Butch Bagabuyo “I believe the first test of a truly great man is his humility.” – John Ruskin AS his adoring and lovely wife, family and legions of followers, relatives and friends celebrate his 82nd birthday today, what comes to mind is an interesting story credited to C. Reuben Anderson, which goes: “When someone asked Saint Francis of Assisi why and how he could accomplish so much, he replied: ‘This may be why.’ The Lord looked down from heaven upon the earth and said, ‘Where can I find the weakest, the littlest, the poorest man on the face of the earth?’ Then He saw me and said, ‘Now I found him, and will work through him. He won’t be proud of it. He’ll see that I am only using him because of his littleness and insignificance.” Yes, that’s how humble former Senate President Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel Jr is. And it is the very reason why I have been suggesting to PDP-Laban’s top honcho, Sen. Koko Pimentel, to ask his name sake and illustrious father as well as the founder of the political party from Mindanao, to take a few months leave from his well-deserved retirement from politics, and serve as one of the council of elders principally headed by the Marital Law triumvirate of intellectual supremacy and finesse--Reuben R. Canoy, Homobono A. Adaza and Aquilino Q. Pimentel Jr.. Undoubtedly,  the towering three statesmen from Mindanao would only be too willing to set aside personal differences, if any, fueled by their respective self-serving eager-beavers, and once again serve as the incomparable troubleshooters for Mindanao’s first and only chance for the presidency. I am most confident that with our three super statesmen on the same stage, wherever our man speaks his down-to-earth lingo, words of wisdom would flow smoothly from his mouth. Truly, “Super Digong” is feisty yet a God-fearing and charismatic leader. In fact, there is good reason to believe that with our three statesmen of proven integrity (all three remain poor), Super Digong can easily secure at the very least 80% of Mindanao-Sulu-Palawan-Tawi-Tawi votes, roughly 10 million votes, 40% of the Visayas or four million, and 30% of Luzon or 7.5 million votes--easily a landslide victory of about 21.5 million votes. Such expectation is a dream never experienced in the unique “Made in the Philippines only.” Super Digong’s victory shall be assured by every poor Mindanaoan here and elsewhere who are sick and tired of the Imperial Manila autocracy, the trapos and the culture of impunity spawned by debilitating greed. Simply put, the country is in dire need of true and meaningful change political will and leadership. Duterte pa more. Tsada di ba?
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“Vision without integrity is not mission –it’s manipulation.” – Howard G. Hendricks The main reason why dismissed transition Mayor Oscar S. Moreno is a goner long before the elections begin is because the Plazans’ reading of the man now temporarily yet precariously hanging on to the seat of power in our city is at war with the words of US President Dwight D. Eisenhower on what integrity is when he said: “The supreme quality for a leader is unquestionably integrity. Without it, no real success is possible, no matter whether it is on a section gang, on a football field, in an army, or in an office. If a man’s associates find him guilty of phoniness, if they find that he lacks forthright integrity, he will fail. His teachings and actions must agree with each other.” As one of the original Plazans, here is my take on why Moreno is a hambuguero and without integrity:
  • In his counter-affidavit which Mayor Moreno himself announced in public, he shamelessly said he did not know of the compromise agreement reached in the case filed by former barangay chairman William Guiallani against the multi-million business Ajinomoto. But now we all know that he himself was a party thereto, being one of the defendants. As I have already written several times, Moreno succeeded only in exposing himself as without forthright integrity because he had to commit a felonious lie to cover up his wrongdoing knowing full well that as a lawyer he is mandated by our Lawyer’s Oath to be honest in our actions with our fellowmen.
  • The Local Government Code of 1991, specifically Section 458 provides in clear and unmistakable language that the city council, and not the mayor, has the power of the purse. Hence, money matters pertain to them so that all the money coming in and out of the local government must need their approval. Otherwise, any act involving government coffers without their nod is illegal, null and void. Otherwise put, Moreno was guilty beyond reasonable doubt when he entered into comprise agreement with Ajinomoto reducing the tax collectible amount of P2.9 million to a measly sum of P300,000. Even without his signature on the compromise agreement, Mayor Moreno is guilty, hence, a criminal case to be filed by the Ombudsman is forthcoming.
  • Because the school buildings and classrooms were done without bidding, in violation of the Government Procurement Act of RA 9184 of 2003, and, allegedly overpriced, Moreno lacks forthright integrity.
With Super Digong Duterte and Team Robust Rufus, we, Kagayanons, will, beyond the scintilla of doubt, attain our dream of dreams on May 9, 2016. Tsada, di ba?