Wednesday, April 18, 2007 Aguilar: Que sio que tal By Ed Aguilar
Nung wari sa keng mamalakaya
Anti la reti deng atima ra
Sadyang pari napun nakadua na
Apap lang mal ulam ding makualta
Keng swiki namang Baby Pineda
Deng hitot bulig maglipasag la
Y Mark biasang manasan talaga
Akakua na asan lang pangmasa
I rest my case with this brief: Mark leads the way. Baby tails closely behind. Fr. Ed trails by a mile. Do you want to bet?
BELIEF in the integrity of the candidate led four prominent election lawyers to offer their services for free to Fr. Ed Panlilio, who broke church tradition to run for governor of Pampanga against two leading candidates linked to corruption and illegal gambling, so the news item goes. The poll experts are free to believe and make believe offering free services. Aren’t they helping him to get what is coming to them?
One of the lawyers said, It’s not that we are anticipating a legal battle after the elections. We just want to let him know that we are here for moral support and that we are ready to help him if he encounters any legal problem and in the remote possibility that there would be cheating. How paradoxical that the free services the lawyers offered are primarily of the moral variety not of the legal one! Can you dig what they are saying?
A wit once said that lawyers help those who help themselves. Another wit said, A man may as well open an oyster without a knife, as a lawyers mouth without a fee. Yet, four of them volunteered their services to the suspended priest allegedly because they believe in the dynamic program of the priest-turned-politician. What program are they talking about? The motorcade participated by some 1,500 cars does not constitute a plataporma de gobiyerno. Neither do the contributions from fanatics prefigure a good Kapampangan leader. Are they not clever enough to convince us that a dynamic program needs no program of government?
The lawyers had verified Panlilios serious entry in the political arena through a text message. The Kampi camp won’t send such a message. The Lakas/CMD party neither will. Thus, it obviously came from the headquarters located at the former Patrias along the Gapan-San Fernando-Olongapo road. The election lawyers also have decided to give their support after weeks of soul-searching. God bless them for searching their souls even as they reminded me of a ladys remark. She said, You are an attorney. Its your duty to lie, conceal and distort everything, and slander everybody. Did they not repent of their sins as well?
Like the legal luminaries, I believe that the clergyman broke tradition apparently because he can no longer cling to its moldering wall. Worst yet, he reneged on his vow of obedience to gratify the desire of his flesh: that of holding sway over the whole province. Unlike one of them however, I do not believe that the supporters of Fr. Ed are happy eating biscuits at the headquarters. They are just playing the martyr to create an effect. I also do not believe that they support him and expect nothing in return. I know that someday they want him to want them.
The two leading candidates for governor as mentioned in the Inquirer are Governor Mark Tadeo Lapid and Board Member Lilia Baby Pineda. The incumbent governor has been linked to irregularities in the quarrying operation. The issue is settled. The husband of the board member has been linked to jueteng. Congress failed to prove it. In other words, all the allegations of corruption and illegal gambling have turned into mere perceptions. No use crying over spilt milk.
Thought not perception makes the whole dignity of man. To think well and not to perceive ill connotes morality. So, it may not be moral to take notice solely of Fr. Ed as a good leader for Baby and Mark could lead better if not as good. In fact, Baby as Lubao Mayor for nine years has done much for the good of her constituents while Mark has been doing his best to rule the roost at the Capitol. Records show that through his efforts Pampanga became one of the top 10 provinces in good governance, to say the least. With Mark around what more can you ask for?
I rest my case with this brief: Mark leads the way. Baby tails closely behind. Fr. Ed trails by a mile. Do you want to bet? If you dont, then thank you for I dont have the money too. But if you do, then you can call a lady from Lubao or the man from Porac. Mitun ka rugu abias, eka sa dalas-dalas.
