3 Ks and 2 Ds

The minority bloc in the House of Representatives is trying to depict the administration of President Benigno Aquino III as a coddler of corrupt and inept public officials. According to the political opposition, these officials are Interior Undersecretary Rico Puno, Land and Transportation Office (LTO) chief executive Virginia Torres, Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr., Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) chairperson Margarita Juico.

Puno is being censured for alleged bribery, Torres for meddling, Ochoa for his reported acquisition of a P40-million mansion and Purisima for alleged indiscriminate filing of tax charges against politicians and personalities identified with the previous administration. Juico is getting flak for alleged anomalies, including the transfer of the PCSO from the Quezon Institute to the Philippine International Convention Center.

Puno, Torres, Purisima and Juico are supposed to be the new faces of corruption under the P-Noy administration. The “kakampi,” (party mates), “kaklase” (classmates) and “kabarilan” (shooting buddies) or 3 Ks are supposed to be the mortal sins that this administration has committed.

Ochoa earlier explained that the controversial house is a property of his brother-in-law Jerry Acuzar and spouse. Torres, on the other hand, had been investigated by the Department of Justice. Purisima addressed the accusations by appearing and explaining his side before the bicameral Commission on Appointments. If he had any moral liabilities outside of personal tax liabilities, I don’t think he would be able to get past the CA, but he got the CA’s nod. Juico’s decision to move to a new office amounts to a prerogative of the chief of office, and if this has damaged the government, the opposition could very well file charges without taxing the time and resources of Congress.

The opposition has a role to play in governance but apart from coining a catchy phrase, people can see through the antics and are not buying the propaganda that because some of P-Noy’s appointees committed lapses (assuming they did), he is a bad President.

P-Noy’s critics are lashing out at his appointees in the hope that the allegations would sully his image because more than a year after his election, the expected meetings with gambling lords who control drug syndicates, prostitution and smuggling have not yet taken place. Likewise, he has not yet been seen in social gatherings with businessmen secretly seeking presidential intercession for mega-deals in government.

Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda hit the nail on the head when he said that the opposition is scraping the bottom of the barrel. I guess when one has seen too much of what happened during the previous administration, one ends up a political cynic. The opposition should be more prudent in exercising its function, otherwise, their members become detractors without purpose, or as Tagalogs are wont to say, dada nang dada. The 2 Ds actually represent what people hate in politicians— brassy talkers, but nothing to show in terms of performance.

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Interestingly, the point of the 3 Ks was a recurring theme in the first convention for the Mother Thrice Admirable Apostolate in Butuan City.

Held under the guidance of the Schoenstatt Sisters of Mary, the two-day meeting was keynoted by Bishop Emeritus Zacharias “Iti” Jimenez of the Diocese of Butuan. In his homily, Bishop Iti referred to the Blessed Virgin Mary, honored by Schoenstatters under the title Mother Thrice Admirable, as the representation par excellence of what is true, good and beautiful.

“Kamatuod, kaayo og kaanyag.” The 3 Ks according to Bishop Iti define the wholesomeness of Mary, virtues which each and every good Catholic Christian should emulate.

The two-day Schoenstatt Convention was held at the sprawling St. Peter’s Seminary in Butuan City and although the weather was rather humid, close to a hundred participants came, a witness to their devotion to Mary. The event was a success and the attendance of Bishop Juan de Dios Pueblos, head of the clergy of the Diocese of Butuan, in the closing ceremonies likewise attest to the devotion of the clergy to the Lady of Schoenstatt.