(The Freeman)
Mar shall reapeth.
Many believe that several major political developments in the last six months or so can be attributed to Mar, all set up to make it easier for him in 2016, making sure he removes all roadblocks along the way. Assuming all of this is true, being DILG secretary, he is in the best position to do so.
Of course, it won't come as a surprise if all of it were; after all, he kind of lost twice in 2010, so the hunger, the thirst, it has to be there. First, he had no choice but to give way to his best friend, Noynoy Aquino, as LP's standard bearer. He was subsequently relegated to LP's vice presidential bet, and again, lost to dark horse Jojo Binay. Double whammy.
For many years, I would always consider Mar Roxas as a prospective Philippine president. He is brilliant, educated (Wharton School at UPenn), and with stellar political pedigree that gives him an awesome head start. His stint as DTI secretary during the first half of the Arroyo years was also one of the more memorable ones of any cabinet secretary in that decade. But that was then, and so much has happened since. Honestly, with all the cunning, I am not inclined to vote for him if the elections were held today. But because three years is a long time, ask me again in 2016.
What's interesting to me is all this effort Mar is supposedly putting into his plans for 2016. Ask anyone about the suspension of former Cebu governor Gwen Garcia, or the near political annihilation of her clan from Cebu politics, chances are, many would point to Roxas (or his boss, or both of them) as the brains behind the operation. Other similar operations are said to have taken place (or are taking place, or are set to take place) in other parts of the country where non-LP or non-allies of Mar have a grip on local governments.
Talking to some friends from the Palace and the Senate, the popular conjecture is this entire PDAF fiasco was cooked up by Mar to neutralize Enrile, Jinggoy, et. al, resulting in a limping Binay come 2016. (The veracity of the allegations against them notwithstanding.) It doesn't sound far-fetched at all. Although, with all that's being unraveled, it's amusing how the landmines they've set have started to blow up in all of their faces. Mirisi.
Anyhoo, Mar should make sure he gets the top prize (it's not too late to decide if it's worth all the bad blood). Otherwise, can you imagine what all these political families he's undermined would do to him if and when he doesn't? In this country where political fortunes rise and fall with every election, Mar's all or nothing attitude can leave him with just that — nothing.
According to PNoy, the DAP could not have been a bribe, because it was given a few months after the impeachment of Corona (according to him, "meron bang bribe na after the fact?"). Uhm.
I beg to differ. Let's talk about basic concepts: down payment and balance, the latter being posted usually after an act is effectively commissioned (or an item is successfully delivered).
To me, PDAF is the down payment, DAP is the balance. And these two complete the equation and constitute the overall bribe.
One placed before (to buy off loyalties), the other (as a final payoff or as incentive for a job well done; in this case, Corona's head on a silver platter), after the fact.
The thing is, Mr. President, Mrs. Arroyo is already in hospital arrest and facing the justice system; you on the other hand, are still in power and have full control over multi-million peso disbursements (like the obviously illegal, more obviously a bribe, DAP).
Also, Mr. President, while you claim that over 1 trillion was misused by your predecessor, why is it that only TWO of the THREE cases filed against her refer to possible misuse of public funds? And to this day, even the prime witness in the PCSO plunder case cannot directly link her to the supposed plunder of the PCSO funds.
The same goes for the recently filed plunder suit involving the discretionary Malampaya funds — because Mrs. Arroyo signed the executive order granting access to the fund for non-energy purposes. There is nothing wrong there. Surely a fund so big cannot be used exclusively for energy-related projects. So far, basing it on the supposed merits of the case, I doubt that a direct link can be established showing that she profited directly from the P900M she allotted to the Department of Agrarian Reform; the witness only testifies to DBM and DAR officials receiving kickbacks (in short, signing an EO for access to funds others abuse does not constitute plunder per se, not unless proof comes out that the signatory actually profited from it).
You paint a picture of mind-boggling pillage and misuse, yet only two cases have been filed relative to such alleged misuse, and both extremely weak at that. (Even non-lawyers like me can see the cracks and craters in this weakest, lamest of charges.) Yet you attack, attack, attack the past whenever convenient, whenever the issue is focused on you and not her. We'll get to her (we've started to, can't you see?), but now, it's about you.
What is more interesting to me is that the accusations you continue to level against her — transactional politics, incentivizing the process — form the same modus operandi, the same route you take in this road you so thick-faced call a 'straight path.'
For those of us who can see past your self-righteous, casting-the-first-stone rhetoric, we know it isn't at all a straight path but a long and winding road, and like the song says, it leads to your door.
Knock, knock.
Mar shall reapeth.
Many believe that several major political developments in the last six months or so can be attributed to Mar, all set up to make it easier for him in 2016, making sure he removes all roadblocks along the way. Assuming all of this is true, being DILG secretary, he is in the best position to do so.
Of course, it won't come as a surprise if all of it were; after all, he kind of lost twice in 2010, so the hunger, the thirst, it has to be there. First, he had no choice but to give way to his best friend, Noynoy Aquino, as LP's standard bearer. He was subsequently relegated to LP's vice presidential bet, and again, lost to dark horse Jojo Binay. Double whammy.
For many years, I would always consider Mar Roxas as a prospective Philippine president. He is brilliant, educated (Wharton School at UPenn), and with stellar political pedigree that gives him an awesome head start. His stint as DTI secretary during the first half of the Arroyo years was also one of the more memorable ones of any cabinet secretary in that decade. But that was then, and so much has happened since. Honestly, with all the cunning, I am not inclined to vote for him if the elections were held today. But because three years is a long time, ask me again in 2016.
What's interesting to me is all this effort Mar is supposedly putting into his plans for 2016. Ask anyone about the suspension of former Cebu governor Gwen Garcia, or the near political annihilation of her clan from Cebu politics, chances are, many would point to Roxas (or his boss, or both of them) as the brains behind the operation. Other similar operations are said to have taken place (or are taking place, or are set to take place) in other parts of the country where non-LP or non-allies of Mar have a grip on local governments.
Talking to some friends from the Palace and the Senate, the popular conjecture is this entire PDAF fiasco was cooked up by Mar to neutralize Enrile, Jinggoy, et. al, resulting in a limping Binay come 2016. (The veracity of the allegations against them notwithstanding.) It doesn't sound far-fetched at all. Although, with all that's being unraveled, it's amusing how the landmines they've set have started to blow up in all of their faces. Mirisi.
Anyhoo, Mar should make sure he gets the top prize (it's not too late to decide if it's worth all the bad blood). Otherwise, can you imagine what all these political families he's undermined would do to him if and when he doesn't? In this country where political fortunes rise and fall with every election, Mar's all or nothing attitude can leave him with just that — nothing.
***
On the controversial DAP:According to PNoy, the DAP could not have been a bribe, because it was given a few months after the impeachment of Corona (according to him, "meron bang bribe na after the fact?"). Uhm.
I beg to differ. Let's talk about basic concepts: down payment and balance, the latter being posted usually after an act is effectively commissioned (or an item is successfully delivered).
To me, PDAF is the down payment, DAP is the balance. And these two complete the equation and constitute the overall bribe.
One placed before (to buy off loyalties), the other (as a final payoff or as incentive for a job well done; in this case, Corona's head on a silver platter), after the fact.
***
On PNoy's recent diversion — that over 1 trillion was misused during Arroyo years:The thing is, Mr. President, Mrs. Arroyo is already in hospital arrest and facing the justice system; you on the other hand, are still in power and have full control over multi-million peso disbursements (like the obviously illegal, more obviously a bribe, DAP).
Also, Mr. President, while you claim that over 1 trillion was misused by your predecessor, why is it that only TWO of the THREE cases filed against her refer to possible misuse of public funds? And to this day, even the prime witness in the PCSO plunder case cannot directly link her to the supposed plunder of the PCSO funds.
The same goes for the recently filed plunder suit involving the discretionary Malampaya funds — because Mrs. Arroyo signed the executive order granting access to the fund for non-energy purposes. There is nothing wrong there. Surely a fund so big cannot be used exclusively for energy-related projects. So far, basing it on the supposed merits of the case, I doubt that a direct link can be established showing that she profited directly from the P900M she allotted to the Department of Agrarian Reform; the witness only testifies to DBM and DAR officials receiving kickbacks (in short, signing an EO for access to funds others abuse does not constitute plunder per se, not unless proof comes out that the signatory actually profited from it).
You paint a picture of mind-boggling pillage and misuse, yet only two cases have been filed relative to such alleged misuse, and both extremely weak at that. (Even non-lawyers like me can see the cracks and craters in this weakest, lamest of charges.) Yet you attack, attack, attack the past whenever convenient, whenever the issue is focused on you and not her. We'll get to her (we've started to, can't you see?), but now, it's about you.
What is more interesting to me is that the accusations you continue to level against her — transactional politics, incentivizing the process — form the same modus operandi, the same route you take in this road you so thick-faced call a 'straight path.'
For those of us who can see past your self-righteous, casting-the-first-stone rhetoric, we know it isn't at all a straight path but a long and winding road, and like the song says, it leads to your door.
Knock, knock.
***
Email: mikeacebedolopez@gmail.com
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