Wednesday, August 13, 2008 Limlingan: Divining Dabu By DP Limlingan The Advocate
LAST week's TV guesting at CLTV 36's public affairs program Hamon Central Luzon of the most controversial personality in the kingdom of Governor Ed Panlilio was not much a box-office.
The guesting itself of the "God-appointed" Atty.Vivian Dabu as provincial administrator was controversial considering that she finally acceded to shedding light on what's going on to her controversial administrative position in the provincial Capitol and the people ahead and behind her. Some of the fans of Mr. John Susi and the Hamon program intentionally failed themselves to watch that episode because of the guest.
At the outset, she fired her first shot by talking about changes and her fact that we cannot expect a turnaround in a day as they are doing the "pagwalis-walis." She is referring I think either to policies or employees. In a mood of defining transparency, she said they are introducing new policies.
Not all people are reacting negatively, she quipped. With the resounding clamor from different sectors for her resignation, not all but many are calling the shots for her to step down. I just don't know her level of sincerity but I heard her invitation to people to visit her office for a talk, to help, to volunteer, to suggest. But about the multi-sectoral suggestion for her to quit her post?
Her statement "parang kami lang ang magaling" draws reactions as if praising herself for the supposed good acts the Provincial Government made. Taking cue from the big duty, great responsibility stance as an administrator, she seemed to self-claim credits albeit selective only to a few of what Pampanga is into now, boasting of the P246M quarry revenues.
I admire her recognition of the opportunity to serve the province. She might be. Or she might be serving God? She claimed anyway that as the Provincial Administrator, she implements policies. She earned volley of flaks from critics that she is more usurping the powers, duties and functions of the provincial governor rather than acting as the administrator. "Wala ba akong nagawang mabuti para sa Pampanga" is another statement that was said to manifest her thirst for praise.
One of the most climactic moments of the interview was when she avowed that she was placed by God in that position and that God alone can remove her from the same. She magnetized indignations from viewers who question her right to assert such. One irate friend commented that Atty. Dabu is acting more like a self-made prophet or a saint who speaks for and in behalf of God. Divinity is far different from political reality.
On the matter of her being blamed as the root of all the problems at Capitol, she merely shrugged off shoulders saying the issues against her are all petty. She blamed people saying they are not visiting her anyway and took the moment to invite them and talk.
Last Monday, a sequel of the BALAS boys staged rally happened. This time, armed with tarpaulins and flyers, they again demanded the resignation of Atty. Dabu with their cry that what has been agreed upon about their plight during a previous dialogue with the Governor, witnessed by the civil society groups, be followed. Their reinstatement to their job seemed to be so elusive alleged to be brought about by Atty. Dabu.
After being terminated from the service, the boys were told that they be reinstated, only to be given their notice of re-employment on the 21st of last month. Their appointments shall expire on August 31. The demotion of their supervisors was likewise brought out.
The boys were accused of taking their roles in quarry anomalies, yet they were denied of due process due to the lack of a formal investigation.
Whatever that dialogue and that rally may result in, we might as well keep our fingers crossed that those need be enlightened, be given the Diving Intervention for the common good of all.
God must be confused for He is now being implicated in the standoff between the boys and the divinity in Atty. Dabu.
