Political Sideline Slants 1 – written by Oscar Contreras Jr.

Posted on | April 15, 2010 | 1 Comment

1.It befuddles the mind and heart to hear Villar detractors having their heyday of digging up all his properties and annexing either innuendoes or alleged fact sheets that he unduly benefited from these transactions because he used his political clout and influence. The sheer absurdity of this oversimplification misses the fact that the fellow was already wealthy even before he decided to be involved in politics. It also sorely lacks the use of common sense when people expect property owners and developers not to make profit. If the Ayalas and the rich taipans decided to run for public office, they ought to be forewarned that endless dredgings and unearthing of their properties  will end up portrayed as scams simply because they made profit.

2. It all started when Jamby Madrigal created a furor over the C-5 extension, perfectly timed when Villar was shown topping the ratings of presidentiables. The Senators who voted for censure, true to form, were themselves either Presidential wannabees or hewed to party lines . We expected no less from this once respected forum now headed by a Senator  who staged his own ambush to reenforce the need for the imposition of martial law in 1972. What added some credibility was an article by Ms. Solita Monsod allegedly exposing the faults and inaccuracries of Villar’s defense of the C-5 extension issue. However, in a recent article of Mr. Ricardo Barcelona (www.mbv.ph dated Feb. 2, 2010) , the sheer fallacy of Monsod’s claims were all found to be all sound and fury, exposing the fact that the respected columnist is not painting the full and bigger picture. Likewise, a closer look would show the C-5 extension project pales in comparison with claims made that the SCTEX project was made to cut at the middle of Hacienda Luisita (more than 6K hectares) benefitting the clan whose claim to the land’s deed was a promise to the farmers that  the prized piece of land will be redistributed  among them at a future time. In this world, time is relative. In the vernacular, “kamaganak.”

3. How does one find rationality in another brickbat thrown Villar’s way that since he is outspending everyone in political ads  and media coverage , he will surely see to it that he recoups said expenses if he makes it to the Presidency? It does not end in this fallacious rash judgment even if Villar replies that he is spending his own money anyway— implying quite rightly that while others depend on the patronage of others and can be beholden to these benefactors, spending his own funds would then make him free of owing these benefactors a debt of gratitude. The detractors pursue their endless flights of imagination that Villar’s war chest came from his Vista Land IPO which he himself funded and bought out to make billions in the process. That is indeed the height of sheer folly for someone to go on an international roadshow among respected financial investors  and claim that Villar stage-managed the whole show. It is also an insult to the intelligence and sense of judgment among the financial investors abroad.

4. In the final analysis, one cannot miss the fact that when a self-made billionaire claims he experienced swimming in a sea of garbage, missed some of his meals, was orphaned by the death of a father at an early age, sold shrimps in the market  and made it to the list of the rich and famous, others stand in disbelief that ” nothing good can come out of ” a poor Tondo boy unless he stole, double-crossed his partners, land-grabbed, schemed and was just about ready even to sell his own mother. The unfortunate point here is the ones raising quizzical eyebrows and pedantic eyelashes are those  whose supporters are well-heeled, the business clubs which boast about their corporate social responsibility programs yet do not fail to claim tax incentives for their  “philanthropic” endeavors and whose members are not exactly above board in their business dealings, the gullible caught up by the romanticization of a tagline which talks about the destiny of a priceless legacy left to a son bereft of credentials. Quite unwittingly, these supporters resurrect the issue of the proverbial class struggle between rich and poor  and shake in their boots when someone who comes from the great unwashed and a plebian’s background becomes a worthy challenger .It is also good the soundbyte of “good vs. evil” was quicly abandoned by the heir’s drumbeaters because they realized that he does not have the monopoly of neither good and particularly evil. Only God is spotlessly clean and immaculately white.

5. In fairness, however, to the heir, he has acquitted himself well in latest fora featuring the Presidentiables after chiding a Moderator for being biased, although one can’t also help notice his ocassional glancing at his fact book when faced with a duo of knowledgeable people management experts in one meeting. Too bad Villar did not show up in this program although the invitation   was written 1 1/2 months in advance , received by his campaign headquarters and his office at the Senate, followed up by a phalanx of supporters ostensibly within his inner circle. The excuses given were he had a previous engagement in Mindanao while the official line given at the last minute  was he did not want to be in a program where Jamby will be present. It was clear in the invite it was Noynoy, Villar and Bro. Eddie in the first batch while Gibo and Gordon have been invited for the March forum. No mention of Jamby being invited at all. And yet, Manny did not know he was seen and heard in an earlier meeting at a posh Makati hotel by the President of the association itself an hour away from the venue of the organization’s meeting on the same day. Talk about a cordon-sanitaire acting like Praetorian guards to their favorite candidate this early.

6. As the polls near, the neck-to-neck battle between the heir and the poor boy promises to be a classic clash. But it is very noticeable that one side may be panicking , coming at the heels of a well-publicized blast about a so-called opulent mansion owned by the boy from Tondo in Salt Lake City—only to be blunted by the truth that the often publicized palace has been attributed to so many celebrities and politicians, Robert Mugabe included. Well, it might be good for the Villars to make us see their places of residence here and abroad for us to compare if they are that opulent as their detractors  would want us to believe.

7. The latest piece of news comes from two Archbishops, one whose claim to fame is banning the presence of a religious organization in his archdiocese because it was reportedly at odds with another faith cum socially oriented group  where his elder brother sits as one of the leaders. As Santino would say, “sabi kasi ni Bro.” To be fair, their backing should be analyzed on its own merits  and quite true, this political party has well-intentioned candidates and leaders with a ready platform worthy of close scrutiny. In the future, people might see the light but sadly, not yet and too early for mindsets to change, paradigms to tilt in their favor.

8. The other candidates also come from gilded backgrounds. One is gifted with a rich trove of ready answers in his fingertips, to the point and quite concrete in his examples but sadly lacking in experience and ”napabarkada” in the wrong company and whose sense of loyalty to his unpopular boss is admirable  albeit pathetic. The other is true to his claims of creating value-laden fruitful results and the exercise of political will. Alas, his entry into the presidential derby comes at a stage where he does not have the pull of inanities coming from TV and cinema celebrities at his beck and call. Let’s face it. The stage of political maturity has to pass the test of time. The consolation is all candidates point to good education as the common denominator that would propel this country out of the mess.

Category: News, Opinions Column

Comments

One Response to “Political Sideline Slants 1 – written by Oscar Contreras Jr.”

  1. avatar jane
    June 14th, 2010 @ 1:56 am

    Si mam Delia llames, bakit niya sinusumbatan ang mga employee niya?

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