I pity dela Paz’s family. I just saw the news after I read the blog. Hmmp I don’t know what to think about the government anymore. Before I was passive, now I’m losing hope in seeing a good government ruling us all. Makaalis na nga lang sa Philippines.

This incident, on the other hand, shows his true character as a father – having raised sons who behave as described in the news and the blogs. It just shows the kind of self-image he has which he seems to have transmitted very successfully to his sons, and which he confirmed and supported by allowing his sons to demonstrate it to the dela Pazes as he watched in obvious approval, and probably amusement. His concept of what it means to be a human being, it seems, is to be powerful and rich and to have everyone as one’s subjects and underlings. “Hindi nila ako kilala!!!” – this probably merely echoed behavior which the sons probably got from the father. Consistent with the warlord culture? You be the judge.

Might is right.

I am surprised though that many of the reactions here still exhibit surprise that things like these are happening in the Philippines. These have always been there, and we perhaps are equally guilty by continuously condoning these very things that have been happening for decades, and merely looking the other way. Worse, we probably sometimes, or many times, have participated in this power culture by invoking this in many transactions we entered into (“sige na, pagbigyan mo na ako, kilala ako ni ganito… kamag-anak ako ni ganyan…”) – power play. This whole thing subverts the rationality of social, political and economic institutions and renders them useless and the instruments of personal convenience. Sabi nga nila, in the Philippines daw, “Public office is a private property”, intead of a “public trust”.

But why are these people in office, and remain to do so? And why does culture persist?

At this point, kailangang tumingin tayo sa taas.

No, no, no! I don’t mean God! I mean the highest official in the land! Culture is very much influenced by leadership, and leadership is very much lived out through role modeling. A corrupt culture can be very much affected, and changed, when the top honcho is serious about cleaning it up, and practices ethical leadership consistently. When corruption abounds everywhere – if I have to look at it the way a doctor looks at symptoms – it probably points to the very real possibility that people everywhere are not afraid to be corrupt because: (a) they are merely emulating the behavior of people above them (and its continuation probably means that it goes all the way to the top because nobody is really doing anything to stop it! walang real check and balance), (b) the people at the top are also very guilty – hypocrisy limits effectiveness – walang sinungaling na maniniwala sa kapwa sinungaling).

I suggest that we keep the blogs going – this is the new form of people power. The `86 version of people power will not work anymore because the cohorts of evil have taken over practically completely all the agencies of government – executive, legislative, and very soon, the judicial. The last frontier that we should never allow them to take over is – ourselves, our inner selves, our being, who we are, our humanity.

But we need to practice consistency. Already, many bloggers are behaving the same way as the Pangandamans – let’s be vigilant about being self-righteous, and feeling that “being right” gives us the authority to do whatever we wish and feel (in other words, let us not be Pagandamish – Garcified na nga ang bansa, dadagdagan pa natin). In other words, as we criticize the malefactors, don’t forget to constantly critique ourselves as well, and remind ourselves always that true humanity and decency is anchored on a firm respect for the dignity of every human being, although such respect may need to be expressed sometimes through criticism but more in the form of “fraternal correction” or constructive feedback rather than through judgmental and insulting criticism.

Gandhi set an example decades ago reminding us that we must beware of becoming like the enemy we are fighting.

I challenge the mayor and his father to do what they did to these people outside the Philippines. I’ll be watching how the President apply the Philippine justice system to these maulers.

To the mayor and his father, you both embarassed the Filipinos around the world. You don’t deserve your office.

What a disgusting father and son pair! It really shows how innate and corrupt some people are and how father influences son.

I hope they get their dues and go to jail. So PGMA, I know you are not the “best person” out there but you know what to do with the stupid DAR Chief and his son! Payback time is now!

Grrrrrr!