Consumers Domain
The anatomy of patronage politics
"Politics, n. Strife of interests masquerading as a contest of principles."
--Ambrose Bierce, The Devil's Dictionary
There was an article in a national daily days ago that really disturbed me. I am not actually surprised as I am familiar with the way politics is in our sorry country. However I am disturbed by which we as a people seem to accept this twisted way of politics as something normal -- something palatable. It is as if we underwent a rigid military training, were forced to regularly eat chili peppers and at the end of the year we find jalapenos sweet.
The article I am talking about gave a very solid example and how it reflects the sad state of politics in the country. While it concerns an action of a single Congressman, it nevertheless mirror a common perspective on governance and politics among many of us.
"I remain loyal to the President for as long as my loyalty jibes with my loyalty to my people. If it does not, I will remain loyal to my people," said Davao del Sur Representative Douglas Cagas as quoted by several national dailies. At face value, this statement may seem to come from a great statesman and a progressive-thinking politician.
But you will surely be dismayed when you dig deeper into that declaration. Representative Cagas belongs to the administration party and is even proud to be called a "lapdog" of Gloria Arroyo. (Most likely Injustice Secretary Gonzalez feels the same way too!). The reason why Cagas uttered the statement above is because Malacañang was considering the removal of a provision in the 2006 National Budget requiring consultation with Congress Representatives on juicy infrastructure projects on their respective districts.
This in effect will deprive Congress Representatives of kickbacks and grease money from the millions or even billions of pesos worth of projects, most of which will turn out utilizing sub-standard materials at the end of the day. (Well, let us not also forget that Malacañang's proposal will only change the hands that will receive the kickback!)
Saying that this will be a "catastrophe" to members of Congress, Cagas further said, "You better wake up. Everything that we did in the last budget will go to the mayors and the governors… I am afraid that my people will convince me to sign the impeachment if I cannot stop what is going to happen."
It is as if the money he is talking about is part of a loot that is being divided among them. He even has the gall to say "my people" as if he really listens to his constituency, while at the same time he gives the pretense that if ever he signs the impeachment, it is because "his people convinced him".
Now Cagas, one of Arroyo's lapdog who killed the impeachment complaint filed last year under a mere technicality, says this time he is willing to sign another complaint against his master. He will support the impeachment not because of the merits of the case, not because of the overwhelming evidence against the systematic electoral cheating masterminded by his boss, not because of the massive corruption perpetuated by her. But simply because he will be deprived of his share of the loot!
Put the other way, he is willing to keep quiet amidst the cheating and corruption of Gloria Arroyo, by her violation of the Constitution as long as his pockets are amply greased.
Well you say, "What's new?" Yup, you are right. As I've said I am not surprised either. But I am appalled by the confidence of Representative Cagas that what he is uttering is correct and acceptable. By declaring his twisted perspective to the media, Cagas believes that his is a principle (if you may even call it that) that characterizes good governance. You can safely assume then that this type of politics is "acceptable" to many of our fellow Filipinos.
I am shocked that this elite system of patronage politics has reached a point that a trapo (traditional politician) openly declares with pride, conviction and assertiveness his being a trapo itself! And that is while the population listens without a sign of disbelief nor disagreement -- numbed and intoxicated from years and years under an elite trapo system.
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