Violence-prone Eastern Pangasinan boys
Posted on March 19, 2007 - Filed Under General, Political violence, warlordism, eastern Pangasinan |
SOMEBODY, actually a media colleague now semi-retired from the hustle and bustle of newsgathering, once told us a long time ago –and perhaps rather exaggeratedly – that eastern Pangasinan politicians are “friendly on the outside but deadly on the inside.”
Eastern Pangasinan of course means that territorial jurisdiction starting from and beyond Urdaneta City in the north and from Alcala and beyond in the south.
At the time, we were still establishing our initial contacts and friendship with some of the earlier officials (a dwindling number of them are still around) in that part of the province as a neophyte newsman and was naturally wide-eyed and gushing at the local leaders’ generous nature and warm camaraderie to the Press in general. 
As we earned our spurs in the Media world, we later noticed that eastern Pangasinan politicians, compared to their central or even western Pangasinan counterparts, generally have a certain kind of studied, smiling but stern personality or aura. We’d rather not name names here because it would be largely unfair but, from how we observed most of them, they seem to bask in their virility, showing this in their often undisguised fondness for big men’s “toys” and brusque-looking bodyguards, their off-key jokes in gatherings and a tendency to clam up and suddenly behave morosely, rather than continue explaining things to the curious who are, as is often the case, the members of the media.
That latter gesture itself, we soon learned, is their way of issuing an undeclared fair warning to the “offender.” Like, “beware my sudden silence”, see?
And do they take their politics seriously –too seriously in fact they are not beyond making the other guy feel physically sorry for ever daring to cross them.
This palpably different culture of the “eastern boys” thus often makes news of violence in their areas almost common, almost expected, with plots and sub-plots galore in police investigations linking this and that personality already a normal fare in such cases. The common public reaction and attitude seems to be one of “So what else is new?”
* * *
It can’t possibly be the terrain (and, we guess, only partly due perhaps to their relative distance from the main urban or government centers ) because if that were the case, then western Pangasinan which shares pretty much the same topographical environment and distance from the main urban centers of Dagupan and Lingayen should also be, so, uh, well, “deadly.”
But it is not, comparatively speaking ; except for infrequent brushes with some small rebel bands and occasional major crimes, western remains relatively peaceful.
We’d rather attribute this psychological make-up of most officials from the east to what may be termed as “vestiges of warlordism” of the 60s and 70s until the mid 80s that the new generation of politicians can’t (won’t?) seem to shake off.
Ironically, from the same eastern part of the province have risen many political giants who have each in their own time made their mark in the national scene. Their rise to leadership prominence belies the premise that guns and guile are the only way their kind would acquire recognition. But could it be that they, the territory’s illustrious sons and daughters, are the exception rather than the rule?
Some sociologists say a harsh environment tends to produce tough, if not wild, individuals.
Maybe so. But for how long must men prove their point (and power) by cancelling each other out?
Eastern politicians must struggle now to erase that unseemly tag. Their common lot of an impression that is their Muscle should now give way to the gentler, more acceptable alternative of the Mind.
Comments
Leave a Reply
