Dealing with boorish, ill-mannered people

While I was browsing last weekend’s newspapers, I came across a one full-page ad, a Manifesto of Gratitude, Affirmation, and Hope that the Doctors for GIBO published last Sunday, six days after the May 10 election after Noynoy Aquino had lead the pack of Presidentiables. The list with the names of the doctors are 302, but I personally know that this figure is higher as many of my friends who are doctors failed to sign the manifesto because of their busy schedules.

I’m writing this in the light of the numerous ugly text messages that have been sent and spread around obviously from the Noynoy camp, who just can’t hide their feelings and bask in their glorious victory. They just couldn’t help but use it to attack Gilbert Teodoro’s image, that after all, he is not Galing and Talino or worse, did not really have the intelligence. These gloating people obviously forgot that amongst all the Presidentiables, Gilbert Teodoro never responded to any mudslinging by his opponents, thus bringing a new style of political campaigning unheard of in Philippine politics.

I didn’t want to write this because our chief editor Jerry Tundag practically encapsulated our thoughts in his column “To the Quick” last May 12 entitled “Our Slip is Showing”. He pointed out, “I am not a poor loser. I am just being consistent with my belief, and exercising my right to hold on to that belief. Unfortunately, my lack of confidence in Noynoy has been compounded by the troubling insight into how the mindset of the Filipino really works, even the Erap factor. A nation that votes solely on emotion may be disappointing, but is far more understandable than for that same nation, crying for change after nine long years of unpopular rule, would very so nearly make Estrada win. Having a Noynoy and an Estrada as the leading contenders for the presidency speaks a lot about our nation. And believe me, what it tells the world is far from flattering. No wonder they call us the sick man of Asia.”

I, too, have gotten my share of the boorish or ill-mannered behaviour of gloating Noynoy followers. A few days ago, I got a cellphone call and the woman on the other line shouted unprintable words about how we lost the elections. Unfortunately, this woman is so stupid, she called my cellphone which has a caller ID so I dialed back her number 032-2531959 and the man on the other line said, it was the Barcenas office. When I asked for the woman who called, they hung up. Bastos!

Meanwhile, the other day, a close friend of mine texted me a very ugly “To the GIBO Fans” message, asking me to pass this on to other GIBO fans. This friend who is a Rotarian was never in my text radar before the election. We never traded barbs or sharp words for or against our candidates until he somehow got the nerve to text me. When I responded in kind, and passed his text to my friends, he even lied saying that he was merely passing this message on. He cooled down when I told him that because of his misdoing, he failed to pass the Rotary’s 4-Way Test!

Anyway, going back to the Doctors for GIBO ad. Allow me to salute these professionals who, despite the presence of so many ill-mannered pro-Noynoy people, would dare come out in the open to tell the world that they salute Gibo Teodoro for his rare behaviour in this ugliness called Philippine politics. It’s an ugliness that seems to swirl around the heads of the victorious followers of Noynoy who are experiencing some kind of yellow fever. Let’s just hope that they won’t get sick, because chances are, the doctor who will attend to them in the hospital might have voted for Gibo Teodoro!

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Sen. Noynoy Aquino III hasn’t been proclaimed yet, but he is already creating a crisis situation with the appointment of new Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona. Funny that many groups have already judged this judge, demanding that he shouldn’t protect the Arroyos who swore him into office. What a country! People are virtually suggesting that the Chief Justice should not even accept the nomination of the President.

The last time I heard, we are a country of laws and not of men; hence, anyone is considered innocent until the guilt of this person is proven. That Parricide suspect Ruben Ecleo could still run and win his Congressional seat is proof that this doctrine still exists. So why are people already crucifying SC Justice Corona?

This is what is known as guilt by association! This issue only proves that so many people in this country have already prejudged Pres. Arroyo, even if she has not yet been charged in a court of law. I support Chief Justice Corona despite the criticisms thrown at him. We know that Corona is not in the pocket of the Aquino administration. This makes him independent!