Tinnex, pls pas d txt msg
By Antonio J. Montalvan II

TODAY, many of my fellow Mindanaoans will be taking to the streets, attending rallies and Masses, most probably still dazed and groggy from the prayer vigils last night. Today I am keeping the hope that our elected representatives, mine included, will still have some grain left of the "Vox populi, vox Dei" axiom they love to punctuate their campaign orations with every election time. Which makes us wonder what is or who is truly behind this costly national division, which Wimpy's JDF accounting just doesn't show.

In this virtual reality era of text messaging and e-mail, the signs are there that many Filipinos feel that axiom has not only been abused, it has been breached, and breached to the fullest. Read the text messages and e-mails, there is only one message: anger.

So today, if anger helps the spirit of democracy alive, here is the list of Mindanao congressmen and women who have made us angry. Remember their names. And remember them well come election time 2004.

Cecilia Jalosjos-Carreon-Zamboanga del Norte, Didagen Dilangalen-Maguindanao, Jesnar Falcon-Surigao del Sur, Gregorio Ipong- North Cotabato, Soraya Jaafar-Tawi-Tawi, Constantino Jaraula-Cagayan de Oro City, Celso Lobregat-Zamboanga City, Ruy Elias Lopez- Davao City, Arthur Pingoy-South Cotabato, Rodolfo Plaza-Agusan del Sur, Juan Miguel Zubiri-Bukidnon, Darlene Antonino-Custodio- South Cotabato with General Santos City, Augusto Baculio-Misamis Oriental, Alipio Badelles- Lanao del Norte, Roseller Barinaga-Zamboanga del Norte, Claude Bautista-Davao del Sur, Douglas Cagas-Davao del Sur, Benasing Macarambon-Lanao del Sur, Angelo Montilla-Sultan Kudarat, Jurdin Jesus Romualdo-Camiguin (when are you going to truly start representing your people, JJ?), Emmylou Taliño-Santos- North Cotabato.

The intensity of text messaging these past weeks is symptomatic of a downright lack of transparency. Where in the world can you find an impeachment motion where signatures were railroaded via house-to-house campaign, even before the House committee on justice could determine whether it is sufficient in substance (as was done in the Desierto and Tangcangco impeachment motions)?

Adding to the omen of the situation is a flip-flopping President who appears to fear losing the support of the Nationalist People's Coalition in 2004, and meanwhile, trivializes the peoples' anger by bringing in the chinovela idol what's-his-name to Malacañang much like Nero fiddling while Rome burned. Ms Macapagal has just provided us the answer if we should vote for her in 2004. A weak, lame-duck president in the face of a confounding abuse of power by the legislative makes the Strong Republic nothing but hogwash.

That the impeachment endorsement campaign was carried out not only with much haste, but under cover of darkness as it were, makes us wonder if the text message on the alleged P5 million per signatory is true after all. Or this one: Joker's story is true. If Davide is impeached, Puno becomes Chief Justice. Puno always voted for Danding. Son in an AVP in San Miguel.

Or this: Estelito Mendoza wrote the Davide Articles of Impeachment. Several young lawyers from Pecabar resigned cuz it was prepared there.

Well, consider the facts from the Presidential Commission on Good Government. Danding has 11 criminal cases, about five potential cases, and nine cases in the Sandiganbayan, all of which invariably have been brought to the attention of the Supreme Court. Legal eagles have opined that a delay will cause a way out from litigation. One reading of the signs of the times interprets it to mean that there is a higher political process capable of short-circuiting the judiciary. Thanks to Wimpy, now we know that the coco levy is today a gargantuan 100 billion pesos.

Unfathomable that politicians who use all kinds of media spin to shape a favorable image with voters now use every amount of obstinacy to ignore the signs of public outrage. Which further feeds the 5 million-pesos-per-signatory text rumors. Obviously, the people do not see them as legislators but as scheming wheeler-dealers. And the message is: people are not happy with your histrionics.

Puzzling is also the word for the double standard of those who denounced the Estrada impeachment no matter if it was a popular move but who now say, as Jules Ledesma said, that they initiated the impeachment because they want explanations from the Chief Justice. So it takes an impeachment move to investigate what was erroneous accounting to begin with. Good grief, Assunta!

In my district, Constantino Jaraula was a well-respected politician who has probably just lost many votes. This text message came from a friend who is one of Jaraula's best golfing buddies: Our vry own tongresman Jaraula one of signatories of impeachment vs Davide. He is also among those who exonerated Tangcango despite evidence. Pls pas.

A college school mate, Allan Roy Sambaan, now a barangay councilman who has just turned a distraught Jaraula (ex)supporter had this to say: By Monday, Im personally putting up a streamer which reads: Rep. Jaraula please represent us well, or don't represent us at all! Pastilan, Tinnex, wala gayud mahimuot ang imong mga botante sa imong gibuhat! (The voters are not happy with what you did!)

My other favorite text messages are: Txt Rep. Migs Zubiri n this number-0917-8116447 to express ur disgust. But the best of all is: I cant imagine Davide being tried by Loi, Tessie, Revilla, Tito, Ping, Jawo, Greg. Ngee! Gud AM Pls pas!

Indeed, please pass!

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