Saturday, August 16, 2008 Editorial: A bishop's suggestion
ARCHBISHOP Paciano Aniceto has broken his silence on the ongoing feud between Governor Ed Panlilio and the BALAS boys.
Being a man of peace, he has, as expected called on the contending parties to resolve their differences in a manner worthy of respectable and reasonable people.
They should sit down and talk, he admonished. If it were that simple, the BALAS boys would have just as soon dismantled their picket at the Capitol, and the governor would have just as soon gone out of his way to embrace the very people who had helped put him in office.
Obviously, it's not that simple,
The BALAS boys have apparently lost their respect for the governor, and the reason is now simply equated with what they simply believe is the right thing to do. Which is for the stubborn and controversial provincial administrator, lawyer Vivian Dabu to resign or for the governor to fire her.
On television four nights ago, the leaders of the BALAS boys had given up on the value of another dialogue with the governor. He (the governor), they said, doesn't stand by his word. In short, the governor has lost his credibility. Thus, the problem boils down to that person across the table.
Can the bishop's call make the protagonists change their mind, and bring this unpleasant situation to a happy conclusion?
That is the big challenge to the bishop himself now that he has lent his sobering voice to the wrecking ball of an issue at hand. It is unthinkable that it would just be blithely ignored, especially by the governor himself. And yet, it might just really fall on deaf ears.
And how far is the bishop going to stick his neck out, so to speak, in this case?
At this point, both positions have become hard line. It would be unrealistic to presume that any amicable settlement would not entail any cost at all for either side. For instance, would the BALAS boys give up willy-nilly their demand for the resignation of the provincial administrator if they were reinstated and lose face? Would the governor be willing to reconsider his position on her indispensability and risk losing a highly trusted aide?
Perhaps, Archbishop Aniceto, apart from drilling sense where it's sorely needed, can present new options or offers both parties can consider seriously.
