Can You Really Trust Politicians? I Mean, Really? (Why I Think They're All the Same)

I always hope I'm wrong. Really. Because I've grown more skeptical about politicians and government officials. They're there to use us and make life harder for us. For one thing, they can't think of ways to make things simpler. Instead, they seem to deliberately make things more difficult for us.

Like, it makes them happy to see us suffer. Just look at traffic and how people line up and wait long hours in government offices.

It all began after the EDSA People Power Revolution (which was far from being a real revolution). Imagine---after staking our lives on what we thought to be genuine change, we saw everything slowly go back to normal. Sometimes, it seemed everything only got worse.

We risked our necks to oust a cruel dictatorship while Cory Aquino was safely in a convent in Cebu "praying." Ramos and Enrile were safely hiding inside Crame while we civilians were out facing the tanks and jets. Can you imagine "heroes" hiding behind civilians?

After Marcos fled, Cory came in as president, very conveniently, without difficulty. After some days, I saw one public official given the natural resources department. Wait a minute---this guy used to be a Marcos guy and said to have amassed great wealth from the same office when he was still with Marcos. That's what I heard from some critics. Then Cory made him secretary of DENR? Why? I mean. He was a Marcos guy.

Then the Mendiola Massacre happened. And I thought military cruelty ended with the dictatorship. And several other activists were summarily executed after martial law. What did Cory do? Nothing, because the killings went on.

Later, I saw Ramos and Enrile in good terms with the Marcoses again. In fact, Joseph Estrada, who was a staunch Marcos loyalist, gained popularity so that he later became president. The old Marcos guys were back in power. What happened? I mean, why did they let them come back?

Later, Ramos himself let the Marcoses come back, along with the body of the late Marcos. It's the good old days, once more. What happened to the EDSA Revolt where we civilians risked our lives? And then Imelda became Congresswoman.

There are people who are naturally much liked by people, but there are those who are liked because they corrupt people with bribes. But here's how you can be liked naturally by most people without trying hard to. Click here. 

Much later, I started hearing Enrile say the Marcoses didn't do anything wrong. He was even always defending them. If the Marcoses were not at fault, then why bolt away from them? Why start the coup in Camp Aguinaldo?

Then you see them at election time together, members of the same party, both the ones who fought against and the ones who sided with Marcos. And then they reshuffle, change parties, but you see the same thing. They say that's how democracy works. That's what they call pluralism.

I say, that's how they've all been fooling us.

They put up a show as if they're fighting each other, but when they're off cam, they all share the same agenda. They're not moved by principles but by personal agenda. And if they see an alliance that will serve their agenda or ambition, they'd join it no matter if it's an alliance of crooks.

And then the alliance breaks up (because selfish ambition often creates friction rather than permanent alliance) and one would need a powerful backup to stay in power. That's when they call people to rally behind their "good cause." And people mindlessly answer the call, because most of them treat politics the same way they treat showbiz. It's a personality cult rather than fighting for the right principles.

And amazingly, people come to their rescue. They risk their lives, dying for their favorite politician---their "idol." They march out there along with their families and kids, getting run-over by a police vehicle or clobbered to death by a cop gone crazy, not for a cause, but to back up their pet politician. Like the Marcos burial issue. They march out there either because they love or hate Marcos. Worse if they do it because they are pro-Aquino.

And then traditional politicians ride on the issue. They talk like they have all the right to denounce corrupt people---and many believe them. But on closer look, you'd find how these people are also charged with corruption or hide skeletons in their closets. You can't trust them. If they say anything, it's always for the good of their ambition (always) and they're going to use you.

Use you!

I laugh when I see die-hards always defending their dear Duterte at all costs---like the guy can never make a mistake. It's a personality cult again instead of people being patriotic citizens. I support Duterte because God told me in the bible to submit to the governing authorities, but I criticize him when he's wrong. I go for principle. Wrong is wrong. A lot of times I see myself in Senator Richard Gordon, although I'm seldom talkative in person.

Lots of church pastors play right into the hands of these politicians. They try to somehow influence politicians and people in high places and use them for their church ministry---not realizing they're the ones being used. Pastors make crooked politicians look good and being in the company of these politicians make these pastors look accomplished church leaders. You see, they use each other.

The common denominator is ego-trip. Jesus never ran after politicians or smelled their butts.

I respect government leaders, but I never rely on them. I very, very seldom believe them, except after a thorough scrutiny of what they are actually saying. Often, I get disappointed.

People who support personalities rather than principles, you are of all people to be pitied. You are willing fools.

I still vote every election---just to please God. It's my duty as a citizen. And I pray for elected officials. But I watch out carefully about what they do and say. Never trust a person once he's in power, that's my personal rule. Power and money can transform a person, either for the better or for worse. I've seen a lot of meek guys turn monster just because of money and power.

Now, can anyone tell me I'm wrong about politicians? Please do and explain why.

Marcos Burial Would've Been Peaceful This Way

Image from Manila Times

Imagine your late dear dad secretly buried with all the controversies, only to be exhumed or dug up later and transferred elsewhere. If you loved and respected your dad, would you let him go through all that trouble? I would want a peaceful burial first and foremost. In fact, that's all I would want for him. Never mind other considerations.

The Marcos burial has been a circus, to say the least. I wouldn't want that for my father if I really valued him. Look at how it all turned out. I don't know why the Marcoses would prefer this than a peaceful, quiet burial in Batac.

I really believe that if the Marcoses had decided a quiet burial in Batac, the Marcos loyalists wouldn't have protested. They won't dare lift a finger to oppose it. They'd sheepishly submit and assemble in Batac for the burial rites. And everyone will be happy. Genuine healing will happen and the issue can quietly be shelved in the past as case closed.

Then we can all move on. Di ba?

What's wrong with a Batac burial, anyway? The Marcos corpse has been there for what, 30 years? And it's been making money for the town as a tourist attraction. In a TV interview, one Batac resident preferred Marcos to stay there. She didn't really like the idea of a Libingan ng mga Bayani (LNMB) interment. And I think a lot of Batac folks (and probably Ilocanos) would also prefer that.

How about Marcos' last will and testament, wishing to be given the proper burial rites accorded a president and a soldier? That can well be fulfilled even in Batac. My proposal is for Batac to have a Libingan ng mga Bayani ng Batac or Libingan ng mga Bayani ng Ilocos. Seriously, I'd do that if I were Marcos' son. I'd do that if my dad were former president and a lot of people didn't like him buried at LNMB. I'd bury him in San Juan, La Union in a graveyard I'd call Libingan ng mga Bayani ng San Juan. 

My dad was a second lieutenant of the United States Armed Forces in the Philippines or USAFIP and he deserved a place at the LNMB. In fact, my mom was offered that privilege but she turned it down because she wanted dad buried nearer our home.

Not being buried at the LNMB even if you're a hero is no big deal. Where is Rizal buried, for instance? President Manuel L. Quezon's remains are kept at the Quezon Memorial Circle. So why not bury Marcos at a Marcos Memorial Circle in Batac? I'm sure the Marcoses can easily afford that. A lot of soldiers and firemen are buried at the Manila North Cemetery.

The Marcoses have a lot of good alternatives if they want to consider the unity and peace in the country---and if they want to be liked by more people.

BTW, if you want to be liked by more people around you, try this powerful ebook. Click here.

I don't buy a Marcos LNMB burial. I was against his martial law and I know what happened during his reign. I joined organized protests against him. I was in EDSA during the so-called People Power Revolution defending Camps Crame and Aguinaldo from tanks and also defended Channel 4 from tank and jet attacks. I almost got killed there. It's a long story to tell.

They say Marcos didn't personally kill the victims so he is not accountable. That's really a shallow way of dismissing the issue. Marcos may not have personally committed the crimes but he was president then. He was commander in chief of the armed forces. There is command responsibility.

But what can I do now? The Supreme Court (SC) has decided to allow a Marcos LNMB burial. The 15 days given protesters to file a motion for reconsideration (MR) is just a formality. The Supreme Court has clearly decided and I don't think it will rescind its decision. That will be less "pogi points" for them. Me mga ego din mga yan.

Moreover, President Duterte has also decided in favor.

Though protesting against wrong is important, it is MORE IMPORTANT to submit to the governing authorities, because this is God's clear command in the bible. And it's so immature of us to be always complaining and protesting even if the highest court in the land and the final arbiter of law has already decided.

They say the burial was done in contempt of a final SC decision after an MR. Then, by all means, find out who did it and punish them. But I don't think that's going to change anything.

File a petition to exhume? You see, it really gets absurd and ridiculous when the ego goes berserk. Marcos did wrong and now they want to get even. That just makes them as bad as Marcos. A complainant is worth listening to if he or she proves more righteous than the offender. But if they're both rotten...

How come Pinoys can obey and submit when in the Middle East but not in their own country? Is it because they're paid high salaries there? Is it all about money? You submit if given a high pay? I hope we Pinoys have not become "mukang pera."

It is very important for a nation to learn to obey its authorities. In fact, in our case as a poor nation, it's more important than democracy. We've been used to being stubborn and getting things our own way. We are idiots when it comes to accepting defeat.

Balik Bukid

Image from Dreamstime.

Last end of October my family and I went to Agbanawag, Nueva Ecija to visit my wife's dad's rice filed. "Bukid" we call it here. It's a great expanse of land tilled for palay. In Nueva Ecija, the "rice granary" or "rice bowl" of the Philippines, you often see nothing on the landscape but bukid.

There's lack of info on the etymology of the word bukid on Google. I wonder why the Fijan, Indonesian and Malay words for bukid all mean "hill" when in fact the Tagalog term bukid means a field. Here's what I think:

Rice fields are often back-dropped with mountain ranges or hills. So probably, long ago, when they pointed to a mountain in the Philippines, it included the rice fields. That's how it probably started.

Anyway, we went back to bukid living from October 30 to November 1. And I mean real bukid living. Being originally from Manila, we were practically balik-bukid folks that time.

The scene immediately in front of
the house where we stayed.

We stayed right in the middle of the vast and seemingly unending rice fields. My wife's late dad built a concrete house there for spending vacations in. It was an exciting adventure. Aside from a short vacation, we went there to check some things out.

Want to know hotel prices in the locality you're planning to visit? Click here.

Have you slept in the middle of a rice field before? With no neighbors around except trees, frogs, rats (the edible kind that eats nothing but palay), locusts, snakes, bats and different types of birds? I couldn't wait to see the place at night time.

Bamboo bridge

And yes, I tried to look at the nearby fishpond as well, enjoying the makeshift bamboo bridge now and then. If you haven't tried crossing narrow bamboo bridges before, well, I think you should.

The cool winds blowing down from the distant Sierra Madre mountain range (see picture above) kept on from morning to night. The quietude was eerie yet pleasant, for a change. We were tired of city noise so bird and insect chirps at night were very welcome. No TV, too. Can you imagine that? We just talked as a family.

At night, the whole place was enveloped in black, except for some small glowing dots which were lights from houses in the distance. We walked around along the long lonely road casting a beam of light from our powerful flashlight here and there.

I had my jacket on. It was cold.

The place looked very peaceful at night, except for some scenes that reminded us of some zombie movies we've seen. We went back to the house with total blackness behind our backs and which seemed to be after us, wanting to swallow us.

We had simple supper of mostly vegetables, cooked the way the natives of the locality cooked them---with preserved fish sauce---plus grilled fish cooked over an open fire. Later, after washing the dishes we went to bed, being extra sensitive to our surroundings. But with God in your midst, what's to be bothered about? We had a good sleep.