Today Newspaper, Opinion, T.G.I.F.
June 18, 2004

Nene, a Pinoy original
By: Rene AV. Saguisag

‘Like the Pinoy idol Nene, I do not look at the weather vane and see where the wind blows. He does not bother with surveys when he decides on issues, but reflects, consults and prays.’

The other day, I got a grace note from the only child of former Philippine Constabulary chief Eduardo Garcia. She thanked me for praising her pop as a good, upright, financially strapped public servant, of whom she is very proud. “The legacy he left me is not monetary, but I don’t mind.” We condole with the kin of Judge Butch Rosales, with whom we would chat in his court in Tanauan. His widow’s suggestion on juries should be seriously considered. 

Nene Pimentel should be around a long time, but it is not too soon to praise this Pinoy original. There are elements bent on detaining him one more time in the dungeon of intolerance and fascism. What he is doing is being made to appear as if he were a serial killer or sex fiend. How ever, I must ask him about what Senator Miriam calls his active sex life when his fiercely insistent hormones still raged. Nene, is the old spark, if not the fire, gone? 

I wish those who want him to shut up would say “please stop talking.” How we treat a public servant may or may not say something about how we treat our domestic ones. Nene is not a caddy whose role is but to show up, keep up and shut up. 

He remains among the few who still believe in certain things deeply, and fight for them fiercely, and hang the cost and consequences. Today is not the first time he finds himself on the less-traveled road, my own personal favorite byway. 

Last Tuesday, the Daily Inquirer’s Johnny Mercado said in his column that no one minds me now for choosing to help Erap. I had regularly criticized him before then. I had no role during the impeachment trial. Out of power, he asked for help. Why not? 

Like the Pinoy idol Nene, I do not look at the weather vane and see where the wind blows. He does not bother with surveys when he decides on issues, but reflects, consults and prays. 

Had I run for the Senate last month, height of presumption or not, I might have had a shot at having been voted and helped by both Presidents Cory Aquino and Erap Estrada. Others, like Justice Celing Muñoz Palma, would have made sure I would not get only those two votes and two votes only. 

One difference between Nene and me is that, tactless and politically naive, I am not fit to join government. I have declined various opportunities to be there, where I would have been minded instead of simply being teased occasionally by Inquirer editorialists and columnists. More than a decade ago, I was a columnist there. I wore out my welcome for the capital sin of defending Mayor Sanchez, pro bono, in his asset statements case. Dean Jorge Bocobo and Conrad de Quiros started out as EDSA 2 fans but later recanted poignantly. I wonder why the former is no longer there: how long would Conrad last? Forever, I hope. He is not the type who would hew to the editorial line. 

My view of EDSA 2 from the standpoint of the rule of law was reinforced after careful consultations with people like Justice Palma. Johnny would also rate her as a nonfactor anymore in spite of her lifelong consistency in supporting constitutionalism. I know she would not condemn Nene for insisting on a credible process. Before agreeing to be Erap’s lead counsel, I also consulted Sen. Arturo Tolentino, who told me we became a banana republic in 2001. He visited Erap last year. Ka Celing also greeted Erap last April on his birthday. In 2001, I consulted President Cory, who advised that we go to the Pink Sisters together. That we did. She understands my position in a nation that EDSA 2 deeply divided; meaning, a significant number who do not mind Johnny may still mind me. 

If no one wants another EDSA today, it is partly because, I think, of people like us who have not tired of pointing out the folly of EDSA 2. Erap’s unclouded mandate, so different from that emerging from May 10, 2004, was erased when, in 2001, the majority rule was ignored; this rule is now insisted upon by the civil society. Ironically, the second envelope not opened in 2001 was not presented in the plunder trial. The prosecution had realized it does not incriminate the Estradas in any way after all. 

Johnny should realize that not only the opinion of the elite and power structure matters. EDSA 2 made enough of our people see to it that the Estradas achieve a distinction unmatched perhaps in the history of any legislative chamber: despite not being with the administration, all three have been elected to the Senate. In your face, baby. That the people elected mother and son does not dilute the opinions we have aired since 2001. 

That Nene triumphed despite being anti-GMA suggests that while columnists such as I often sound like all-knowing, the people know better and express their sentiments accordingly. 

Nene, stay as sweet as you are. 

Meantime, who could I upset now? Ah, the text tax. I may not necessarily agree with the position of Manny Villar -- who I congratulate as a distinguished U.P. alumnus -- which Joker Arroyo and this paper seem to share, on the question of taxing texting. Manny damaged democracy on November 13, 2000, but he is the only one standing for the consumer against the seeming local telecom cartel which the Department of Justice, quite incredibly, defends, not the public. 

Now, if our neighbors text as much as we do, instead of work, work, work, they may all still be riding bicycles today. A society with a true work ethic would not waste the amount of time we do texting. I bet that unlike others who use the cell phone to be where they are today in enhancing their GNP, we use it to chatter about politics and trivia, gossip being a huge cottage industry here. No wonder we are good in debating and orating all over the world. While we laud the winners for excelling where the Chinese, Japanese and Koreans falter, we should have others dealing with rocket science or molecular biology. Text (and oral sex) capital of the world? No, thanks. 

We should have an open mind on the text or kontra-dada-nang-dada tax. I had wondered whether I was on the same page with GMA on this one. Clearly I am not on the same page as far as Manny, Joker and Today are concerned, either. But I think they know that I mean it when I ask if there is anyone out there I have managed not to offend yet, just to raise his right hand, please. 

No, Mr. Johnny, my toughest audience is myself. My conceit means that if I believe in something and the world disagrees, then, tough luck, there is such a thing as a majority of one. Shaw says that a reasonable person adjusts himself to the world while the unreasonable person adjusts the world to himself; therefore, all progress depends on unreasonable people. 

Meantime, Bill Luz, a Nene pet peeve, has yet to deny credibly that he was and is a Canadian, dissembling that he is a Pinoy born here to Pinoys who used a Canadian visa. Can Bill say “I am not a Canadian citizen and have never been one”? But of course, not just anyone can cross Makati Business. One has to be a Pinoy Orig to do so. 

Meantime, Cebu hits Nene for delaying the national count. Cebu was where he was tried in 1983 for subversion. Tony and Nancy Cuenco, Inday Nita Daluz, Dodong Holganza, Mocring Barcenas, Menmen Paredes, et al., were with us then. How credible was the voting there? No governor after a month? If they know how many Cebuanos voted for GMA (512,812 kuno) and FPJ (82,244 kuno), why not for governor? GMA says she will take her oath there. Go figure.