I ALMOST fell off my chair inside the dySS announcer’s booth while having my early morning program upon reading an article forwarded to me by a media colleague through my Messenger. It was about Land Transportation Office (LTO) 7 Regional Director Victor Emmanuel Caindec’s plan to run for Congress. The article entitled “Caindec to run for Congress?” The article was based on a Facebook account and interview with Caindec posted last Monday where he updated his profile photo with a digital sketch of his portrait captioned: “klaro na gyud ni ’bungotsakongreso.’” “Bungot” (mustache) refers to Caindec, who is known for sporting a mustache.
In the same post, Caindec continued his personal attack on me following a series of columns and my radio commentaries calling the attention of the Ombudsman to conduct a lifestyle check on him based on the allegations of his biological father, Victorio “Sonny” Caindec that he possesses unexplained wealth, acquiring several brand-new sports utility vehicles (SUV) within two years that he was appointed to his current position. Well, I don’t want to dignify his accusation because the truth of the matter, I never met him personally in the past and even the present. I have never seen personally how thick is his mustache. He is just hallucinating and inventing a story to get back at me.
In the article, Caindec said, “he might stand a chance considering the publicity he gets from my commentaries against him in my radio program and in my columns. Sa ka baga sa nawong and with Nalzaro attacking me everyday, I couldn’t be in a better place. Libre (free) mileage down to the grassroots,” he was quoted as saying. Caindec is a resident of Basak Pardo, Cebu City. However, he said, he has not considered anything beyond the term of President Rodrigo Duterte in 2022. Aw, mamutos na man ka inig human sa termino ni Digong.
Well, as they say, “Good or bad publicity is still publicity.” Even researchers say that in some cases negative publicity can increase in sales when a product or company is relatively unknown simply because it stimulates product awareness. In that case, any publicity, positive or negative, turns out to be valuable.
But remember that negative publicity is adverse publicity. It is potentially disastrous to an individual as it affects and tarnishes his image and reputation. In the case of Caindec, though not yet proven, he is alleged to have committed a wrongdoing in office, according to his own biological father.
With my series of commentaries, did Caindec really become more popular or become more notorious? Due to publicity, a notorious person may become popular, but notoriety and popularity are two different things. Asa man si Caindec ana? Popular o notorious?
“Libre ang mangarap.” (It is free to dream and aspire), they say, and Caindec is free to do so. But before he would embark into politics, my unsolicited advice to him, is to change his attitude. He is too arrogant. He should not use his office for his personal and political agenda.
By the way, an employee from the office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas (OPAV) Mike Dino called me up and shared some insights on what he learned about Caindec. The source told me to challenge Caindec to reveal his “donors and sponsors” when he improved a portion of the LTO 7 office, converting it into a Malasakit lounge. Caindec bragged that he improved that office by refurbishing it and put some furniture and airconditioning units through the help of his friends from the private sector. Isn’t it corruption when a government official accepts donations from the private sector. Just asking. But he should be transparent by revealing his donors.