FIRST, what people talk about
* DUTERTE'S KILL-BISHOPS QUOTE. The president said, "Itong mga obispo ninyo, patayin na an. Walang silbi ang mga gagong iyan. (Those bishops of yours, kill them. They're useless.) All they do is criticize."
Explanations vary: (1) "He was merely teasing the clergy. Joke, joke, joke." (2) "What he actually meant was 'kill the bishops with kindness.'" (3) "Many bishops and priests deserve the insult." (4) "Dangerous. Could drive crazy extremists to do what he said." (5) "A new low. In bad taste and grossly crass for any public official to say publicly, much more a president." (6) "He was high or crazy. Onset of madness. Excessive pride, before the crash or fall."
* 'DESTABIZER' EX-BISHOP. Former Bishop Leo Drona -- among those listed in Paolo Duterte's list of people who, he alleges, are out to destabilize his father's government is "already weak and can celebrate Mass only on a wheelchair." Bishop Leo Drona is retired -- the Diocese of San Pablo in Laguna said, appealing to be cautious in breaking or spreading the allegation on social media. And would you believe Paolo's list includes Jollibee and McDonald's? He must mean the owners plotting or subsidizing the plotters, unless he'd consider supplying the mass burgers and French fries is subversive.
* HEART EVANGELISTA'S ATTIRE IN HER TRIP TO GROCERY STORE. Senator Chiz Escudero's wife HAS been spoofed about her outfit of the day Monday (December 10) "on my way to the grocery to buy corned beef." Sample response: the photo of a woman wearing a black gown to take her garbage to a passing dump truck.
"Rama" officially out
Call it Team Rama no more. The Comelec-approved name of the opposition party in Cebu City is now officially called Partido Barug. The "Team" and the "Rama" words are taken out.
Former Cebu City Mayor Mike Rama, whose family name was carried in the old name, himself joined the announcement Tuesday (December 11). Which must put to rest the earlier squabble over moves to rename the party.
A Partido Barug leader said they want to highlight the mantra that politics is not a family affair and, unlike Osmena's BOPK (B.O. being Bando Osmena), Partido Barug "honors unity and courage among a group of public servants, not one-man rule."
Battle of colors
The colors candidates of Partido Barug have started wearing are green, red and yellow. BOPK bets, on the other hand, have been sporting blue and yellow shirts. The common color is yellow.
Duterte supporters who may be found in both camps have no visible color to identify themselves with, which can make any headcount in a crowd tougher.
Final list of candidates
Despite what you see all around -- people actively and openly campaigning for votes and propaganda materials urging you to vote, expressly or impliedly -- there are no candidates yet for the 2019 elections.
Technically, that is, in the eyes of the law and the Comelec that enforces it.
Those who filed certificates of candidacy (COCs) are deemed candidates only starting the moment after Comelec announces the final list. And it will do so this coming Saturday, December 15.
But here's the bizarre thing: Even if that list is out, it is doubtful if the election laws on propaganda and similar limits on campaigning will be enforced.
It is not yet, ha ha, the campaign period. Campaign period starts only on Feb. 12 for national candidates and March 29 for local bets.
It is all a fiction, a sham: campaigning is confined within the campaign period, but only in theory, all in the mind. In actuality, the campaigning has been going on since they filed their COCs; for many bets, even before that. And the rules apply only during the "official campaign period" and even during that short period before elections in May, the Comelec has consistently been unable to enforce the rules on campaigning.
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