BY ERWIN ‘AMBO’ DELILAN
AMIDST political “humming” in Bacolod City, there’s news this week that thumped my attention.
It’s all about Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran who’ll be staying with the ruling party Grupo Progreso (GP) “come what may”.
Report says despite a “juicy offer” from the Albee Benitez’s camp, El Cid “didn’t bite the apple”. Instead, he stood his ground and, sans reservation, declared: “Win or lose, I’ll stick with Mayor Bing Leonardia.”
What a political principle, indeed – peerless…priceless! He nailed what is needed to be nailed. So come hell or high water, GP’s supporters are now assured he won’t abandon Bing. Though what he did was said to be self-sacrifice.
El Cid, according to my sources, would rather lose in the elections next year than act like a silent traitor against Mayor Bing who became his formidable ally during their “highs and lows”.
However, what touched and moved me was his stance: proud to lose than to be branded by his “apos” someday as a “man without integrity”.
Oh, my God! El Cid’s candidness is superb. None from the social media (socmed) dares to lambast or ridicule him. Even the trolls don’t have the stomach to attack him. Most were praising the vice mayor, instead.
What’s in the guy that people of Bacolod behave once he opens his mouth?
No matter what’s his stand on certain issues, people respect his opinion still.
Yes, El Cid is one rare politico in Bacolod who remains prim and proper amidst political mayhem. I don’t know him well. But anywhere you go in Bacolod, El Cid’s name is somehow synonymous to respect. Aside from being a man with an “it”, I, too, never heard his name dragged in any corruption issue.
With the current health pandemic (due to COVID-19), El Cid also cemented the political tag(s) attached to his name that, indeed, he’s a great performer and a “public servant with the heart”. Being the local chairman of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) in Bacolod, El Cid – correct me if I am wrong – did his best beyond what’s expected from him. And, so, people do respect him more.
Hence, with his “clean image” no doubt that whoever is the mayoral candidate in Bacolod will really “salivate” or will be “itching” to snatch him to be his or her running mate.
El Cid, however, remains unfazed by “talks here and talks there” about Albee’s offer. Instead, he just continues performing as head of the City Council and, at the same time, as local IATF head – no less, no more. And when the right time came (last Monday), he opened his mouth with a bang – no to (Albee’s) offer!
Well, reality speaks that, in politics, there are no true friends. And if world-renowned author, diarist and conservative member of the British Parliament Allan Clarke were to be believed, “People in politics are all sharks circling and waiting for traces of blood to appear in water.”
But here comes El Cid directly disproving Clarke’s political philosophy. His “last two minutes” decision is proof that, certainly, he wants to figure out that politics does not only create friend(s) for money. Rather, politics also assembles and preserves friendships leading to harmony of interest(s) no matter what happens.
Mayor Bing or the GP, therefore, would be grateful for having El Cid, who is likened to a diamond – hard to cut, but with a pricey carat.
WHY NEUTRAL?
Fresh from “masturdating,” Bacolod City Lone District’s Rep. Greg Gasataya on Thursday finally declared he’s running for a third and final term but as a “neutral” candidate under the banner of the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC).
Like his friend, Sen. Migz Zubiri, Greg also stressed he won’t take sides because both Mayor Bing and Albee were “maninoys” in his wedding and political journey.
Oh, well! I remember Ed Sheeran’s famous hit song, “Save Myself”.
But my question is: Why neutral?
In Philippine politics, PR (public relations) people are aware that the word neutral is synonymous to “quisling”. And to be neutral, you’re perceived to be somebody that couldn’t stand for truth or couldn’t stand for what is good or bad.
Besides, in my own analysis, Greg can’t say neutral because he has an existing local political party – the GP. And, in all angles, leaving GP won’t make him a neutral candidate now.
Too, Greg must know that even the Bible warns against being neutral. In Revelations 3:15-16, “So, because you’re lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I’ll spit you out of my mouth.”
Kon sa istoryanay pa sa kapehan, indi pwede nga ang kape higupon mo nga alaba-ab. Dapat init gid!
The same with “lugaw” or “arroz caldo”. For it to be essential, it must be hot.
LIKE HAVING A LUPUS
Anyways, Greg’s decision might be reasonable. Or perhaps, understandable! By golly, he never presumed this to happen. But some netizens got confused with his final decision. Others lambasted him for being “wala sang panindugan” and “segurista”.
But to be in Greg’s shoes right now in this upcoming Bing-Albee duel is like having a lupus that silently attacks one’s nervous system. Not an easy ordeal, as in! And such may even put Greg “hanging in the balance”. Well, for others, it might be okay.
GP, interpreted by some, will weaken. Bing will be rattling. But this is not. Greg’s decision to leave GP will really cost him a lot. One of them is “emotional struggle” that not easy to vanquish.
And literally speaking, such really takes toll on Greg’s mental and current physical shape. Perhaps, like in the Holy Rosary, Greg passed through the five sorrowful mysteries prior to his recent public announcement.
And probably, unknown to us, Greg also consulted some political pundits or even sought a confession with a trusted priest on what to do.
Though he’s not sure yet if he has an opponent or opponents, Greg, as far as I know, is still very much prepared (in terms of manpower and logistics). But whether he’s unopposed or not, his greatest battleis his “bothered conscience”.
Because bidding adieu to GP, to Bing, to El Cid and to others just for “shallow” reason(s) is tantamount to “faithlessness”. And like what Helen Keller (a deaf and blind American author and educator) had stressed, “I would rather walk with a friend in the dark than alone in the light.”
Likewise, what’s happening now to GP also gives an ultimate truth to what others are saying – that the saddest thing about “betrayal” is that it never comes from enemies.
Nonetheless, GP people have nothing to do right now except to let Greg go. And like in the Disney movie “Frozen”, the GP people, especially Mayor Bing, can now sing the chorus of the theme song “Let it go”.
Let it go
I am one with the wind and sky
Let it go, let it go
You’ll never see me cry
Here I stand and here I stay
Let the storm rage on
Above all else, GP people can now exclaim: Better to have political divorce than keep irreconcilable differences triggered by political nonchalance!/PN
