When good men make the wrong choices

The rather sad saga of erstwhile MMDA chairman, Francis Tolentino, illustrates how just one wrong move destroys a whole lifetime of goodness, how a single bad choice obliterates a long career of dedication and faithfulness to public trust. Francis Tolentino, of course, is neither a living saint nor a sinless angel. He has his faults and human weaknesses. But compared to the many scoundrels, rascals and scalawags in today's Philippine politics, he would really look like an angel. He has dedicated his whole lifetime and career to the service of the nation. His name has never been associated with any shenanigan or scam. The Tolentinos are honorable men and women, much loved in Tagaytay, and highly respected in Cavite.

Those who know Francis Tolentino and his clan well speak highly of his rectitude and fidelity to the service of the nation. But when he was unwittingly involved in that silly "Playgirl" imbroglio, all the good things he did were totally forgotten. Indeed, when bad men do good things, no one remembers. When good men do bad things, no one forgets. Those who sensationalize the ''twerking incident in sta Cruz, Laguna, in the residence of Congressman Agarao, are mostly self-righteous men who have not served the country as well as Tolentino has done. Most people are like scribes and Pharisees, self-righteous, pretentious, and nothing but fake pretenders to righteousness.

But Tolentino's sad experience is one that is decidedly not unprecedented. In our political history, there are many good men (and women, too) who did silly things. I remember a very promising lady representative in the lone district of Pasay who danced the lambada in such a very sexy way that the selfrighteous public decided within one crucial moment that she should not be elected again. I think her name was Lorna VeranoYap. Then Paranaque Mayor Joey Marquez seemed invincible in the local politics of that city. But when he committed the mistake of having himself entangled with Kris Aquino, that was the end of his political career.

When President Ferdinand, perhaps the most brilliant among the past Philippine presidents, was allegedly caught by Madam Imeldific supposedly being involved with a sexy (some used the adjective "voluptuous"), female specie called CIA agent, Dovie Beams, that was the tipping point that marked the boundary between his greatness of mind and his feet of clay. When President Bill Clinton mixed his presidential business with his rather philandering pleasures, with a White House student intern, Monica Lewinsky, that was the crucial turning point to a political disaster that almost ended in his impeachment. One wrong move, it only takes one mistake, and greatness crumbles like a deck of cards.

There was a mayor in Bicol who was exposed by his scorned wife as a habitual philanderer. There was a vice mayor from a southern town of Cebu who was accused by his wife of having a torrid affair with his law firm partner. The fury of the angry wife ended in a serious bloody confrontation that almost caused a murder, if not for the intervention of friends who helped the couple survive that major crisis and preserve their marriage. But somehow, the positive public image of these officials was seriously tarnished in the impulsive perception of the usually judgmental public. One wrong move triggers the sudden loss of a great reputation.

When good men make the wrong choices, they are never forgiven by the often biased public. One wrong move turns the world upside down. And it shall never be the same again. A good name built by generations of forebears, over scores of years can crumble by a single moment of indiscretion. All the above notwithstanding, I shall still vote for Francis Tolentino. He is more competent than Lito Lapid and Manny Pacquiao. And has better records of integrity than most senators I know.