LP's political liabilities
There is no need for the opposition to attack the Liberal Party. The administration's own allies are very much capable of sinking the LP. This guy Francis Tolentino has been widely criticized for going around the country virtually campaigning for senator, while the traffic in Metro Manila, his prime responsibility has turned from horrendous to preposterous. Secretary Leila de Lima was dancing the Macarina and singing "Kung liligaya ka sa piling ng iba" while thousands of the Iglesia ni Kristo members were banging the gates of the Department of Justice, protesting against the so-called "selective justice" in the DOJ.
This apparently high-strung Bert Lina, Commissioner of Customs has antagonized the twelve million of Filipinos abroad by announcing, out-of-the-blue policy of opening balikbayan boxes in apparent search for smuggled goods, at the same time when many traders are openly calling for his resignation because of the alleged unusual upsurge in the volumes of smuggled sugar and meat. Lina also, in arrogant tune, has insisted to impose customs duties on the victory boxing belt of returning female boxing champion.
By these twin moves, Lina caused the Liberal Party millions of supporters. His actions have proven that this government is indeed "manhid" and "palpak."
Bert Lina, no matter who he is, and no matter how "malakas" he is to PNoy, is a big political liability to the administration party. The people will never accept his reasoning because he has already antagonized millions of the OFWs' family members. Instead of humbly telling the champion that he would look into it, Lina high-handedly told her to go to the Department of Finance to ask for exemption. This is what the opposition calls "manhid." It smacks of lack of concern, lack of empathy for the small guys, using the powers of government, which is not his own, but only vested on his office, to make life miserable for the small guys.
Bert Lina is very much different from his brother Joey Lina, who is now the president of the Manila Hotel. Joey Lina is humble, soft-spoken and very pro-people. Bert Lina may think that he is rich and does not need his salary in the Customs. But that is not the issue. The issue is that how do public servants behave in relation to the people they are supposed to serve. Bert Lina, Francis Tolentino and Leila de Lima do not hold office neither for themselves nor for P Noy. If they follow their appointing power, their bosses are the people. If they continue to behave the way they do, the LP will never convince the people of any Daang Matuwid.
The best way is for PNoy to summon these three to Malacañang and give them a piece of his mind. Tolentino should be told to go back to EDSA and solve the traffic. If he cannot even do his job there, he might as well as go back to Tagaytay and run against the Remullas. De Lima should be told to administer justice regardless of political color, and stop dancing the Macarina inside the DOJ office, and thus blemishing the dignity of her office. Lina should be transferred as Ambassador to Kenya or Burkina Faso where he can do less damage to the administration party. If he stays in Customs, he will virtually become the unwitting campaign manager of Jojo Binay.
There are many other cabinet members, bureau directors, division chiefs and ordinary clerks in government who are imbued with arrogance, discourtesy and lack of respect for the dignity of the masses. They are destroying the good names of the majority of civil servants who are honest, polite and people-oriented. The arrogant in government like Secretary Joseph Abaya who said that traffic is not fatal should be sent to Zimbabwe and see for himself that the airport there looks better than NAIA under his leadership. These liabilities to PNoy should better shape up or be shipped out.
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