When good men do nothing! Jun Pelaez's bid!

Just before the 2004 Presidential elections, I was asked to be the reactor to the speech of Msgr. Teodoro Bacani during the National Charismatic Convention held in SM Cebu. After his speech and my reaction, we had breakfast together and he bluntly told me “members of Charismatic communities should run for political office, otherwise, there is something wrong with your spirituality if you don’t run.” I was taken aback by the good monsignor’s remarks and I humbly accepted that indeed something was wrong or at least lacking in my spirituality as we have never sought to run for public office.

But I told Msgr. Bacani that my reason for not seeking public office was valid… as I was never a believer in the 1987 Cory Constitution. So I hurled back the challenge to the monsignor saying that if we change the Constitution, then I might consider this as an option. Of course the premise that Mgsr. Bacani used was an old adage that said, “For evil to flourish, all that good men have to do is do nothing!”

I fully concur with this quotation that good people must take the cudgels, take the risk for the greater good of society. This is what we saw in Fr. Ed “Amo” Panlilio when he ran for Governor of Pampanga against all odds, where he had to suspend himself from the priesthood. That’s due to the fact that there were no more good men left in Pampanga, Fr. Among Ed had to take the cudgels for the people of Pampanga. But as God would have it, Fr. Ed Panlilio won not by a mile, but by a miracle as the Governor of Pampanga and that shift in power has done a lot for that Province.

Enter the news reports a couple of weeks ago that our good friend, Efrain Pelaez, Jr. President of the Mactan Chamber of Commerce & Industry (MCCI) has virtually crossed the proverbial Rubicon and cast his lot to run for Mayor of Lapu-Lapu City. But before I continue with this story, allow me to educate our readers as to what “crossing the Rubicon” means.

In the days of Julius Caesar, Roman law prohibited any Roman Army Legion from crossing the Rubicon as this river marked the boundary between the Roman Province of Cisalpine Gaul to the North and Italy proper to the South. This law was designed to protect the Republic from a military takeover, because the Roman Legions were situated far from Rome. But in 49 BC, Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon, but before he did, he took a long pause and uttered another famous phrase, Ãlea iacta est (The die is cast). Thus “crossing the Rubicon” means, passing the point of no return!

I haven’t talked with Jun Pelaez yet, but I will certainly ask him to appear on my TV show to explain why he had cast his lot for the Mayorship of Lapu-Lapu City. I can only second guess that one of the reasons why he has made up his mind is due to the fact that no one has dared challenge the leadership of Mayor Arturo Radaza who is considered politically impregnable. I have already done my initial albeit personal surveys on the pros and cons of Jun Pelaez’s candidacy, most of the negative is centered on his being “Mestizo” or “Kastila”. Already, certain pundits are spreading the scenario that this is the Battle of Mactan all over again. But is it really?

If you ask me, this coming Mayoralty election isn’t a battle of race or the color of one’s skin. Firstly, Jun Pelaez is a Filipino and a holder of a Filipino passport; hence he is more than qualified to seek the mayoralty post. To those who want to bring this coming political battle into a battle of race, belittles the people or the voters of Lapu-Lapu City. This political contest brings to the table the performance of Mayor Arturo “Boy” Radaza. This is the issue and Mayor Radaza should take our hint that he must present to the people of Lapu-Lapu City what he has done in the past three years as Mayor.

Of course, the problem that Mayor Radaza faces stems from the fact that Mayor Boy Radaza can no longer run as Mayor because of term limits. So all bets are on that Paz, the wife of Mayor Radaza would run for Mayor. This brings us back to the problem that we’ve already written before, about the role of Mrs. Paz Radaza in the unexpected closure of the Rural Bank of Subangdaku (RBS) where she had been the long time President. Whether she likes it or not, she has to issue a statement and defend what she says because I’m willing to bet that the irate depositors of RBS wants a full accounting of RBS and why this rural bank collapsed.

Meanwhile, I congratulate Jun Pelaez for his courage and determination because look at what’s happening elsewhere in this country… former Agriculture Undersecretary Jocelyn “Joc-Joc” Bolante already declared the he would run for public office in his hometown in Capiz and that is because the good men of Capiz refuses to run for public office.