Thoughts on Press Secretary Lacierda’s Briefing re: Napoles’ Surrender
Press Secretary Lacierda is quite a charming man. Unfortunately, he is not Papa Piolo charming. Not charming enough to be immune from people’s anger. Heck, even Papa P’s charms would crack at the recent turn of events. The people are just too angry and confused and tired for charms. What the people want are answers - logical answers.
Speaking of logic, Lacierda tried to offer logical explanations on why Malacanang had to warmly welcome Napoles. On why he – Lacierda himself, one of the President’s right hands - had to fetch Napoles. During the press briefing, the reporters were eager for details. The reluctant foil character, Lacierda, tried to describe the scene as matter-of-factly as possible. The whole act is quite eerie – eerily familiar. A scene so film noir cinematic. Imagine, the anti-hero (or wait, is she the hero?) – Napoles, a fugitive at large - finds saving grace in the hands of, surprise, the government – the hero (hmm, er, the anti-hero?). Lacierda – the pivotal character – picks-up the fugitive from a dark spot in Heritage Park cemetery right in the middle of the night – the metaphorical setting. Wait, where did the fugitive Napoles come from? Did she just rise from the grave? Gasp! Is Napoles a zombie?!! (This would have been a more charming twist.) But, wait, is Napoles the zombie? Is PNoy? Or, er, is it us?
Oh Lacierda tried to be logical alright, but he failed. When he nonchalantly describe the whole picking- up-Napoles scene as if it were a usual government business, he forgot one important point: it’s not. It’s never the government’s business to harbor alleged criminals like Napoles. The government is already cuddling and feeding too many criminals in its care. For the longest time, people have known this. For the longest time, people have been angry. Hence, the #MillionPeopleMarch. Now,that is one fine clear logic, yes?
But Lacierda, employing all his bureaucratic logic might, seems to want us to buy the classic inanity of badly written telenovelas – which we’re all so sick of! When we wonder why a certain character in telenovelas is still alive after an obviously inescapable terrible terrible accident, we shrug and say, “Sabi ni direk eh!” (What to do? Director said so.) During the press briefing, when one reporter asked, “Bakit hindi po sumuko sa NBI o PNP, at bakit sa Malacanang?” (Why didn’t Napoles go to NBI or PNP directly, why surrender to Malacanang?) Lacierda answered, “Yun po ang instruction ng presidente.” (That’s what the president instructed.)* Sabi ni direk eh.
This is when we say, “CUUUUUUUUUUTTTTT!!!”
Cut the bullshit. Give us the truth.
So, Lacierda did try to offer the government’s cocktail of truth further. Note that Lacierda is a logical man, so he cannot dabble on the “realm of speculation” (his words). Does Napoles and Pnoy have a deal? What is it? Nope, he cannot answer this. This is only a speculation. Because if they don’t have a deal, then why run to Malacanang? Now, this is something Lacierda eagerly answered: because Napoles’ life is threatened and the President wants to help her. Now all together now, “ahhhhhh what a sweetie president we have.” So, who is threatening Napoles exactly? Nope, no idea. Next question please.
Lacierda is such a logical man that he even alluded to the Socratic Method of reasoning to remind the public to be, well, reasonable. He even had the audacity to accuse the people of being guilty of hindsight bias. That since Napoles wanted to surrender to the president and the president accommodated her, then he made a bad decision. That, if when, the president didn’t accommodate Napoles’ request and remains at large, it is still the government’s fault. Like saying, come on people, be reasonable. (Hey people, come on! Let’s be reasonable for once!) Now, this is where it gets blurry.
This is when we SHOULD say, “CUUUUUUUTTTTT!” louder.
The government, and Lacierda as its mouthpiece, is lost in its webs of illogical lies. Because, as Socratic Method will teach us –something Lacierda should very well know – truth is simple. Socratic Method is a dialectical process of honesty to arrive at truth. Lacierda shouldn’t have alluded to the Socratic Method in the first place if he knows he cannot be honest. Because, when people in the government like Lacierda use big words like“Socratic Method” to make the people look stupid - to convolute a rather simple issue, to euphemize its dishonesty - people only get angrier. And when people get angrier, the peso goes down. When the peso goes lower, then this heralded economic boom will be exposed for what it is: empty. And when that happens, what’s next for PNoy’s populist – high ratings driven - politics?
Because the truth is simple. PNoy and Napoles are conniving for logical reasons: PNoy for political expediency, and Napoles for impunity.
PNoy apologists and the majority of people who think that this government - under this kind of system - is on its way to “matuwid na daan” will say, that’s okay. It’s actually smart for PNoy to do that so he can push forward his brilliant and mighty plans for the betterment of our country. After all, he needs leverage against those who will work against him. (Imagine if Napoles surrendered to Binay?) Really, shouldn’t we be thankful that we have a smart president? Really, that Lacierda should be sacked for being inept.
This is when we SHOULD shout at each other, “CUUUUUUUTTTTT!”
Haven’t we, the Filipino people, endured too much political drama already?
Until the people realize that the government is a system with deeply entrenched culture of political expediency and impunity give-and-takes. Until the people realize this and do something about it, then the government –whoever its mouthpiece and head brains are – can trample freely on our living graves. Until then, the people will continue to live a life of angry resignation. Until the people start rising from their graves…until then.
I ask again, who’s the zombie now?
*From Alberto Mortera’s Live Facebook status feed during the Press briefing: https://www.facebook.com/adolfmortera/posts/594758533896340
Speaking of logic, Lacierda tried to offer logical explanations on why Malacanang had to warmly welcome Napoles. On why he – Lacierda himself, one of the President’s right hands - had to fetch Napoles. During the press briefing, the reporters were eager for details. The reluctant foil character, Lacierda, tried to describe the scene as matter-of-factly as possible. The whole act is quite eerie – eerily familiar. A scene so film noir cinematic. Imagine, the anti-hero (or wait, is she the hero?) – Napoles, a fugitive at large - finds saving grace in the hands of, surprise, the government – the hero (hmm, er, the anti-hero?). Lacierda – the pivotal character – picks-up the fugitive from a dark spot in Heritage Park cemetery right in the middle of the night – the metaphorical setting. Wait, where did the fugitive Napoles come from? Did she just rise from the grave? Gasp! Is Napoles a zombie?!! (This would have been a more charming twist.) But, wait, is Napoles the zombie? Is PNoy? Or, er, is it us?
Oh Lacierda tried to be logical alright, but he failed. When he nonchalantly describe the whole picking- up-Napoles scene as if it were a usual government business, he forgot one important point: it’s not. It’s never the government’s business to harbor alleged criminals like Napoles. The government is already cuddling and feeding too many criminals in its care. For the longest time, people have known this. For the longest time, people have been angry. Hence, the #MillionPeopleMarch. Now,that is one fine clear logic, yes?
But Lacierda, employing all his bureaucratic logic might, seems to want us to buy the classic inanity of badly written telenovelas – which we’re all so sick of! When we wonder why a certain character in telenovelas is still alive after an obviously inescapable terrible terrible accident, we shrug and say, “Sabi ni direk eh!” (What to do? Director said so.) During the press briefing, when one reporter asked, “Bakit hindi po sumuko sa NBI o PNP, at bakit sa Malacanang?” (Why didn’t Napoles go to NBI or PNP directly, why surrender to Malacanang?) Lacierda answered, “Yun po ang instruction ng presidente.” (That’s what the president instructed.)* Sabi ni direk eh.
This is when we say, “CUUUUUUUUUUTTTTT!!!”
Cut the bullshit. Give us the truth.
So, Lacierda did try to offer the government’s cocktail of truth further. Note that Lacierda is a logical man, so he cannot dabble on the “realm of speculation” (his words). Does Napoles and Pnoy have a deal? What is it? Nope, he cannot answer this. This is only a speculation. Because if they don’t have a deal, then why run to Malacanang? Now, this is something Lacierda eagerly answered: because Napoles’ life is threatened and the President wants to help her. Now all together now, “ahhhhhh what a sweetie president we have.” So, who is threatening Napoles exactly? Nope, no idea. Next question please.
Lacierda is such a logical man that he even alluded to the Socratic Method of reasoning to remind the public to be, well, reasonable. He even had the audacity to accuse the people of being guilty of hindsight bias. That since Napoles wanted to surrender to the president and the president accommodated her, then he made a bad decision. That, if when, the president didn’t accommodate Napoles’ request and remains at large, it is still the government’s fault. Like saying, come on people, be reasonable. (Hey people, come on! Let’s be reasonable for once!) Now, this is where it gets blurry.
This is when we SHOULD say, “CUUUUUUUTTTTT!” louder.
The government, and Lacierda as its mouthpiece, is lost in its webs of illogical lies. Because, as Socratic Method will teach us –something Lacierda should very well know – truth is simple. Socratic Method is a dialectical process of honesty to arrive at truth. Lacierda shouldn’t have alluded to the Socratic Method in the first place if he knows he cannot be honest. Because, when people in the government like Lacierda use big words like“Socratic Method” to make the people look stupid - to convolute a rather simple issue, to euphemize its dishonesty - people only get angrier. And when people get angrier, the peso goes down. When the peso goes lower, then this heralded economic boom will be exposed for what it is: empty. And when that happens, what’s next for PNoy’s populist – high ratings driven - politics?
Because the truth is simple. PNoy and Napoles are conniving for logical reasons: PNoy for political expediency, and Napoles for impunity.
PNoy apologists and the majority of people who think that this government - under this kind of system - is on its way to “matuwid na daan” will say, that’s okay. It’s actually smart for PNoy to do that so he can push forward his brilliant and mighty plans for the betterment of our country. After all, he needs leverage against those who will work against him. (Imagine if Napoles surrendered to Binay?) Really, shouldn’t we be thankful that we have a smart president? Really, that Lacierda should be sacked for being inept.
This is when we SHOULD shout at each other, “CUUUUUUUTTTTT!”
Haven’t we, the Filipino people, endured too much political drama already?
Until the people realize that the government is a system with deeply entrenched culture of political expediency and impunity give-and-takes. Until the people realize this and do something about it, then the government –whoever its mouthpiece and head brains are – can trample freely on our living graves. Until then, the people will continue to live a life of angry resignation. Until the people start rising from their graves…until then.
I ask again, who’s the zombie now?
*From Alberto Mortera’s Live Facebook status feed during the Press briefing: https://www.facebook.com/adolfmortera/posts/594758533896340