AT THE VERY LEAST, it was a bad joke.  At the very most, it was the Lilliputian of all Lilliputian affairs. Even the lamest Dinagyang gig can draw a crowd! So yes, by all accounts, the crowd who congregated at the promenade of the Iloilo Provincial Capitol in last Friday’s interfaith rally failed to convince their kasimanwas.

Unlike the sea of humanity that flocked in the heart of the country’s financial district, less than 500 Ilonggos had the audacity to demand the government of Righteous Gloria to deliver justice to the people by telling the truth.

But of course the miniscule force was nothing compared to a lady senator gracing a fashion show in Arevalo district that Friday night when one of the biggest rallies in imperial Manila swelled to almost 100,000. 

Not that I’m trying to undermine the fabric industry in Iloilo and the rest of Panay.  By all means, we, as Ilonggos or even as Panayanons, should be more than proud that this island is home to the hablon, the piña and the jusi – fine fabrics that are turned into pret-a-porter clothes by world-class fashion designers.

Putting aside Panay’s growing fabric industry, Sen. Loren Legarda’s presence in Iloilo was a melancholic footnote to the saga we now know as Edsa. She seems to have evolved into another anti-Edsa alarmist – Filipinos who condone the bloodless struggle to reclaim the virtues of freedom and democracy as well as truth and justice. 

In a way, Sen. Legarda’s drama no longer surprises me.  After all, this startling revelation came from a TV anchor-turned-senator who walked out from the halls of the Upper Chamber more than seven years ago when 11 other senators betrayed the Filipino people by concealing the truth.  She joined the group of senators that sparked another people power and ended the reign of the man who clinched presidential victory by an overwhelming mandate of the people in 1998. But more than that, she is the same person who became the running mate of Fernando Poe Jr. – Erap’s would have been alter ego at the palace by the river if Righteous Gloria never said “Hello” to Garci and if he never bid farewell to life. 

While she insists that she has steered away from the game of political grandstanding brought about by the moro-moro style investigation of the ZTE scandal, Sen. Legarda is actually posturing herself for that coveted throne at the palace by the river two years from now. 

Suffice to say, Sen. Legarda has also been using a very idiotic national mantra.  That is there is no better alternative!

Yes, not even what the Constitution says is an alternative!  For Sen. Legarda, the Constitution does not serve a purpose if Kabayan Noli succeeds Righteous Gloria in case the “lucky bitch” surrenders her throne. 

Truth of the matter is: she just cannot fathom Kabayan Noli, who obliterated her from occupying the second most powerful office in this side of the world from stealing the thunder away from her and becoming president.   The very thought of it is already insulting to her.  These days, Sen. Legarda can only join the bandwagon of character assassins who will do anything and everything to make Kabayan Noli stay where he is.

Should we let our elected leaders and political strategists spawn lame reason after lame reason?  Should we wait for two more agonizing years to find out if indeed there is no better alternative to Righteous Gloria?

Alas, we will continue to sigh and utter under our breaths, Bahala na.

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