Sunday, April 22, 2007 Cabaero: Gonzalez’s ‘foot in mouth’ disease By Nini B. Cabaero Beyond 30
WHAT is that again in Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez’s mouth? His foot.
He must be so used to the taste of it that he did not have second thoughts about declaring that United States Peace Corps volunteer Julia Campbell was partly to blame for her own death.
Campbell was on vacation in Banaue last Holy Week when she was reported as missing. Her body was discovered in the area’s famed mountainside rice terraces, a World Heritage site, 10 days after she went missing.
Gonzalez had to utter something reckless on an impulse. He told reporters Campbell may have tempted fate by being “careless and irresponsible.” “She took a lonely walk by herself in that deserted area,” Gonzalez said.
Did he mean that tourists should now be warned against enjoying on their own, without a companion, the country’s famed tourism destinations? But such a warning would go against all the government’s pronouncements of the Philippines as a safe and fulfilling destination for visitors.
It was good that Campbell’s family and the United States Embassy ignored Gonzalez’s statements. Even Malacañang has taken a “no comment” stance to Gonzalez’s comment.
Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said it was unfortunate that such an incident happened to Campbell who has grown to love the Philippines. She was apparently well-loved in return by the people she had worked with.
Bunye, who is also presidential spokesman, shrugged off the statement of Gonzalez that Campbell may be partly at fault because she did not take a companion with her in her hike.
Gonzalez was the same official who had embarrassed the administration with some of his irresponsible statements about former president Corazon Aquino and her daughter Kris and about rape victim “Nicole.”
It is a wonder why he continues to hold his post at the Cabinet when he has caused embarrassment in several instances. He has become the pet peeve of many women’s organizations for his remarks that denigrate women in general.
The party-list group Gabriela, in a statement, described Gonzalez’s remark about Campbell as deplorable. Rep. Liza Maza of Gabriela said the remark was irresponsible and disrespectful of the dead. “Gonzales, as a full blooded macho, is resorting to victim blaming. He is a national shame,” Maza said.
“Whether Ms. Campbell was victim of foul play or it was simply an accident, she cannot be blamed for her own death. Mr. Gonzalez simply could not stop himself from spewing venom after venom. He just kept racking up evil points from women,” Maza added.
If he could not contribute to the discourse, Gonzalez might as well keep his mouth shut to prevent getting caught with his foot inside his mouth again.
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Cebu City voters can enjoy a treat this Tuesday on the Sun.Star website.
They will have the chance to post questions in an online chat to two candidates for vice mayor--–incumbent Vice Mayor Michael Rama and election rival Raymond Garcia. The online chat will start at 9 a.m., this Tuesday, at www.sunstar.com.ph/chat.
