Defeat is an orphan: A lesson for ‘King Martin’

“Anyone can deal with victory. Only the mighty can bear defeat.”

―Adolf Hitler

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

FORMER Iloilo City councilor Dr. Nielex “Lex” Tupas once put it succinctly: “Naagyan man namon ang sitwasyon nga gina talikdan na kami sang mga tawo mo.” (We have been in situations where people turned their backs on us.)

This reportedly happened when the Tupases were “no longer in power,” or when one of them didn’t win a major elected position in the province of Iloilo and many people thought they were finished politically.

It turned out it was a temporary setback, so to speak, and the family may have regained those fair-weather political backers and nitpickers when the Tupases were back on the hustings and subsequently in power.

Arrested-but-is-now-staying-in-the-hospital plunder accused, former Speaker and Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, may be in a similar situation right now as experienced by the Tupases based on Lex’s recollection.

However, the first cousin of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. may have been badly damaged politically and morally.

 

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Now that he is facing a non-bailable P7.44-billion plunder case, along with related charges of graft, bribery, and money laundering tied to an alleged flood control and government infrastructure kickback scheme, we doubt if Romualdez can win back his political allies who have started to vanish.

We doubt if King Martin can still win in another election assuming he will be exonerated and allowed to run again.

Following the failed Bay of Pigs invasion, United States President John F. Kennedy used the phrase "victory has a hundred fathers, and defeat is an orphan" during a press conference on April 21, 1961.

It came to mean that many people eagerly claim credit for success, but nobody takes responsibility for failure.

When he didn’t yet resign as House speaker and wasn’t yet charged with plunder, fellow congresspeople were in mad scramble to ingratiate themselves with Romualdez.

They adored King Martin, including his influence and, perhaps, (unexplained) wealth, like a demigod. Ille est princeps dilectus or he is a beloved prince.

What King Martin wanted from the subservient and obsequious House colleagues, he got—including the imprimatur to sign the original impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio.

 

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Now that Malacanang has thrown him under the bus, King Martin’s life suddenly turned upside down in catatonic asphyxiation.

Beelines from the furtive and shifty House of Representatives colleagues are gone.

The kowtowing horde did not even bother to visit King Martin in his bed at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center in San Juan City, where he was rushed September 7 afternoon after “suffering” a cardiovascular event, unstable blood pressure, and an anxiety attack.

Sooner or later, he will be transferred anyway to the Payatas jail, or the New Quezon City Jail Male Dormitory in Quezon City, where many people believe, King Martin rightly belongs.

And the rest is now history. King Martin’s downfall has turned him into a political orphan.

Meanwhile, when Lex’s father, the late Niel Tupas, Sr. became the 30th governor of Iloilo from June 30, 2001–June 30, 2010, the family regained the support of some of those who abandoned them.

Lex’s mother, the late Myrna Causing-Tupas was also former mayor of Barotac Viejo, Iloilo, the position now held by his older brother, Nielo “Bongbong” Tupas.

Lex’s other older brothers, Niel “Junjun” Tupas, Jr. and Raul “Boboy” Tupas, were also former representatives in the fifth district of Iloilo.

 Another older brother, Nielito "Doc Darl" C. Tupas, sits as Iloilo provincial board member.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor-in-chief of two leading daily newspapers in Iloilo, Philippines.—Ed)

 

Greed for money destroys these ‘corrupt’ politicians

“Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's needs, but not every man's greed.”

—Mahatma Gandhi

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

IF our grandchildren turned the pages of Philippine political history, they would read the names of Ferdinand Marcos Sr., Joseph “Erap” Estrada, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., Jinggoy Estrada, Zaldy Co, Sara Duterte-Carpio, Loren Legarda, Manuel Bonoan, Chiz Escudeo, Joel Villanueva, among other prominent politicians, in the glossary of odium and infamy.

Records would ostensibly show they destroyed themselves because of “greed for money.”

When given the opportunity and elected to office, they allegedly took advantage of their positions by amassing unexplained wealth and living like patricians, oligarchs, and aristocrats while the ordinary people agonized and could hardly make both ends meet.

Some of them have been prosecuted and jailed, others escaped abroad and opted to become fugitives. Others fake their illnesses in order to avoid imminent arrest. Many of them have not been formally charged yet.

Even before they were accused of stealing billions of pesos from the taxpayers through kickbacks, “ghost” and substandard projects, intentionally misdirecting public funds, inflating, or manipulating during the planning, formulation, and execution phases of government spending, the government thieves were already living comfortably.

 

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In the first place, they weren’t supposed to bilk the people they serve. Accumulating more wealth than what is necessary at the expense of the taxpayers was supposed to be mortal sin.

But because of rapaciousness and their lack of moral scruples, they allegedly stole more; they built empires and purchased private jets and choppers, hid their loot in Cayman Islands and The Caribbean, acquired mansions in the Philippines and abroad, collected queridas and queridos left and right.

Their greed justifies dishonesty, fraud, and exploitation, ruining reputations and long-standing relationships. Spiritual and moral traditions have long warned that an obsession with wealth leaves people permanently discontent and spiritually empty.

By replacing community well-being and ethics with an endless, harmful chase for more, their greed for money destroyed some of them and even the society where they belong.

Their unchecked financial greed funneled resources to a tiny minority, draining stability from the working class. Their act of extracting cash and resources faster than a system can replenish them risks total economic or environmental failure.

Their risky financial schemes and the constant desire for more have frequently led them straight into debt, isolation, and ruin.

 

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I “saw” tears in Alexandra “Alex” Eala’s eyes while she was walking in the exit following a disheartening 7-5, 3-6, 7-5 loss to 18-year-old Iva Jovic of the United States in their third-round match at the US Open on September 5, 2026.

She really wanted to reach the next rounds and was a cinch away from snatching victory from the jaws of defeat when WTA No. 14 Jovic gave the break back in the decider after a double fault, and Eala held at love for a commanding 4-2 lead.

Eala, 21, would have faced former US Open champion Coco Gauf, 22, in the Round of 16 if the Filipina phenom beat her good (not best) friend Jovic, who was easily dismantled by Gauf, 6-1, 6-4 September 7.

Brad Kallet described the Eala-Jovic match in WTAtennis: “Jovic was excellent at the net, winning 12 of her 15 points, and struck 44 winners to 27 unforced errors. Eala came in even more, winning 16 of 25 net points, and had 34 winners to 33 unforced errors.

“Both returned exceptionally well, though Jovic was slightly more effective in the most critical moments, converting 9 of 17 break-point opportunities to Eala's 8 for 20.”

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor-in-chief of two leading daily newspapers in Iloilo, Philippines.—Ed)

 

Who are you calling?

“Sometimes the only way to stay sane is to go a little crazy.”

―Susanna Kaysen, Girl, Interrupted

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

IF I hadn’t been invited to attend the In-Person Adult Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training at the PSS Home Care in Whitestone, New York City on August 24, I wouldn’t know what 988 is all about, or why and when to call it. I beg your pardon.

Now that we are celebrating the Suicide Prevention Month, it’s imperative that we understand why there’s a need to remember 988; why the three numbers may play a key role even after September.

What’s the difference between 911 or 988, in the first place?

What we know is in the US and Canada, 911 is the primary emergency telephone number for police, fire, and medical assistance; we call 911 for immediate physical danger.

On the other hand, we call or text 988 for mental health, emotional distress, or substance use crises.

Real-time global estimates put the number of suicides at over 480,000 to 720,000+ for the year, though exact official national totals for 2026 are not yet finalized, according to Worldmeter, which tracks an estimated real-time running total exceeding 718,000 global suicides for the year based on World Health Organization (WHO) models.

 

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that annual U.S. suicides historically average around 48,000 to 49,000 deaths per year but finalized complete data for the current year takes many months to process and verify.

Data show 5.5 percent of U.S. adults have serious thoughts of suicide each year, while 93,452 people were connected with the NAMI HelpLine in 2025. There were 3 in 4 people who contacted 988 report received the help they needed.

If we or someone we know is struggling or in crisis, help is available by calling or texting 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (in the US and Canada), available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Services are free and confidential, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).

NAMI recognizes Suicide Prevention Month as a time to raise awareness, spread hope, and spark meaningful action around one of the most urgent mental health issues of our time each September.

Its goal is to ensure that individuals, friends, and families have access to the tools, resources, and support they need to talk openly about suicide prevention, recognize warning signs, and seek help.

NAMI emphasize that reaching out for support can be the start of a new journey forward.

 

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“Whether you are experiencing thoughts of suicide or supporting a loved one, there is help available. Take time today to explore help options, learn about contributing risks to suicide, download resources, and more,” NAMI stated in its website.

It was Jeanne Cacciatore, program director of Family and Children’s Association (FCA) Senior MH Awareness Training Program, Elder Abuse EMDT and Safe Observant Senior Program (SOS), who explained to MHFA participants that a skilled counselor will say hello, introduce themselves, and ask if we are safe when we are connected to 988.

They ask about our safety, and will be calm and comforting, listen to us, provide support, and may also share helpful resources.

According to NAMI, suicide is still too often met with silence, stigma, or shame.

“At NAMI, we believe that silence should never be the response to someone’s pain. That’s why we’re working tirelessly to change that. This September, you can be the difference,” explained NAMI.

“With one conversation, asking someone how they’re really doing — and being ready to truly listen—can save lives. Because here’s what we know: No one has to face this alone. Help exists. Healing is possible. And all it can take is for one person to start a conversation.”

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor-in-chief of two leading daily newspapers in Iloilo, Philippines.—Ed)

 

Justice and To Kill a Mockingbird

"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."

--Martin Luther King, Jr.

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

IF we ask what justice is, conventional wisdom will tell us it is the moral and philosophical principle of treating people fairly, impartially, and reasonably according to the law and ethics.

According to Cornell Law School’s Legal Information Institute, justice has three meanings:

-Justice is the ethical, philosophical idea that people are to be treated impartially, fairly, properly, and reasonably by the law and by arbiters of the law, that laws are to ensure that no harm befalls another, and that, where harm is alleged, a remedial action is taken - both the accuser and the accused receive a morally right consequence merited by their actions (see: due process).

-Justice is a legal structure or system that is designed to judge in a general sense who should be accorded a benefit or burden when the law is applied to a person’s factual circumstances.

-Justice is a title conferred upon a judge of the U.S. Supreme Court, the federal courts of appeal, or the state courts of appeal.

 

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In relation to justice as a subject matter, we highly recommend To Kill a Mockingbird, a 1962 drama and mystery movie starring Gregory Peck, to all aspiring lawyers, social scientists, politicians, and fellow journalists.

Since the concept of justice is presented in this novel written by Harper Lee as an antidote to racial prejudice, we found many parallels in the book that reflect some realities in our society today.

There's the story of Atticus, described as a strongly principled, liberal lawyer who defends a wrongly accused black man, representing a role model for moral and legal justice.

In his explanation to Scout, Atticus stressed that while he believed the American justice system to be without prejudice, the individuals who sit on the jury often harbor bias, which can taint the workings of the system.

Atticus retained his faith in the system throughout the majority of the novel, but he ultimately lost in his legal defense of Tom.

Atticus expressed a certain disillusionment as a result of this experience when he agreed to conceal Boo's culpability in the killing of Ewell, recognizing that Boo would be stereotyped by his peers, at the end of the book.

 

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Atticus decided to act based on his own principles of justice in the end, rather than rely on a legal system that may be fallible.

The novel, a Pulitzer Prize winner, has remained enormously popular since its publication in 1960.

It also can be read as a coming-of-age story featuring a young girl growing up in the South of America and experiencing moral awakenings.

The novel demonstrated the now-adult narrator's hindsight perspective on the growth of her identity and outlook on life, as narrated from Scout's point-of-view.

The tomboyish Scout challenged the forces attempting to socialize her into a prescribed gender role as a Southern lady, in developing a more mature sensibility.

Aunt Alexandra tried to subtly and not-so subtly push Scout into a traditional gender role that often ran counter to her father's values and her own natural inclinations.

 

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As events around the trial became ugly, however, Scout realized the value of some of the traditions Alexandra was trying to show her and decided she, too, could be a “lady.”

The novel also explored themes of heroism and the idea of role models as well.

Lee has stated that the novel was essentially a long love letter to her father, whom she idolized as a man with deeply held moral convictions.

Atticus was clearly the hero of the novel, and functioned as a role model for his children. The children regarded their father as weak and ineffective because he did not conform to several conventional standards of Southern masculinity.

They eventually realized that Atticus possessed not only skill with a rifle, but also moral courage, intelligence, and humor, and they came to regard him as a hero in his own right.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor-in-chief of two leading daily newspapers in Iloilo, Philippines.—Ed)