‘How thick-skinned our politicians can be! Even those with very strong criminal cases against them, they run,’ says Bishop Broderick Pabillo
Ernesto M. Hilario, Manila Philippines
November 5, 2018
Members of the Marcos family, including Imelda Marcos (second from right), file their certificates of candidacy for next year’s Philippine mid-term elections. Imelda is running for governor of Ilocos Norte province. (Photo by Jire Carreon/ucanews.com)
Has the Philippines run so low on competent and qualified public officials that the same families who have governed for many years now want to continue to dominate the country’s political system in the years to come?
Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo doesn’t think so, and he believes others deserve the chance to serve in public office.
The prelate, who also serves as chairman of the Episcopal Commission on the Laity of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, has urged voters to shun candidates from political dynasties next May, when the midterm elections for senatorial and various local positions will take place.
The 1987 charter states that, “the state shall guarantee equal access to opportunities for public service, and prohibit political dynasties as may be defined by law.”
The problem is that in leaving the matter of prohibiting political dynasties to members of the legislature, many of whom themselves come from established political families, the authors of the constitution have doomed the enterprise to fail on an epic scale.
Bishop Pabillo issued the appeal after President Rodrigo Duterte claimed political dynasties are flourishing because the public is clamoring for them.
He said voters have six months to discern which candidates deserve to be elected as servants of the people.
“Political dynasties [only] thrive because we vote for them,” he said.
“Starting from today, let us take some time to get to know the candidates. Certain criteria can be used to sift the wheat from the chaff,” he added.
“As voters, let’s show the politicians that we are better than them, that we have more sense than them, that we are more discerning. Let’s show them we know how to choose.”
Bishop Pabillo said voters should check the background of lesser-known candidates because “they may well serve as a breath of fresh air for politics in our country.”
“Every election gives us hope there can be a better future. This will come about if we become better voters. Let us show our trapos [politicians] that, as voters, we are better than what they think we are,” he said.
Duterte said earlier that his family was “forced” to serve in Davao.
His father Vicente served as governor of the then-unified province, while Rodrigo served in Davao City — as mayor and representative for one term — for 22 years.
Duterte’s daughter, Sara Duterte-Carpio, is also running for re-election as the mayor of Davao City. The 40-year-old, a trained lawyer, served as vice mayor from 2007-2010, when her father was mayor, after which they traded places for the next three years.
Duterte’s son Paolo, who is also a former vice mayor, is running for Congress.
What have they accomplished so far?
Meanwhile, Sebastian, another of the president’s sons, has filed his certificate of candidacy to serve as the vice mayor of Davao so he can follow in the footsteps of his father and sister. He has not held any public office until now.
Imelda Marcos, wife of the late dictator Ferdinand, is running for governor of Ilocos Norte province. She wants to take over the post to be vacated by her daughter Imee, who is gunning for a seat in the Senate.
Imelda’s son Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., a former senator who lost the vice presidential race in 2016, is still protesting the decision. He is believed to be interested in taking part in the presidential election in 2022.
Former president Joseph Estrada was convicted of plunder after he was ousted in 2001 but was later pardoned by his successor. He now wants to run for a third and final term as mayor of Manila.
His son Jinggoy, who also faces plunder charges but is currently on bail, wants to return to the Senate. Jinggoy’s half-brother, Sen. Joseph Victor Ejercito, is seeking re-election for another six-year term.
Bishop Pabillo advised the public not to be easily swayed by candidates’ campaign promises.
“It is not what they say they will do that shows their worth, but what they have done. Let us see their track record,” he said.
“What have they accomplished so far, both in their personal lives and in public service?”
The prelate said voters should look into the personal lives of candidates so they can evaluate what they are capable of doing in the future.
“If a person is not faithful to his commitment to his wife, will he be faithful to his office? If a person cannot take good care of his family, can he take care of his town, province or district?” the prelate asked.
“If a person is a gambler, he will gamble his office! If a person is dirty in his speech and in his views, he will be dirty as a public official,” he pointed out.
Bishop Pabillo said voters could consider crossing party lines when selecting candidates as even a strong party can have rotten eggs, while a despised party may have some morally irreproachable and well-qualified figures.
“Voters should also avoid judging candidates based on their so-called ‘winnability’,” he urged.
“Don’t just jump on the bandwagon. You are not wasting your vote by voting for someone you believe in. By voting for a bad person just because they are likely to win, you are being an accomplice to the destruction of our country,” he said.
He expressed dismay at seeing so many familiar faces file certificates of candidacy since October.
“I can’t believe it! How thick-skinned our politicians can be! Even those with very strong criminal cases against them, they run. Even those who are too old to speak straight, they run! Even those who are discredited for being too subservient as to throw their principles away, they run!”
