Shortly after President Aquino marked his 100th day in office, in 2010, I wrote a column attempting an analysis of the new commander in chief’s self-evidently well-defined sense of limits. The unfortunate controversy over his decision to omit Tacloban City from his packed schedule commemorating the first anniversary of “Yolanda” over the weekend reminded me of that attempt; perhaps (if you will allow me) it bears a second look.
that DILG sec jesse robredo’s body was finally found on august 21, the same day that ninoy aquino was felled by a bullet 29 years ago, is not to be discounted. synchronicity. in both cases, the loss to family and community and nation is heartbreaking. i don’t know that ninoy or robredo would have made a great president if either had lived long enough to make it, but i would have liked to have seen them give it their best efforts. can’t say the same of anyone else in the public eye today.
i didn’t know him personally and i didn’t follow his political life closely. the one time i really paid attention to him was in the aftermath of the august 23 luneta massacre, when he was explaining that not he but presidential buddy rico puno had been in charge of police operations that fateful day. i wondered then why he accepted the post, the president’s distrust was obvious, it was like ginagamit lang siya na pabango.
but i knew that many were rooting for him. on facebook, political analyst malou tiquia of publicus asia has been sharing stories of the robredo she knew.
In 2005, Harvey Keh-full and I dreamt of putting two bright stars in local government together for a stab in national politics in 2007. Jesse Robredo was one of the two. We had discussions with him several times. Harvey Keh went on to establish Kaya Natin with Jesse. I went on to other campaigns but kept an eye on a man I believe has what it takes. In between those years, we met several times. When he needed to talk to me, I was always there for him, for I believed in Jesse. Always have and always will. Our last heart to heart and one-on-one meet was in January 2012. The last time i talked to him over the cell was August 8. I am crushed by the news of what happened to my friend. I recall telling him on several instances, “Jesse, you just don’t walk away from it…” Jesse would always say, “I can always walk away from it all, Malou…” Si Jesse, simple, disente at ang puso ay nasa tamang lugar… [Sunday 19 August]
I will cherish the debates we had from the time I visited you in Naga some 7 years back to convince you to run for the Senate. I never got your yes. I went back to Manila with a heavy heart but decided that I will convince you again, this time for a much higher position. For when you said no, I knew in my heart I have found the person…
I was always pointed, sometimes livid, sometimes crossing the line. The last time we had a long talk, I asked you, why do you allow yourself to be treated by these people just like that. You stared at me and smiled. And you said, “Bayaan mo na yan, Malou…”
I even told you to fix your barong, your hairstyle, etc. saying further that you are now a national figure, and again you smiled and I remember you saying, “Pati ba naman yan, Malou?” and I said, “Yes, Jesse, thats part of it.” But you laughed and said “Hindi naman tayo tumataas sa survey.” And I remember saying, “Because you don’t use your assets as SILG.” That was the longest pause we’ve ever had in our conversations and you stared straight at me…then you said, “Trabaho na lang tayo, Malou…”
Jesse Robredo, I will always cherish our conversations. I will hold on to that dream, I will try to follow your path where better angels dare not go. In you I lost a leader, a mentor, a friend, and my candidate for that position only Destiny smiles kindly on. Rest in Peace, my friend… [Tuesday 21 August]
it’s all good, consistent with what we’re hearing from mainstream media. it would seem that robredo does deserve a state funeral for a life well-lived, embracing public service and embodying good governance, against all odds.
still, it’s medyo over-kill, yellow ribbons to boot. the palace should not be surprised that its motives are being questioned, kahit pa sinasabing the prez had come to appreciate robredo over time. close na close sila, say ni mar roxas, when he was trying to explain why the prez had flown to masbate to oversee rescue operations himself. the same is implied in stories about the commission on appointments’ failure to confirm robredo’s appointment to the cabinet: the president finally submitted robredo’s name for confirmation only in november 2011.
to be honest, i was one of those who wondered why robredo had had to give that speech for the president, that is, why the president had not attended the affair himself. it was the topic of heated exchanges on twitter and facebook, in particular over ar neil villanueva’s comments to the effect that if the president had gone to cebu himself, then maybe binay would be president now. at which palace spokesman lacierda lashed out: Words cannot describe your supreme uncouthness & insensitivy 2 d Pres. and Sec Robredo. Do not wish death upon others.
today, lacierda said on tv that it was not a last-minute decision, that it was decided last july pa that robredo would be attending the pnp ground-breaking in consolacion, cebu in the place of the president. ah so. if true, then my question is, was this par for the course? the president did not attend many of these events, sent robredo instead? or was this a rare occurrence, the president just had something more important to do for nation? the first is more nakaka-guilty than the last.
seeking answers to questions like this, to my mind, is not to make the president look bad — if it does, he should be able to roll with the punches, weather the bad press — but to make it easier for the loved ones of robredo, the youngest daughter in particular who is blaming herself for her father rushing home. the commenter was half right. if the president had gone to cebu himself, robredo would still be alive, or at least he would not have died in a plane crash when he did. aquino, too, might have insisted on flying out that afternoon, but he would surely have been provided a safer aircraft and would surely have had a safer trip than robredo, who apparently had to fend for himself. it’s not always true na pag-oras-mo-na-oras-mo-na. sometimes napapaaga rin lang.
as for the legislator members of the powerful commission on appointments, now under censure for failing to confirm robredo’s appointment while he was alive, and scrambling for the “honor” to appoint him now that he’s dead — i don’t believe any of them. from tito sotto who said over radio that it was the president who did not submit robredo’s name, to luis villafuerte who denies having stood in the way, to loren legarda who says robredo met with her saturday morning to seek her support for his confirmation. ALL THAT is what needs confirmation. and if confirmed, then what changed the CA’s mind? the threat/rumors that ping lacson would replace robredo? do tell, rep. villafuerte. do tell, senator legarda.
if the president seriously wants questions re his lovelife to stop, he should simply learn to respond with a no-comment — ang hirap ba, parang si kris ba –and his communications groups could help by warning the press not to waste their time, there are a host of more important public concerns — like what’s the trade-off with japan ba– and don’t treat the president naman like a showbiz figure.
instead the president has started to cater to the media’s penchant for love and romance among the rich and famous, announcing that he is dating celebrity stylist liz uy, what a beautiful person pala she is, and how impressed he is by her conversation. and he wants them to stop asking? c’mon.
makes me think it’s all spin. if they could do it with shalani soledad, why not with liz uy? because i heard it through the grapevine that the break-up with shalani happened before the campaign pa, pero napakiusapan si shalani to play along muna, it was good for the campaign, pa-macho effect i suppose. which would explain why she was never seen with the sisters, never sat with the sisters, either at the proclamation or at the inaugural rites and festivities. a real girlfriend, a real loved one, would have been right there celebrating with the new president and his family and not lost somewhere among lesser guests, when she was there at all.
so why the liz uy spin? maybe to distract us from other more pressing matters. also i suppose it has to do with shalani’s high-profile debut on television via no less than the wily willie’s new primetime show on tv 5. biglang everyone’s talking about shalani — kahit pa she lost me at “hello” — i hear nag-i-improve naman. but kris must hate it, lalo na’t she’s nowhere these days, and what about that paparazzi interview with shalani’s mom that raised questions like, bakit sinisiraan si shalani at sinong naninira? and what better way to kill all talk than by having the president move on, romance another woman, kilig kris to the bones.
so why liz uy? she’s one of kris’ many best friends, di ba, like boy abunda and vice ganda, so why not. at least tunay siyang babae. and since she spends a lot of time na with the president, making sure he looks good, perfect choice na rin.
which is NOT to denigrate ms. uy, who comes from a relationship with sexy kanto boy and topnotch actor john lloyd cruz, who’s a commercial AND critical success. so is dating, maybe romancing, the president, if true, a level-up for liz? i’m not sure. possibly. i guess.
okay okay maybe i’m wrong, maybe it’s all true, maybe it’s love, and maybe it’s even for keeps, but i’m suspending disbelief only if, and when, liz uy herself, with stars in her eyes, and in the president’s arms, confirms it all.
meanwhile, please naman, mr. president, FREE THE MORONG 43! it’s long overdue.