Then and Now: The Tale of Two Marcoletas

It is a scientific fact that the human body cannot perform a true 360-degree turn without ending up exactly where it started. 

But in the magical realm of Philippine politics, Senator Rodante Marcoleta has achieved a rhetorical miracle: a 360-degree political spin that somehow defies both geometry and gravity.

Let us take a trip down memory lane to witness the spectacular evolution of a man done in by his own favorite pastime: bragging.

Once upon a time, in a galaxy not so far away, Congressman Marcoleta possessed the supreme confidence of a man who believed he was utterly untouchable. 

Armed with a microphone and an irresistible urge to flex, he essentially went on air and declared to the nation:

"Yes, I accepted 75{ million} pesos from three very generous people! Look how influential I am! People just hand me sacks of cash because of my undeniable charm and legislative prowess!"

It was a beautiful, cinematic moment. He didn't just admit to it; he celebrated it. 

He wore that $75 million like a badge of honor. It was the ultimate "flex" to show the world that he wasn't just any ordinary public servant—he was a public servant who could attract multi-million peso "donations" like a magnet.

At that exact moment, lawyers across the country—including Atty. Levito Baligod—probably spat out their coffee, grabbed a copy of Republic Act 6713 (The Code of Conduct for Public Officials), and pointed frantically at the text that reads, in very clear, un-sentimental English: BOYS, IT IS ILLEGAL FOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS TO ACCEPT GIFTS. ANY GIFTS. PERIOD.

Fast forward to the present. The legal system, slow as it is, finally caught up with the audio recording. Suddenly, the brag became a liability. The trophy turned into a smoking gun.

And what does the honorable lawmaker do? He activates the Ultimate Gaslight Protocol.

With a straight face and an Oscar-worthy look of persecution, he now proclaims: "This is a witch hunt! They are inventing cases against me! They just want to throw me in jail because they are jealous of my righteousness!"

Hold on. Pause the tape.

"They" invented it? By "they," does he mean the voice box inside his own throat? Because last time the public checked, the primary witness who pinned Marcoleta to the $75\text{ million}$ gift was... Rodante Marcoleta.

This isn't a conspiracy by the opposition, the media, or deep-state matrix operators. This is a classic case of Kadaldalan and Kayabangan (Extreme Loquacity and Hubris).

If you are going to violate RA 6713, the golden rule of being a corrupt politician is supposed to be: Keep your mouth shut. 

You don't stream your violations in high definition. You don't brag about the loot while standing next to the vault.

But Marcoleta chose the path of the storyteller. He wanted the applause. Now that the Ombudsman is holding the script he wrote, he’s trying to claim it’s a fictional novel.

So let us applaud the Senator for his contributions to Philippine law. He has proven that while the law says public officials cannot accept gifts, the universe ensures that if you brag about those gifts long enough, the law will eventually give you the ultimate gift: an iron-clad accountability checkmate.

Not to mention RA 3019 (The Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act), which treats multi-million peso "presents" to lawmakers less like a birthday celebration and more like a felony.

But back then, who cared about laws? He had the stage, he had the microphone, and he had the unshakeable urge to gloat and brag.

Then and Now

 An alert reader had this query. 

Question: "I have read, and you have written examples of figurative language before ... basing on the statements of VP and comparing the THEN and the NOW ... I felt there was some sort of discrepancy.

"Her statement "NOON": I want a bloodbath ... her statement NGAYON: I want a TRO. Is this an example of irony? If not, what figurative language is that?"

Answer: Yes, the shift from wanting a "bloodbath" to seeking a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) can be considered an example of irony, specifically situational irony.

Situational irony occurs when there is a sharp discrepancy between what is expected or intended and what actually happens.

In this context, the irony lies in the stark contradiction between her initial aggressive rhetoric and her subsequent legal strategy:

• The Expectation: By using the metaphorical term "bloodbath," VP Sara projected an image of someone eager for a fierce, open, and combative public confrontation where evidence would be laid bare.
• The Reality: Seeking a TRO or filing legal motions to block proceedings is a defensive maneuver designed to stop or delay that very confrontation.
• Other Applicable Figurative Language -Beyond irony, these statements also employ several other rhetorical devices:
  • Hyperbole: The word "bloodbath" is an exaggerated figure of speech used to emphasize intensity rather than literal violence.
  • Antithesis: The comparison between "bloodbath" (total war/chaos) and "TRO" (legal order/restraint) creates an antithesis, placing two opposing concepts side-by-side to highlight the sudden change in stance.
  • Juxtaposition: Simply placing the "Then" and "Now" statements together juxtaposes two conflicting attitudes to expose a perceived inconsistency.
  • Metaphor: "Bloodbath" serves as a metaphor for a highly destructive political or legal battle.

Then And Now

Then and Now

Noon: May mga politikong hindi naniwala sa DUE PROCESS.

Ngayon: Sila ay humihingi ng DUE PROCESS.

>>>>>>>

Noon: Marami sa kanila ... wala sa bokabularyo ang HUSTISYA . At HUMAN RIGHT.

Ngayon: Bukambibig sa kanila ang paghingi ng HUSTISYA. Kailangan magiging maawain din tayo in order to feel HUMAN para maintindihan fully ang HUMAN RIGHT. Eh bakit noon laganap ang mga EJK ... meron ba silang awa?
>>>>>>>

Noon: Kapag sila ay nasa poder ... they can do anything they want. Even kill or steal.

Ngayon: Kapag sila ay nakulong ... parehong galawan pa rin. They want justice bent to fit their needs and what they believe.

>>>>>>>>>

Noon: Palagi silang exempted sa punishment at nalulusutan ang parusa. IMPUNITY in superlative degree.

Ngayon: Naparusahan man ... patuloy ang pagsinungaling at umaasta pa ring walang kasalanan.

>>>>>>>

Noon: Maraming politiko dahil sa ganid ... pati kaban ng bayan ay pinakialaman.

Ngayon: Nang nagkabistohan na ... deny to death ang lahat. Lahat sila puro at dalisay ... malinis na malinis ... walang bahid at walang dungis.

>>>>>>>

Noon: Maraming politiko ang nasadlak sa kumunoy ng corruption.

Ngayon: Kung sino pa ang corrupt at mga masamang elemento ng lipunan ... ay sila pa ang MAPAGMAGMATAAS at may gana pang MANGARAL. They talk the evils of corruption ... as if they were heaven-sent.

>>>>>>>>

Noon: Kung ang politiko ay naiipit na ... at mainit na ay naiintriga pa ... nananahimik na lang or nagtatago.

Ngayon: Iba na ang political langscape ngayon. Palaban sila ay handa silang harapin ang kanilang mga kritiko. Mistulang mga senador sila conceived without sin ... at nahihiya pa ang ina ng Manunubos sa kanilang pagiging SPOTLESS and IMMACULATE.
>>>>>>>>

Noon: Kapag ang pulitiko ay malapit nang mabuko ... para silang mga pagong nakatago agad ang kanila ulo inside their shell.

Ngayon: Today they have the AUDACITY and they don't have the TEMERITY to voice out what inside themselves. Di bale na kung mapahiya at marami ag nakikinig. Turo sila ng turo sa iba at kusang inilihis at binabaliktad ang narrative palayo sa kanila. They have a gift of words ... at kung gullible ka ... talagang maniwala ka.
>>>>>>>>>

Noon: Kapag naiipit na ang politiko ... marunong silang maglubid ng KASINONGALINGAN.

Ngayon: Upgraded na sila ngayon. Kung hindi gumagamit sila ng FAKE NEWS ... nag-embento pa sila ng mga FAKE WITNESSES ... fully coached and trained to confuse the investigation and fool the Youtube-going public.

>>>>>>>>>

Noon: Ang mga politiko then ... in fairness to them may mga DELICADEZA pa.

Ngayon: I watch one senator having a confrontation with the press on national TV while discussing delicadeza. Too bad ... wala siyang ganon ... tinawag pa niya ng tanga ang mga kausap. That was RUDE and disrespectful to say the least. Masyadong bilib sa sarili.
>>>>>>>>>>

Salamat sa caricature!

Then and NOW

 

Then And Now

 

Photo Story: Then and Now

THEN

                   As A Teenager                                As A Young Adult                     As A Retired Person

                                                                             And Now

As A Teenager: "Kailangan ko makalaro ng mobile games."

As A Young Adult: "Kailangan ko ng more playing time. Wala akong panahon sa trabaho.

As A Retired Person: "Ang bilis ng panahon. Kahit wala man akong pera for my retirement ... enjoy naman akong maglaro noong kabataan ko.

This I Promise YOU

It is ironic. Political campaign promises are a dime dozen.  Everybody does it ... it is COMMON and there's no value to it. They are plentiful as to be valueless. 

A dime is an American coin worth 1/10 of a dollar (10 cents). So they are cheap and worthless. Consider these examples:

THEN: Promisa ko sa inyo ... my government will be free from all corruption.

NOW: Promisa ko sa inyo ... my government is free for all ang corruption.

Then and Now

THEN: Ang magnanakaw ... galit sa kapwa magnanakaw.

NOW: Ang magnanakaw ... sama-sama kung sila ay magnakaw.

                                       **************

THEN: The family that PRAY together ... STAY together.

NOW: The family that STEAL together .... STAY in jail forever.

                                       ***************

THEN: Mabuti pa ang ASO marunong kumilala ng magnanakaw.

NOW: Mabuti pa ang mga MAGNANAKAW marunong kumilala ng kapawa magnanakaw.

Thean and Now

Then and Now

 

Before and After

 

Then and Now

In Tagalog there are a lot of sayings that would fit to caption this photo. 1. Kung may itinanim .... siya rin aanihin 2. Kung ano ang ipinunla ... makikita sa bunga 3. Hindi magiging sayang ang kabutihang ginawa ... dahil sa huli makikita mo ang gantimpala 4. Kung may tiyaga ... may nilaga 5. ang binhi na ipinunla ninuman ... ay lalago kung ito ay iniingatan at pinagyaman. 6. kung ano ang puno ... ay siya ang bunga.

Kung sa English ito ... nangangahulugan itong parang Golden Rule ... "Do unto unto others ... as you would like others do unto you. Nagkasanga-sanga na nga lang ... iba iba na ang interpretation, explanation at perspective.

If you remember right our parents used to remind us na "kung ano man ang ginawa mo sa iyong kapwa ... more often than not iyon din ang mangyari sa iyo.

Kung anoman ang itinanim mo sa mundong ibabaw ... ay yon ding ang aanihin mo.  What you sow ... is what you reap. If you SOW and PLANT something good ... there is a good chance na kabutihan din ang babalik sa iyo. 

On the other hand kung puro masama ang ipinanggas mo sa kapuwa ... expect the same karma ang kakatok sa pintuan mo.

Then and Now

THEN:  Noon ... mahirap magplano  ng ulam for dinner na magustohan ng lahat,

NOW:  Ngayon ... mas lalong mahirap magisip ng ulam na masarap na ... mura pa.  Meron bang ganon? Masarap na mura?

Then and Now

 Then:  Before The Announcement of the 16 finalists - 309 Thousand Household

Now - After the exclusion of Celeste Cortesi- 175 Thousand Household 

Then and Now

Then - When I was 18, I felt na nakakahiya pala ang umutang sa kaibigan.

Now - Mas nakakahiya pala ang maningil lalo na kung ang sinisingil ay walang planong magbayad.

Then And Now

It's still POOR in the Philippines! Dati rati iiyak ka habang tinatalupan. 

Ngayon, hindi mo pa nabili ... iiyak ka na.

Then and Now

 

Seen Somewhere

 

Then and Now

 

Then and Now