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Junior Dy might “do a Chavit,” but the people know better

Former Isabela Gov. Faustino Dy Jr., a known pro-GMA stalwart in the past, has reportedly considered to testify in a Congressional body (“at the proper forum,” in his words) about any direct knowledge of jueteng payoffs and electoral manipulation during the May 2004 elections.

Most political watchers astutely realize the parallels between Ilocos Sur kingpin (now Governor) Luis “Chavit” Singson during the time of then Pres. Joseph “Erap” Estrada, and Junior Dy at present.

Both are acknowledged leaders of long-standing warlord clans, with well-entrenched economic and political interests in their respective provinces, and with a widespread network of allies in their respective regions (Ilocos and Cagayan Valley). Both are masters at playing the game of political survival, having allied themselves to successive Presidents from Marcos down to GMA.

Chavit was a drinking and gambling buddy and a staunch political ally of Erap. That is, until other pro-Erap factions decided to re-divide the nationwide revenue from jueteng by instituting a legalized version of the numbers game, at the expense of Chavit’s own interests.

Threatened by such moves, the wily Chavit decided to blow the whistle on the entire scheme and other shady transactions involving Erap and members of his many families. His expose quickly led to impeachment proceedings against Erap, and from there to EDSA II.

A born bluff artist, Chavit could glibly make a solemn vow that if Erap is put to trial and found guilty on the basis of his expose, he is willing to accept his own guilt and go to jail – even stay in a prison cell next to Erap’s.

All this is under the bridge now. Chavit’s gambit paid off. His many economic and political interests remain intact, and he remains the provincial kingpin par excellence. He probably hopes that people have forgotten his challenge.

Now, speculation is rife that Junior Dy, who was within GMA’s trusted circle of regional leaders but who lost the governorship last elections, is about to “do a Chavit” and play the whistleblower game, this time by providing solid confirmation about GMA’s involvement in electoral fraud and jueteng payoffs.

Many oust-GMA advocates are hopeful that a Dy expose will hasten and strengthen the impeachment proceedings and ultimately snowball into a People Power IV (or III, depending on how you count).

Alas, it is not as simple as that.

Chavit is not a saint, but in his 2000 expose, he at least paid some sacrificial pawns by baring his own legal culpability in the entire jueteng payoff scheme. His timing was also perfect, having tightened his power base before he made his critical move.

In contrast, Junior Dy has not made a single sacrificial pawn yet. His latest statement is a fine example of fence-sitting. Unlike Chavit, who could make deals with GMA in late 2000 before the People Power II uprising broke out, it isn’t even clear if Junior Dy, who is partially out of power, is ready and able to make any deals with prospective power groups within the opposition, and with whom.

We are not saying that Junior Dy will not eventually decide to take his own final leap, expose GMA’s culpability and, whatever his motives, objectively help trigger the next People Power uprising. But we won’t hold our breaths for that. As a people, we have our own agenda to push onward.

The point is not to wait for more whistleblowers to appear. At least for people and groups in Northern Luzon, the point is to put forth one’s clearcut political position on the Gloria-gate and post-GMA succession issues, and exert all efforts to gather and mobilize an ever-growing number of people, an ever-broadening alliance, based on that position.

More Chavits and Junior Dy’s may come and go. But the people’s movement in Northern Luzon should steadily grow in extent and strength, since the idea is not just to oust GMA, but to play a big role in shaping the post-GMA political landscape. #

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