viable solutions to 1) The worsening problem of illegal drugs, the root of all violent crimes, the cause of breakup of families and breakdown of values, the ruin of dreams of the young. 2) The worsening Mindanao conflict and the continued failure of peace talks with NPA and Moro separatists. 3) The absence or lack of discipline of people. 4) The optional and selective enforcement and observance of the laws.
Only the Duterte-Cayetano tandem has specifically proposed federalism as the form of government that can address the economic, social and cultural issues that hounded the country for decades. Both strongly demonstrated the capability to have the political will to deliver promised reforms. They also cited the urgency of increasing the salaries initially of policemen, soldiers and teachers, those who play critical roles in enabling the youth to survive and be equipped for the future.
Their order –“Shoot to kill” – against drug lords and recidivists if they should resist arrest and fight back can’t be clearer than that in combatting crime and to maintain true peace and order in our communities. Why not? The drug lords are already nearly in control of all our barangays.
I discerned that the reason people from all walks of life (yes, including members of the elite) cheer Mr. Duterte for his putanginas is because finally a tandem like the Duterte-Cayetano feels and knows what seriously affect them and what they aspire for. On the other hand, the other candidates were content in mouthing motherhood statements that they mistakenly think the voters wanted to hear, offering freebies to titillate them only to break these promises once elected. Remember PNoy and his FOI? The people (and I) are tired of their kind of politics.
People, particularly the millennials who think election is simply like a horse race, should seriously reconsider if they are inclined to vote for either Roxas, Poe, Binay, Santiago, Marcos, Robredo, Escudero or Honasan. (Never mind Trillanes. He’s just an attack dog).
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A VP CAYETANO. The victory of Mayor Duterte is practically assured if the surveys are to be believed. His commanding lead is further affirmed by the endorsement of the Iglesia ni Cristo.
But what I found utterly disappointing was the endorsement of Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr., by INC and El Shaddai. At the very outset, he was not the least coy about demonstrating being the ultimate political butterfly, promoting his political bid as Santiago-Marcos, Duterte-Marcos, Binay-Marcos and yes, even as Roxas-Marcos and Poe-Marcos!! Certainly the first and only one of his kind since postwar era.
My other serious disappointment is in the failure of many supporters of Mayor Duterte to realize that for him to succeed, he badly needs his tandem, Sen. Cayetano as his VP. He has said it so in many occasions. Without Mr. Cayetano to help him navigate through the maze of national politics and processes, a President Duterte will be hard pressed to pursue his timeline. The other VP bets have expressed total aversion to his plans. With PNoy and his allies bent on foiling his initiatives, a President Duterte could find himself isolated, fumbling in many difficult situations.
To the supporters of a President Duterte, heed his call. Give him a Vice President Cayetano!
* * * *
VULNERABLE BAC. Through the grapevine inside the Dagupan City hall, I learned that the totally unexpected resignation of City Administrator Farah Decano as chairman of the Bids and Awards Committee, surprised many, including this corner and yes, her detractors. As the tested Belen-loyalist that she is, her resignation certainly was not expected.
My mole told me that when she began introducing stringent measures in BAC as soon as she took over as chairman, some members of the BAC became uncomfortable. But I surmise she did it to protect herself and the members from being hailed to the Ombudsman for suspected graft and corrupt practices. The Ombudsman, after all, has been quick in indicting members of BAC in many towns and provinces over the past 12 months for their reported conspiracy in awarding juicy projects to favorite contractors of mayors and governors.
Curiously, her letter of resignation also pointed to an infighting inside city hall. I quote: “The past weeks, however, proved that my efforts to implement these changes are no longer appreciated. It is sad that two of your most trusted officials have maliciously conspired to taint my name. I cannot implement more anti-corruption measures if I do not have their full support of everyone.”
As things stand today, I had reported in an earlier column that some contractors in Pangasinan already intimated to me about a favorite “contractor” of BAC who’s been cornering infra contracts that included fixing bids through participation of his selected “friendly” competitors over the last 3 years. Proof of this is seeing the favorite supervising work of projects awarded to others…hmmm I’ve seen this arrangement before, if you know what I mean. Why COA has not suspected anything has made me wonder. BAC should be extra careful with its business.
Anyway, if there exists a widening crack in what was once a formidable Belen Team at the city hall, I hope Mayor Belen can see through the ramifications of continued infighting that she can ill afford at this time, on her second term.
Mayor, there is small fire in your kitchen. For whatever worth my usual unsolicited advice is to you, I say – Put out that fire before it burns up everything you’ve earnestly worked hard for to form an efficient team. As the uncontested mayor in this year’s election, so much more is expected from your leadership.
By the way, if it matters to Mayor Belen, my other mole says low morale is spreading among city hall workers after it appeared to them that she is not inclined to terminate Mr. Nic Melecio as a consultant and a unit head in her administration in spite of the series of plagiarism he committed in the past. Apparently, the guy also reportedly maltreats and bullies both officials and rank and file repeatedly as he pleases and invokes the mayor’s name as he goes about it. Tsk-tsk.
(For your comments and reactions, please email to: punch.sunday@gmail.com)
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