Espina: ‘Sipsip’ politics

“WE ARE left in the dark. Until now, we do not know our status with the party.”

The lament of second district provincial board member Salvador Escalante Jr., as reported in this paper, over where he and the other politicians of the province stand with the PDP-Laban perfectly illustrates the state of politics in the country – devoid of principle and ideology, a politics of self-interest and self-preservation, a politics where everything, loyalty especially, is for sale.

It is, in fact, sycophancy – “obsequious behavior toward someone important in order to gain advantage” – “sipsip” in the vernacular, more than anything else.

It’s most common and most shameful manifestation is, of course, the ritual, normally after presidential elections, when the victor is not from the ruling party, although it can also happen during midterms, of politicians flocking en masse from the old center of power to kowtow before the new chief executive.

Of course, they will rush to justify their switch with seemingly lofty explanations like needing to be practical for the people’s sake. But we – and yes, they, too – all know this is hogwash.

The main consideration is the goodies – legal and otherwise – they expect to receive for their show of “loyalty” to someone who, just a short while ago, they were all probably hurling dirt at.

Party names and affiliations, which normally define one’s basic principles and positions on core issues, have become mere labels or, at best, bargaining chips.

In fact, local political factions that bitterly, sometimes even violently, oppose each other in their bailiwicks will often be found

Thus, soon after Rodrigo Duterte won the presidency, the PDP-Laban, which he chose as his vehicle of convenience, magically transformed from a literal shell into the dominant party from a boom harvest of “balimbing,” many of them from the erstwhile majority Liberal Party.

In this province, as this paper’s editorial yesterday reminded us, most local officials backed defeated LP bet Mar Roxas. But hardly had the dust of the elections settled than Governor Freddie Marañon, Third District Representative Albee Benitez, and more than 200 officials had jumped over to the PDP-Laban.

Last year, 12,000 more officials followed suit.

And yet, “We took our oath with the party and we signed our papers but until now we are left in the dark. Even Governor Marañon has also the same status with the party, like us,” Escalante was quoted as saying.

Then again, should it really be any surprise if they are treated so shabbily?

Remember when, soon after he took office, Duterte repeatedly mocked local politicians, pointing out how, when he decided to run, he hardly had any supporters among them but now, look, the gang’s all here?

It is, of course, no secret that respect and respectability are hardly qualities even remotely associated with Duterte. Then again, even if they were, can sycophants really expect to be treated with respect by the object of their fawning?

At best, they may receive the goodies and favors they crave, maybe a figurative pat on the head much as a good pet would, so long as they remain obedient.

But I will bet anything that, should Duterte’s fortunes somehow turn next year – that is, if elections are held – or if Charter change and federalism flounder and a president from another party if elected in 2022, you will see the “faithful” PDP-Laban converts fleeing like rats abandoning a sinking ship.

Sadly, for so long as we allow the opportunistic parasites who make up the bulk of the current crop of politicians to continue getting away with the expediency that passes for governance in our benighted land, the real losers in all this are not they but we, the people.

And that is hardly just one man’s opinion. That is the truth.

Trending

No stories found.

Just in

No stories found.

Branded Content

No stories found.
SunStar Publishing Inc.
www.sunstar.com.ph