The dance of the‘Left’ and ‘trapos’

BEHIND THE SCENES
Alfred P. Dizon

The “Left” made a big blunder in joining presidential candidate Manny Villar’s Nationalista Party with the entry of Satur Ocampo and Liza Maza in the NP’s senatorial slate. This is assuming that both admit they are members of the “Left” and the “Left” considers itself as the “Left.” (Never use the same word twice or thrice in a sentence, my former journalism teachers taught me, but, then, this could be an exception to the rule.)

The Left’s senatoriables could have struck on their own and launched their campaigns from a purely ideological platform instead of being dragged and “tainted” with accusations thrown at Villar over the C-5 road controversy, use of children in political advertisements, his being poor melodrama a fake and more as his political opponents claimed.
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When Ocampo, Maza and yes, the pretty Riza Hontiveros launched their candidacies as party-list nominees three years ago, they won with huge support from the grassroots nationwide. They entered Congress with no or little support from so-called traditional (trapo) parties.

To our foreign readers, “trapo” in the Philippine national language (Tagalog dialect actually) means cloth to wipe away dirt. But in local colloquial form, it has come to mean a dirty and corrupt politician.

The left’s machinery had been tried and tested in getting votes and propelling their candidates to power it is a wonder why Ocamp and company had to join the NP. Now, the hardened and veteran New People’s Army cadres in the countrysides must be watching from the sidelines with interest and sadness. Was it a party decision considering that Ocampo himself had denied he is a member of the Communist Party of the Philippines-NPA?
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As a newsman, I have talked with members of the Left in the past, particularly those who joined the armed struggle and those years, joining a “tainted” politician or party could have been branded as being “coopted” by “reactionary or imperialist” forces. One could have been branded a traitor t the cause.
Or is this now the Leftist trend – to win at all cost irregardless of who one’s allies are in winning a “tactical” victory at the expense of “prostitutionalizing” an ideology by joining the “enemy” to attain a desired form of government for the country? Is it now Machiavellianism – the end justifying the means to attain victory?
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The “oldtimers” must be shaking their heads from the sidelines watching developments. Some former “ideologists” said it was sad seeing Maza defend NP Villar from what their press information office called the “onslaught of vicious black propaganda,” as she emphasized the latter is “the only opposition candidate with a serious platform geared toward genuine reform.”

“Sa mga oposisyong kumakandidato ngayon, siya (Villar) ang sumalubong sa plataporma ng Makabayan, she said. “Yung iba, ni hindi nag-komento. Siya ang may seriousness na ipinakita sa plataporma na inihatag sa kanya ng Makabayan,” Maza said during a television interview last week.

Maza said “the alliance between NP and Makabayan or Makabayang Koalisyon ng Mamamayan is borne of a common platform that will bring about change for Filipinos.”

Makabayan is a political coalition that is presently comprised of eight progressive parties: Bayan Muna, Anakpawis, Gabriela, Kabataan, COURAGE, Migrante, ACT and Katribu. Besides Maza, Rep. Satur Ocampo is also a guest senatorial candidate of NP.
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According to Maza, Villar also made it possible for her and Ocampo to run alongside Rep. Bongbong Marcos, whose father’s regime is associated with alleged human rights violations. Times have indeed changed. Until now, the left is demanding justice and compensation from the Marcoses for human rights victims during the Martial Law administration. You call this “sleeping with the enemy?”
Maza said she finds ridiculous the “speculation, spin and black propaganda” peddled by Villar’s political rivals, particularly about his alleged links with the administration.”

“It is part of Makabayan’s platform to pursue and exhaust all legal actions to hold President Arroyo accountable for her crimes against the people. We discussed that with Senator Villar. Sinabi n’ya na hindi siya hahadlang sa mga efforts na ito,” said Maza.

Maza said justice for human rights victims is also among the platform and issues that NP and Makabayan have agreed on. The coalition between the two parties, according to her, is based on common platforms and not on money or funds as their political rivals are insinuating.

“Syempre tumutulong sya in some aspects of the campaign but we also have our own machinery as Makabayan. We have our own strength that we bring into the Nacionalista organization. They can see our supporters and machinery in areas where we campaign in,” said Maza.
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She added among her platforms of government are a nationalistic economy, genuine land reform and agricultural development, increased budget for basic services, protection of women, as well as affordable food, medicines, healthcare services, housing and education.

Almost every candidate says that. But then, in the field of politics, mixing oil and water has been elevated to an art. What is the dialectics now – a Pandora’s Box among some stakeholders in the left? Maybe Simon Naogsan, the spokesman of the National Democratic Front in the north could provide us some answers?