By Ermin Garcia Jr.

 

I’M beginning to be truly entertained by the 7 epaLiFes’ thoughts not only about themselves but by their arrogant manifestations about themselves as well.

They have the chutzpa to disrespect, humiliate and demean their mayor. They dare ignore and turn their backs on the city hall employees crying for their benefits accorded by the national government. They have no qualms rejecting the DOH’s Mother and Child Hospital. They dare their colleagues in the minority to file complaints with the court for every claimed violation of the Local Government Code.

It does make me wonder if they their spate of arrogance, conceit, false sense of superiority were prompted by the assurance that they will never be struck down by Iglesia ni Cristo, the body that delivered votes for them? Is it possible that the INC told the 7 epaLiFes they can do their worst in the city and they will always be assured of their reelection? Is it also possible that their claimed closeness with VP Sara Duterte guarantees her continued endorsement?

Here’s the latest. Last week, they refused to accept the position of the DILG on the issues raised by the minority. DILG is the government agency that local government officials are accountable to but they dare say DILG is not to be believed. They even had the audacity to challenge Sec. Benhur Abalos to defend his officials in the region! (Someone ought to warn SEC Abalos that, he too, will likely be discarded like another simpleton should he respond to the 7 epaLiFes’ challenge to prove them wrong).

Aaah… but there’s the Ombudsman who will find it easy to make them account fully for their abuses and exploitation of the citizenry. But will it also take the Supreme Court chief Justice to make them believe the Ombudsman? A minimum 6-months suspension is hovering over their heads today, that the filing of a simple brief on their misdeeds and crimes against the people will surely make them eat humble pies.

But what’s stopping Mayor Belen from filing the cases and finally standing up for her constituents? Could it be that she’s actually afraid to displease the INC that’s responsible for creating the evil 7 epaLiFes? 

Her continued silence on her refusal to act for the Dagupeños welfare and push back the 7 epaLiFes is, indeed, puzzling. Is INC in the equation?

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GIVE UNTO CAESAR WHAT’S GOD’S?  Speaking of religion, the pastoral letter read by Archbishop Soc Villegas last Sunday as his homily appears the Catholic Church in the country still refuses to follow Jesus Christ’s’ bidding in MATTHEW 22:15-21. “Give unto Caesar what’s Caesar’s, give unto God what’s God’s!”

It was not a regular pastoral letter that sought to further strengthen the catholic laity’s faith in God. It was everything that ignored Jesus’ admonition of the pharisees. It sounded like the propaganda of the government urging Pinoys to be patriotic and stand up to China.

The only relevant message to the church’s faith was the launching of praying of rosary to ward off the “aggressors“ and maintain peace in the area. Again, not for the protection brothers and sisters from harm.

The claim that moral issues are  involved “ particularly in securing Filipinos’ future,” is quite a stretch. Is failing to stand up vs. the Chinese Coast Guard a moral issue? What happened to the regular teaching to have faith in God’s plans for His people?

It even went into details of how China could be planning its takeover of the Philippines! Gosh!

And how on earth can the presence of probing “Chinese poachers” be considered a moral issue?? It’s a criminal issue, if at all, certainly not a moral issue.

Pope Francis’s words: “The world tells us to seek success, power and money; God tells us to seek humility, service and love.” There’s the reiteration of Matthew: 22:15-21!

No wonder, Christian sects’ following are growing in leaps and bounds while more catholic are leaving the Church whose leaders cannot do Jesus’ bidding.

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GOVERNMENT IS NOT THE PEOPLE. As the Chinese government is beginning to do its worst at the West Philippine Sea, let us not forget that the government is not the people. Ditto for the Philippine government and our people.

I feel compelled to cite this because I can sense that many are beginning to equate the barbaric actions of the Chinese Coast Guard with the character of the Chinese people.

The Chinoys among us should be the true reflection of themselves as a people from China. Most are generous, helpful, neighborly and compassionate. Many Chinoys are even more ‘Pinoy’ in cultural character than some of us. They are intelligent and not brutish. They are passionate traders that help our economy.

To our friends who are beginning to view their Chinoy friends differently, pray that you will never be likened to the criminal Pinoys overseas.

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