I don’t tolerate shenanigans of friends

By Alex P. Vidal

“A friend to all is a friend to none.”—Aristotle

I WILL flatly say no to anyone involved in illegal activities who will seek my “help.”

What help could I possibly do since I’m a mere journalist?

I’m not a PAO lawyer; I’m not a spin doctor. I’m not even someone who has the power or position in the higher echelon of government.

Or someone with extra-ordinary ability to create miracles.

Some erring individuals who tried to seek my “help” thought I could “reverse” the hellish situation they were in if I would intervene in their cases (read: defend them and vouch for their “good” character and background).

No. Never. That’s impossible. In the first place, I neither have the authority nor the power to intercede on cases I am not familiar with, or those beyond my capacity to intrude.

One of them is a popular woman recently arrested in Metro Manila for wide-scale scam. I met this woman when I was in the Philippines in 2004.

She was introduced to me by a young lady who is now a congresswoman while I was doing an interview with a very popular national politician, a former political detainee during the Martial Law years, in a famous Iloilo hotel.

The popular politician, who died three years ago, was the woman’s father-in-law.

To make the long story short, we (the woman) became “acquaintances.”

The connection, however, was worthless. She was (once upon a time) a celebrity while I’m a nobody.

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Through an intermediary, she “wanted” me to write something positive about her to extirpate the negative circumstances surrounding her arrest and alleged involvement in the scam.

Suddenly, I, who is not anymore based in the Philippines, came across her mind—of all people in the world.

Recently, I had four “missed audio calls” from the intermediary.

I had no reaction; I had no reply. I wouldn’t; I couldn’t. My silence meant no.

My values and personal philosophy tell me I don’t and cannot waltz with ruffians who willfully and intentionally violate the laws and take advantage of the weaknesses of others, especially the gullible.

I endorse the heroes and patriots. I praise those who deserve accolades for a job well-done; I salute those who hammer out sterling achievements amid odds and adversity; and those who unselfishly make sacrifices to eke out outstanding services to humanity.

But not the hooligans, the pagans, the rascals, the bloodsuckers, the twenty percenters, the thugs, the nincompoops, the barbarians, the scoundrels, the mercenaries, and the godless punks. Sorry.

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I WILL continue to cover important and major events in the United States as a newsman, but on November 8, 2022, the midterm elections in America, I won’t be able to give my full time—meaning, I won’t be in the polling centers running to and fro to log incoming results like what I did when I covered the 2016 US presidential elections.

Everything is now electronically available. Results of any race—election and sports—can be obtained in seconds. The technology has made everything so easy and accessible; even reporters can have direct access to data base and information made available for public.

This was my experience when I covered the 2020 US presidential election; I managed to monitor even the “live” debates in my tablets and other gadgets.

When radio networks in Manila and Western Visayas (Iloilo, Capiz, Aklan, Antique, Negros) sought my help for any “breaking news”, I was quick as a night owl to transmit important facts—because of the power of technology.

At this early, observes think the US midterm election “were long expected to deliver bad news for the Democrats.”

I have been regularly monitoring the events leading to next month’s election and, routinely, at the half-way mark between presidential elections, voters give the incumbent party a beating.

Yet, as The Economists recently reported, despite high inflation, and the low approval ratings for President Joseph “Joe” Biden, Jr., this year could bring some cheer for the Democrats.

“The party has notched up some notable legislative achievements. Although they will expect to lose control of the House, their chances of holding the Senate are improving,” reported The Economist.

“Our model provides an up-to-date statistical forecast of the contest. We’ll collect, and regularly update, our midterms coverage here, including reporting on primaries, the most compelling congressional and state-level races, and the personalities involved.”

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two local dailies in Iloilo.—Ed)