Good afternoon Mr. Presiding Officers, my distinguish collegues, guest, ladies and gentlemen.
The word for today as it was a word last Wednesday is “moral ascendency”, sa latin ito po ay “moralis provatit” at sa Tagalog naman ay “moral na pag-akyat” and some call it high moral grounds, others say strong moral authority, and there are those who know it as moral ascendancy. Ang sabi ng Webster Dictionary – it is conforming to a standard of right behavior.
Last Wednesday a Board Member in this August body stood in the plenary to accuse this representation of betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constitution and with no moral ascendancy to retain the chairmanship of the SP Committee on Environment. At, sa anong dahilan daw po? Ang sabi po ni Board Member, Bokal John Pelaez ay sapagkat this representation, ako daw na si Bokal Allan Nepomuceno at si Asst. Fiscal Dioscoro Timtiman, Jr. guested at a Boac radio Program at nagbitaw daw ako ng mga pananalita na taliwas sa mga paninindigan ng mga taong bayan at biased na pumapabor sa mga abugadong Amerikano ng Diamond Mc Carthy Law Office.
Mr. Presiding Officer, I have been serving this institution since July 1, 2004. Longer than anybody else in the 14th Sangguniang Panlalawigan. Since then I have been working with the SP Committee that deals with the province’s case against Marcopper, Placer Dome and Barrick. I could claim that I am more knowledgeable than any of the BM in the present SP when it comes to the said case. Sa loob po ng nakaraang lingo, ang mainit na nagging issue ay ang usaping paghingi ng ating Governor ng authority para pumirma ng isang kasunduan na maituloy ang kaso laban sa Barrick sa Canada.
Naniniwala po ako na ito ang tamang hakbang para mapadali natin at makamtan ang mga kabayaran sa perwisyo na ginawa ng irresponsableng pamamaraan ng pagmimina na ginawa ng Marcopper sa ating lalawigan. Sa abot po ng aking makakaya at spirit of transparency ay ipapaliwanag ko lang po sa radio ang lahat ng information na hinihingi n gating mamamayan, walang labis, walang kulang. Wala tayong nilabag na anumang batas, wala tayong sinisiraan na sinuman ang lahat ay ang pagsagot lamang sa mga issue at mga katanungan ni Mr. Ric Pielago. Malinis po ang aking konsensya at handa po akong humarap kanino man para ipagtanggol ang aking mga sinabi at panindigan tungkol sa issue ng MOA.
Nang matapos magbotohan noong nakaraang sesyon noong Miyerkules at natalo ang aking isinusulong na panukala na bigyan ng authority ang Governor na pirmahan ang MOA. Tumayo po tayo at magalang na nagpapasalamat sa lahat ng sumusuporta at sa lahat na mga bumoto, maging favor man o salungat sa aking panukala. At, sa punto na iyon I was expecting a gesture of magnanimity on the part the most vocal oppositor to my resolution, na si BM Pelaez, ang akala kop o ay happy na siya at kuntento sa resulta and we could move on sa susunod na plano sa kaso. But to my surprise, Ladies and gentleman, tumayo siya at binatikos at inakusahan akop sa aking pag radio noong nakaraang Biyernes at idineklara ni Bokal Pelaez na bakante ang Chairmanship ng aking komitiba at ito naman ay kaagad na napagbotohan.
Mr. Presiding Officer, pumabor po sina Bokal Daquioag, Bokal Aguirre, Bokal Pamintuan, Bokal Pelaez at Bokal Salvacion. Mr. Presiding Officer, I intentionally inhibited in the votatio out of delicadeza and a follower of the preserved tradition that a gentleman/officer don’t vote for himself in an open votation, instead you vote for the othe contender expecting that he will reciprocate and vote for you as a gesture of sportsmanship as an Honorable Gentleman should. Sorry hindi pala tinuro kay BM Pelaez 'yon.
Mr. Presiding Officer, I will be a hypocrite not to admit that I got hurt and insulted because the accusation was directed at my person and my integrity was purely personal and ill motivated. What is more hurting is I’ve never expected some Bokals in this chamber to go along with the drama and script to oust me. All of you have participated in giving me the most insulting and most humiliating time of my life. And, all of you who laughed and enjoyed my defeat and expulsion, I have never expected that. Mayroon palang nasasarapan at ginaganahan kapag pinapalakpakan, obviously BM Pelaez was playing for the delight of audience. He was grandstanding at my expense. After that incident, I bowed my head in silence and accepted the fate and defeat of a humiliated warrior.
Now, let me go back to the subject of moral ascendency which was used by BM Pelaez to unseat me from my Chairmanship. Ang masasabi kop o, MR. Pelaez, the dice has been cast. Mr. Pelaez, you have awakened a sleeping giant. May kasabihan ang mga matatanda, if you live in a house of glass huwag kang mambabato. We as public officials lives and acts in the dictates of a high standard of morality. Mr. Pelaez you ask for it, hinihingi mo po na ang moral ascendency ay batayan ng servicio public, at tama naman po sapagkat nariyan ang RA 6713, which is the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees which provides that an LGU officials must promote ethical with the highest moral value, lahat po tayo ay covered ng pamantayan na ito.
Mr. Pelaez, kayo po ay isang Licensed Engineer, at kayo din po ay isang Bokal, at isang teacher din po kayo sa Marinduque State College, hindi po ba pumasok sa isip ninyo na kayo ay dapat maging isang huwaran at inspirasyon ng mga mamayan at ng mga kabataan na tinuturuan nyo sa paaralan? Bakit po taliwas yata sa good standards at high values of moralit ang inyong ginagawa at pamumuhay dito sa ating lalawigan? Mr. Pelaez sang-ayon pos a inyong records ditto sa Provincial Human Resource Office, sa Kapitolyo, ay pinakasalan nyo si Teresita Angelina T. Pelaez na taga-Nueva Ecija at meron kayong mga anak, paano po yaong moral ascendency na sinasabi ninyo ay batid ng lahat at ng publiko na nakikiapid po kayo sa isang babae na may asawa at anak? Hindi po ba immoralidad ang ginagawa ninyo? Can you be a role model to the youth, to your students? Papaano kung may malaman din nila na may pending case ka, Bokal Pelaez, sa Pisklaya, na ikaw ay may kasong alleged illegal detention, pagnanakaw ng cellphone, pambubugbog at panunutok ng baril? Hindi po kaya Bokal Pelaez makakabuti na magbitiw na lang kayo sa pagtuturo sa MSC sapagkat nakakasira kayo sa institution na pinagtuturuan ninyo at kayo ay masamang ehemplo sa mga estudyante? Aantayin pa po ba ninyo ang mga isasampang kaso laban sa inyo sa Marinduque State College at Professional Regulation Commission?
Mr. Presiding Officer, being the Chairman of the Committee on SP Blue Ribbon and Ethics, moto propio, without committee referral I am duty bound to act and do whatever is necessary under the circumstance. I am now in the twilight years of my life, I am 72 years old. And, this is the stage of life which is said to be the golden years of retirement. Sabin g iba, nasa departure area na, true and must be accepted as a reality of life. That is why people like me, Mr. Presiding Officer, don’t wish to hurt or antagonize others for it is our wish that before we leave an institution like the Sangguniang Panlalawigan or this planet we should be in good vibes, with good memories to remember and maintain the good friendship with our fellowmen.
In my 30 years in the airline and almost 12 here in the SP, my outlook and dealings with others has always been positive, courteous, respectful and happy. From the simple JO to the Governor, I deal with all of them with full respect and sincerity, fairly And squarely. Unfortunately, Bokal Pelaez you made this happen. Tulad ng sinabi mo sa akin noong Miyerkules, “Sorry po, Tito Allan Trabaho lang." Sorry John Pelaez, Trabaho lang din!"
Salamat po.
