"He’s looking over your shoulder."
"He’s looking over your shoulder."
In these days of partisan politics, there is hardly a voice in the House of Representatives who speak for the people. Our congressmen, as a matter of self-interest, do not dare go against the powers-that-be, particularly from the Palace that controls the purse strings.
But Buhay Party-List Rep. Lito Atienza is a cut above the rest. He speaks up in the deafening silence of the majority to challenge flawed legislative measures and offensive statements even from President Rodrigo Duterte himself.
Of late, Atienza could no longer hold back when DU 30 unleashed his vitriolic and violence-laced remarks. The latest of these insensitive statements was the President’s remark to torture and kill Commission on Audit officials in the wake of the controversy between Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno and Rep. Rolando Andaya.
A staunch pro-life and Church lawmaker, Atienza recalled President Duterte’s other senseless statements like calling on the people to stop praying to “that stupid god.” The clergy is also the target of the President’s other blasphemous remarks. To the extent that he himself would now be targeted, Atienza shrugged his shoulders.
“That may be so, but I answer to a higher authority,” Atienza said while pointing his index finger upward.
While he cannot blame the Church for not speaking out more vehemently against the President’s verbal attacks, Atienza said he understands the Catholic clergy’s mild response as meant not to further inflame the situation between the Palace and the Church.
“But we must not be cowed by the Palace powers lest government think it can do anything it wants to do even at the expense of our own conviction as Catholics,” said Atienza. His Buhay Party-List is supported by the Church, the El Shaddai religious group of Bro. Mike Velarde and civic groups which are against abortion and the return of the death penalty.
From all indications, Atienza is going to be elected to his third term as Buhay Party -List representative, much to the dismay of those who want to control the House where silence is the preferred attitude.
He has also voted against the one-year extention of martial law in Mindanao, pointing out that it has not stopped lawlessness. He cited the recent fatal terrorist bombing in Cotabato. He also hailed the quick solution and arrest of the suspects in the Batocabe killing in Albay even without martial law being imposed in the Bicol region.
Atienza is also against the use of marijuana for medical purposes pointing out there is now medicine for almost every known ailment. Legalizing the use of marijuana is only a sniff away from more addictive drugs like shabu and cocaine. It would make President Duterte’s anti-drug campaign meaningless if we legalize marijuana use, Atienza added.
The former two-term Manila mayor and Environment Secretary’s other advocacy is the cleanup of Manila Bay.
“Let’s stop blaming the informal settlers for turning Manila Bay into one big garbage receptacle. The main culprits are businessmen who dump their toxic industrial waste into the Pasig River, which flows onto the bay. The restaurants and hotels along Roxas Boulevard are just as guilty for Manila Bay’s deterioration because they do not properly do waste management of leftover food and other kitchen refuse,” said Atienza.
He asked the two major concessionaires—Maynilad and Manila Water—what they did to the millions of dollars from the World Bank meant for the implementation of waste water management that was stipulated in their contract they won in the bidding award.
Since the World Bank loan is under sovereign guarantee, meaning the WB loan was signed with government guarantee for payment, the Duterte administration might as well take over providing clean water for the people and scrap the contract of the two major concessionaires, said Atienza.
What Atienza said won’t probably sit well with business tycoons Manny Pangilinan and the Ayalas. But the Buhay Party-List congressman is not one for soft stance when it comes to the people’s welfare.
So to those who think they can get away with poor service and the destruction of the environment, think again. Someone named Atienza is looking over your shoulder.