Thursday, April 19, 2007 Ajero: Evil of politics By Antonio M. Ajero The sentry post
ONE EVIL of politics is that it destroys relationships, even blood relationships.
Take the case of the Villafuertes of Camarines Sur. Luis R. Villafuerte, the congressman father, is at loggerheads with Luis Raymond Jr., his governor son.
There are many other examples of close relatives really slugging it out in politics in many parts of this politics-crazy republic.
Actually we don't have to go far for a classic example. Politics wreaked havoc on the close friendship of Mayor Rody Duterte and former mayor Ben de Guzman. Theirs is a story known to every Dabawenyo, unless he'd been asleep for the past 20 years like Rip van Winkle.
Politics can also make even the best and the brightest a fool of oneself, as Genuine Opposition senatorial bet Sonia Malasarte-Roco might have found out. It was an expensive lesson she learned, one that could cost her a senate seat.
Because of politics, the poor widow, who in 1964 was voted the most outstanding student of the Philippines, besting nine others including the late Raul Roco, her future husband, made a tactless remark that hurt members of the Autism Society of the Philippines.
In a moment of weakness, Roco, in an interview over ANC Cable News before the Holy Week, referring to members the Team Unity said "Para naman silang mga autistic (They are like autistics)."
Dang Uy Koe, president of the autistic society, wrote a letter to the editor of a major Manila newspaper, criticizing Roco's comparison of Team Unity members with autistic persons calling the act being oblivious to national issues.
Koe said Roco laughed heartily after making the offensive statement.
To the credit of Mrs. Roco, she quickly apologized profusely for her indiscretion and vowed she would take the cudgels for autistic persons in the Senate if she wins in next month's elections.
We just hope her apology has been accepted and the incident forgotten by the tens of thousands of relatives of autistic persons who took offense.
This episode reminds us of a case of city councilor known for his tactless
remarks in and out of the Sanggunian. He is now a permanent enemy of a congressman who used to be a close political ally because of his published thoughtless statements.
