The tragedy of being Yellow

Lopez

The biggest tragedy of being Yellow in this day and age is not that Duterte is president. It’s that their highest official, their only viable alternative to PRRD, Leni Robredo, is both stupid and a fake. And people see it. Nine out of ten Filipinos see it.

’Tis obvious, Filipinos have had it with her stunts and pretense. I pity Leni because she is clearly not cerebral — you see it during her live interviews, the woman is clueless and is given to motherhood statements and rehearsed garbage — and her only experience with success is following the Liberal Party playbook of necro-politics, or as Ambassador Bobi Tiglao so aptly put in his Facebook post last week, “political necrophilia.”

The LPs surely love death; whether it’s Ninoy’s, Cory’s, Jesse’s, and now, Kian’s, they always see death as a most invaluable resource, whether it can be had as a matter of destiny or perhaps by engineered design, whatever the case, it is an integral ingredient for their political success and survival.

Leni followed LP’s script to a tee and it brought her places. So yeah, I do not blame her for trusting in the other entries found in the Liberal Party playbook: manufactured simplicity, “living saint” piety, credit-grabbing to cover up for mediocrity, et al. Imagine, just months after her husband’s untimely death, she almost instantly found herself in the august halls of Congress.

And just three years after that, she is vice president (albeit with a questionable mandate). Still, by and large, following the Yellow rulebook of the politics of death has produced the desired results for Leni “Banal-banalan” Robredo. Indeed, what a mercurial climb.

And so, because of these past successes, her and every other Liberal Party member’s obsession with death has grown into a certified addiction.

From the death of their loved ones to “extrajudicial killings,” it seems they have a compulsion to exploiting death and loss whenever the opportunity presents itself.

Say what you will about the Arroyos, but they never called for a press con to use their grief to draw attention and public sympathy when the former president lost a grandson while in detention. Also, did you know that we lost a Romualdez cousin and her baby during Yolanda?

But you never heard the Romualdezes talk about it or use it to counter Mar Roxas’ warped “You are a Romualdez, the President is an Aquino” argument at the height of the rescue and relief operations post-Haiyan.

If it were up to an Aquino, aha, it’d be grand drama and histrionics galore at a press con, as in the works!

Fast-forward to the death of 17-year-old Kian delos Santos in the hands of erring cops. It was really just a matter of time before Leni and Risa showed up to shed their crocodile tears. In fact, I already predicted it to some friends way before the two women went to the wake to “condole” with Kian’s parents.

Like clockwork, Leni, Risa and their LP propaganda machinery ramped up support for their pathetic cause of pinning the blame on Duterte.

Here comes another death; after all, a minor’s death is a major development, a golden opportunity, especially if you’re Yellow.

He was to become their rallying point, the fulcrum of their “tama na, sobra na, palitan na” back to Edsa game plan for the next few days and weeks.

He was their saint, martyred so they’ve an icon to revere as they preach their righteousness onto this sinful land cursed with a bloodthirsty Herod for its leader.

But just when they thought they had everything figured out, just when they’ve gone full swing on their anti-Duterte offensive (Risa taking custody of witnesses, rally in Edsa on Ninoy Aquino holiday, etc.), they were in for one big shock. Kian’s parents themselves wanted to meet with the President and his mother even asked if she could hug him.

You see, this is what happens when you know your son’s death is being exploited, used to the hilt by desperate politicians. All the epalness has backfired. And what a sudden turn of events. Suddenly the Yellows who championed Kian and his folks have turned on them and have since accused them of selling out. So you only fight for them if they follow your script? Standard Yellow hypocrisy at play.

The optics of Kian’s parents posing with the President, fists raised, and his mom hugging PRRD tight deals a debilitating blow on the jaundiced conviction. For what else can you squeeze from it when the parents of your poster child trust the guy you are blaming for his death more than you, no matter that you were there for them first. So wawa these people, no?

To make matters worse, a survey by PUBLiCUS Asia was released on the same day: Duterte is considered the most loving, caring, and decisive leader by 9 out of 10 Filipinos. That’s in stark contrast to Leni’s measly and pathetic 5 percent decisiveness rating across the board.

And since they’re so obsessed with death, while Duterte is surely their comeuppance, Leni herself appears to be the final nail in the Yellow coffin. My condolences.