Noisy Waniwan

By Gregorio Valenzuela / January 4, 2007

DEMOCRACY is good but it is imperfect, Ronnie Waniwan.

The mere fact that you are telling people that you are a broadcaster is proof that democracy could suck at times. You are a living proof that, in the wrong hands, democracy can be as dangerous as dictatorship.

Why should you be considered a broadcaster, Waniwan? What is your qualification? Boxing?

But because democracy is imperfect, you can go around telling people that you are a broadcaster when fact is, you are nothing but a political mercenary. You have bastardized press freedom by invoking it in your poor attempts at justifying your nonmeaningful and often, unintelligent commentaries that are actually cheap demolition jobs.

For your information, Waniwan, press freedom is only for legitimate members of the working press, not for pseudo broadcasters like you. Go around and ask any legitimate and sane mediaperson if he or she thinks that you are genuine. No one in his right mind would call you a broadcaster because you are not. That is because you, Ronnie Waniwan, are an impostor.

If democracy is a set of teeth, you are that white-yellowish substance that accummulate in the sides of every tooth when someone does not brush and floss for days.

You are cheap and I doubt if you have principles. The way I see it, you are the type who would say anything on air against anyone in exchange for P500. For P100, you might just agree to kiss the behind of any politician. That is how cheap I think you are and that is why, people who really know you have no respect for you.

Not only are you a fake, Waniwan. You are also a braggart. You have been boasting about how you purportedly caused the suspension of a judge, forced the city administrator of Gingoog to resign, and purportedly challenged the governor of my province, Joe Zubiri, to a fistfight. Yet when Governor Joe took up the challenge, you trembled and nearly wet your pants, and then you went on air to cry harassment. Poor press freedom, political mercenaries pretending to be members of the press have used it time and again to conceal their lack of courage.

Have you ever asked yourself that maybe something is very wrong with you, Waniwan? Wherever you go, you create enemies. That is a sign of a person who is sick in the head. For a former boxer like you, this is not unthinkable. The punches must have flattened not only your nose but your brains as well.

That is what Jerry Orcullo, former president of the Press Club, thinks. At least, that was our main topic when we were introduced to each other recently.

The man is so angry at you he now regrets fighting for your right to say what you wanted to say when you were jailed in Gingoog. When he discovered that you are prostituting the media profession, it was already too late. After what Orcullo did for you, you challenged him to a fight when he found out and called your attention regarding your money-making activities.

The next time you throw a challenge like that, do not text it; say it straight to the man’s face. Based on the way Orcullo said things about you, my advice to you is: Always bring diapers from now on and prepare to wet your pants, Waniwan.

The problem with some boxers who get knocked out in the ring often is, they have this tendency to talk too much. They are full of air. Yes, just like you, Waniwan.

Go back to boxing.

People don't trust 'trapos'

By Gregorio Valenzuela / December 13, 2006

YOU still do not get it, do you, Jose de Venecia and Constantino Jaraula?

You are so stubborn. Filipinos want you to drop your campaign to amend the 1987 Constitution. The problem is not Charter change, the problem is YOU. It is not the food, it is the cook.Why can’t you understand that people simply don’t trust you. Period.

Until now you refuse to accept that because of you, many Filipinos do not consider Charter change, whether through constituent assembly or constitutional convention, as an option.

So please, stop fighting and accept that Filipinos do not want people like you to mess with the Constitution. Do not even think of touching the Charter because people are convinced that your hands are dirty.

Understand, too, that given the current political and economic circumstances, there is no way and no how that amending the Constitution can bring anything but harm to the country. By this time, your self-serving agendas have been completely exposed, and for you to insist on amending the Charter given this is to risk greater social conflict. Do you really want that to happen?

Stop saving face because you have no more face to save, Jose and Constantino. Concede defeat and pack up all your plans for Charter change.You lost your own reputations by embarking and insisting on a unilateral constituent assembly without the Senate. It was a move that revealed your lamentable lack of scruples and respect not only for legal processes, but also for the public’s opinion. And now, in order to save face, you want Con-con.

If only to begin making up for this, the least that you can do is declare Con-ass and Con-con dead for now. Apologize to the Filipino people. True, you would court disappointment, but you just never know.

You have forgotten matters that are of much importance because the issues of Charter change, Con-ass and Con-con are taking up much of your time in the House of Representatives. By no means should you try to justify yourselves and make excuses for the gross abuse of authority you have done in the last few days.

Show your statesmanship and admit defeat in the face of the strong wall of protest because the will of the House majority cannot be exercised and imposed against the will of majority of Filipinos.

You have caused a lot of damage. The damage has been done. Through this botched exercise of political will, you have further decreased your already limited chances of securing administration seats in the next year’s senatorial and congressional elections. This entire debacle will boomerang against all of you and serve as one more compelling reason why all of you, trapos, should not be allowed to remain in office. This country cannot have leaders like you who put their own political ambitions ahead of the country’s interest.

So shut up, Jose and Constantino, and stop defending your crooked position. You lost already.

Jaraula just flunked the Four-Way Test

By Gregorio Valenzuela / December 8, 2006

WHAT’S with you, Constantino Jaraula?

You are supposed to be one of Mindanao’s brilliant minds. When you were in the city hall of Cagayan de Oro, people looked up to you because you were a no-nonsense councilor. Whenever you spoke, people listened because you always made sense.

Now, you are full of the Charter Change crap. By chairing the Cha-cha committee and by taking part in the House juggernaut, you have become a disgrace to Mindanao. How could you allow yourself to be become a part of this massive inexorable force that seems to crush everything in its way, Constantino?

You are such a disgrace to Cagayan de Oro and its people. You are even a disgrace to the Rotary, the organization you profess to love and serve.

Let me ask you four simple questions, Congressman and ‘‘Rotary International District Governor’’ Constantino Jaraula, and tell me if I am wrong in telling you that your actions in the House of Representatives is very un-Rotarian.

Is it the truth? The ‘‘truth’’ is that Jose de Venecia wants to become prime minister. You have long been withholding this truth from the people.

Is it fair to all concerned? Tell it to the millions of Filipinos who were sleeping while you, de Venecia and Co. staged that sneak attack. Was it fair to the House minority? Was it fair to use numerical superiority so just you can ram this unspeakable thing down our throat?

Will it build goodwill and better friendships? What ‘‘goodwill’’ and what ‘‘better friendships’’? People are furious again, thanks to you.

Will it be beneficial to all concerned? Says CBCP president and Archbishop Angel Lagdameo of Jaro of what you did: ‘‘God save our country!’’ The only people who will benefit from what you are doing are people like you and de Venecia.

You just flunked the Rotary’s Four-Way Test, Mr. RI District Governor. Your participation in the House sneak attack goes against everything the Rotary Club stands for.

You say you are retiring from politics. Why not retire now? You would be doing Filipinos, including Rotarians, a big favor if you step down––not tomorrow, not next year, but now. Retire and enjoy your new swimming pool in Indahag.

You ought to retire from Rotary too, because, like your fellow Rotarian Jocjoc Bolante, you have given it a bad name.

Too bad. You have spent the good years of your life in public service only to end it with a very ugly legacy. The name you built all these years has just been destroyed. Better make use of your remaining time to right the wrong and maybe, just maybe, you can salvage whatever is left of your name.

Whenever I see you in TV, I am reminded of that clown of a congressman from Maguindanao who stood by Joseph Estrada during the impeachment trial. Yes, you are beginning to look like the new Didagen Dilangalen.

I hope the new swimming pool and everything that goes with it are worth it.

Shame on you, Constantino!

Jinxes

By Gregorio Valenzuela / November 23, 2006

HOW are you today, Lover Boy? Did you paint the town red or wake up on the wrong side of the bed again?

Tell me, why should the mayors of the province of Misamis Oriental choose your chief-of-staff Cresencio over Jaime?

Jaime is a political neophyte and the only thing that the mayors have against him is that he has dipped his fingers into the pie that should have been divided among themselves. True, this has caused feelings of resentment and Oscar may soon find himself paying a big price for allowing Jaime to devour everything, including the crumbs. Yet it seems that the price Oscar would pay would not be too much after all because talk has it that he may not be your main opponent in 2007.

I could be wrong, of course. But if what is being talked about in the coffee shops is true, Augusto is going to find himself in very big trouble next year.

If you wish, you may bring all the mayors to the moon. But it will not make any difference. Yes, Augusto, it will not mean anything to them because, face it, you know and they know that you do not have the makings of a governor. It shows and everyone can see that politics should not have been a career for you in the first place. Whenever you speak in public, you stammer and you do not make any sense at all. All you do is show off and go around in circles and in most cases, you just fail to make a point. If not for the money, no group would want you to be a speaker because you are boring.

In addition, the mayors of Misamis Oriental hate Cresencio’s face and there is nothing you can do about it. Even Vicente hates Cresencio. Did you hear what the mayor said about Cresencio in one of his radio interviews? Well, the mayors of Misamis Oriental think the same way. Given what is cooking now (You mean you still do not have an idea?), it is not unimaginable that I can only count three mayors who will have no choice but to bear with you if you decide to really pursue your dream of becoming governor. I am referring to the mayors of Laguindingan, Balingasag and, of course, your sister. Can you tell me if the mayor of Opol is yours? Nope!

You would probably get a few more mayors if Oscar runs for reelection. But the problem is, there are indications that he might run for congressman again in the First District.

Yevgeny is ‘‘in love’’ with Oscar and does not want the governor to be displaced. (Do not be malicious, Lover Boy. I do not mean ‘‘in love’’ as in ‘‘in love.’’) Because of their ties, Padayon Pilipino is said to be considering Oscar’s comeback in the First District an option.

What happens to Danilo then? Oh, Danilo is going to be so fine under the set-up, I tell you. But I will leave you hanging for awhile. Go figure it out, Augusto. Just do not underestimate the power of the Masons. And watch out for the rise of a new political animal in Misamis Oriental who is famous for his patron saint and his chickens because with him around, the more comfortable will Danilo become.

There is a force so strong in Misamis Oriental right now that is shaping a ‘‘Dream Team’’ in the province to prove Cresencio wrong about his political strategy. Except for Oscar, all are Masons, Augusto.

Cresencio and his big mouth! In his eagerness to sweet-talk the mayors into committing themselves to you, he bragged about how ‘‘defeat-proof’’ his political strategy is. Imagine Cresencio telling the mayors who have been licking Vicente’s boots that Augusto’s 2007 plan is designed to give even the former governor and incumbent Cagayan de Oro mayor a run for his money! Wow, careful, Mayor Vicente, Cresencio is ready to knock you down the way Manny Pacquiao floored Erik Morales! What gave you the idea, Cresencio, that your magician’s moustache scares Vicente? Ang kapal...

While Cresencio is partly responsible, Augusto, for what you are right now, it appears that he is also going to be a factor for your downfall.

Start milking the goats, Cresencio, because the rainy days are coming.

P.S. There’s a self-professed political operator masquerading as a writer. The man is a political jinx, I tell you. Pablo, Erasmo, Ruth and Antonio lost when he sang praises to them. Vicente and all the politicians this political operator relentlessly attacked in 1995, 1998, 2001 and 2004 won in those years. Now, this big loser is singing to a different tune and he is praising the very people he once smeared to the high heavens. Beware of Mr. Jinx, Lover Boy, because all the politicians whose boots he licked lost.