Neither here nor there
Rome is one of the earliest centers of civilization in the world. But in a visit to Rome, Philippine president Noynoy Aquino just could not do as the Romans. The finesse of high office deserting him completely, he washed his dirty linen before the Roman public, ranting against political rivals of his anointed presidential candidate back home.
Why Rome deserved the spectacle is unclear. It was neither the venue nor the audience for an inappropriate political harangue. By launching into his crude tirade, Noynoy embarrassed not only Filipinos but everyone with a fair sense of propriety and decorum. Great leaders can sometimes earn respect by just keeping quiet. Our president had to open his mouth and earn only contempt.
It is bad enough that everyone is already campaigning way ahead of the official campaign period for the May 2016 elections in the Philippines, it is worse when no less than its president would actually lead the charge in early campaigning. And he had to do it in a foreign country at that. Thankfully, the Romans had the sense of politeness to just keep their thoughts to themselves.
But surely they must have wondered what Noynoy was so angry about. Or what provoked his outburst. Still, the outburst in Rome about purely political matters in the Philippines was not the only incident that raised a lot of eyebrows. Another surprise was his grossly inappropriate and scathing attack against Grace Poe, one of the rivals of his anointed candidate.
It was inappropriate and a surprise because, to recall, Noynoy tried to move heaven and earth to win over Poe to his side, apparently to serve as runningmate for his darling successor Mar Roxas. On at least two occasions, Poe was invited to Malacañang for the purpose. It is possible there were other lines of communication opened to pursue what, to Noynoy, was a very important and urgent matter.
To pursue Poe so relentlessly underscores the great value Noynoy placed in her possible partnership with Roxas. To even consider her at all suggests the high regard Noynoy had in her person. But Poe had apparently made up her mind to run for president herself and refused the offer. Accounts of the breakdown in negotiations all point to it as being civil, with everyone exiting smiling.
But given the acrimonious regard Noynoy had for Poe in Rome shows otherwise. And that is not all. By attacking Poe, Noynoy has shown himself to be anything but a good leader and a fine gentleman. Noynoy is what the young would call "puro ka-plastikan." When he had some need for Poe, he went out of his way to court her. When she rebuffed him, Noynoy acted like a woman spurned.
Noynoy is what some people would call neither here nor there. It is a risk to invite him to speak at a happy occasion like an anniversary because he sometimes uses that occasion to publicly scold and shame those who invited them. When he is expected at a somber occasion to receive bodies of policemen who heroically gave up their lives for their country, he goes instead to a foreign car manufacturer's opening party to have a good time.
Before Rome, Noynoy was in Paris to attend a gathering of world leaders for climate change. He could have used Rome as a continuing platform for educating people about the grim prospects Planet Earth is facing on account of climate change. He could have given everyone a uniquely Philippine perspective of the problem. But then maybe he is simply not in the same league as the other leaders and that all he can manage was a cheap shot at political enemies half a world away.
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