Shame on the political butterflies

The exodus of so many mayors and other local officials to PDP-Laban here in Cebu, in Leyte and almost everywhere, is an indubitable confirmation of what I always believe: that in our country politics are without principles. No ideology, no values, no principles. It is all a matter of convenience, a matter of political expediency, and according to the turncoats themselves, a matter of political survival. I am no longer exasperated by the shameless turncoatism of shallow characters because I have already condemned these traditional politicians in our country, as nothing but opportunists, spineless political animals, whose perspectives are as shortsighted as the next election only, and nothing beyond. No vision for the country, no long-term strategies, no paradigm for the big picture.

Malaysia is much more mature politically. The UMNO, the ruling party of prime minister NajibRazak is the same party of the country's founding fathers led by TunkuAbdul Rahman and Najib's own late father Tunku Abdul Razak. UMNO is also the party of Tun Mahathir, Tun Mohamad Badawi. The opposition leaders never turn UMNO, and UMNO members do not abandon their party even under very difficult pressures like what was experienced in some states of Malaysia. The same is true in Indonesia and in Singapore.There is stability in their party systems essentially because it is anchored on clear principles and values. In the US, Republicans never become Democrats and vice versa In UK, Canada, Australia and in New Zealand, politicians do not become butterflies overnight.

Here in the Philippines, turncoatism was started by Manuel Roxas when he was defeated by Don Sergio Osmeña in a clean party convention. They were both NP leaders but rejected, Roxas convened another convention and formed the LP as a splinter group challenging the old grand NP. President Elpidio Quirino was LP but his own appointee, then Defense Secretary Ramon Magsaysay turned NP and defeated Quirino, his boss. President Carlos Garcia, an NP was a principled man and never abandoned his party. He was defeated by Diosdado Macapagal who was an LP all the way. Ferdinand Marcos was an LP but shifted to NP and the rest is history. Marcos destroyed the two party system by forming the KBL. All politicians in Cebu became turncoats and joined KBL, including the Duranos, the Kintanars, the Zosas, Dumons, and even the Garcias. Only HilarioDavide Jr., Marcelo Fernan and a few good men did not join the KBL bandwagon.

I refuse to agree that a principled mayor cannot survive if and when he stands his ground against the PDP. But I do believe that President Duterte is principled. He did not have any party when he decided to run at the last minute. He defeated Mar Roxas with no less than 16 million votes despite the organization, the money and the support of PNoy. It is because Rody had a vision, he had a message and he had a long-range plan.

But excuse me, I cannot say the same to his underlings, especially the Senate president and the Speaker of the House. I do not know what are their ideologies, what are their visions for the country.All they are interested in is to prepare for the next mid-term elections. To paraphrase Cherry Gil: "They are nothing but secondrate, trying hard pretenders to their thrones." They do not have a solid principle under their feet. And I dare say the same to all the turncoats in Cebu and anywhere:shame, shame, shame.