President Rodrigo Duterte said that if he had his way, he preferred the next president should be a lawyer although from the present crop of presidential aspirants, only two are lawyers. But it seems neither is getting his blessing. On hindsight, his daughter is a lawyer. Baka naman s’ya yung tinutukoy.
In the local scene, the wish and sentiment of many seems the same – preferably a lawyer – not one who calls himself a “messiah” but who later turns out to be so full of himself.
The joke goes that once upon a time in a distant land, the people of Baguio looked up to the heavens and prayed to their gods to bless them with bountiful harvest and send them a messiah in human form.
A guy showed up and said, “Nu adda makita yo nga nalalaing ngem siak, di dak ibot-botos. Saan kayo kasapolan!”or phrases to that effect. Well, I have bad news for you. Ad-ado da nga nalalaing ngem sika.
By the way, local lawyers are up in arms about this guy who made a new presidential appointee wait for 45 minutes until he can be accommodated for his scheduled courtesy call. When called to his office and even before the new official sat down, the guy said in a loud, berating voice “I do not like you! I did not recommend you! I will have your appointment revoked! Abogado ka lang! Imbestigador ako! You better pray hard that I will lose this election because I will have your appointment revoked.”
Eh ‘di wow! Hindi yata niya alam na ang presidential appointment cannot be revoked.
Former Public Information Office staff member Bong Cayabyab calls him “Putin ng Baguio”.
Cayabyab also cited a complaint from photographers at the Burnham Park who were told not expect any help and that they should just go back to their provinces.
The way this guy treats people seems to be the biggest flaw in his character.
Same guy confirmed his presence to give the welcome remarks in a Rotary milestone event and made the guest speaker who arrived on time all the way from Pangasinan wait for an hour. No show. What a big head.
Talks are in every nook and corner in this city – from businessmen, police, barangays, market people, vendors or ordinary people. Don’t look far. Just listen and you could feel the dislike. Hindi bale at marami naman daw po nagdadasal na “wish granted” na matalo ka lalo na ‘yung mga sinasabihan mo na hindi mo sila kailangan. Of course, the smart machine is another story.
The true messiah lives in our hearts and minds and we should follow our soul and dump those claiming to be saviors of our city. If only for this, the best executive in this city is the lawyer who does not need and cannot pretend that he is a crook disguised as a saint.
Someone who deals with people with respect and dignity. Someone who will humanize the law and not dictate his command as if it were Napoleon Bonaparte’s edict.
Two lawyers are running but it also appears that no one has yet gotten a blessing and though we are only good for 10 votes, the same will go to either of them.
When I was a kid, I thought I too was the messiah. Every time my father said anything to me it always started with “Jesus Christ!”
And like Denzel Washington said to Will Smith after he knocked the senses out of Chris Rock, “In your highest moments, be careful, that’s when the devil comes for you”.
Sigh.
April 26, 2024
