Senator Santiago: Watch out for ‘highly neurotic’ candidates in 2016

By: TJ Burgonio - 9 years ago

MANILA, Philippines—Watch out for “highly neurotic individuals” in the coming presidential election.

Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago on Thursday exhorted the youth to elect the country’s next leaders in 2016 based on whether they’re capable of committing plunder.

Santiago told students of Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila to examine the credentials of candidates, especially if they’re showing any predisposition to graft and corruption.

“With so many pending cases for plunder and corruption against high-profile political leaders, common sense dictates that as scholars, we need to examine the culture of corruption, its sources, its mindset and whether the candidates we vote for might present a profile of corruption as a work in progress,” she said.

Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago. INQUIRER.net PHOTO

The senator ticked off several tell-tale signs that a candidate could likely commit plunder if elected.

She said the public should watch out for the trait of Machiavellianism, a mindset characterized by manipulation and need for power; trait of narcissism, or an inflated sense of self-importance; subclinical psychopathy and weak moral identity.

In short, Santiago said the public should watch out for “highly neurotic individuals,” among others.

“In the Senate, there are neurotic individuals,” she said.

The senator said that the “most notorious act” of plunder was the abuse of the pork barrel system, a major source of kickbacks for lawmakers which the Supreme Court had ruled as unconstitutional.

She said the potential plunderer would likely defend the pork barrel system as a legitimate government process that would speed up delivery of services to his constituents.

“If you hear a candidate saying certain things, you can be sure he will commit plunder if given the opportunity,” she said.

Despite the plethora of laws passed to root it out, corruption has become institutionalized, and schematic, or a “routine practice” in the conduct of daily business, Santiago said.

It is then important to choose the “best possible president” and other national officials in the 2016 national elections, she said.

“As members of the educated sector of society, it is your duty to examine with logic and reason the various candidates who will present themselves,” she said.