THE GREATNESS of a man determines the legacy he would leave behind when the time comes he faces his Maker. It defines his wholeness, nothing opaque but pureness in his heart, body and soul.
It’s not the vastness of wealth he accumulates from the treasury while in power. It’s not the pompous projects he establishes (building so many walls instead of bridges). It’s not his habitual arrogance against the people having political views and beliefs different from his. It’s not the length of service he has done from generation to generation earning laurels and accolades. It’s not even the people of his stature he rubs elbows with from dawn till dusk.
At the end of the day a man’s conscience would keep pestering him as he is about to end the journey of his life’s misadventures from being naïve to being so corrupt to the core.
***
Who is this girl spreading lies that her boss extended medical assistance after I was bitten by a stray dog while performing janitorial tasks at the capitol parking area?
Girl, you don’t know what you are talking about. The incident took place in 2010. That was almost a decade ago.
That incident keeps haunting me. Not so much with the wound inflicted by the furry creature. There was no pain at all; it was more the fear of being bitten again by a rabid dog and the deliberate rejection when seeking immediate medical attention. It was traumatic. The reason given was that I was not an indigent.
In fairness to Provincial Administrator Raul Banias, he I approached to help me out. He wrote a letter of recommendation to the management of Western Visayas Medical Center.
Sadly, I was rejected outright. The reason given was the same – that I was not an indigent.
My close association with the late governor Niel D. Tupas, Sr. appeared to be a barometer for deciding whether I’m worthy of medical attention.
***
Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr. used to be an epitome of excellence and honesty. I was once an avid supporter.
Covering the capitol beat during my media heydays, he topped my list of favorite interviewees. He never ran out of news stories worthy of a paper’s front page.
Now his public image as a man of honor and credibility is tainted by allegations of falsehoods and deceit.
Now it appears that no amount of publicity can cleanse his image despite employing members of the media as sanitizers. Reform? Change? These seem to be science fiction already, concocted by publicists. It’s not surprising people are no longer buying the crap. Be more imaginative and creative.
And it puzzles me no end why he couldn’t sue the personalities calling him a thief, corrupt and a liar. These are serious allegations. (roblesnelson339@yahoo.com/PN)
