Loving Pichay

Some things will remain a mystery. Some things will remain as a surprise. I just wonder what others would think of him.

A couple of weeks ago, I got a comment from a reader named Martin. I checked out his profile. All I learned from it is that he joined Blogger on March 2007. No blogs. I wished he had one so that I and the rest of the world would know more about his ideas.

In one of my entries, I mentioned several names of candidates that should not be voted - including Prospero Pichay. Martin wanted me to elaborate the reason for calling the representative of Surigao arrogant. I gave my reasons.

Here's a piece of our conversations:
The Purple Phoenix
Did you know that there is a bias regarding the punishment of ADULTERY (for women) and CONCUBINAGE (for men)?

If you're a woman who committed adultery you can be found guilty if your husband can show a video or picture of you going out in a motel with a man. The woman could be punished for 6 years. On the other hand, for a man who's charge with concubinage - his wife must present records that show that the man is FINANCIALLY supporting his mistress. If found guilty, he can be punished for 2-3 years.

A lawmaker from Batangas saw the discrepancy and wanted to change it. You know what's the reply of Pichay? Two words: NO WAY! Is that ARROGANCE OR NOT?

Regarding the belly? I'm also fat. I've nothing against fat people. But I have a lot of issues regarding people who got fat from money made from publishing smut tabloids like Remate. Yeah. You read it right. Pichay was a smut publisher before.

You want further reasons?


Martin
Hmmm, not convinced - you mentioned an issue regarding the disparity on how the law treats men and women for a similar offense and on that particular issue Pichay said "No Way" - making him forever arrogant. I don't know why he said what he said but that's just one incident and we do not know what was behind his saying "No Way". I still believe that most of the people running for Senate are arrogant.

There is a big difference between calling a person arrogant and calling him forever arrogant.

Here's more.
Martin
I've seen Pichay in a number of interviews, I like the way he speaks, straight to the point but with sense and his arguments are well thought out. I do not have to agree with everything he says, neither should anyone, but I would vote for someone who speaks with clarity and sense, even if I disagree with what he says than someone who merely speaks of what is popular at the time.

Arrogant? Hmmm, I never saw him in any of his interviews as being arrogant. But being frank may be viewed in this country as arrogant, especially if they disagree with what someone says. I would characterize the guy as being more gutsy than anything else. That is part of his role as a legislator, not to take NO for an answer. Imagine how effective a legislator will be if he just takes NO for an answer?


After reading this comment, I have concluded that he loves Pichay. It hit me - we are simply two sides of the same coin. Like Sherlock Holmes and Professor Moriarty. Like Like Lupin III and Detective Koichi Zenigata.

Why? It's quite obvious that I am a big Chiz Escudero fan. Try replacing the name of Pichay with Escudero in Martin's comments.

The feeling is just the same.

We are both fans of different candidates.

So readers. Do not pity Martin for loving Pichay. If you truly believe that Chavit Singson is the future of this country - show your love! If you think that Tito Sotto is essential to the Senate - tattoo his name across your chest!

Give your candidates some major whoop-whoops!

Today is Palm Sunday. I just had an epiphany.

The Real Campaign Manager

Prospero Pichay predicts an 8-4 result in the upcoming senatorial elections. He does not believe that the opposition will sweep the slate.

He provided three reasons.

1. Administration machinery

2. Local government support

3. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's popularity in the provinces

It was the first time I heard the words 'popularity' and 'Arroyo' in one sentence without 'deteriorating' and 'decreasing' in between.

I'm not sure if Arroyo is popular in the Visayas and Mindanao but I'm pretty sure he is not popular in Southern Luzon - which Pichay specifically mentioned in his deranged analysis.

In the last elections, Arroyo was practically massacred in Southern Luzon. Let me give you a concrete example, nobody was campaigning for FPJ in our town yet he won in almost all the barangays.

And isn't the Southern Luzon votes the reason why Garci and his Gang had to quickly and carelessly change the results to keep the Fake One in power?

Let me tell you this, Arroyo will still figure in the campaign trail (kiss of death be damned), but she won't be the ultimate campaign manager. 2007 is the year of the pig.

Believe me when I say that the REAL campaign manager of the administration goes by the name Pork Barrell.

Sino ang Tatapos: The Pichay-De Venecia Showdown

I suggest that the current fight between Jose De Venecia and Prospero Pichay be placed as an undercard match in the upcoming fight of Manny Pacquiao and Erik Morales. It has more controversy than the Vegas prizefight. There are more things at stake other than pride in the speakership struggle – money, political clout, and eternal bragging rights. Maybe not the last one but who knows, you can’t determine the scope of their egos. But what is the skirmish all about? Charter Change. You see there are two versions in the Lower House regarding Plan B or Constitutional Assembly 1) the Jaurala version backed by Big Brother Joe 2) and the Pichay version as proposed by the challenger.

Pichay claims that his proposal has already gathered the necessary number of signatures that could push ConAss. If I’m not mistaken, a few months ago, the other Prospero – Nograles – claims that the De Venecia backed plan needs a few more signatures to start the ‘great Charter Change debate.’ So who really has the backing of the majority of the congressmen? Who was able to provide better deals and promises? Which of the two have more greedy friends in the Lower Chamber?

We can only speculate.

But we don’t need to speculate to realize that there’s a huge friction between the two congressmen. It’s not the first time that Pichay was rumored to be challenging the leadership of the Man from Pangasinan. Whenever there’s a rumored coup in the Lower Congress, the Shadow of Surigao del Sur seems to be skulking in the four corners of the supposed august chamber. Don’t you just love the alliteration?

Of course, Eduardo Ermita has denied all the conjectures floating around. It’s simply the work of the opposition who has been the constant destabilizer of the administration as the Little President from Batangas would explain. I was hoping that he would blame the New People’s Army so that there would be some novelty in his defense. He added that the Palace would never drop a strong and dependable ally like Joe De Venecia.

Wow. All that was missing is Gloria Macapagal Arroyo clenching her fist doing a Scarlett O’ Hara screaming in high heavens, ‘As God as my witness, I will never drop Joe. Ever!’ Who knows, she might do it one of these days.

In my opinion, De Venecia was this close of loosing his job. I do believe the ongoing buzz since he has been fancying himself as a prime minister. First rule: don’t fantasize something that it reserved for Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Do you really think the Fake One would simply fade away in 2010? No. No. No. She would make Dylan Thomas proud and ‘rage against the dying the light.’ Heck, if it actually necessitates to make drastic rules (the martial kind), she would. Hello, PP 1017.

For now, we have to contend ourselves with simple snide remarks in the speakership struggle. Again, don’t you just love the alliteration? I always get a kick whenever I see Taiwanese legislators literally brawling during sessions. The closest we had in recent memory was when one-time San Juan Congressman Jose Mari Gonzales cowardly hit a certain Barbo during the railroading of the Estrada impeachment complaint. What I really want is a down and dirty fracas. Imagine our esteemed lawmakers pulling hair, throwing punches, and kicking assess during sessions. Or Joe De Venecia using the gavel to break Butch Pichay’s nose. That would be a sight to see.