#emano

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Oníric Portraits

Days after Tropical Storm “Sendong” struck, public outrage spread in the city like a wildfire, seeking accountability for the 3,000 dead and missing. Ironically, the public indignation was roused by no less than the city mayor himself, Vicente Y. Emano. By consigning scores of unidentified dead bodies to the city landfill, the people of Cagayan de Oro were reminded that only an election ago, scores of compact flash cards from automated election machines were seen dumped by a city hall truck in the same landfill. In that election, Emano won by a measly margin of 2,000 votes. Months later, the truck driver was six feet below the ground.

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Sendong was a blessing in disguise for Cagayan de Oro. In power for almost 14 years now, Emano has entrenched a regime that does not tolerate dissent. But a people rising from a disaster have awakened and have started asking questions. Were it not for Sendong, the city would still be on its way for another nine years, and more, of Emano.

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The social media revolution against Emano has so far produced almost 30,000 signatures for an electoral recall drive that needs only 45,000 signatures. It is spearheaded by people most of whom have no association with or interest in politics, but exasperated enough with the one-family rule that has kept Cagayan de Oro in a decrepit state. Under the Emanos, the city is a chaotic mess of traffic snarls and vendors on roads and sidewalks. Thus, it has not been difficult to collect the recall signatures. Even businesses known to be sympathetic to the mayor are now faced with the threat of boycott. When a recall drive volunteer who left signature forms at a restaurant in the city’s busy Limketkai Mall was stopped by management, an Internet posting of the incident was met with boycott calls that instantly became viral. Organizers of the drive expect the city’s business leaders who fear Emano’s “vindictiveness” to soon join the opposition bandwagon.

A city struck by a deadly, rampaging rage of a river is showing the country that in the 21st century, conventional media is not necessarily the norm to effect democratic change. Ousting a local dictator is possible. And it is not Manila showing the way. It is Manila that is watching.

- Antonio J. Montalvan, II, Cagayan de Oro spring

The author is a local historian and anthropologist. He is also among those who lost friends and relatives when Typhoon Washi/Sendong's waters rushed through Cagayan de Oro and Iligan.

Over the past few weeks Nono (as how Dr. Montalvan is known to Kagay-anons) has been at the forefront of a movement which calls for accountability and transparency in the handling of the worst natural disaster to have hit the city.

And while he and other Kagay-anons go about extending relief at the same time calling for the city to take responsibility for what happened, they are threatened with spies and words from the local government which seems to be at a loss on what to do in the aftermath of the flood.

Over the past few weeks, the country has been enthralled in spectacles of public debate: one involving the highest magistrate of the land and his alleged violations of the Constitution; and another involving a local executive who failed to mitigate the possible effects of a weather phenomenon in Northern Mindanao. Both cases involve failure to satisfy certain standards expected by the people. Both cases challenge long-held notions of power. And both cases are flashpoints for transparency.

In the Capital, news about the impeachment trial of Renato Corona, the controversial Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, hogged the headlines over the past few weeks. And during the same period, the accussed has never failed to paint himself as the supposed defender of the rule of law and democracy as opposed to the "dictatorial" Aquino administration which he alleges is behind his impeachment.

But many seem to have already forgotten that the same officer of the law was inducted into office under dubious circumstances. And his disputable appoinment has been a cause for debate between those who support him and those who believe that he should have foregone his ambition to be at the helm of the highest court.

And that is why I find it peculiar, to the point of being humorous, that the same accussed declaims on television, that his fight against the accusations leveled against him, is a fight to preserve the integrity of the Constitution and the freedom of the people.

Freedom of the people, yeah, big words. But that is aslo something debatable since the impeached chief magistrate was actually appointed by a select group of people. It is the members of House of Representatives who filed the cases against him and those Senators who will judge him, who were elected by the people, therefore representing and defending their interests.

Which people then is Corona talking about?

Down south in Cagayan de Oro, the city has also been busy since the flood and destruction brought by Typhoon Washi/Sendong last month. The massive cost in lives and property has not only brought aid and relief workers from a host of international organizations (Oxfam, ACF, Save the Children, UNICEF, MSF, etc.), but it also also cast a bright and warm light on the actions of the local government before, during and after the flood.

In the aftermath of the intense criticism of Mayor Vicente Emano and his cohorts, city locals, as well as Kagay-anons abroad, formed several organizations which both work to extend aid and goods to the victims of the flood, as well as check on the actions of the city government.

The city govenment's reaction to these organizations has been adversarial. And over the past few days, the local officials have gone to the extent of spying against the members of these groups. This despite Emano downplaying the supposed clout of the growing movement which is advocating for his recall as city mayor. And he claims that the movement is composed of "elitists" who are sponsored by his political enemies. He also claims that these organizations do not represent the masses whom he supposedly represents

The masses - the same people he placed on settlements which were washed away by the flood waters. Do you think they still love him now?

What makes our democracy unusual is that unlike those with which it was patterned after - those of the Greeks, the Romans and the Americans, ours does not give emphasis on accountability. It does not empower the people to have courage to check on the actions of the officials in government. And it does not imbibe in our officials the concept of responsibility towards the people from whom their powers supposedly are derived.

Yes, there are provisions in our Constitution which provide for transparency, accountability and the promotion of democratic freedoms. But what happens to any person who calls for these standards to be satisfied, promoted and protected? That person is ridiculed, harrassed and at times, killed. Yes, that is the kind of democracy we have. And it will stay that way until we own up to the rights with which the founding fathers of this country have given their lives and limbs to.