JUST when I thought I had finally understood the world of politics, it got crazier again.
It’s that time of the year when the circus comes into town and candidates for the national elections “perform” to win the votes of the people.
While this scenario is normal in the Philippines every three years, what’s quite unusual and downright uncanny is the fact that the “circus acts” have changed their “performers” i.e. the candidates.
Before the election campaign officially began, both the administration and opposition camps underwent “revamps” or “trades” so to speak, as several politicians have joined the party of the person whom they have openly criticized or sought to topple in the past.
However, I can’t comprehend how a politician can actually railroad an impeachment case against a president, side with his enemies, actively support an impeachment campaign against him, call for his resignation and then suddenly join his camp as if nothing ever happened.
And as the whole country watches that politician on television, he says “This is for the Filipino people and for the sake of unity.” Give me a break!
Ironically, the party names of the administration and opposition contain the word “unity” and “genuine” in them, respectively. The administration’s party name is “Team Unity” while the opposition’s name is “United Opposition,” which was later changed to “Grand Coalition” and finally to “Genuine Opposition.”
But how can a politician show the people that he is united with his party, if he leaves that party, which has the same goal (either reforms or topple the sitting president) as his, and join forces with the person that that party opposes?
How can a political party be “genuine” when in fact, its members are former enemies and critics of an ousted president, who is also supposedly the “father” of that party?
How can a group of politician lawmakers present themselves as a “united” group, meeting on a certain day of the week, share the same ideas, and then suddenly part ways?
So which party is truly “united”? Which is really “genuine”?
I don’t think these former “allied” politicians realize that if worse comes to worse, they could be facing each other for the 12th and final senatorial slot, just like the case of Sen. Rodolfo Biazon and Sen. Robert Barbers, who both ran under the administration coalition in the May 2004 elections, but ended up accusing each other of cheating after the former won.
This really goes to show that politics can NEVER be summarized in a nutshell. This goes to show that while there are several politicians who think of their country’s welfare first and who are true to their word, they will always be hard to distinguish from the ones who have the “me first, country later” attitude.
Although my sentiments are the same with several thousands of people in the country, they will always fall on deaf ears. I just hope that little blood is shed as the campaign goes on.
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I have always idolized Manny Pacquiao and his heroic and phenomenal feats such as uniting the country for a few short weeks, however, I really think he should reconsider his decision to run for public office. I would rather see him dazzle Filipinos and the rest of the world with this boxing prowess than see him placed in a crucial situation such as voting Yes or No to an impeachment complaint.
