Napoleon Complex

He’s not yet the president of the republic, but Vice President Jojo Binay acts as if he’s the chief hombre, outdoing President Noynoy in bragging rights.

On Maundy Thursday, Binay attended Holy Week rites at the Sta. Cruz church in Laguna province as one of the “apostles” whose feet were washed by the priest.

The church premises teemed with bodyguards, in uniform and in civilian clothes.

A platoon of troopers from the Special Action Force (SAF) in combat fatigues and full battle gear stood guard outside the church.

Ordinary uniformed cops in several patrol cars waited for the Vice President outside.

Civilian security escorts made their presence felt with their walkie-talkies inside the church which was full of the faithful.

When the priest announced the presence of the No. 2 official of the land, many of the churchgoers left in disgust apparently because of the show of force.

Unless he’s showing off—which is most likely—there’s no need for Vice President Binay to have so many bodyguards.

The vice presidents before him didn’t go around with security escorts in full battle regalia.

His immediate predecessor, Noli de Castro, only had one or two bodyguards when he was seen in public.

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The Napoleon complex (a condition in both men and women of short stature) scenario didn’t end at Sta. Cruz church.

On its way back to Manila, the vice presidential convoy went against the flow of traffic in the opposite direction in Los Baños town with “wang-wang” (sirens) blaring.

It was a gross disregard of President Noy’s injunction against the use of wang-wang in the streets as an entitlement.

It’s not hard to imagine how Binay would strut around if he becomes president.

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This post-Holy Week story is based on a complaint against a priest.

Susan B. Jara of Kingsville Subdivision, Marcos Highway, Antipolo City, writes that Fr. Aly Barcenal dropped her name from the roster of members of the Catholic Women’s League (CWL) on whim.

Barcenal is the parish priest of St. Therese of the Child Jesus Shrine in Antipolo City, while Ms. Jara, 74, is a former president of the CWL in the parish.

Jara said she was humiliated before her peers at CWL when Barcenal barred her from attending the installation of the new CWL president in their parish.

As former president, Jara said she would have turned the job over to the incoming president during the installation rites.

Barcenal, she said, started to harbor personal animosity towards her when she initiated, upon the prodding of fellow homeowners and parishioners, the raising of funds to rehabilitate the chapel in their subdivision which was in a bad state of disrepair.

It turned out the chapel was not within the jurisdiction of the Antipolo diocese to which Barcenal belongs.

After that, Jara said she experienced “personal harassment” and “insults” from Father Barcenal, culminating in her removal from the list of CWL members.

Based on Ms. Jara’s experience, not all priests are holy.