E·N·Q·U·I·R·Y
DEMAREE J.B. RAVAL
DEMAREE J.B. RAVAL
The movies in my mind
Sunday, 02 18, 2007
My friend Leina de Legazpi sent me this text message: “Palpak mga sinulat mo. Sama pa rin Kiko Villar.” That kept me squirming in my seat while I watched Mike Enriquez tick off the names of the 12 men and women in the senatorial slate of the Genuine Opposition (GO), which includes reelectionist senators Francisco Pangilinan and Manuel Villar Jr..
But as I pondered the other names in the slate, and the movies in my mind progressed from frame to frame, I could not help thinking whether there was method to this madness. Could there be an agenda buried somewhere, which is designed to ensure victory only for those who live opposition, talk opposition, and are ready to die opposition? Consider:
Scene 1: Loren Legarda onstage in a rally in Barobo, Leyte, where she and the late Fernando Poe Jr. were cheated massively, their votes in the election returns disappearing in the certificate of canvass. Loren is saying: “Mga boto ninyo para sa akin ang magpapatunay na kami ay dinaya noong 2004! Hiningi ko na buksan ang mga ERs, pero sabi lamang nila, ‘Noted, Noted, Noted’.” The people applaud Loren as the next frame shows Pangilinan surreptitiously inching away from the stage, white as a sheet.
Scene 2: A televised debate on the proposition: “The Senate Investigations Established the Culpability of People High Up in the Administration.” Ping Lacson and Pangilinan — representing the GO and taking the affirmative side — are pitted against Team Unity’s Joker Arroyo and Ralph Recto for the negative side. Lacson has a field day lambasting Joker and Recto for covering up the Jose Pidal scandal and others that he, Lacson, lodged against the President and her husband. When his turn comes, Pangilinan, who had been together with Joker and Recto in finessing the cover-up, blurts out arguments that are diametrically opposite Lacson’s. Lacson ends up debating against Joker, Recto and Pangilinan.
Scene 3: Sonny Osmeña, who had exposed the cheating in Cebu in 2004, is doing the rounds of the Cebu market in Carbon, with Pangilinan. In an animated conversation with a vendor, Sonny says: “Kitang mga Sugbuhanon dili mangingilad. Di nato togotan na gamiton nila an atong boto. Huwag natin suportahan ang mga mandaraya.” Pangilinan, who is within earshot and flashing his cute smile to a meat dealer, flinches and his face turns as red as the slab of beef he pretends to be examining.
Scene 4: Pangasinan, where Susan Roces has come forward to make a pitch for Chiz Escudero. (A Senate investigation in 2004 had established that Susan’s husband, a natural-born Filipino from Pangasinan, was stripped of his birthright through a clumsy attempt in digital graphics manipulation, but Pangilinan made sure that the report that found Ricardo Manapat guilty of falsification was trashed.) Susan says: “Etong si Chiz, maalala niyo siya ang nagtanggol kay FPJ laban sa mga nambastos sa kanyang pagka-Filipino. Alang-alang kay FPJ, iboto niyo si Chiz, at huwag niyo nang ibalik sa Senado ang mga nambastos kay FPJ.” Pangilinan slinks off as the audience lustily boos him out of the stage.
Scene 5: Koko Pimentel, the illustrious son of an illustrious father, is campaigning in Tipo-tipo, Basilan, with Pangilinan. (Tipo-tipo is where massive dagdag-bawas operations were exposed by a gallant lady municipal election officer, whose plight Sen. Nene Pimentel has taken the cudgels for.) Koko says: “Dagdag-bawas ang dapat natin iwasan. Mga nagpapairal nito, mga nagtatakip nitong kalokohan na ito, ay dapat pagbabatuhin. Huwag natin silang iboto.” At the sight of Pangilinan, the people start picking up stones, while a hot-headed individual goes after him with a kris.
Scene 6: Alan Peter Cayetano and Pangilinan are accorded a cameo appearance in a Sharon Cuneta TV special. To the question, “To whom do you attribute your success in politics?” Alan matter of factly replies: “My father. He stood on principles, lived them, and I guess by osmosis I imbibed them all.” To the same question, Pangilinan answers: “Who else but to you, my love. I would not be a senator now if not for you. After we got married, I became one, didn’t I?” Viewers from Batanes to Jolo grin from ear to ear, silently commiserating with — and discovering a newfound aversion to — the guy whose key to success in politics is a convenient marriage to the Megastar.
Scene 7: Pangilinan and Villar are campaigning in Lanao del Sur. They have the stage for themselves. Their audience is predominantly composed of birds and bees of every plumage and sting. In one instant, as if on cue, all the birds and the bees take flight, leaving a handful who came principally to watch the two candidates flash their trademark toothpaste-ad smiles. Villar whispers to Pangilinan: “Let’s go home, Kiko. We can fool the people at the start, but we cannot fool them forever.”
Scene 8: Sunday before election day. Sample ballots of the GO are being distributed in many parts of the country. The campaign operatives of Pangilinan and Villar report to them that their names are being pasted over with stickers bearing the names of either Sotto, Oreta, Angara or Honasan. Pangilinan and Villar go to Jojo Binay, who tells them off: “Hey, guys, don’t look at me. This must be another of Malacañang’s dirty tricks.” And Jojo smiles.
Scene 9: A week after the elections, and the verdict of the Filipino people is seemingly 10-2 for the GO. Villar is a poor 16th placer; Pangilinan further down, with barely a ghost of a chance in catching the last bus to glory. Erap is being interviewed on TV: “Mr. President, you were cocksure of a 12-0 GO sweep, but it seems two in the slate are going…going…gone. What happened?” Without batting an eyelash, and looking straight into the camera, Erap points to his head and answers: “Wais ito. Di ba, atorni?”
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