SC and Vizconde /SK elections

G-SPAT
Grace Bandoy

BAGUIO CITY -- The acquittal of Webb and his gang from the brutal, unforgettable crime committed against the Vizcondes committed almost two decades ago was totally disheartening. Seeing Lauro Vizconde breaking down just tore my heart and I believe the hearts of millions of pinoys too.

As far as my generation is concerned (I’m 45 for those who are curious), that crime was probably our first taste of brutality and violence played in the media as it was highly covered in the media then. It was the Maguidanao Massacre of our time.

The country sympathized with the old but jolly-looking Lauro Vizconde. We all cried with him when he buried his family. And we cry with him still this time.

Even my six-year-old niece, who was totally clueless about what the fuss was all about, shed a tear when she saw lolo Lauro on TV wailing in agony. “Kawawa naman siya,” she said.

When the group of Webb, (spoiled, rich and bratty-looking kids), were convicted of the crime, it was some sort of victory for a lot of people. The idea of rich and influential people in our country not getting away with rape and murder was an ultimate triumph for the Filipinos (no matter how cute Hubert and some of his friends were before, hehehe).

That decision of the Supreme Court setting them free was a dream-crusher for me. But I still wish to have faith in our country’s justice system, ano na lang pong mangyayari kung pati ang mga korte natin kasing palpak ni Noynoy di ba?

Nagpapagaan na lang sa loob ko about all these is nawala ang pagka conyo ni Hubert Webb and hindi na siya papa! Taong kalye na siya magsalita ngayon, napansin ninyo? Hehehehe, at least prison humbled him yun na lang isipin natin.

I hope the Supreme Court made the right decision. But my heart just goes out to that old man -- Lauro Vizconde.
***
I have yet to see an Sangguniang Kabataan representative in the city council who has the guts and brains to battle it out with senior councilors. Hindi naman siguro makiki pagbattle, but at least someone who’s not afraid to express her thoughts and opinions about everything na pinag uusapan nila dun. Lalo na if she doesn’t agree to what the other councilors are saying.

Since time immemorial, ang ginawa lang po yata ng SK chairman sa city council ay umupo dun at magpa cute. And itaas ang kamay niya sa mga binobotong issues. There was never a “voice of the youth” there. Never!

And kung yung pa liga liga nila ang pinagmamayabang nilang ginawa nila, lokohin nila leleng nila! Millions ang budget ng SK na nasasayang lang sa pa liga na yan promise. Abolish the SK!

Nagiging source of corruption pa ho ang SK na ito sa ating lipunan kung pinapabayaan ang mga ‘youth’ na itong magpadikta and magpagamit sa senior politicians hindi po ba?!

Alam ninyo po sa city council, kung saan ang SK chairman ay umuupo bilang isang councilor, mahalaga po ang bawat pirma ng isang konsehal.

Ang mga laws and projects po ng ating city ay dumadaan po lagi sa kanilang lahat bago mapunta sa office ng mayor para sa kanyang final approval and pag sa sakatuparan ng inaprubahang item.

Pag ang isang project po ay gustong palusutin at i-implement ng lungsod natin, katakot takot na pangungumbinsi po ang kailangan mong gawin sa ating mga councilors para nila i-approve ito. Dito po allegedly ay nagkakaroon ng mga regaluhan and bigayan ng kung ano ano para po sa kanilang approval. Dito rin daw po nagkakaroon ng corruption.

Kaya ang bawat position po diyan ay pinaglalabanan ng halos patayan.Hindi po kaya ang pagkakapanalo ng ating bagong SK chairman, na anak ni dating councilor Leandro Yangot ay nabahiran rin ng impuwensiya buhat sa Timpuyog party?

God, hindi naman po sana di po ba? Sana naman po ang ating bagong SK chairman eh may sariling isip and paninindigan na gawin ang alam niya for the good of the people of Baguio and hindi para sa kanilang mga sariling pangkabutihan lang.

Mukha naman pong smart ang young lady na ito pero sana nga eh hindi mukha lang…. Peace!