This is our little story.
There used to be two young boys taking their own individual courses of study at the University of the Philippines in Diliman in the late 80s – one taking up law (now a lawyer) and the other taking up a master’s in philosophy (in the UST faculty for a while). As students, they derive hardly enough support from their parents so they have to make do with whatever more they can get from being grantees of the Grants-in-Aid Program of the state university.
They are supposed to be fraternity brothers in the Scintilla Juris Fraternity except that Primer Pagunuran who has trained in the Armed Forces of the Philippines for his Naval Officers Qualification Course ‘Charlie’ as a source of his commission in the Reserve Force was rejected on suspicion that he is deep penetration agent of the then militant fraternity.
Marcelino Arellano has extensive law practice to his name serving once with the Office of the Solicitor General while Primer Pagunuran pursued a promising military career up until 1992 when he finally decided to have to leave the military service in favor of employment at the House of Representatives.
After almost 20 years, Primer and Marcelino or Boyet as he is commonly called found themselves working with the City Government of Antipolo under the incumbency of the late Mayor Victor Sumulong. As Head of the Business Permits and Licensing Office, Primer raised the collection of business taxes, fees, charges to unprecedented levels which became the template in use up until today. In his own right, Boyet proved to be the legal luminary that he is as the Chief Legal Officer.
This time, they both filed their certificates of candidacy, Marcelino Arellano vying for the congressional seat in the 2nd District of Antipolo City while Primer Pagunuran is for the First District of Antipolo City. Antipolo has been their place of abode for the last 20 or so years to the point they have felt the need to lead it through greater heights, if given the chance to receive the mandate of the people of Antipolo.
Are residents of Antipolo City inclined to vote in favor of new names in politics than the old names who simply run unopposed on account their stronger name recall? Are Antipolenos ready for change in the way politicians have run the state of affairs in this ‘city on a hill’? Is there now an emerging need to place new players, who despite probably lacking in campaign funds, are sincere in their intentions to serve the people in their utmost ability?
Primer Pagunuran vows to be the congressman who would be against three focal societal problems, namely:
1) anti-dictatorship (anti-GMA)
2) anti-corruption
3) anti-impunity
Presumably, Marcelino Arellano has a set of advocacies of his own. But as far as Primer Pagunuran is concerned, his untarnished reputation as servant leader is testament itself that if elected congressman, he will push for more well-studied laws or policies and will be in the forefront against those who will attempt to bastardize democracy as we know it.
In his own right, Primer Pagunuran is a man of principle and conviction. And he is known as a fighter in the ideals he believes in. It is probably time to choose someone who will make the difference in the person of these two individuals that the state university has produced.