NOTE: This was a piece I posted in my blog about Senator Alan Peter Cayetano last November 2008. In light of his recent word war with Senator Dick Gordon, I am posting this plus my additional comments.
So Young Yet So…
Senator Alan Peter Cayetano’s decision not to inhibit himself from the probe on the fertilizer fund scam made me feel “delicadeza” (a sense of what is proper and improper, a sense of shame) is really in near extinction.
Though Senator Ping Lacson clarified that he was “not casting aspersions and giving any hint of indictment” on Cayetano, the fact that he raised is that Cayetano’s name is on a list of supposed beneficiaries of the fertilizer fund.
But Cayetano still refused to inhibit himself. Yet I find the reasons he gave self-serving. It is because he was the one who cleared himself and not the proper authorities like, for example, the Ombudsman. The one who clears and the one who needs to be cleared cannot be one and the same person.
He said the Department of Agriculture has already disowned that list. But that is the very office that Cayetano is investigating. He claimed that his district did not get any fertilizer fund when he was a congressman. But he added a caveat to be safe: “to my knowledge”. He claimed that list was bogus. But since that list is also submitted to the Ombudsman, then it should be declared as such by that office, not Cayetano. Former Agriculture Undersecretary Jocjoc Bolante, the alleged mastermind of the scam, cleared Cayetano. But Bolante also cleared the president. Yet, the senate probers themselves would not accept his exoneration of the president. How can we then believe his exoneration of Cayetano?
There were signs of such a lack of “delicadeza” when he ran as senator. He toyed with the anti-dynasty law and insisted that there’s nothing wrong with him and his sister serving together in the Senate and his wife serving as a congresswoman at the same time. Yes, the people elected them. But lawmakers should be the first to set an example in obeying the law to those very same people. When the Senate President Manny Villar was accused of double-insertion of a budget for a so-called “road to nowhere,” Cayetano immediately rose to defend Villar without even calling for an investigation.
Like Lacson, I am not casting aspersions or indicting Cayetano. He has all the right to defend his good name. It is also possible that he is not really a beneficiary of the questionable fertilizer fund. But I think he should have the “delicadeza” to inhibit himself. I feel that he just couldn’t resist the glare of the news cameras.
To paraphrase a famous quote of a former Manila mayor, Cayetano seems to me so young yet so… confused.
MY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:
Remember when the Senate unseated then-Senate President Manny Villar? How did Cayetano vote? He just abstained! He could not even muster the courage to support his supposed patron. Such act confirms my suspicion for his lack of “delicadeza.”
Now, he is questioning the committee report by Gordon, now the chair of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee (which Cayetano used to chair), on the fertilizer fund scam. When I heard it, I thought, “Whatever happened to the ZTE investigation which Cayetano conducted? Was there ever a report?” It appears that he just milked the ZTE scandal for the sake of media mileage and not really in aid of legislation. And when the public attention waned, it seems that he just dropped it like a used rag and went off in search for another scandal—any scandal for that matter, as long as it would generate the same publicity. At least, Gordon has a report. Cayetano even had the gall to wash his hands off the investigation and say that he is not the one who should write the report. Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile made his stand clear over a radio interview: Cayetano is liable to write that report. He conducted the investigation. He should write the report.
I heard broadcaster Korina Sanchez say that she regrets voting for Cayetano.
I have no such regret. I am happy I did not.
Popularity: 1% [?]
Not few regret having voted that young Cayetano and chances are, they never will do it again.
Insightful analysis and commentary E. Cortez! I’ve wondered where APC had wandered off too. Since it is Abalos whose teat ought to be in the ringer wrt ZTE NBN, the lack of a Senate report demanding charges be brought against Abalos, sticks out like a sore thumb since at least Dick Gordon’s report has led to Salonga’s impeachment complaint against Merceditas Gutierrez.
Now, since the Supreme Court itself had recommended action on those unusable ACM counting machines of Abalos’s cronies, bringing out the Abalos cases now could really help to sink the all too Merciful Ombudsman.
What the heck is going on with APC?
hhmmm so young yet so….whatever.
The new breeds of politicians in our country are not really new…they are of the same breed as to the trapos…these young politicians are playing the tricks their politician decendants taught them…survival of one’s political carreer..and nothing more..fuck the people, fuck public service, fuck the country…there’s no other interest to protect but their political interests…
and yeah….chiz escudero is running for president…yet another new breed..with the same old tricks as the trapos.
the pinoys have been fucked, still being fucked, will continue to be fucked by our very own politicians..whom we call our leaders…FUCK”!!!!!
so young yet so old.
a youngblood playing an old man’s trick.
I agree.
Shame on the guy.
Good thing I never voted him.
So early to be corrupted.
Dapat maputol na ambisyon nyan, baka lumala pa.
Many of the politicians are trying to insert themselves into the probe of so called cases to manipulate the investigation.
We are tired to the Senate Hearing palabas.
to those who voted for cayetano just for being a vociferous anti-gma, i say: that serves you right!
i wouldn’t touch anyone, who anchors his/her political ambition on ability to sling crap, with a 10-foot pole.
On the level of perception, Allan Cayetano as it is with Chiz Escudero succeeded to show that they can win in the “mock debates” which is regular menu in Congress, anyway.
The viewing universe were duped. In the end, they are also clowns and all the show were mere entertainment. Now that they got the senate slots too easily, they are yet to repeat their theatrical talents, one of the results of which, to discredit GMA.
It seems that as senators now, they find everything smooth and nothing wrong with GMA and her governance this despite mounting reports of ‘misgovernance’ and survey polls after another telling us how the government has created an unbridgeable gap in the way RP’s state of affairs has been badly managed.
Thanks for all your responses! I just would like to clarify that my views are my personal opinion and does not in any way represent the evangelical faith.
@eyriche
what did cayetano do? any links? ty!
@GabbyD
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20090225-191021/Gordon-Cayetano_row_escalates
the cayetano haters are having their field day!
GabbyD is right to ask: what did cayetano do?
The answer: He disagreed with Gordon!
hehehehe.
So young daw…I wonder what disagreeing with Gordon has anything to do with age.
Please read what I wrote. Cayetano’s fault is not that he disagreed with Gordon. The problem was it seems he is all bravado. All heat but no light. The “so young” comment stemmed from the fact that people expected this “new breed” to be different from the trapos.
@eyriche
thanks 4 d link!
i too am extremely confused…
first what is your problem with cayetano? His BRAVADO? nayayabangan ka sa kanya? why is bravado wrong?
coz he has no evidence? the news article says he claims he has evidence. not true?
second, you mentioned he has no delicadeza…. so he was on one list and NOT on another…
i’m torn by this. surely conflict of interest should be more than just being on a list that everyone says is bogus right?
on the other hand, no one has charged him with a crime right? so why should the ombudsman be involved?
however, i think i’m largely with you that any taint should make one inhibit himself…
Eyriche, I do not know if anyone shares my idea. This ought to be the kind of blog – staple to this site.
It has a point, a view, and the rational and logical reasons that support it.
You know where you are coming from and I think it is one of the great blogs I have read.
Thanks for your generous comments… and that appreciation includes those who disagree with me ;-D @GabbyD, “ok lang sana kahit mayabang. Ang mahirap kung puro yabang lang, di ba?” Life is not just starting well but also finishing well. Cayetano started the ZTE investigation with a bang. But it seems we hear nary a whimper nowadays. When he questioned the result of Gordon’s fertilizer fund scam investigation, he should have looked at the mirror first. Where is his report on the ZTE-NBN investigation? Evidence? Let’s talk about it. If I remember it right, the evidence he presented about the so-called bank account of the first gentleman turned out to be “palpak.” He was actually censured/reprimanded for it, as I recall it. We, the taxpayers, are just right to expect results. When these senators and congressmen conduct investigations “in aid of legislation,” they are spending our hard-earned taxes. We paid for even the “kape” and the “turon” they consumed. @Bert I have nothing personal against Cayetano. (I pray I did not come across that way.) I just want to see him finish what he started. It is also a wake-up call on us not to rush in electing people who runs on a campaign against certain personalities.
Eyriche,
I’m sorry for that condescending comment I’ve made, really am.
Just that I think there are worse of the lot of them worth my salt than Cayetano has done, and everybody was ganging up on the guy for such a trifle issue. Just me.
@Bert You are entitled to your opinion. I respect you for that. You did not come off as condescending to me. But I beg to disagree on the “trifle” issue. The ZTE-NBN scandal investigation riveted the nation’s attention. For a moment I thought at that time that we might be going through another EDSA revolution. It rocked our country. Yet, nothing came out of that investigation. The problem is it could desensitize our people. I believe the reason for the apathy we see nowadays is that people got tired of issues that starts loud but dies silently, goes away unnoticed. We need closure on the ZTE-NBN issue or else we will be facing a very cynical country that will never care at all.
Bert, is that you? hahaha
I think cayetano has to learn as early as now that he is on the same track as the TRAPOS…and that if he continues to do so, he would do more harm than good for the filipino people and the country.
So as early as now..we should be pounding young politicians like cayetano everyday…hoping that him and his kind would finally realized and take a different way of politicking…
So Eyriche Cortez…FIRE AWAY!!!!!
“The ZTE-NBN scandal investigation riveted the nation’s attention. For a moment I thought at that time that we might be going through another EDSA revolution.”
Eyriche, what’s wrong with that? Would you rather that we close our eyes and do nothing every time we hear or see wrongdoings in the government?
Come on, as far as our side of the fence is concern there is no apathy here, we will never sleep so long as there are those who will try to rob us of our rights and pockets in the guise of government.
The apathy and the “blindness” lies at the other side. Which side are you, Eyriche?
Juwan, cheer for Eyriche, and for Gloria too, heheh.
Bert,
hahaha I cheer for eyrich but not for GMA and for any politician for that matter
I’m for the truth. That’s why I am asking for results. Of course we need to deal with corruption. Kaso wala nga nangyari sa investigation so far. Thanks for the cheer, though!
Eyriche Cortez:
I enjoyed this one, my complements. Please do keep on writing. As the Marines would say when the artillery rounds hit on target “FIRE FOR EFFECT!”
Its just another reason why I like Gordon. Between Lapid and Peterpandesal, Leon Guererro is smarter by keeping his mouth shut. Peterpandesal is shameless no surprise there.
Chiz can wink at Zubiri or Sen. Larry Craig for all I care, being young with infantile hair style armed with a silver tongue is disturbing.
Tsk tsk tsk..kids these days.