When a person holds public office, especially an elective position, they assume a higher responsibility that requires extraordinary care, like that of a prudent family leader. Their decisions shape the future direction of both the government and the people it serves, so those decisions must be firm, reasoned, and never whimsical.
Article 3 of the Civil Code expressly provides that “ignorance of the law excuses no one from compliance therewith”. To maintain order, society relies on a predictable and uniform set of rules. Holding everyone accountable encourages citizens to act responsibly and understand the rules that govern their conduct.
After some time, the perjury charge—known in Tagalog as “pagsisinungaling”—filed before the Office of the Ombudsman came to light with the three-month administrative suspension of Narra, Palawan Mayor Gerandy B. Danao. The issue was not graft or corruption, but his alleged dishonesty or failure to tell the truth.
I believe the Ombudsman sought to warn public officials against dishonesty, particularly when completing official documents and disregarding their importance.
This serves as a reminder that public officers must act with honesty and utmost diligence before signing any document to avoid possible suspension by the Ombudsman. They should also avoid dismissing a complainant’s protest as politically motivated. They should face it squarely.
Perjury is widely classified as a crime involving moral turpitude because it involves an intentional act of dishonesty, fraud, and deliberate falsification under oath that undermines the administration of justice.
If found guilty of perjury, a public officer may face the heavier penalty of perpetual disqualification from holding public office, which the court may impose on a government official convicted as charged. That is to restore proper order among sitting public officers.
Danao, 59, faced suspension as municipal mayor not because he amassed wealth or stole money from the Narra municipal government, but because of alleged ignorance, lack of self-discipline, and negligence. Unlike other public officers in Palawan who may be skilled and politically astute enough to remain in office until the end of their terms, Danao believes his good intentions reflect his service to Narra, Palawan.
After serving his three-month suspension, Danao must face the perjury case in court to prove his innocence and seek exoneration.
My advice to Danao is to be careful before signing documents, especially contracts that pass through the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC). He should also ensure that his son, a mechanic and high school graduate whom he appointed as chief of staff after previously serving as a driver, does not interfere in the BAC process to avoid speculation of manipulation in the bidding process.
I have information that Danao’s son has been frequently speaking with and calling contractors and suppliers of the Narra municipal government for reasons apparently known to those who deal with the mayor’s office.
I do not know whether Danao is aware of his son’s activities in the municipal government.
When Palawan was still a lone congressional district, I remember Ramon V. Mitra Jr. serving as its representative in Congress before he became a senator. Palawan was later divided into two congressional districts, each with its own representative.
Then Palawan has evolved. It now has three Congressional districts, and Party lists.
Somehow, I wonder what wonderful things will bring to Palawan by having three congressional representatives and Party-lists.
In the first district, there is Representative Rosalie Salvame, a first termer and a widow of former Representative Egay Salvame.
Then there is Representative Jose Ch. Alvarez, who is in his second term, and a potential House Speaker if he is given a chance. I heard from a good source in Manila that he was considered in the short list to be the House Speaker when the former Speaker Martin Romualdez was about to step down. He could be a great help in Palawan if ever he became House Speaker.
Then there is a young Gil Acosta Jr, whose family is prominently from Palawan. He is serving as the Representative of Puerto Princesa city-Aborlan.
Palawan also has a young and intelligent representative in Karl Fernandez Legazpi of the Pinoy Workers Party-list. He is the son of the late Leopoldo Mario Legazpi, a magistrate and former presiding judge of Regional Trial Court Branch 49 in Puerto Princesa City. His mother, Mae Fernandez, is an educator, a consistent honor student, and a native of Palawan with roots in Cuyo. With his background at Philippine Science High School and the University of the Philippines, I believe Congressman Karl Fernandez Legazpi has a promising future in Palawan politics.
Then there is Caroline Tanchay, the Kamalayan Party-list representative, who is rarely seen at public events in Palawan. She was previously known as a Sagip Party-list representative. I do not know what she is currently doing in Congress. What I know is that she owns Citinickel Mining in Narra, Palawan, and provides only modest assistance to the municipality. Why is that?
Tanchay can build a better facility in Narra in whatever capacity, even donate a good building of a hospital there, courtesy of what she got on nickel ore.
Palawan had once produced a good political leader who gained national prominence in the person of former House Speaker Ramon V. Mitra Jr. He was never perfect. He was only pragmatic. He had a purpose in all his doings. He had read a lot. He ambitioned a position in government that was great. He targeted the presidency. He said no one owns the position. All one should do is to prepare, and to prepare is to study and read a lot. And wait until the time is ripe.
It is now time for the people of Palawan to mold a leader that will bring this nation into greatness and one that the people of Palawan can be proud of.
I look to Karl Fernandez Legazpi to continue serving the people. His name Karl is a great name of a political leader. It becomes bigger like a shadow.
