By Ermin Garcia Jr.

 

THE desperation of the 7epaLiFes to earn its planned pay-off in millions finally showed with their recent demand that Mayor Belen Fernandez must agree to meet with them and on their terms, if she wants quick approval of the long delayed supplemental budget.

Of course, if meeting them is what it will take to get what she wants, Mayor Belen readily agreed. Besides, it would not be first time to meet on their terms, and in those occasions, they got nothing! This explains their unparliamentary, uncouth conduct like the hooligans in barkada uniforms, since 2022 till last week.

It was, in fact, their reckless payback response to Mayor Belen’s uncompromising stand that found some of them facing charges and trial in court.

To be sure, Mayor Belen knows exactly what they want – plain millions in exchange for their support for her submitted projects!

Obviously, the 7epaLiFes’ target is a share of the P557-M Supplemental Budget No.2-2024, a wish that Mayor Belen completely ignored the whole time. With only four months left before they file their candidacies in October, it’s now ‘do or die’ for their campaign funds.

I predict – ‘die’! No funds.

Not only is their timing wrong for themselves and Mayor Belen, it exposes the worst about themselves. It ought to tell INC Dagupeños and their diminishing number of fans, that they don’t deserve to be reelected! To reelect the 7epaLiFes with their eyes open will be their karma.

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NO INTEGRITY. Mayor Belen cannot surely give in to their demonic demands since they already made it obvious what they want to gain from the secret meeting. So, I seriously doubt if she is willing to be a part of the cycle of corruption that the 7epaLiFes and their allies operated when they lorded it over during the Brian Lim administration.

To agree to their demand in exchange for support, would make her the kind of politician that Dagupeños have learned to hate. Would she want to be associated as a supporter of the 7epaLiFes now that their arrogance took its toll on Dagupeños who dream of improving their lives?

Mayor Belen, being the smart businesswoman, could have perhaps become “generous” if they only showed support for her programs from the very beginning. Tsk-tsk. But that would be asking too much from a corrupt barkada.

The 7epaLiFes (Red Erfe-Mejia, Celia Chua-Lim, Irene Lim-Acosta, Alfie Fernandez, Dada Reyna-Macalanda, Alvin Coquia and Marilou Fernandez) have been completely blinded by their arrogance believing that their number as majority made them above anything, including the Local Government Code. Not quite.

I feel sad for them.  They can no longer discern anything what’s good for their integrity. But integrity was and is never their concern. Well, Dagupeños have long known that (including INC Dagupeños but belatedly). 

After being bullied, insulted and humiliated for 2 years, waiting for 2025 to implement her delayed programs should already be of little consequence to Mayor Belen.

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MISPLACED ROSARY CAMPAIGN. As Catholics, we should always humbly seek divine intervention for peace as Jesus Christ taught us. By all means, our Church leaders should lead in praying for peace in our land and in the world.

But to pray against China per se is misguided. China is a nation of peace-loving people but as in most other countries, their governments do the unthinkable ostensibly for their people’s benefit.

China has a government and it is its government that’s harming our government.

Why the bishops need to cite the series of acts aggression of China government in disputed islands to justify the rosary campaign, is reprehensible to say the least.

The premise of the Rosary Campaign as elucidated by the Catholic Bishops Conference and Archbishop Soc Villegas is definitely unchristian, and a blatant disobedience of Jesus Christ’s teachings.

To make the rosary prayer meaningful, our bishops must make the distinction between China government and China as a nation, as a people of God. What happened to “Let’s pray for peace between our two nations, for safety of our two people”?

To pray against China’s government is “doing unto Caesar what’s Caesars’. To pray for peace in the South China Sea / West Philippine Sea, between the people of China and Philippines is “doing unto God what’s God’s.”

It does make me wonder that no members of the clergy have raised a voice to tell their bishops that what they’re doing is wrong.

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DUTERTES VS. TULFOS. Make sure you have enough stock of popcorn to keep you entertained in the weeks and months before the 2025 campaign and election period.

As of today, we are seeing a test of political influence and mastery between the Dutertes and the Tulfos (Raffy and Erwin), with Sen. Imee waiting in the wings.

Never mind that it makes a complete mockery of the establishment of political dynasties, that our constitution expressly prohibits.

Even the gullible PBBM sees nothing wrong with Duterte trio as candidates for senator. He says everyone has a right to seek political office, not even bothering to make a clarification and its implications.

It can be said that there are existing political dynasties in the senate but with one difference. The Cayetano siblings Alan and Pia, Estrada siblings Jinggoy and JV, Villar mother and son, Cynthia and Mark, were elected separately and under different periods.

The Duterte-Tulfo contest will go through 2028. This all-in-one, winner-take-all against each other family will be dumbfounding.

And their family-cum political dynasties confrontation will make other candidates bid for president and senate as supporting so-so entertainment. This unusual political contest will take social media like a storm, surely with thousands of trolls behind each family. 

Kay Duterte ka o Tulfo ka??

Then, the declaration of VP Sara who was earlier touted as the next candidate for president in 2028, that it will be her brother Baste who will gun for the presidency, not her, surprised her followers.  Meaning, under the Duterte scenario, she will simply seek a senatorial seat to join remaining Dutertes in the senate.

Going by that same scenario, will Ramon Tulfo also seek a senatorial seat that will be vacated by Raffy Tulfo who’s expected to be a presidential timber in 2028? 

Kawawang Pinas! Kawawa tayo!

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