Demolishing Rambotito

By Vergel O. Santos |Philippine Daily Inquirer

Demolition job is a phrase that has gained currency in our politicsa fairly recent usage, maybe a mere couple of generations.

Borrowed from armed-conflict lingo, the idea involves a plot pursued with insidious intent to destroy a target, completely; in lieu of explosives, political demolitionists use exposs of the most malignant sort.

If a demolition job is fair enough in war, it should be fair enough in politics. It should therefore not come as a surprise to Jejomar Binay; no target, in fact, would seem worthier.

Binay is the patriarch of one of the strongest-entrenched, if newer, political dynasties. His only son is the mayor of Makati, the nations richest city. Its a position that has become a family preserve since he got himself appointed to it by Cory Aquino upon her ascension as revolutionary leader following the popular rising that dislodged the dictator Ferdinand Marcos, in 1986.

National brand

In all fairness, Binay did get his mayoral claim validated by a proper vote, for two straight terms, but that also gave him time to warm the seat for his wife, herself inserted only to keep it in the family while he took a prescribed term-long break before reclaiming it and rewarming it for his son.

The Binay name having acquired the virtue of a national brand, however dubious, a daughter has emerged from absolute obscurity to get herself elected senator of the Republic, while another gets to represent a Makati district in the Lower House of Congress.

Surely, for such a broad hold on power alone, the Binay dynasty deserves to be, if not demolished, at least restrained. As happens moreover, Binay has long made no secreteven longer than he has been vice presidentof his desire to be president; in fact, two years yet before the polls and already he is brandishing the red flag of his burning ambition.

ILLUSTRATION BY VOS

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Demolishing Rambotito