Diliman Way
with Homobono A. Adaza
“One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors.” – Plato
“The fault dear Brutus is not in our stars but in ourselves that we are underlings.” – Cassius to
Brutus in Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare
Political carnival is finally in town, Political fever is rising to suicidal heights. The candidates are participants in the never ending circus in this country – and so are the people. Nobody is thinking except a few who might just make a difference. I hope and pray.
Marcos bubble: Every intelligent person in this country is surprised at the popularity of BB Marcos in the polls. But knowing the surveys, I am not all surprised. BB M must have a good propaganda machine, both in mainstream and social media This BB M propaganda is challenged by the populist movement of VP Leni Robredo.
There are motorcades everywhere – here and abroad. This is a clash between an immovable object and an irresistible force – if the elections will be clean and honest. But it will not be clean and honest. Both BB M and VP Leni, in the end, will struggle for nothing. Why?
Bong Go: Senator Bong Go (although had officially withdrawn from the Presidential race) may be lagging in the polls but is far ahead in these factors – PR D, COMELEC, Smartmatic, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police, Dennis Uy’s F2 Logistics and the whole machinery of government. Against all these, no group of Marcos Loyalists or VP Leni’s populist armada can be a match. It would be a mismatch unless the two have covert components which are beyond the reach of PR D’s intelligence task force. If not, BB M and VP Leni will be on the way to oblivion on the fastest space vehicle.
But PR D has been repeatedly saying the May 2022 elections will be clean and honest. Common kids, grow up. Do you believe PR D, perceived to be a 10 11 politico, will deliver on his commitment? If you do, it’s about time you consult a psychiatrist.
Cocaine puzzle: The number one subject of conversation these days is the puzzle introduced by PR D – cocaine using presidential candidate, one of the leaders in the survey, son of a late powerful and popular father, spoiled child and weak leader. BB Marcos did not feel alluded to but was fast to undergo a laboratory test for cocaine and bingo – the test proved negative. His propaganda machine claims the negative test result puts the issue to rest – not really and not that fast. There are questions needing answers before the issue can be buried for good.
Who did the cocaine test for BB M? Is it a reputable laboratory? If not a laboratory, is it a doctor or a chemist? Is he/she reliable and credible? To erase any doubts about the reliability and credibility of the test results, BB M must do to things – reveal the identity of the laboratory or chemist or doctor who did the testing and undergo another test with a reliable and credible government laboratory witnessed by mainstream media in full view of national and international television networks. Failing to do these, the negative test result is not worth the paper on which it is written. The BB M is test result is written on water. It is useless and nothing but waste paper.
On the other hand, PR Duterte should reveal the identity of the cocaine user. Why? The man is running for President of the country. People have the right to know his identity so that they can make the correct choice in the May 2022 election. Moreover, under Section 5, Article IV of the Constitution which embodies his oath of office as President, PR D is sworn to fulfill his duties as President – preserve and defend the Constitution, execute the laws and do justice to every man. If he has evidence, why did he not order the arrest and prosecution of this suspect? Using cocaine is illegal under our laws and bail is not allowed – why the failure of PR D to do his mandated duty?
More questions for PR D: I still remember PR D threatening drug lords he will kill them because they are destroying his country. I do not know of any suspected or confirmed drug lord PR D or his boys killed on his orders. Suspected drugs lords like his compadre Peter Lim, his once upon a time adviser Michael Young, his Congressman son being charged as being a part of the international drug Triad, the five generals in his well publicized drug book – why has not PR D done anything to them? These are his companions Is PR D confirming the saying – Tell me who are your companions and I’ll tell you who you are? Since they are PR D’s companions, will anyone please tell him who he is?
No wonder the drug lords have gone scot-free and thousands of poor young drug users are dead. Are the users destroying the country? They only destroy their lives if they do not go through rehabilitation. PR D’s claim they cannot be rehabilitated is as false as his claims to accomplishments. But what about the drug lords – importers, manufacturers, distributors, facilitators and protectors?
They are almost beyond rehabilitation because they are there for the money. By way of comparison, water continues flowing as long as you don’t close the faucet. Since the drug faucet is not closed, illegal drugs continue flowing throughout the country courtesy of PR D’s government.
Pacquiao confession: Presidential candidate Manny Pacquiao admitted that when he was a kid – he did shabu and marijuana. He regrets it and he has gone over it. Good for Manny! But why has he not denounced PR D’s government extra-judicial killings. Once upon a time not so long ago, he was one of the lap dogs of PR D singing praises to his idol and master. But when PR D castigated him, he reacted but his reaction was tepid, if not anemic. And now he claims to be with the Opposition. Common, Manny, grow up kid. Show your powerful knockout punch and kayo PR D. But is the power still there or did it disappear with Paris Hilton?
Lacson and Sotto: They claimed they underwent drug testing at PDEA and the tests came out negative. But that is not enough as both have extra baggage on illegal drugs. I still remember Rosebud charged Senator Lacson with involvement on an illegal drug incident. On Senate President Sotto, there was a mainstream media report that he had an involvement on an illegal drug activity long time ago. Both of them should clear the air on these charges and suspicions.
Relevance: Illegal drug use is a major problem of the country coupled with graft and corruption. Were it not for corrupt officials in government, the problem of illegal drugs in the country would have been solved years ago. It cannot be solved because public officials from the highest to the lowest levels are involved in illegal drugs – from manufacture to distribution, from importation to protection, from police to PDEA, from Customs to Immigration, from local government to the highest levels of the Executive, from Congress to the judiciary.
No traditional politician can eradicate this problem in this country. Why? It is the surest way to quick money – from millions to billions, enough to fund several presidential, senatorial, congressional, gubernatorial, mayoral or barangay chairman campaigns. The temptation is just too great to resist for our politicians whose major drives are – wealth, power and influence and sex. There is no hope for the people from them.
The hope is system change. The only exponent for system change is the X-Factor. If he does not materialize and surface before the end of this year – the solution is not an election, it is something else. So I quote to you my favorite lines from a poem of Oscar de Zuñiga –“
“And I walk the streets rutted with mud holes
Underneath a sky suffused with graying clouds
And I feel I am coming to a house which only my heart knows.”
-o-
PHILIPPINE MUSLIM TODAY 