Benny and the 'mutiny'

 LETTERS FROM THE AGNO

David March L. Fianza

Recent events remind of Elton John’s 70s hit “Bennie and the jets” that hinted to listeners his desire in performing publicly in outrageous clothing and flashy sunglasses. Stage performance then was popular with glittery and tight costumes worn by the likes of singer David Bowie, Abba, The Kiss and even Elvis Presley.
    For Elton John, he is gay so he performed in sparkling feminine clothes. He described Bennie as a female character, a “sci-fi rock goddess” while lyricist Bernie Taupin said, “Bennie and the jets” was an imaginary but exemplary female rock ‘n’ roll band of robots.
    With those claims, I had to read back the lyrics. It did mention something about being “faithless and blind, but Bennie makes them ageless” – exactly like robots. Bennie wore “electric boots and mohair suits…” Then a line goes: “We shall survive, let us take ourselves along; where we fight our parents out in the streets, to find who's right and who's wrong.”
    And so, I am reminded of Benny T. Carantes, 79; our own Boss Benny. In the 70s until lately, he always saw to it that he kept New Lucban boys busy around the Sunday charcoal screen grilling pork and chicken for lunch. This was his way of protecting and keeping the boys from straying away on weekends, knowing that they have decent prospects respectively in life.
    Although Boss Benny lost his fight for vice mayor of Baguio once upon a time in the 70s, he was one of the best political analysts. His four-decade column “The Opposite Connection” in the Baguio Midland Courier was widely read by politicians and ordinary citizens from all walks of life.
    For many of us New Lucban boys, we knew Boss Benny not only as a sympathetic lawyer, a politician, a card-player who played his part so well and a considerate cockfighting fan. He was the rock star who, in between reading newspapers, croons “Send in the clowns” or imagines the mystic smile of “Mona Lisa”.
    He was a good father to Marc, Mel and to the street boys in the neighborhood; a good husband to his late Minda; and most of all, a wonderful friend to all. His memories stay with us.
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Boss Benny’s “Opposite Connection” column two Sundays ago referred to Beneco as “Boneco”. It was because it was plainly observed that those who wanted to get involved were from the same neighboring province in the north.
    That is why his column was entitled “Wage your battles in your own backyard, not here”. Beside all that he said, reading in between the lines tells us that Boss Benny knew that the electric cooperative was in good standing.
In other words, one can say “go fight your war on your own ship, not on mine.” By the way, a saying goes: Do not rock a boat if it is sailing smoothly. Otherwise, we all sink.
    Every company, even the good ones have kinks to fix but this does not mean that anybody can just barge in, especially if s/he has the powers at the back. What Boss Benny simply wanted to suggest was that the electric company should be run by a qualified manager who is not being pushed by a “Chinaman”. Or else, give the post to people from Benguet.
    The latest I heard, the NEA issued a suspension order for the six Beneco directors who chose to support the present GM Mel Licoben. Is that legal and enforceable? Because of that, the four directors who are with the other side attempted to ask banks to freeze Beneco’s money.
    A cheap trick. That cannot work because any ordinary bank manager knows that directors of any company cannot freeze assets without a cause of action, without a resolution by a majority of the board and signed by the legitimate GM.
    All events following previous illegal acts may not be acceptable in the long run because they are all derivatives of an original illegal act. If so, then Engr. Licoben is still the GM. Even Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo knows that.