Orange and Lemon

I’m tempted to publish what I know are “photoshopped” pictures of Manny Villar with “Money Villarroyo” tattooed on his behind so I can challenge him to prove the photos are fake by dropping his trousers on prime-time news. I’m sure he’ll say, “Why would you ask me to do that when you know the pictures are fake?”

But that’s exactly what he wants Noynoy Aquino to do with the bogus psychiatric report that sources from the Nacionalista Party leaked to ABS-CBN News. He knows the report is bogus but he still insists that Aquino address its fake contents.

Villar’s foray into black propaganda is so crude, pathetic and desperate it reminded me of Mike Tyson biting off the ear of Evander Holyfield. 

— Manuel Buencamino, “Pseudologia fantastica,” Dispatches from the Enchanted Kingdom, April 14, 2010.


MLQ3 posted this in his Tumblr account recently and I have to say he has a point. It's also the same thing as saying:

One: "Why do you not believe in God?"
Two: "Because I can't see him."
One: "Can you see the wind?"
Two: "No."
One: "So does the wind not exist?"

-OR-

One: "Why do you not believe in God?"
Two: "Because I can't see him."
One: "Can you see your brain?"
Two: "No."
One: "So does your brain not exist?"


Or some other shit like that.


Two things: First, having writing on Villar's butt is not the same as having mental problems. Whatever Villar has tattooed on his butt will not matter, but the psychological state of the next president definitely will. Villar pulling down his pants will cause him unnecessary embarrassment while a psych exam for Aquino will clean up his name, and clarify the issue once and for all. What's he to hide anyway? Almost all presidential candidates are willing. Why not him? Why is he hiding behind the patient-doctor bullshit instead of trying to convince people that HE IS FIT? Gibo is willing. Villar is willing. And well, whether or not the others are willing is pretty useless anyway. What's up Noy?

Point 1.A: The test results do NOT have to be released as is. What the psychiatric investigating team needs to release is a clean bill of mental health, or a 'rejected' stamp. No need for details. Does that violate patient-doctor confidentiality? Not at all.

Second point: Is it so unreasonable for presidential candidates to take a psychological assessment? Is it so mundane and corny? I think not. It is necessary for the candidates and it is necessary for people to know who they are going to vote for. Every voter, in their heads, will have to weigh the risks. Mental stability is one of the risks that people have to consider.

The Aquino party said that they do not want to "go with the script" that the Villar team is baiting them into. How lame. This is not an issue between Aquino and Villar. This is something they owe to the Filipino. This is something between the candidates and the people. They should do it because they need to assure the people that they are worthy.

Leadership is not like believing in God. It has to be proven. And no sarcastic analogy will ever beat that fact. Nine failed bills in the 10+ years in the congress and senate. Nine bills seems skimpy already. But even so they all FAILED. Nine failed bills, guys. Nine.