THANK God, the World Cup is over. Now, I can go back to my regular sleeping hours.
France won the title in a pulsating encounter but Croatia gained worldwide admiration for their tenacity even when they were down, 1-4 and for their humility in readily accepting that they lost to a better team.
I wish we could witness the same sterling qualities in our politicians. As it is, candidates who graciously concede defeat are a rare breed. The rest always end up complaining that they have been cheated.
Take the case of newly elected Mabolo Barangay Captain Niña Mabatid. One of her opponents now wants her disqualified because she is allegedly not a resident of Mabolo.
I do not know Mabatid. I do not think I have ever met her. On the other hand, the defeated candidate, Danny Arguedo, is not only a colleague in the legal profession but a friend.
But friendship should take a back seat when it comes to determining what is right and what is not. And it is not right when you ask the court to substitute its judgment to that of the people through a quo warranto petition (see what you have done, Jose Calida?).
Arguedo ought to have raised the issue of Mabatid’s alleged lack of residency during the election campaign. It is difficult to believe that he learned about the deficiency only after he lost. Mabolo may be one of the city’s biggest barangays but it is still a small community where word travels fast.
And even assuming that he was ignorant of the grounds that would have prevented Mabatid from running, Arguedo should still be blamed for lack of due diligence. Either way, he looks like a sore loser.
Act like Croatia after they lost the World Cup, Danny. Admit that you lost and prepare for the next election.
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The word war between Mayor Tomas Osmeña and Land Transportation Office (LTO) Regional Director Victor Caindec would have been amusing if only it would not prejudice the already oppressed public. In these hard times, we could use some entertainment.
Both officials should look at their respective job descriptions and dedicate themselves to carrying them out instead of bickering over how one could do better than the other in discharging his mandate. Traffic management is the mayor’s job; the registration of vehicles, that of the LTO director.
I’m not saying that neither one should criticize the other for failing to satisfy the people’s expectations but the dialogue should not degenerate to that point where one offers to give his work to the other. That is childish.
Osmeña and Caindec should heed the advice of Archbishop Jose Palma and keep their mouth shut.
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An overwhelming majority of the people are against charter change. About the same number reject the shift to federalism, according to the latest survey of Pulse Asia.
So why is Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez still insisting that the May 2019 elections be canceled so that the congressmen can devote their time to amending the constitution? Hasn’t he heard about what the people (do not) want?