IT’S appalling how power can drive a plain citizen to the limits of shamelessness, greed, corruption, and arrogance.

Power and its pursuit turn Juan de la Cruz into a trapo, a traditional politician.

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As if this isn’t bad enough, it transmogrifies mediocre underachievers into imperious leaders who are impervious to the popular will, becoming a martinet who mistake demagoguery for statesmanship.

Under such a leader, public opinion carries little value. Any clamor for reforms merely serves to embolden him to the limits of shamelessness.

He becomes defiant and determined to hang on. Then he’ll do everything to prevent others other than family and crony to rise to power. It’s what boundless ambition does to a corrupted citizen, the effect of mediocrity and greed wedded to power.

This affliction plagues a sitting president no less than a trapo mayor, vice-mayor or barangay chairman.

No amount of citizen importuning or protest will keep such a leader from inflicting self and his or her dynasty upon a people weary of opportunism and corruption – a confidence derived from mastery of the pork barrel and patronage.

In our city, this affliction has made a thrice-blessed politico think he has a divine right to be the lord and master of its slum population, its poor squatters and everyone else whose IQ rises no higher than the price of a lotto ticket.

Vicente Y. Emano knows too well that having command of this segment of the population obliterates what residual votes or influence the middle and upper class citizens may have on politics and political power.

He’s been governor, mayor and now vice-mayor. He knows it is normal for a political parasite to hang on even unto his senile years. He also knows that no matter how unhappy the people may be, they won’t do anything.

Thus it is understandable that he can be thick-faced about staying on until Kingdom Come – and at the same time get paid without doing his job.

Next Tuesday, attend the session of the City Council and see how a leaderless legislature operates. And yes, be a witness to Vicente Y. Emano’s 99th absence as presiding officer.

A former UN executive and vice chair of the Local Government Academy, Manny heads Gising Barangqy Movement: valdehuesa@gmail.com.