A state of ‘suspended animation’

Nora Soriño .

ILIGAN City–There was this creeping suspicion that something was ailing this present administration of Mayor Celso Regencia, a  suspicion  which I could not put a finger on. As to its name that is.

And so on that day that it was announced that there would be a candidates forum, I decided to go and attend it.

On my way to the forum at MSU-Iligan Institute of Technology, I got invited to another forum. Where would I go? To this latest invite? Or to the other invite which was only poor me who was inviting myself. Whereas on the other, the “inviters” were really keen on having me with them as if I was that important.

It was good for the ego, so to speak. Although this was not about the self. The other invite was about developments in the gubernatorial race in Lanao Sur. That was equally interesting, their politics there.

For a time, I was in “two by two” condition. For one thing,  the venue of that other invite was just a few feet away from where I stood, so I said, “I’d think it over” (whether to attend or not).

But  I was curious on that candidates’ forum. Didn’t they say that “curiosity killed the cat?”

But I said  to myself  I’m no cat and so, off I went to MSU-IIT and forgot about that other invite. Soon,I found my self “breathful,” I mean, breathless after walking up the three flight of high stairs as the elevator, the guard said was out of order. I almost regretted my decision.

I bet those inside the amphitheater  were just as curious as me. The candidates who were to be, ah, grilled were not yet around as the chairs for them were still vacant. This then added to the air of suspense. But supporters of the “solid blue” team and the “green” team were around, as they were wearing their respective colors. Where was the “red” of Regencia?

Ah, well…

The first to materialize in front of stage was Rep. Frederick Siao, standing tall, handsome  in a chinito way. Next was businessman Marianito “Dodong” Alemania, equally tall and good-looking in blue, a mayoral wannabe.  Siao is  applying for a second time for his present position of congressman for the city’s lone district.

  Not to be “outshone” in looks were lawyers Dino Quijano and Betzy Zalsos. The latter two are mayor and vice mayor wannabes. Their favorite color these days is green.

The four really came prepared.

MSU-IIT was prepared, too. The forum was a controlled one with the moderator citing do’s  and don’ts.

As I related later to Nene, my good friend, she asked if  all of them might have used glutathion to which we had a good laugh.

The four of them did well, to the subdued delight of their respective supporters.

“But where was the red team?” I asked myself again. It did not help that the moderator read a letter from the team before the grilling began that the mayor suffered from sprained limbs. The others in his ticket, too,had “previous commitments that were equally important.”

It was a hot topic then the next day on social media, in the radio, by word of mouth that the “reds” were conspicuously absent in that forum. I was sure it wasn’t a case of “absence making the heart grow fonder.”

It wasn’t a case of “absence makes the heart forget” either, I’m sure.

It was a case of damage control, said one caller over the air lanes. Hmmm…

So, I said to Frank when he came over to the office a few days later after the forum: “It’s a case of suspended…”

“No, they’re not suspended physically. Only the transactions are suspended. In 2016 alone, per COA report, they were given…”

“A case of suspended animation,” I interrupted  him as suddenly it dawned on me as to what was ailing this administration. “That’s it,” I  repeated,  “a case of suspended animation.”

“Notice of suspension from the Commission of Audit for 17 contracts in 2016 alone, worth millions and millions of pesos for each contract that did not have the necessary requirements, like  bidding, or  investment plan, or purchase order before the transaction. And the calamity fund worth P22 million just disappeared without the necessary declaration of calamity, no authority from the SP, no ordinance. And the ‘job orders’ – the P77 million for hundreds of JO appointees did not have, among other things,  no definite responsibilities for the persons in those JOs. So, suspended animation really,” I repeated.

“Hmmm,” Frank said. “There’s another word for that…” and his voice trailed off.

For a moment, I half expected him to say, “dysfunctional” to describe the administration as this was the word that came to my mind too.

He didn’t say that though. Neither did I.