Biliranons condemn the recent libel case filed against Rep. Glenn Chong by the incumbent governor Dr. Roger Espina. This libel case, remarkably flimsy, expressed profound political desperation no less than by a frustrated politician. While others believed that this would be an act of asymmetric political warfare against Rep. Glenn Chong to bullying him and slowly demoralizing his political will.In this administration’s desperation to quell growing support to our congressman, it is now persecuting and attacking harmless and respectable opposition leaders. We hold the Espina administration criminally and politically liable for the killing of Atty. Danilo Parilla, Alberto Parilla, Antonio Barcelo and the continuous attacks against our active leaders. This Espina dynasty is a monster, it dares and does not think twice to shed the blood of our political leader and their allies whose only ‘faults’ are that they continue to be steadfast and vigilant in upholding civil liberties, calling for peace and working for economic growth in our province despite continuous tyranny and repression perpetuated by the corrupt Espina administration.
History reminds us that Atty. Danilo Parilla was brutally killed in front of his wife, now Mayor Susan Velasquez Parilla in Naval. The late governor had a pending poll protest against Espina Sr. before the Comelec which was eventually dismissed on the same month because of his death. While Alberto Parilla and Antonio Barcelo, loyal security guards of Charlie Chong were killed one year after Rep. Chong, his son, won over Espina, Sr. for congressman in the loan district of Biliran. This ambush incident last June 7, 2008 in Naval, Biliran resulted to a climate of terror in Biliran politics. The ambush suspects are SPO3 Renato Saul and the members of Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in the province.
Let no one be deceived into believing that our very own congressman’s mission to bring the instigator into jail was a Mission Frustrated because the case filed against them was dismissed! We pay and will continue to pay glowing tribute to our opposition leader because his political vision and mission are as relevant today as they were in the past and will continue to be relevant for a long time to come. We will continue to position Rep. Chong and all that he stood for in our collective psyche to serve as an inspiration for accomplishing his task for Biliran.
The opposition leaders revere our symbols as invariable components of our local consciousness because they tend to reinforce our history and identity as a people, socialize us politically, strengthen our collective resolve to be bound in unity, common fate and destiny, remind us of the moral and legal bases of our very existence, gear our local leaders towards good governance and give guidance to our daily civil lives.
During his more than 2 years in office as lone district congressman, Rep. Glenn Chong does the province more political good for any development to consider. His governance style is relevant in the political history of this province. We therefore view with utmost disgust the blatant dishonesty on the part of the Espina regime to downplay the roles of the political opposition in the governance of this province. Biliranons warn that we have massive following and that any attempts to relegate our leader’s role for the political and economic development for our people will invariably exacerbate the exiting feelings of political exclusion, discrimination, division and extreme partisanship with ominous consequences for our province.
Biliranons are fully aware that our leaders and their dedicated security personnel have had to undergo days of strenuous vigilant to protect our right against the greed political dynasty. While we salute their heroic acts, we hasten to admit that mere salutation is not enough. We must show our physical presence as our recognition of their devoted efforts. Biliranons are willing to be there to re-ignite their optimism and aspirations for the future of our next generation. We are willing to rally behind him and his co-leaders in order to pursue, with vigor, its agenda—a social and economic agenda that does not tolerate disunity, distrust, disrespect, discrimination, exploitation, hatred, acrimony, official corruption, petty recriminations, vain vengeance, fascist political leaders and subterfuge.
We want to voice out our sentiment, however, to call the attention of the national and international community and media to the fact that all is not well in Biliran. We request that they reciprocate our esteemed regard for them by turning their searchlight more sharply on Biliran in order to come to know exactly what is happening behind the scenes in the realm of our so-called dynastic governance.
The insults, invective and indignities meted out to our beloved congressman, who were intentionally done by the Espina and their gofers over Radyo Natin have not abated people’s support and respect. However it provides more admiration of his being humble and good leader that we needed most.
If he ( Rep. Glenn Chong who is a lawyer and congressman) is suffering and victim of the very disparaging conduct by the Espina government, how much more of those Biliranons who have been so impoverished that they have become virtual paupers in their homeland; the ordinary Biliranons who have been denied the basic necessities of existence through incompetence and misrule; the real and native Biliranons who are experiencing the most extreme economic hardships ever unleashed on a people; the good and innocent Biliranons who are increasingly becoming aware of the injustices and unfairness being perpetrated by the Espina regime in the name of the Rule of Law; the rational but humble Biliranons who feel insulted because the Espina dynasty takes their intelligence and reasoning for granted, the awakening Biliranons who are increasingly realizing that they are being crowded out by the newly rich political dynasty, and of course, all those diehard supporters who have illegally amassed our own economy, treasure and natural resources.
Finally, let me state without reservation that thousands of Biliranons, his supporters and sympathizers have been reliably aware about their plans and warn that the Espina political mudos and operandi is nothing but purely for political embarrassment, harassment, intimidation and bigotry.
God bless Biliranons!
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