Thursday, February 11, 2010

FROM THE BARREL OF MY PEN
By Gonzalo “Jun” Policarpio


FILIPINO GREED


There is no doubt that Ferdinand E. Marcos declared martial rule in the Philippines in 1972 to remain in power. Yet he tried to justify his means with a vision of creating a “New Society” via a revolution from the top. He tried to impose discipline among the people a la Singapore’s Strong Man Lee Kuan Yew and fought graft and corruption. He even tried to reinvent Philippine history by glorifying pre-Spanish Filipino culture. He failed because the spirit of greed inhabited his soul. He coveted wealth and properties that did not belong to him.

Who among the eight presidential candidates, you think, will be able to withstand the three temptations: lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.

I would urge every Filipino voter to examine each of the eight presidential candidates, Aquino, Villar, Estrada, Teodoro, Gordon, Villanueva, Madrigal, Delos Reyes, and Perlas and put each of them into a simple Greed test.

Based on their track records and background, consider the following presidential candidates:

Noynoy Aquino. Do you think he will sign a business investment deal in the Philippines with a foreign country such as China or Malaysia in exchange of a fat kickback for him,his elatives, or cronies?

Manny Villar. Will he do it to put more money in his pocket though he already has billions in his other pocket?

Erap Estrada. Is he susceptible to accept millions and millions of bribe money from investors or other unscrupulous gambling/drug lords?

Dick Gordon. Is there any businessman or investor in his province of Zambales who will say he will do it?

Gibo Teodoro. Is he or his extended family immune from the temptation of graft and corruption?

Eddie Villanueva. Would he be able to imitate Jesus against the temptations of the Devil?

J.C. Delos Reyes. Presented with cartons and cartons of bribe money from unscrupulous businessmen, how would he respond being a neophyte in national politics?

Jamby Madrigal. As a woman, how would she withstand the lust of the eyes toward expensive jewelry, clothing, and other material things as symbolized by the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden?

Nick Perlas. How would he use billions and billions of the people’s money available for his disposal? Would he be tempted to use part of it for personal reasons such as running for another elective post after serving his term?

The persistent issues in every presidential election in the Philippines are breakdown in peace and order, rampant graft and corruption in high places, and the vicious cycle of poverty of the masses. I believe Greed is the rootcause of all these problems.

Whoever pass the simple Greed Test, I think, should be the new leader of the Filipino people in this year’s presidential election.


End

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