ILIGAN City ― The exit of 3 lawyers in the inner circle of PBBM had people making known their perceptions of what is really happening inside the palace.
“Vic Rodriguez was caught in his sugary tricks,” said my good friend of a geek Mike as we sat in the cement seats of the city public plaza yesterday, along with the other promenaders there.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“Oh, isn’t that obvious?” He replied.
People say that is the product of infight happening there inside for some people close to PBBM resent the way Rodriguez as Executive Secretary then cum Chief of Staff of PBBM is conducting himself. And I said so to Mike.
He agreed of course. “In the same way that the two others who resigned ― Press Sec. Trixie Cruz-Angeles, and COA chief then Joe Calida exited,” I added.
Mike said that it's the way it is in every organization. Especially in a very powerful area like the Office of the President of a country. Though he continued that it is still “too early” to impact very much on the leadership of PBBM.
Of course, I agreed…and added that there “might be people there” conducting themselves as the President; like Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. himself.
And then I remembered that that is also what happened here in this city. And there was somebody who had the courage to say all that. That this city “has several mayors.” In the person of a lawyer also who was then appointed as a city administrator. I’m talking of who else but Atty. Leo Zaragoza, an erstwhile ally of then-mayor Celso G. Regencia. The latter then, to note had been subjected earlier, to suspensions. And more suspensions. Even his allies too who were the majority councilors in the Sangguniang Panlungsod were also subjected to some suspensions.
But the mayor and his allies in the SP played the “victims game.” And they were good at it. Because people were sympathetic to them. Especially when the mayor became a PDL or person deprived of liberty. Compliments from a political opponent. As he was accused then of “masterminding” an ambush case. And his supporters claimed that it was a case of “ambush me.”
And the two words stuck. Giving him and his allies the majority of the votes in election time in 2016 and 2019. (CGR had won by his “lonesome” along with one candidate for councilor in 2013 who also in a matter of months abandoned him!)
And this 2022, Regencia got convicted too! In some criminal cases “abuse of official functions.” Although, just like other cases, this isn’t final and executory ― yet. Which got him to pursue another position ― that of congressman for the lone district of this city.
And he won! Although most of his allies, except for three in the SP lost. To note too, his term as mayor was fraught with resignations. Like that of his chief of staff then, another lawyer in the name of Rafael Benedictos. But this was in a “hushed” manner as the 2022 elections were coming.
Earlier too, another lawyer, Ranulfo Cenas, was reported: “shot.”
But wasn’t hit. Making the guy exit his post as head of the city environment office, posthaste. Because he said he did not wish to bid goodbye to his family if something happened to him.
These are parallel happenings in national and local governments. But the thing is, the President, while in the office is “immune” to suits. And I related this all to Mike.
So, the geek in him became quiet when I asked what will happen in the spate of some lawyers’ exit from the inner circle in Malacañang.
Some “Marites” in socmed though, pointed out that most of the reasons for these exits or resignations are due to “health concerns” as in “dogmatic.” Which they cited as “sickness caused by dogs” as in “sakit sa iro.” Or by “apostolic missions,” or “taking care of grandchildren” or “apos.”
I say these are perceptions only. And perceptions are not necessarily reality!
