Butch Bagabuyo “In matters of principle, stand like a rock; in matters of taste, swim with the current.” – Thomas Jefferson BECAUSE our system (1987 Constitution] is shut, the rulings of both the  Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET) in the disqualification case of Sen. Grace Poe Llamanzares, and the Ombudsman in the case of the dismissal of transition Mayor Oscar S. Moreno, succeeded only in creating a bedlam and more of endless confusions in our starved and cash-strapped country. Believe you me, no matter what the SET does with the motion for reconsideration filed by the losing petitioner, our ill-provided country would continue to be divided with regard to the qualification of Sen. Poe-Llamanzares even after the May 9, 2016 elections. Here’s my take: In any eventuality, the substantial citizenship and the residential qualifications of presidential candidate, Poe-Llamanzares, who claimed to be a foundling, would hound her even after the May 9, 2016 national elections. This is going to be so because she faces several similar disqualification cases before the Comelec; hence, said cases would definitely reach the Supreme Court. This being a certainty and the undeniable fact that Pinoys are great lovers of candidates favored by the teeming millions of the poor, the deprived and the oppressed, regardless of what political survey takers kuno say, chances are the lady senator would not make it in the next presidential elections. As soon as our man, Davao Mayor Rodrigo “Super Digong” Duterte, files his certificate of candidacy for the presidency hopefully either on the day after the anniversary of Andres Bonifacio, a Filipino freedom fighter, or Dec. 8, the feast of the Immaculate Concepcion, a great exodus of “senatoriables” would be the order of day and signal the impending defeat of the present presidentiables. But I dare say that it would be the height of naiveté if the PDP-Laban legal minds would not start as early as yesterday in leaving their comfort zones in preparation and warding off belated blitzkrieg by the trapos of the Liberal Party who are perceived to be awash with the illegally diverted donations for the two-year old Yolanda victims and the continuing availment of the unconstitutional DAP of natuwad nga dalan, and the juggernaut of the UNA (sa pangurakot) party of VP Binay. Of course, Pinoys are also fanatics of the underdog. But only if the underdog has a fair chance of making it to the presidency. However, recent memory tells me, as far as the presidency is concerned, the Comelec manipulators have taken charge of the PCOS (the digital dagdag-bawas) and are ready to come out with a money/money (not win-win) solution to defuse and pre-empt People Power. But not this time. The teeming millions of the starved, the deprived and the oppressed Pinoys would equip themselves with “dos por dos,” mark my word. Duterte pa more. Tsada, di ba?
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During the 2013 local elections, “the suspend me strategy” by the then strong and healthy mayor Dongkoy Emano backfired. Similarly, the overacting strategy of dismissed transition Mayor Moreno succeeded only in unmasking his debilitating greed. Here are some of the compelling facts:
  • Since the dismissal order came from the Ombudsman, there was absolutely no legal basis to padlock from the inside the main entrance and the exit of the Executive Building as well as to have himself locked in the office, unless, of course, the dismissed transition mayor has voluminous illegal documents to be hidden or stashed out of the city hall. Oca’s desperate move only proved that he is a poor Xerox copy of his dirty political mentor.
  • Our civil procedure frowns upon parties who resort to forum-shopping. Otherwise stated, Oca cannot file a motion for reconsideration but before its resolution files, as in this case, I suppose, a TRO with the Court of Appeals. And since presumably, the Court of Appeals made certain that its order is an SQA (Status Quo Order), then, I dare say, that the said SQA order is null and void ab initio because the Court of Appeals did not conduct a summary hearing which is a condition precedent on the matter. Hence, the SQA Order of the Court of Appeals would speedily reach the Supreme Court and struck down pronto. Consequently, hambuguero Moreno would be thrown out of the race because the Ombudsman would consider the motion for reconsideration as abandoned, hence, the same would be denied for non prosequitur.
  • The crocodile tears of the congressional candidate of the first district as shown in the papers reaped a whirlwind of unpalatable remarks and expletives from the Rufus diehards. In fact, a good many of them, I was told, have asked in vain Congressman Rufus to allow them to campaign for the other congressional candidate of the 1st District especially because the lawyer of the said congressional candidate is running as a congressional candidate in the 2nd District in spite of the fact that Congressman Rufus did not put up a congressional candidate in the 1st District despite abundant sure-winner applicants.
  • As I’ve repeatedly written, Kagay-anons – both natural born and naturalized citizens (meaning those who now consider themselves as Kagay-anon) are proud (but not hambuguero) people who emulate our leaders, the likes of the late Vice President Emmanuel “Maning” Pelaez, former Senate President Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel Jr., former governor and assemblyman Homobono “Bono” Adaza, former no-nonsense mayor and assemblyman Reuben “Ben” Canoy, to name but just a few intellectuals and loving family statesmen.
  • Believe you me, an elected public official who does not love his family for being an unfaithful spouse is not only corrupt but also immoral and ought to be dismissed from public service. Period!