FRANKLIN DRILON'S ZERO CREDIBILITY / ANG DAKILANG BALIMBING
After seeing Senator Franklin Drilon on newspapers and on TV at a most recent anti-Gloria rally, I was immediately reminded of his reaction in 2004 when I was on the streets in Ayala protesting electoral fraud and Gloria's 'manufactured mandate.' This, just right after the May 2004 elections were held, and the "Hello Garci" scandal was still a thing of the future. I was then looking at my old clutter of files and saw a folder with the label "May 2004 Elections." In it was a photo-copy of an old post of cousin Dean Jorge Bocobo from his blog Philippine Commentary. It was a reaction of his from then Senate President Franklin Drilon's interview with former ABS-CBN/ANC cable station anchor Gene Orejana. It was Drilon's reaction to my interview/statement. Funny how the tables have now turned, and I have since taken my battles from the streets to the blogosphere. And funny how Drilon now has taken his battles from his Senate office to the streets. The post begins with the title, "Conversation With Senate President Franklin Drilon."
Dean Jorge Bocobo writes (in 2004), "The Office of Senate President Franklin M. Drilon sent me this full transcript of an interview he granted to Mr. Gene Orejana of ANC cable TV station yesterday. I didn't catch the show myself the other night, but I gladly oblige on its republication here at Philippine Commentary, since Senator Drilon also takes to task an unidentified "Mr. Bocobo."
"Here was the exchange between Gene Orejana (the longest winded question-monger this side of stemwindervillage) and Senator Frank Drilon:"
OREJANA: "But we have yet to count the votes, this early some candidates are already crying fraud. Logically, there is no basis to cry fraud at this time because we have yet to count the votes. We haven't even reached 3% based on the quick-count. . ."
DRILON: "But I am even willing to concede that unless we cry now, it can never be addressed and it may be too late. But last night, I was floored when I heard a certain Mr. Bocobo, he was asked, "Are you going to submit this case of alleged fraud before the Comelec?" He said, "As soon as we gather the evidence." So there was even no evidence, and yet they were already crying fraud. This is not good, it creates tension in the atmosphere."
Philippine Commentary graciously defends me by writing: "Sen. Drilon must have been smiling benignly at Gene Orejana at this maladroitly put question. For if there is a time and a reason to cry fraud, it's probably best done now rather than when you would e accusing an elected President of the Republic, (assuming that there is cheating now going on). The premise of Gene's question escapes me, however, since surely, if you see someone stealing a ballot box from one of the over 200,000 voter precincts, you don't have to wait for the tally of the other 199,999 ballot boxes to have a reliable indication of fraud, do you? Gene seems to think that you should wait until you have been declared the loser before crying fraud. That does not compute. But I must say, Sen. Drilon is speaking more lika a lawyer (or a public defender?) Here, more than a senator, since "Mr. Bocobo" surely is not expected to go to Comelec before he has gathered the evidence, is he? If cheating is involved in the 2004 elections, it probably did not occur during the polling, but is happening right now, during the counting. By the way, the official count has not actually begun and the Namfrel Quick Count, after a maddening initial delay, has only scratched 10% of the returns. Everybody knows that, even Sen. Drilon. Since this interview was conducted on the second day after the elections, it would seem to me that people on the ground like "Mr. Bocobo" may be observing the signs of fraudulent activity (from long familiarity in previous elections) yet not have the "evidence" that would stand up to scrutiny before a Commission on Elections that has shown ineptness and laxity, aa attested to by the 100-member US observer team. . ."
After Sen. Drilon's assistant Ms. Mary Grace Tipones sent Philippine Commentary the transcript of the full interview perhaps with a question mark, Dean Jorge Bocobo replied by saying: "I know who Mr. Bocobo is, as does Mr. Orejana's station since they conducted the interview - but I ain't saying. . ."
Okay, so that's it. It was actually Ricky Carandang who interviewed this writer on the street in May 2004 (Paseo de Roxas to be exact). And then Senator Drilon was quick on the draw to react and dismiss our statement. Fair enough. But again, funny how now the very man who scoffed and laughed at the words and actions of Gloria's 'original critics' is the very same man who now joins them (GMA's latter-day critics and balimbings) on the streets today. The very same man who kissed Gloria's steps in Iloilo. Let Franklin Drilon now eat humble pie. But as for his credibility in our books - zilch.
After seeing Senator Franklin Drilon on newspapers and on TV at a most recent anti-Gloria rally, I was immediately reminded of his reaction in 2004 when I was on the streets in Ayala protesting electoral fraud and Gloria's 'manufactured mandate.' This, just right after the May 2004 elections were held, and the "Hello Garci" scandal was still a thing of the future. I was then looking at my old clutter of files and saw a folder with the label "May 2004 Elections." In it was a photo-copy of an old post of cousin Dean Jorge Bocobo from his blog Philippine Commentary. It was a reaction of his from then Senate President Franklin Drilon's interview with former ABS-CBN/ANC cable station anchor Gene Orejana. It was Drilon's reaction to my interview/statement. Funny how the tables have now turned, and I have since taken my battles from the streets to the blogosphere. And funny how Drilon now has taken his battles from his Senate office to the streets. The post begins with the title, "Conversation With Senate President Franklin Drilon."
Dean Jorge Bocobo writes (in 2004), "The Office of Senate President Franklin M. Drilon sent me this full transcript of an interview he granted to Mr. Gene Orejana of ANC cable TV station yesterday. I didn't catch the show myself the other night, but I gladly oblige on its republication here at Philippine Commentary, since Senator Drilon also takes to task an unidentified "Mr. Bocobo."
"Here was the exchange between Gene Orejana (the longest winded question-monger this side of stemwindervillage) and Senator Frank Drilon:"
OREJANA: "But we have yet to count the votes, this early some candidates are already crying fraud. Logically, there is no basis to cry fraud at this time because we have yet to count the votes. We haven't even reached 3% based on the quick-count. . ."
DRILON: "But I am even willing to concede that unless we cry now, it can never be addressed and it may be too late. But last night, I was floored when I heard a certain Mr. Bocobo, he was asked, "Are you going to submit this case of alleged fraud before the Comelec?" He said, "As soon as we gather the evidence." So there was even no evidence, and yet they were already crying fraud. This is not good, it creates tension in the atmosphere."
Philippine Commentary graciously defends me by writing: "Sen. Drilon must have been smiling benignly at Gene Orejana at this maladroitly put question. For if there is a time and a reason to cry fraud, it's probably best done now rather than when you would e accusing an elected President of the Republic, (assuming that there is cheating now going on). The premise of Gene's question escapes me, however, since surely, if you see someone stealing a ballot box from one of the over 200,000 voter precincts, you don't have to wait for the tally of the other 199,999 ballot boxes to have a reliable indication of fraud, do you? Gene seems to think that you should wait until you have been declared the loser before crying fraud. That does not compute. But I must say, Sen. Drilon is speaking more lika a lawyer (or a public defender?) Here, more than a senator, since "Mr. Bocobo" surely is not expected to go to Comelec before he has gathered the evidence, is he? If cheating is involved in the 2004 elections, it probably did not occur during the polling, but is happening right now, during the counting. By the way, the official count has not actually begun and the Namfrel Quick Count, after a maddening initial delay, has only scratched 10% of the returns. Everybody knows that, even Sen. Drilon. Since this interview was conducted on the second day after the elections, it would seem to me that people on the ground like "Mr. Bocobo" may be observing the signs of fraudulent activity (from long familiarity in previous elections) yet not have the "evidence" that would stand up to scrutiny before a Commission on Elections that has shown ineptness and laxity, aa attested to by the 100-member US observer team. . ."
After Sen. Drilon's assistant Ms. Mary Grace Tipones sent Philippine Commentary the transcript of the full interview perhaps with a question mark, Dean Jorge Bocobo replied by saying: "I know who Mr. Bocobo is, as does Mr. Orejana's station since they conducted the interview - but I ain't saying. . ."
Okay, so that's it. It was actually Ricky Carandang who interviewed this writer on the street in May 2004 (Paseo de Roxas to be exact). And then Senator Drilon was quick on the draw to react and dismiss our statement. Fair enough. But again, funny how now the very man who scoffed and laughed at the words and actions of Gloria's 'original critics' is the very same man who now joins them (GMA's latter-day critics and balimbings) on the streets today. The very same man who kissed Gloria's steps in Iloilo. Let Franklin Drilon now eat humble pie. But as for his credibility in our books - zilch.
(Image from http://www.newsflash.org/)
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