Politics wastes principles

Confession is good for the soul. I heard these words as an opening statement from a politician, now retired, during a non-political forum many years ago. Former congressman Eduardo Rivera Gullas, addressing a graduation ceremony of the University of the Visayas College of Law, proceeded to speak how confession frees the conscience of a man of his guilt. Absolution, in a manner of speaking, restores man’s spirit freed from condemnation. Believe me, I thought Sir Eddiegul, in his exposition, was more of a bishop than a lawmaker. Well, maybe because he was then in his last term as a legislator after decades of government service.

After his introductory line in that commencement exercise, the university president, shifted gears. He confessed not being a perfect leader but he wove profound principles and real governance in a stirring speech. Gullas explained to the graduating class the importance of serving the government with the strictest adherence to scruples. “Principled politics”, he called it as he praised his membership of the Nacionalista Party. He said politicians must adopt and uphold uncompromising principles in everything they do. Political ideals of elected leaders in government must NOT be wrapped in selfish interests. After all, public office is a public trust.

I remember the sterling words of Sir Eddiegul when I saw, the other night, a disturbing political advertisement of senatorial candidate Camille Villar. I like to believe that the political clout of the Villar political dynasty was a reason Camille was included in BBM’s original lineup. She is the daughter of 2010 presidential candidate Manny Villar. Her mother, Senator Cynthia authored the regressive Rice Tariffication Law while brother Mark, after heading the DPWH, became senator too. No doubt, hers is s formidable political clout which BBM can rely on.

To be sure, Villar was supposedly a part of the Alyansa Para Sa Bagong Pilipinas line up of BBM arrayed against the PDP of former president Rodrigo Duterte. The Nacionalista Party with Manny Villar, as its president, aligned with Alyansa. Camille was then announced a proxy of BBM in his war against Digong. By itself, the business empire of the Villars that makes the political family the richest in the country and the herculean network they have can support Camille’s electoral undertaking sans outside help. Yet they took the opportunity for Camille to ride on the imagined political strength of the administration. In fact, shouting “Alyansa 12-0” in the proclamation rally in Ilocos Norte, the president’s drumbeaters wanted to project that it would demolish the entire PDP.

A political video the other day projected the unprincipled character of Camille. Without telling us, the voters, why she unceremoniously abandoned BBM’s Alyansa, she just flipped over to Duterte’s PDP. I was shocked to see her showing a clenched fist upon being endorsed in her candidacy by Vice President Sara Duterte Carpio. It was turncoatism at its worst. I surmise she is only after her selfish interest. When she saw in the nationwide rallies held during the birthday of former president Duterte the emergence of Digong supporters, she discarded whatever reasons bolted NP and Alyansa and became friendly with the enemy.

I couldn’t imagine VP Sara ever inviting Camille to join PDP. The vice president had no reason to do that. She would not want to disrespect the principles of PDP by bringing in someone who was earlier perceived as a BBM diehard. Anyway, her PDP senatoriables were doing well in the campaign trail as a result of the growing nationwide sympathy for Digong. Having viewed the situation that way, I could only conclude that it was the Villars who proposed Camille jump over to PDP and for no other motivation than to preserve her fading candidacy.

I know that Sir Eddiegul has, since 1969, been an adherent of the principles of Nacionalista Party. So, I also believe that he considers the switch of Camille to the opposite camp as an act of betrayal.