Political Hullabaloos

Sonia M. Roco (SMR), the wife of the late Sen. Raul S. Roco (RSR), has announced her interest in running for public office. The rationale is basically to continue what her late husband had already started. In a more figurative description, it would mean “nourishing the seeds that have been sowed.”

I’ve already posted my reaction about the move months ago. She’s equally competent and good like RSR. But in terms of political involvement (the art of politics), I’m still somehow worried. However, if you would just look at the intention for running, she definitely deserves a seat in the public office.

Lately, however, her name is being linked to Mark Jimenez (a former congressman and someone involved in illegal-doings). She was seen accompanying MJ during a relief operation in Albay. And just recently, MJ has been noisy about his support for SMR.

MJ has been claiming that he’s a member of Aksyon Demokratiko. To set the record clear, he is not a member of Aksyon Demokratiko. He hasn’t sworn to the party at all. In fact there was an article published in Daily Tribune on the junking of MJ’s application to Aksyon (link from Political Junkie's blog). That’s why there’s really something wrong about his declaration of support and membership to the party.

Amidst this earlier news article on the junking of MJ’s membership, in a news article last November 10, he was still associated to Aksyon not just as a supporter but as a member. (Oh, C’mmon, Mark, stop claiming that you’re a member because you aren’t!) If his intention of supporting Aksyon Demokratiko (national to local candidates) is sincere and has nothing to do with his political plans, I don’t think that there’s a need for him to have media statements. Declaration of support is enough but to go beyond that, as if he’s the spokesperson of Aksyon, is something else.

Personally, I don’t want him to be supporting Aksyon at all. He’s personality is very much tainted. He’s the ultimate opposite of the ideologies and principles of the party. I really don’t believe that he is supporting Aksyon because he believes in the principle of “new politics” alone. How could I believe him when I just saw his paid advertisement on Channel 11 (Bringing a poor barangay to Jollibee)? How could I believe him when last November 1 he distributed T-shirts with his name and face on it?

It is impossible that he is doing all these things because he wants to help. Why he wants to help is another thing. I think he’s gunning for something that may cause the party (as well as what RSR had sowed). And that I fear.

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Looking at the MJ link, SMR gained relative publicity. They say publicity, even if it's bad, is still publicity. Yet, it doesn't mean that its helpful at all (not because people hear more about you, the more they are going to vote for you). At least the MJ issues could serve as a sort of springboard in revealing the real SMR (ideologies and principles). I wish that the bad publicity could serve as a challenge for the people to think and ask -- be critical.