MS (Manila Standard) Fix of the Day

Here is today's Manila Standard fix of the day, from my favorites Emil Jurado and Jojo Robles.

Noynoy's Endorsements

Low Down

Jojo Robles

April 22, 2010

It may seem like a joke to Noynoy Aquino, but nobody finds it funny. Only someone with a really warped sense of humor, actually, would find levity in the endorsement of Andal Ampatuan Jr., the accused Butcher of Maguindanao.

On the other hand, Noynoy may find comfort in Ampatuan’s explanation that the decision to endorse his presidential bid was made by the entire family, according to the current poster boy of political warlordism. That’s what families do, after all; they stick together, hand down heirlooms like haciendas and political office to one another and sometimes even get accused of perpetrating (or at least tolerating) massacres together.

In fact, the closeness of the Ampatuan family is the main objection to the recent exoneration by the Department of Justice of two members of the clan in connection with the horrific killing of 57 journalists and other unarmed people in Maguindanao last November. And if the Ampatuans’ endorsement of Aquino was a family decision, pursuing this line of logic would mean that the massacre—which was a far more important political “statement” by the clan—must have required nothing less than the approval of all its members.

And endorse Noynoy was exactly what Ampatuan did: “We are supporting Noynoy because we believe he is the one who can expose the truth about what happened in the massacre,” Andal Jr. told reporters from his jail cell. “Noynoy would be our instrument to achieve justice.”

Will the next Noynoy campaign commercial now feature Andal Jr. flashing the “L” sign with one hand, garbed in yellow duds and baller while cradling Baby James with the other, flanked by a beaming Noynoy and Kris? Even the people who gave us Rapping Noynoy probably won’t be able to pull that off.

Naturally, Noynoy would have nothing to do with Ampatuan’s offer of support. “No, thank you,” he said, in response, while surmising that it was all a joke. “I am not running for their endorsement.”

But that was not the end of Noynoy’s day of unintended irony. While Andal Jr. was singing the praises of Noynoy and his family for defeating the Marcos dictatorship, as he described it, Aquino’s drum-beaters were pushing an endorsement of their candidate that they truly welcomed—that of the oppressed farmers of Sumilao, Bukidnon.

For those who may have forgotten, the indigenous farmers of the Higaonon tribe have been fighting private landowners and the government to get back their prime agricultural ancestral land spread over a flat upland area between Mount Sayawan and Mount Palaopao in Sumilao. Years back, they staged a long march from their hometown and a hunger strike at the offices of the Department of Agrarian Reform to dramatize their plight.

Without a tinge of irony, a press release from the Aquino camp said the Sumilao farmers, “known for their relentless pursuit for justice and advocacy for the reform and extension of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program... stand by Senator Aquino and will help carry him through his campaign against corruption and advocacy for reform.” “They trust that Senator Aquino, like his parents, will rise above personal and family interests and spearhead the completion of the agrarian reform program. They are confident that under Senator Aquino’s leadership, the government could effect land distribution, efficient delivery of support services,” the statement read.

It’s not known how Aquino could secure the endorsement of landless farmers in Bukidnon while failing to get the approval of his family’s equally long-suffering tenant-tillers over at Hacienda Luisita. Or why Noynoy’s camp would actually welcome the Sumilao farmers’ endorsement, when it would only highlight the continuing crisis in his inherited plantation.

If I were Noynoy, I’d wonder if the Sumilao statement was a joke, as well. But I’m not—and I certainly don’t find the ironic endorsement from Bukidnon funny, either.

* * *

Again, from the Noynoy camp, we hear this week of the unveiling of an Obama-like program of universal health care for all Filipinos by 2015 under a new Aquino administration. From someone who has never accomplished anything of national significance by himself heretofore, the Yellow candidate does promise a lot.

As far as we can tell, the only real commonality between Barack and Noynoy is a predisposition to light up cigarettes whenever they can. And we think Obama is way ahead of Aquino in their shared promise to kick the nicotine habit, as well.

But, since we already mentioned Luisita, it’s important to remember that Noynoy also famously promised that he would distribute the hacienda’s land to the farmers who have tilled it for generations in 2015. Only to be exposed as a liar by his own cousin Fernando Cojuangco who operates the agricultural estate in an interview by the New York Times.

Noynoy’s response to the NYT story that his cousin may have been “misquoted” only put him deeper in trouble after Carlos Conde, the Gray Lady’s Manila correspondent, threatened to make public the tape where Cojuangco blew his cousin’s promise to bits. In fact, before making his new universal health-care promise this week, Noynoy has conspicuously been avoiding making a promise to do anything big five years from now.

As is the case with most of Noynoy’s campaign promises, this one doesn’t go further than a press release simply because there is no way of judging if he can deliver, given the dearth of his past accomplishments. As far as health goes, in fact, Aquino has not even made it perfectly clear if he supports state programs to promote contraception or not.

Up to now, Noynoy has not even presented a detailed energy program, even as daily power outages and soaring electricity costs have returned with a vengeance. All we get from the supposed frontrunner, this late in the campaign, are motherhood statements, unthought-out programs and declarations of being unblemished (walang bahid).

Promises, promises, promises. These from the man who is supposed to be the antithesis of the traditional politician.

If Noynoy wins and his health-care program fails to materialize, who is to call him to account for lying? At least his cousins in Luisita have gone on the record to say that what this big-talking candidate promises isn’t always what’s going to come to pass.

* * *

Speaking of Luisita, the Web site Bulatlat.com has produced a short video that explodes the myth of Noynoy’s claim of being “walang bahid.” It’s an eye-opener—but only for those who haven’t been permanently blinded by the Yellow light.