“Kung Walang Corrupt Walang Mahirap.” (There will be no poor people if there is no corruption) This is the battle cry slogan of President Benigno Aquino in the last presidential election of which he won the presidency. But almost six years after, poor people are still everywhere; and poverty is as common if not worse than before. Apparently, as what the slogan implies, and what the term of office track record and outcome provide: the Aquino government is as corrupt if not more corrupt than the previous perceived as very corrupt government of now jailed former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. If there is a thing called economic growth or progress, it is only for the few elite, rich and powerful.
As the next Presidential election is nearing, Noynoy Aquino and his Liberal Party are banking on a new campaign slogan for Mar Roxas, the new Presidential bet of his political party. This time, Noynoy and his band of shrewd politicians had gone far and straightforward. Gone are the political slogans about crooks and the poor people that are still around; this time their campaign is about a straight path: the road or ways of the saint.
But is there anything straight and not crooked about politics and politicians, especially Filipino Politicians? Is there anything straight about President Noynoy Aquino’s and his Liberal Party? Is there anything saintly about the irreligious RH Law? Is the illegal DAP not crooked and evil, and was the redefining of the word saving to make it legal not a wicked maneuver? Was the tragic Mamasapano Massacre not planned and approved by a stupid, callous or greedy leader. Are the many irregularities in The Typhoon Yolanda Rehabilitation Program not a work of a leader who should be in jail, or mental asylum? Are the sporadic malpractice and incompetence in the government not a proof that the Aquino government is far from being straight? Is the widespread illegal drugs not one of the many appalling exploits of a heartless leader? Is there anything holy about gambling and turning the Phillipines into a gambling haven and money laundering refuge?
A straight person is a person with less or without vices. Is PNoy straight? Is he as straight as what he claims he is? Is he capable of leading a straight path? His enemies brand him as abnormal; while there are those that think that he is gay. That is so below the belt, and I won’t go that far. For me, everyone has his/her own degree of abnormalities. No one is perfect. What is apparent and clear to me is that he’s a cigarrette smoker; a slave of his tongue, an addict. Clearly, he is not as straight as what he portrays himself he is. For the past years, I followed and studied his actions and behavior. His straight path is but a wishful thinking, an attempt to lure the people into trusting him so that he and his party can remain in power. He is nothing but a political animal; and mostly of political animals here in the Philippines, are thieves, crooks, power hungry, liars, and hypocrites. They thrive on people’s trust; and oftentimes, their words and actions are not nsync with each other.
By saying that they are threading on a straight path, President Noy and his political mammals are saying that they are straight, which obviously is not true. Politicians are not trustworthy; many Filipinos believe that they are shameless pigs. Philippine politics is at its worst; it is perceived as a big-time syndicate; obviously, I myself agree to this national mindset about them. This sad reality is very apparent. And as a proof to that, aside from a power hungry dictator that died in exile, two of our former Presidents had been jailed because of corruption, three senators are charged and jailed of the same offense, and there are countless more in waiting. The sitting Vice President and another Presidential aspirant Jejomar Binay is perceived as very corrupt; and even President Noynoy Aquino himself is believed that will rot in jail after his term of office because of irregularities and corruption. For me, this is the extreme of all political insanity. To brand this kind of men as being capable of leading a straight path is obscene and extremely stupid. This slogan is a direct assault on one’s sanity and intelligence. This slogan is offensive to probity and righteousness. The Philippines is a rich country; but the people are poor because of so many crooks in the government.
“Hypocrisy is the practice of professing beliefs, feelings, or virtues that one does not hold or possess; falseness.” Can anyone stop corruptions if he can stop the corruption within himself? Change must come from within. A practitioner of selective justice and blame game, President Noynoy Aquino sees the imperfections of others but not his own crookedness or imperfections. Hypocrisy is not as demoniac if the practitioner is not the most powerful person of the land, and not using duplicity to fool and control the people for his and his political party’s selfish ends.
An honest demon is less dangerous than a demon in the garb of a saint. I love this country and I voted for Noynoy Aquino. I am an avid fan of his parents who are my heroes. I learn a lot about corruption and duplicity from Noynoy Aquino. Because of him I realize that ultimately there is no such thing as blood of heroes; for heroism is a matter of choice; therefore the son of heroes is not necessarily automatically a hero. A son of a hero can be but a joker, a villain smilingly playing the role of a hero or a saint. The thought that PNoy is not corrupt while his friends and followers are is misleading if not stupid thinking. There is a saying, “Tell me who your friends are and I’ll tell you who you are”. If those around him are corrupt; then PNoy is as corrupt if not more corrupt than them; because he is their leader and there is a thing called command responsibility. He may not be a strong leader but he is hardheaded and surely not foolish enough to be controlled by the corrupt people around him.
“Never trust a politician” according to a Wiseman. Politicians thrive on trust. They will do and say anything just to gain people’s trust. Unfortunately, aside from those whose principles are for sale, a great number of Filipinos are naïve, fanatics, careless, ignorant or kind-hearted-fool; while majority of the politicians are shameless cunning demons, who will say and do anything for the sake of money and power. “It takes two to tango”, “There are no slaves if no one would want to be a slave.” There will be no crooked leader if the populace would not allow to have one. Surely, a country will get a leader that it deserves. But there is hope, God is merciful and Filipinos are prayerful people. 12-20-15
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