Aside from scoring a major court victory against the Commission on Elections (Comelec) at the Supreme Court, Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC) chairman and senatorial candidate Richard Gordon also scored some political brownie points when he dropped by at the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC) to give out relief goods to the fire victims of two barangays in Mandaue City.
When asked whether the distribution of material goods to the fire victims wasn’t tantamount to politicking and campaigning Gordon justified his presence by saying he was visiting the fire victims in his capacity as Red Cross chairman.
Gordon had the convenient excuse to visit and be visible among the fire victims of Mandaue City, though it’s not without some holes. Aren’t candidates both in the private and government sector supposed to take a leave of absence in order not to use their jobs and the resources of the office they’re working for to further their candidacy?
The same may not be said of elective officials who are either running for reelection or higher office as in the case of Senators Grace Poe, Francis Escudero and Miriam Santiago as well as Vice President Jejomar Binay.
Liberal Party (LP) standard-bearer Mar Roxas had to resign from his post at the Department of Interior and Local Governments (DILG) though one can suspect and hardly be surprised that he has the administration’s resources and people at his disposal to advance his candidacy.
When asked about the Comelec prohibition on candidates giving cash or donations in kind during the campaign season, Gordon again stressed that he was there as Red Cross chairman. Based on the face value of his reply, it would seem that he continues to function as Red Cross chief, giving him a distinct advantage over other senatorial candidates.
Regardless of the Comelec prohibition, it’s hard if not downright impossible for candidates to be prosecuted for giving donations or loot bags to either fire victims or ordinary citizens on the street as shown during the recent distribution of goods by Mandaue City mayoral candidate and Councilor Lolypop Ouano-Dizon or by vice presidential candidate and Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
That’s obviously because not one of the recipients, if ever, will complain about receiving freebies especially those who really need it like the fire victims of Mandaue City.
That these goods which politicians freely give and claim as coming from their own pockets even if they may come from taxpayers’ money makes this situation both galling and tragic.
One can preach easily about not selling one’s votes to traditional politicians but try telling that to the needy, the poor and the disadvantaged and he or she may just as well be talking to a concrete wall until he or she is blue in the face.