From then on, our relationship soured. Although on my part I did not bear any grudge against Margie because of family relationships, as I know her family - we are magkababayan, from Quezon Province, most particularly from the same hometown of her Lola, Dona Cenona, a close lifetime friend of my parents in Calauag, Quezon; although Margie’s immediate family lived in the barrio of Guinyangan, some eleven kilometers away. Margie started calling me a dictator. She is right – pag loko-loko ang kaharap ko. But modesty aside, I have a most forgiving heart, not vengeful (or much less, vindictive). I easily and totally forget my anger, and never dwell on it. But did she have to make it a special mission to see to it that I was dismissed first before she steps into the PCSO? The information got to me from a member of the Search Committee.
I did not go to the PCSO that Monday she took over. I was told Margie gave a short speech that she read at the flag ceremony; and I learned that she caused my immediate removal from the PCSO through the “Search Committee”. She saw to it that I was the first to be removed. It was all right with me for I never asked for my PCSO directorship from President Gloria. On March 5, 2004, I just received a faxed message from the President appointing me Director to replace Alcuaz or Chavez, I don’t even recall. I was not even informed before hand.
The same thing happened on January 21, 1994 when President Ramos woke me up at 6 A.M. to tell me to take over the PCSO “immediately” from Mita Pardo de Tavera who was then the Chairman, while Margie was one of her Directors. I turned down the offer, but President Ramos got angry with me for my not wanting to help him. I told him to give me two days to think about it for I really never wanted to go back to government service after my six year stint as Chairman of MTRCB under President Cory. I was traumatized in that office, maligned, insulted, rallied against and called all names by the group of Armida Siguion Reyna. It was the craziest industry at the time, producing pornographic films such as “penekulas”, “bomba films” and truly violent movies – all contrary to law, PD 1986 and the Revised Penal Code. But I did my job and fought the film industry tooth and nail until I was able to control the public exhibition of smut films within the first two years of my six year term.
Honestly, I never wanted any public office thereafter as I dedicated my time in taking care of my widowed mother who needed me beside her. There was no way I could let her down. But in the two days I asked President Ramos for time to think it over, the truth is, I asked my mother’s permission if she would allow me to accept President Ramos’ request. She was pensive for awhile but then told me: “Hijo, help the President.” That’s when I accepted. The rest is history, what with Lotto controversy with hearings one after another in Congress and in the Senate. It was like being thrown to the wolves for my first year and a half, coupled with hearings in the Supreme Court filed against the Lotto by former Senator Jovito Salonga of Kilosbayan. But in 1995, we finally won the case.
Margie knows all these, for she was one of my Directors, plus General Abraham Manuel, Atty. Bobby Yuseco and Mel Royeca. The three of them now deceased.
There was a strange incident in 1996 when President Ramos invited the five of us for dinner in the small dining room in Malacanang. It started with small talk, until President Ramos suddenly made a very surprising remark that honestly stunned me. He called on my four directors and told them: “Ang hindi sumunod kay Manoling, I will fire.”
There was total silence. I did not know what the President meant by what he said, until he opened up to me when we were alone. Sabi ni Presidente sa akin: “Alam mo, Manoling, sinusungkit ang puwesto mo noong apat na kasama mo. They want your position.” I said nothing and did not add anything to what he said. Two days later, one of the President’s closest assistants by the name of Ben --- expounded on it and told me na may mga kasama daw ako na nagpupunta kay Presidente para ma-appoint na Chairman at yong isa General Manager – the two positions I held.
I did not want to be concurrent General Manager for it was against the law and the President knew it. But when the General Manager was fired on the fifth month, President Ramos made me to take over the functions on an OIC capacity only. And it remained that way for the rest of my term. The President left it at that and did not choose another GM, maybe to simplify the handling of the cases against the lotto raging in the Supreme Court which the GM takes charge together with the lawyers, knowing my previous experience in handling the media as MTRCB Chairman.
In February of 1998, I filed my certificate of candidacy for President, only as a matter of principle. Not to win, but to be able to speak out against a candidate and not be sued for libel and slander. It was simply to gain immunity from suit. That’s all.
I know that Margie hates me for fully supporting Gilbert Teodoro in the last elections; and for all I said against now President Noynoy. On my part, it was a matter of choice. Not only were the parents of Gilbert friends from our younger days, but to my mind, he was not a politician and had the least baggage of cronies and capable among all the candidates.
I only had the country’s best interests in mind and nothing else. The Coryistas were really angry with me. It was their way of showing their “loyalty” to now President Noynoy; and it supposedly gave them prestige to also be identified with President Cory, a prestige they never had before.
I continue to believe that those nasty bunch of Coryistas did not earn votes for President Noynoy. On the contrary they took away votes from him. The people who voted for President Noynoy voted for him because of his parents, not because of those Yellow Brigades who had more enemies in this country than friends. It was because of their kind that I precisely did not support candidate Noynoy for I did not want to be seen with those hypocrites. Again, it was a matter of principle. Kilala ko kasi ang mga background nila at ang pagkatao nila. I really do not want to be associated with them. I choose my friends, keeping my distance from those I do not like. I can live without them.
One Thursday afternoon, I believe it was July 8th, I dropped by the PCSO to pay the new Chairman a courtesy call. She was not in her office I was told, but I left word to the secretary to tell Chairman Margie that I came to visit her. She never acknowledged it and I left it at that. That’s the last time I stepped in that building; and I never will again –for the next six years, if they last that long. Only time will tell.
Frankly, EO No.1 bothered me for we were forced to leave the PCSO right away. I had wanted to finish packing my things and to follow-up the urgent requests of some 15 emergency cases that we had approved in our last Board meeting the day before, on June 29.
SOME OF THEM DIED, because despite the board resolutions approving their surgeries, urgent treatment and hospitalization, when I called to follow up, I was told: “All those Board resolutions passed by the previous Board are still being reviewed by the new Board.” Well, I got calls all the way from Davao and many other places, THAT THE PATIENTS HAD DIED. I really feel bad for the patients whom PCSO could have saved; and for the families left behind. But God, in all His wisdom knows that I tried and did my best. For days I could not sleep reading all the text messages asking for my help. I wanted to help but felt helpless and frustrated because I could not.
It is really unfortunate that Margie could be so vengeful and full of hatred. I know her well. She holds and keeps grudges.
The late PCSO Chairman Mita Pardo de Tavera, who had Margie as one of her PCSO Directors sued Margie in court, along with several others. Margie never forgave her for it and hated Mita even in death. Just to hear her name makes Margie freak out. I observed it all for many years. I have never seen another case like it, kasi pag patay na ang isang tao, you must forgive out of Christian charity. But Margie being what she is, wanted even Mita’s good PCSO projects stopped.
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