Silent No More is one of those Facebook pages that crosses my timeline now and then, largely because some of my friends belong to the yellow political spectrum or have business with some of its high priests.
Among Silent No More’s recent posts, one that made me cringe a bit was one that shamed Elenita Fernando by calling her the mistress of House Speaker Bebot Alvarez.
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Of course, we’ve all been taught to expect all our public officials to abide by high moral standards — especially when it comes to keeping the sanctity of their marriage.
In fact, religious traditions as well as our laws governing the behavior of public officials impose these moral standards.
But here’s the thing, Silent No More bringing up the alleged extra marital affair between House Speaker Alvarez and Ms. Fernando is not an issue of morality as much as it is crass moralism.
Moralism, if you look it up, refers to the practice of moralizing, especially showing a tendency to make judgments about others’ morality.
Let’s not forget that the Liberal Party, at the height of the 2016 campaign, had a run of pretty lewd dance numbers during its political gatherings.
And I can probably cite a handful of stories of how one leading Liberal Party member in congress was quite the lecher, offering a member of his staff money for sexual favors. Quite understandable really, he has to pay for sex because I doubt any woman would fall for his looks.
“We’re all hypocrites pati si Speaker, lahat kami dito wala nang ranggo kapag ganun. Sino bang walang kaligayahan?” he told reporters.
“Tanungin natin ilan ang lawmakers na may 2,3, 4 na babae, tanungin mo sila. Tanungin mo ang lawmakers, ilan ang lalaki sa buhay nila?” he said.
In the case of Alvarez, all the moralizing is meant to oust him as House Speaker with the objective of weakening Duterte’s influence in the House of Representatives or install someone who might be friendlier to the interests of the so-called political opposition.
Let’s not kid ourselves folks, most of the times our politicians play the morality card because it will benefit them either by making themselves appear to be the “good public servant” or to make the masses hate their opponents.
Thing is, with House Speaker Alvarez out of the picture and with someone less able to push the administration’s legislative agenda, President Duterte might find it more difficult to fulfill a number of his campaign promises. This creates the opportunity for his detractors to then make claims the President is either insincere or ineffective in pushing for the reforms he promised during the campaign.
Writer.
Yes the moralizing of politicians gets old very fast. One political party attacks the other for the same garbage it does. Is it possible for politicians not to be hypocrites? I don’t know if honesty is allowed. The world would shut down if there was honesty, because people wouldn’t know what to do. Samok kayo.
I really dont care who bangs who and whether that happens outside of marriage. As long as a person does his/her job good or even excellent. And yes, those 2 (banging others & doing an excellent job at work) can go hand in hand.
Thank goodness, adultery is no crime in my country.
@Robert Haighton. From what country do you come from ? Name it so that your country be shortlisted as my asylum place in case a civil war break out in the country. hehehe
Ngek,
Only in case you are serious (which I doubt)
the name of the country I live in is the Netherlands (also known as Holland).
Probably maybe we have the most lenient laws you can think of.
Adultery: no crime
Blasphemy: no crime
Legal abortion
Legal euthanasia
So to make a long story longer: a quite unethical, immoral country (from your perspective probably).
Bob,
I am not trying to burst your bubble. But it seems that you come from a country whose morality definitely belongs in the trash bin. Your country is even worse than mine! And you sound proud of it. By the look of it, I would presume you indulge in adultery (or would gladly LOVE to.) Why not! it’s not a crime. Well, to each his own.
Aphetsky,
how can I defend myself against such accusations. If I say, I never commited adultery you will NOT believe me. If I admit to having commited adultery, you will probably say “I told you so. I knew it. Its so obvious”. So either way, I am fucked (pun intended).
So lets try to defend the law that says adultery is no crime.
The law is very practical. To enforce the law in the opposite way, YOU need to stand in everybody’s bedroom, backseat of a car, a beach head, a dark alley and everywhere. That equals a police state. Will you pay the cost of every cop? And what about fighting real crime?
Adultery is something between 2 (or should I say 3?) people. If you and I are married and you (or I) still feel the urge to have sex with the neighbour wife/husband, its better to question OUR relationship. Probably you do it, bec I dont want or cant give what you sexually want/need.
So, pls end the relationship and find somebody who is willing to give you what you need/want.
Better yet, before we even got married, it would have been better we talked/discussed about what we expect from each other in all fields. But I think talking about sex (with one’s partner) in PH is still a taboo. (so lets stick to the ‘missionary’ position and lets stick to the bed to have sex that way).
All the above are things that concern our private lives and not to concern OUR/YOUR government. If and when we have (sexual) ‘problems’ we should and must solve those problems ourselves. We can also visit a relationship counsellor (psychologist) (Tip: have you seen the movie “Mr. & Mrs. Smith”?). By starting an extra curriculum sexual relationship is not solving a problem (even when itis legally allowed).
Does adultery happen in my country: yes hands down, no doubt about it.
I always feel sorry for the ‘victim’ but then I always think: you (she & he; or he & he or she & she) both are stupid. A relationship needs maintenance and good understanding. If one/both fail(s) to talk and does not communicate, then such a relationhip will fail to be successful. It is doomed.
I will never promote adultery. Personally, I think its a weak offer (Dutch: zwaktebod) to find some lust (or anal sex or oral sex) with somebody bec one’s wife is not willing. Who the fuck did you marry to in the first place? You dont even know her.
To make a long story longer:
– When adultery is a crime, it is NOT enforceable.
– And those who get caught (by their significant other) with their pants down (so to speak) are dumb heads.
– To make it public that I commited adultery, must really be embarrassing for my ‘wife’. She will now think: “am I not good enough?” And by actually going public, thats indeed the message that I will send (to her). On the other hand, people can question, who the hell I married (bec I didnt know her before I married her). So how stupid can I be? Very stupid !!!!!!
Aphetsky,
very recently, the Dutch prime-minister (Mark Rutte) spoke the following words in public:
“if you dont like this country (Netherlands), then get lost and go back to your own country”.
I will never use such phrase and also not think in thos words. What Mark meant was: The Netherlands have liberals progressive laws. You know that, everybody knows that. Embrace those laws, use those laws to your benefit or dont use them.
Because we have same-sex marriage laws, doesnt mean that I have to use that law.
Example:
We have legal abortion (until week 24). For you an unethical, immoral law maybe. So then dont use that law. BUT dont bully, dont pester, dont discriminate others who use that law.
And in case you really cant stand it at all, then I also think, its better for you to find a country that suits your ‘needs’ better.
PS: people and politicians in my country hardly ever use words like ethics/ethical and moral/morality. Those words are inpractical. it limits options.
Aphetsky,
BTW: what is the exact definition of adultery and who is the adulterer?
I never have been married and still arent. So that means, technically I cant commit adultery.
I do admit, however, that once I was in a relationship with a woman who was technically still married at that time. At that same time, she was in the process of getting a divorce.
The worst mockery that can make of a moralist is that he/she compels him/her to be a solipsist.
@ Robert Haighton, The Netherlands has figured out what the rest of the world needs to figure out, and that is to stop moralising about what anyone but yourself is doing and that if you are not hurting anyone in any way, what you are doing is probably OK.One reason the Failippines is so fucked is because of the Catholic guilt tripping mentality will failing to realize that people have been having sex since the begining of Mankind and without we do not exist. …DUH !!! and that usually the Moral Majority is the worst offenders of so called ‘MORALITY’ and so should just get with the times and learn that those that judge do not matter, and that those who matter do not judge. I mean really, WHO THE FUCK IS ANYONE TO JUDGE ANYONE ELSE ?
Ee-Bah,
“I mean really, who the fuck is anyone to judge anyone else?”
I am judged/criticised every day. By the police when I am speeding (result: I get a ticket/fine); by my parents when I do something stupid; by my employer when I do things that may harm the company.
In short: criticism/judging is done to make an individual a better person in order to be perfect.
A society/nation without judging each other is doomed to fail to move forward, move up, not progress, not evolve and not improve.
yeah after Marcos the philippines went wild. that’s what they called democracy. sex, drugs, and gambling the story of pompii. blame it to edsa1.
Did I really have to imply the MORALITY part of the judgement in my question? The imposition of others morals upon others in-so-far as morals are concerned? The question was not about law-breaking or not doing one’s job, but it had to be stated as such? I guess I did….I gave too much credit to someone, to actually think someone might understand something implied is my bad, AGAIN.
@ HAIGHTON, YOU JACKASS, I WAS TALKING ABOUT JUDGING PEOPLE’s MORALS BASED ON WHAT THOSE ‘OTHERS’ MORALS THINK ARE CORRECT ‘MORALS’, NOT REFFERING TO HOW GOOD JOB YOU DO OR HOW YOU DRIVE THRU RED LIGHTS etc….. I DID NOT THINK I HAD TO SPELL IT OUT….BUT FOR YOU, YA JACKASS, I GUESS I DID, THAT IS THE LAST TIME I STICK UP FOR YOU…U WILL BE SORRY U CROSSED ME….
Ee,
thank you for chosing your words so eloquently.
Moralism is a “gray area” to me. Moralism is Relative…it depends on your: religion, culture, tribal influence, and what you believe as moral.
In Judeo Christian teachings: “Thou shalt not commit adultery” , is one of the Ten Commandments… In the Islamic religion; men can have many wives, as long as they can provide for the wives. The King of Saudi Arabia, has a Harem of wives and concubines.
Ancient Kings had Harems, composed of many wives and concubines. Bishop Bacani , a Roman Catholic Bishop , has two wives. Some Roman Catholic Priests were convicted of Pedhophilia, and homosexuality… I wonder, what is happening behind the curtains of some convents and nunneries.
Sexual Urge is a strong force , in us…especially, if you are young and willing. Some women are attracted to powerful and rich men. Some women are bored with their partners. Some OFW wives, are looking for sexual outlets, because of the absence of their husbands. Some women just want the challenge of taking away the husband of other women…some single women, just want sexual adventures !
I am not encouraging anyone to fornicate anywhere…the sexual revolution has passed, and we have now the “HIV disease”…so beware of who your sexual partner !
Who was not adulterous of our public officials ?
Enrile has Honasan , as his son in law…the wife of Honasan is the daughter of Enrile , out of wedlock.
The late Pres. Marcos, had many children out of marriage.
Fidel Ramos had a “kabit” or mistress.
Pnoy Aquino is a “closet homosexual”…
Leila de Lima, has Ronnie Dayan, and a handful of lovers, some are convicts…
I know of some Senators and Congressmen, who have have more than one wives.
Of course, immorality is a ground for someone in the public service, to be dismissed…but, how can we implement it ?
The low level government employee can be removed on the grounds of immorality. Lawyers, can be disbarred; and other licensed professionals can have their licenses removed by immorality…
The high level government employees…seem to be immuned from the charge of immorality.
The issue of morality is still debatable…
LOOK, in the 21st Century, anything goes…get with it or get lost….literally.
@Robert Haighton Those people who think anything goes in the 21th Century and who do not believe and practice the universal value of the negative form of the Golden Rule which is not doing unto others what we do not want others done on us surely have not experienced the specter of death placed right in front of their doorsteps. The imminence of death with certainty humbles the most arrogant and all-knowing,
Otherwise these people will learn to be humble and tolerate others sharing their ideas for the common good. These people deserve the ruthlessness of Lex Taliones and suicide bombers accompanying them to heaven or hell.
Ngek,
You could have fooled me but isnt it the ultimate and only goal of a religious Filipino to meet its creator? So now and here is your chance with death on your doorstep and you start crying me a river? Your life is totally consumed and focused and centered around your god and your jesus christ. So pls give me a break and pls go and meet your creator.
Your so obsessed about the golden rule. That rule doesnt work for the simple fact that your pain levels are higher than mine. So you can absorb much more than me. So the golden rule is never an objective rule. Again this rule is implemented so that lousy people dont have to meet criticism (hiya and all that shit).
yeah after Marcos the philippines went wild. that’s what they called democracy. sex, drugs, and gambling the story of pompii. blame it to edsa1. – salagintong bukid
@salagintong bukid – You do not really know what happened in edsa1. The miracle at EDSA1 was not because of Cory. Cory was leading this country t o a bloody chaotic civil war if not for a creative apolitical Filipino who brought the specter of death right in the doorsteps of the opposing elites, the pro-Marcos elite against the pro-Cory elite.
Only when the opposing elites are terrified of coming physical suffering and death upon themselves will they learn to be rational and care for the common good. Why are there civil wars because the opposing leaders are safe in the war rooms ordering people for their foolishness, arrogance and greed ! Let death come to them and surely they will negotiate for peace.
That was the essence of EDSA1, it was meant to prevent soldiers from killing each others, miztahs running after the throats of their fellow miztahs. Do you want the truth how Enrile was framed to run terrified to Camp Aguinaldo and later to Camp Crame to make his dying declaration to save his skin?
Blame Cory and his KKK and her willingness to a Pilipinas being raped by unbridled free enterprise economy of liberalization, privatization and deregulation with the coming new breed of oligarchs composed of Cory politicians, her KKK, balimbing former Marcos dummies like Lucio Tan and other Chinese taipans with the 60-40 economic provision in Cory’s Constitution which hijacked the 1973 Constitution to guarantee the local new elite looting of whatever Marcos looted, of government assets and of the country’s natural resources !
But never never blame it on EDSA1 because if you do you are both ignorant and stupid to be condemned by future generations!
@Robert Haighton. Excuse me Sir. Please do not accuse me as a religious person. I am neither a theist or an atheist for your peace of mind, I am an apatheist by choice, if by chance you know what an apatheist is.
But I am extremely tolerant of others’ beliefs as long as they practice it following the negative form of the Golden Rule.
May be it is your first time to meet a Filipino who simply admits himself as an apatheist so please do not be shocked. But I do believe that are so many Filipinos like me who detest being lumped as a religious person by unthinking foreigners like you.
@Robert Haighton And who are you to tell me that I am obsessed with the practice of the negative form of the Golden Rule ? Is practicing the negative form of the Golden Rule at all times an obsession ? Please define the word or concept of obsession so that I can understand you better.
I am tolerant, Sir, of others opinion more so if they blurt their opinion in their idiotic interval. But I can not tolerate such opinion of yours if your claim you are telling it in your normal or lucid interval.
Ngek,
Look and listen to me for a second:
You live in a country where a dude (Duterte) can be president with only 39% of the votes. Then you live in a country where the people can vote seperately for a vice-president. How fucked up do you want to have it? Then in a different era, people vote for a corrupt president/government (Aquino).
We can say a lot about the recent Turkish referendum, but at least it was won by 51% (for now).
Isnt it about time to change the entire political system in your country including rewriting the constitution and change a few laws (or better yet: change a lot of laws)?
With such numbers (39%) people are asking for trouble and problems. If there is no uprising by the people then nothing will change in your country, ever. Since Duterte is in power I cancelled my trips to PH for the simple reason that I dont want to end up in a statistic called “collateral damage” (or being at the wrong place at the wrong time).
@Robert Haighton What is the connection of Duterte with your calling me a religious person and one who is obsessed with the practice of the negative form of the Golden Rule ? Another episode of your idiotic interval or simple your normal behavior in reacting of issues before you ?
Is that not a red herring? We have a local version, an species we call “hito”. It is a black one not red.
Going back to your Duterte argument. Fyi, I did not vote for Duterte but voted for at the last minute “superman”, an unknown whackoo to as my protest vote against an electoral system that is deliberately flawed to favor the moneyed.
Anyway 30% of the registered voters voted for Duterte in the desperate longing for change. During the election I even called Duterte the Pied Piper from Davao City because I saw how the multitude of Filipinos followed and waited for him in his campaign trails like rats following the proverbial Pied Piper.
But as a responsible citizen I have to submit to the results even if Soros Smartmatic ( to my mind) did a high tech swindle to dilute Duterte’s winning margin and ease out vice president candidate Bongbong Marcos. I am an eclectic person that it does not matter whether the good idea comes from the devil or my worst enemy as long as it works for the common good.
Instead of Duterte’s favorite expletive ” son of a whore” I wish he could utter more often ” puto’t kutsinta !” ( 2 varieties of ricecakes) or Kamote ! ( sugar potato).
Duterte is doing a short cut of the legal processes to mete his idea of justice to criminals because of the flaws of the legal system , of its excruciatingly slow, of its tedious and expensive litigation expenses in the criminal and civil justice systems.
Although I do not agree with him because there are indeed better ways, but these better ways do not for now reach him because of so many people and ideas competing for his attention.
For a foreigner like you not used to violence like those inflicted suicide bombing Islamist extremists, the biased Philippine mainstream media selective accounts of alleged EJKs surely have scared. One sure we do not have yet in this country suicide bombers wrapping themselves with bombs to bring to hell our corrupt congressmen who voted against the inclusion of plunder as one of those heinous crimes in the revival of death penalty in the Philippines.