Substitution poster boy

By Alex P Vidal

“Attachment is the great fabricator of illusions; reality can be attained only by someone who is detached.”—Simone Weil

EACH time the uproar on election substitution was brought up in any discussion, the name of Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa would always immediately surface.

It’s so unfortunate for Dela Rosa that his reputation has been attached and associated with the election substitution controversy even before it happens.

Is this the price for being “beholden” to an angry emperor?

Assuming that Dela Rosa really wanted to shoot for the presidency of the Philippines, everything he does or says now is lacking credibility; people always think he is only playing footsie.

In other words, Dela Rosa is not being taken seriously, at least by those who are keen political observers.

Since his candidacy for president did not pass through the fair and traditional PDP-Laban party convention, we doubt if other party members—the originals and serious ones—are comfortable with Dela Rosa as their standard-bearer.

These originals and serious party members aren’t stupid lock, stock, and barrel to believe that Dela Rosa is the party’s only most qualified or the best bet for the presidency.

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Aside from the issue of winnability, the party members’ primordial concern should be credibility.

If a candidate isn’t winnable, party members will have low morale; there will be a reduction in productivity and mass support.

If he isn’t credible, party members will think they are only being taken for a ride as the decision to field the “quack” didn’t come from among their ranks, but probably from one influential and powerful person who doesn’t give a hoot if the PDP-Laban will end up in tatters because of his dictatorial interference on this serious matter.

On the other hand, if nobody would be willing to substitute for Dela Rosa “according to plans” on or before November 15 as permitted by the Commission on Election (Comelec), he will be obligated to sustain the joy ride until the final reckoning.

In order to please and serve a beloved and feared emperor, the likes of Dela Rosa are willing to put their reputations at risk even if in the long run they will be thrown under the bus.

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We don’t blame the media propagandists of certain politicians if they create a stir and fabricate stories against the rivals of their masters (read: those who bankroll their “blocktime” programs or sponsor their payola during the election season).

They are only doing their job.

They have no hidden motives other than “fulfilling an obligation” for the hatchet job.

We are so familiar with the system. Some underpaid or underemployed media workers will have the opportunity to hit a paydirt if their talents or “professional services” are tapped for the dirty task during the poll. season.

For instance, it’s “part” of their job to collude with “eyewitnesses” who will claim they were paid to attend a certain political rally or caravan.

Any success and whatever positive media milage generated by the rally or (recent pink) caravan may now be tainted by the false “testimony” of these false witnesses abetted, of course, by the propagandists.

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