The issue on political dynasty

Former Senator Francisco "Kit" Tatad stands ten feet tall with his move to resign from the United Opposition standing on the basic principle of opposing political dynasties.

He said, he did not agree with the idea that some family members of incumbent senators will run in the Opposition ticket this May.

He said, this is the issue the administration will use to hit us in the head. Tatad was referring to San Juan Mayor JV Ejercito planning to run for the Senate when there are already two members of the family there.

Ejercito is the son of deposed President Joseph Estrada with Guia Gomez, while Sen. Loi Ejercito is the mother of Jinggoy Estrada, another incumbent Senator.

Tatad also opposed Allan Peter Cayetano running for the Senate. He is the brother of Sen. Pia Cayetano, all children of the late Sen. Rene Cayetano.

He also opposes the candidacy for the Senate of Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel Jr. Koko is the son of Aquilino Pimentel Sr.

While JV Ejercito's mother has her roots from Negros Occidental, I understand Koko Pimentel is also married to Jewel May Lobaton with roots here and Tatad's wife, a Cantero, also has roots in Negros Occidental.

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Tatad has been one of the fightingest Senators during his incumbency. Even while in retirement, he has also been very quotable. He was one of the top officials during Martial Law where he was the press secretary of then President Marcos.

I don't know if Alex Espino remembers. In 1969, Marcos was looking for a young newspaperman to be his press secretary. The problem with elder press secretaries, big name politicians of that era was that they were not serviceable to elderly newsmen covering Malacañang.

A young but brilliant press secretary could be useful. They could even be made to run errands for the aging veteran reporters covering Malacañang. The talk at the time then was that they could even make Tatad buy them cigarets. But not during Martial Law any more.

Tatad was a very powerful Cabinet member, trusted by Marcos.

What I recall was before his appointment, he was getting endorsements from different press groups all over the country. Alex approached me at La Salle with a resolution ready for signing.

I was president of the Negros Press Club then. Imagine that was 38 years ago. I did not hesitate signing because before this Tatad was writing a very good column in The Manila Bulletin.

As a Senator, he has been very good and brilliant.

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Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz has another advocacy. The other day we wrote about his advocacy against gambling. Oscar Cruz, by the way, is the younger brother of Ramon Magsaysay's press secretary J.V. Cruz.

This time Archbishop Cruz warned his fellow Bishops at the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines that started its annual assembly yesterday.

He warned them to be careful of the envelopes.

Cruz' reminder was because of the annual assembly of the CBCP last year where Malacañang was reported to have allegedly given envelopes with cash to some Bishops. Some Bishops were reported to have returned the money.

Cruz said the report of envelope distribution last year created a perception that was not good for the Bishops. The CBCP, he said, "should at least show an example of honesty and integrity."

Life is getting more interesting.

Recently when President Arroyo was in Iloilo, the biggest issue was the envelope, different amount for Governors, City Mayors, and Municipal Mayors.

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We can thumb our noses at the Archbishops, Bishops, Governors, City and Municipal Mayors, the President respects media here. A number of times she came, she never distributed envelopes to media. I have not known of one.

In 2005 as Negros Press Club president, First Gentleman Mike Arroyo was our induction speaker. He never distributed envelopes. He did not give NPC even a centavo. We never asked.

He volunteered to give health care help for members.

When his NPC membership was questioned by some members, he called up and told me his promise of health care would still go through.

I said, if I were I would rather not have it because the members who opposed his membership to the NPC would also receive.

It's not good for their own self respect receiving from someone whose membership in the Club they oppose. I said, "I would rather that you scrap it."

Mike Arroyo scrapped it. So, NPC stands proud and dignified.*

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