Our lawless mentality

Manny Valdehuesa

THE constitutional prohibition on political dynasties is violated by scofflaws (trapos who scoff at the law) who justify doing so because Congress has not enacted any law defining what it means.

They don’t know what the term “political dynasty” means? Such ignoramuses should be put to shame and banned from politics!

They conveniently ignore that it is they themselves who are supposed to file or enact the law defining it. But they don’t bother to do it.

Then they cite their own failure to enact it to justify their lawlessness or non-compliance with the Constitution. They must be stupid to think their constituents are as stupid as that!

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On the other hand, perhaps they’re right. The constituents have proved to be easily fooled. For example, in the barangay, officials are forbidden to engage in partisan politics (Sec. 38, Omnibus Election Code). But they do! And no one bothers to object or enforce it.

Is there anyone in any barangay who questions or moves against officials (their public servants!) who defy the non-partisan nature of their positions. It is not right for barangay officials to become errand boys or small-time enforcers of big-time trapos.

Also, it is against the law to appoint or employ a barangay treasurer or secretary who is not an actual resident of the barangay.

But this is widely violated; nonesidents are appointed by barangay chairmen and sanggunian, with no one objecting or pointing out their error.

Violations take place because we, the citizens, also have a violator’s mentality. We too are impressed with lawlessness. We don’t take the law seriously; we tolerate even scandalous violations.

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Anyone who claims to be sick and tired, or mad, about lawlessness has no business saying so if he does nothing about such lawless practices in his own community.

It is because we are careless and negligent that many laws involving the public service, public conduct, and other important measures are unimplemented or loosely enforced.

Such loose, irresponsible, and reckless behavior really disqualify us from being deemed sovereign citizens, the Bosses of public servants.

For true democracy to reign in our city, we need to behave responsibly—which includes electing leaders who exemplify lawfulness and the discipline that admits of no compromise in anything that concerns wrong-doing and wrongdoers.

We need to be law-abiding and see that laws and ordinances are complied with and enforced strictly, fastidiously, and with a deep sense of morality.

(Manny Valdehuesa is PPI-Unicef outstanding columnist awardee, author of books on governance, and national chairman/convenor of the Gising Barangay Movement Inc.  valdehuesa@gmail.com)