Filipinos are getting impatient. It’s been many days now since Vice President Jejomar Binay challenged his nemesis ‘senator’ Antonio Trillanes IV to a “debate”. And as the days wear on, the chances that this will actually happen get slimmer as both camps realise that this is likely going to turn out to be a battle of the witless. What are they going to debate? Inquirer columnist Randy David in so many words answered that question today: Nobody knows. But I’ve got a different answer:
It does not matter.
This is basically just a political sabong — a cockfight. The sabong is a strong part of the Filipino’s tradition of bloodlust — a distasteful cultural trait of the Filipino that lawyer Harry Roque, in fact, recently tapped to buttress his case against United States Marine Pfc Joseph Scott Pemberton yesterday when he released graphic photos of a dead Jeffrey Laude, Pemberton’s alleged victim.
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The truth does not really matter to Filipinos. The fact that corruption issues of astounding scale and impunity involving top-level government officials can languish for decades across countless teleseryes of pointless Senate “inquiries” is a testament to that fact. Look no further than the 1983 murder of supposed “national hero” Benigno ‘Ninoy’ Aquino Jr. His son is currently the most powerful man in the Philippines. Yet his death remains unsolved.
If the most powerful man in the land cannot push along the solving of the murder of his own father, how much of a chance does the resolution of other crimes in the Philippines get? Interestingly enough, Roque was also the attack lawyer defending the victims of that other (but largely forgotten) big-time murder case, the Maguindanao Massacre where 58 people where killed allegedly by Datu Unsay mayor Andal Ampatuan, Jr. Indeed, Roque is racking up quite the no-results track record for himself. Perhaps the Laudes should start to re-evaluate their legal strategy.
If the truth behind senseless murders is not something that routinely arouses a sustained hunger for closure in Filipinos, what more the truth behind the corruption allegations being levied by Trillanes against Binay?
It is likely that Binay will go on to become president in 2016. Indeed, since when have allegations of corruption blunted a Filipinos poltician’s chances of winning an election to begin with? Filipino crooks winning elections and re-elections is a strong Filipino tradition. And given that Philippine presidential elections are often a festive circus involving four to five candidates, Binay only needs at least 25 percent of the vote to win. That means at his current “popularity rating” of 70 percent, his detractors need to come up with bigger gobs of mud to sling at him over the next 18 months to peter down that number to a level that gives a warmer fuzzier feeling around the winnability metrics of his challengers.
Note how the “truth” hardly figures at all in this politicial strategy engineering. One word:
Kamote.
Filipinos are world-renowned for their kamote thinking when voting for politicians. A debate between Binay and Trillanes will be great mind candy for a nation of kamote minds and a bonanza to the hipster media outlets that will be broadcasting it. But in terms of revealing the truth? We need not hold our breaths. Filipinos don’t go to cockfights to exercise their intellectual faculties. The whole point is to have fun in the spirit of that famous tourism slogan.
Truth and justice? Leave that to the Americans and their ways.
benign0 is the Webmaster of GetRealPhilippines.com.
It’s a win-win situation actually, its either Trillianes nails Binay and his popularity drops (hopefully) or Trillianes fumbles and we have a comedic episode.
I suggest getting popcorns.
Does trillianes have any experience in debating?
I’m not rooting for either of them but I think coup boy is going to have a hard time.
He admits that he doesn’t have the edge and experience of Binay but maintains that he is not scared since he is standing on the side of the truth.
It will never be a win-win situation. People elected these bastards to do their job and they’re going to waste taxpayer’s money by getting into a whose-penis-is-longer debate. As a taxpayer, I want both of them get sued for SALN inconsistencies and get them jailed in Muntinlupa with regular prisoners.
Not really sure who will come out as “the winner”, but I’m pretty sure who’ll lose.
-With the public’s attention on the up-coming debate, nobody is paying attention to the irregularities on the 2015 budget.
http://manilastandardtoday.com/2014/10/30/p2-6t-nat-l-budget-ok-d-amid-protest/
http://manilastandardtoday.com/2014/10/28/militants-bare-p500-b-budget-for-lp-war-chest/
-and then there’s the rehabilitation of the “survivors” of last years catastrophes (earthquake and Yolanda).
I really have to hand it to this administration, they’re really good at coming up with issues that would shift the public’s attention, with the help of the Yellow Media of course.
we all lose if we continue patronizing this farce. DAP/ PDAF was overwhelmed by this melodrama and now that the budget was passed, along with errata err insertions, that virtually allows the consfication of unliquidated budgets all Filipinos are once again gypped…
The Debates subject/questions will come from the audience selected, by raffles…
Questions are directed to either one of the debaters. If one is asked the question; the other is requested to answer for rebutal…
Any question regarding our country or of themselves: corruption,job track records, personal questions,ideology, religious belief, point of views, etc…this is one way to examine their inner thoughts…everything goes in asking the questionm, to become the: Subject of the Debate, from time to time…
A Moderator of the debate can be choosen by Raffle. I recommend retired Justices of the Supreme Court, can be good Moderator.
The job of the Moderator, is to impose the Rules of the Debate; and as a Referee.
We have to have good Political Shows. At least, this will be a Quality Control of those seeking for Public Office…
When you are Hiring someone in your Company. You look for his resume, and interview the job applicant…we have to “interview” the potential candidates, also; regarding issues raised against them…or why they are interested in the position…
I know most Filipinos cannot understand issues. But, we have to learn; everybody has to learn…
That circus of both idiots is like watching the TV show Banzai.
The televised Binay-Trillanes Debate will be a good show and entertainment. Much like the ancient Romans’ Gladiator fights.
“Ang isda ay nahuhuli sa bunganga…”
“Huliin natin sila sa bunganga nila…”
A Crook versus a Political Opportunist/Crook…debating who is the better Crook…
Isa lang ang nakikinabang sa zarzuela na yan kundi si BS Aquino kasi diversionary tactic lang yan ng Sindikatong Dilaw para malihis sa issue ng HolDAP at sa PERRATAng isingit nila sa 2015 Budget na inaprobahan ng Tongresso. I don’t know kung yang mga taong galit na galit ki Binay na matindi mag comment sa Social Media ay parte ng MISSCOM Group na funded ng Malasyañang or mga taong na misled ng Bayarang Media.
There are YellowTard Trolls…there are YellowTard Bloggers…there are YellowTard Hackers…there are YellowTard Gnomes, who deceive their readers thru their Blogs…
“Pawala ni Aquino ang mga ito…”
These two clowns are both thieves, to say one is a bigger thief than the other is MAYBE correct and MAYBE incorrect……..
BUT the fact remainsO THEY ARE BITH THIEVES !
STRING ‘EM UP !
It’s a sad waste of politics when the country is treated to a show determining which senator has the bigger dick.
If I wanted to watch two dicks going at each other I’d rather watch gay porn — and with gay porn, even when it’s rough at least things get done, and everyone involved is happy in the end.