100ARAW.com

The new president’s order to ban the use of “wang-wangs” – sirens – and his decision to practice it has elicited both positive and negative reactions from the public.

On one hand, it was the first tangible, even if cosmetic, sign of change brought about by President Noynoy Aquino’s inaugural. The message was that change, however incremental, is not coming later. It is here now. For a people who have grown sick and tired of abusive and exploitative officials, starting with the former president herself, the ban on “wang-wangs” is a welcome change indeed.

But others have a different take. They say that, as president, Aquino has certain privileges that should make it easy for him perform his duties as president, and that includes having unhampered access throughout all the nation’s streets, air and sealanes. While they appreciate Aquino’s efforts to commiserate with the public’s daily suffering through heavy traffic, petty corruption and plain stupidity by urban planners and traffic enforcers — they cite his official functions and security requirements as factors that far outweigh this display of presidential disgust over abusive “wang-wang” users.

Aquino may even be prone to falling down from his pedestal if and when the Presidential Security Group would override this presidential decision — out of concern for his security. Indeed, there may be instances in the future that would necessitate the use of sirens.

Sirens per se are not bad. They are essential to signal the passing through of police vehicles who may be in pursuit of criminals or are en route to a crime scene, or of firetrucks out to stamp out a raging fire, or of an ambulance speeding its way to a hospital. They are necessary especially for these and other emergency or some other important reason.

What most Filipinos find detestable and objectionable is the behavior and mentality of government officials, policemen, soldiers and other professions whose vehicles are equipped with sirens and blinkers. Even without an emergency or on personal leisure, we witness them using those blasted sirens and blinkers — throwing their weight around and showing to the public their utter disregard for us and the laws.

It is thus understandable that many support Aquino’s anti-wang-wang drive. But the president is taking it to absurd lengths if he insists on adhering to the same policy even if he is not required to do so because of his very title and nature of work.

Sooner or later, the public would demand that Aquino do more to curb similar and far worse instances of abuse of official authority. The many cases of abuse of power by former President Arroyo, for one, has not so far merited the attention it deserves. Although many repose full trust in the integrity and competence of Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, the public would want the Aquino administration to train its guns beyond the “wang-wang” and towards the likes of Arroyo and her henchmen who misused authority granted by the public to steal, lie, cheat, murder, cover up their tracks and evade accountability for the past nine years.

The legendary Weng-weng. Photo grabbed from Hot Jambalaya!

Others would venture to advise the president to strike whilst the iron is hot, while he enjoys the initial bounce of public acceptance, support and (cautious) hope, to not be content with small fry or mere symbols but to crack down on the worst scums who have abused governmental power for their own selfish interests.

If he uses the anti-”wang-wang” drive as a siren call for a popular, grassroots-based anti-corruption movement, much better. Aquino cannot stop with the wang-wang. He must go after crooks like his predecessor who almost cuts the size of — bless his soul — Weng-weng.

(N.B.: Filipinos loved and continue to love the memories and movies of legendary Weng-weng [Ernesto dela Cruz in real life, born in 1957 and died in 1992], the diminutive actor and martial artist. Except for the height, he shared nothing else with the person described herein as corrupt.)