To the victors belong the spoils

To the victors belong the spoils. And as it was since the beginning of time, so it is now. Noynoy Aquino can protest all he wants, but by his deeds is proven that his administration is no different from the others that came before it.

 Months before they bow out of the Senate, Noynoy has already announced that Panfilo Lacson and Francis Pangilinan will be taking up portfolios in his Cabinet. It is no coincidence that Lacson and Pangilinan voted to convict Renato Corona in his impeachment trial.

 Noynoy also mentioned as possible replacements for Corona as chief justice are justice secretary Leila de Lima and BIR commissioner Kim Henares. It is also no coincidence that de Lima and Henares testified against Corona in the same impeachment trial.

 The legal shortcuts Noynoy himself orchestrated in cracking down against Corona have all been obliterated by Corona’s own admission that he had assets he did not declare in the required statement of assets, liabilities and net worth he filed.

 This is one case of “the end justifies the means” finding eventual acceptance by default. But Noynoy should learn to stop while he is ahead. The Corona episode was acceptable only because Corona himself owned the deed that did him in.

 But there is no acceptability in the shameless partying for power. Without benefit of a little subtlety or guile, Noynoy himself is leading the victory party by dispensing with largesse left and right.

 So grateful is Noynoy for the support he got in the Corona impeachment trial that he could not even wait for the Senate terms of Lacson and Pangilinan to run their course. He had to publicly announce his rewards for a job well done.

 The same with de Lima and Henares. Noynoy could not even wait for formal nominations to be made to the Judicial and Bar Council. Unable to restrain the urge to show gratitude to de Lima and Henares for testifying in the impeachment trial, he had to virtually nominate them himself.

 Some well-meaning people who are neither allies nor critics of Noynoy have cautioned him against nominating outsiders to the post of chief justice in order not to rock the boat further in the aftermath of such a nationally bruising spectacle as the Corona impeachment trial.

 But Noynoy would have none of that. He is not the type to take advice from anyone, solicited or otherwise. Now, that could have been glossed over yet again if his nominees are hard to refuse.

 But de Lima? Henares? Other than utter loyalty to Noynoy and a remarkable capacity to do his bidding, neither has the sterling qualities that could quiet doubters of their nomination as chief justice.

 Believe it or not, but if either de Lima or Henares succeeds in landing the chief justice position, it will trigger repercussions of the kind Noynoy will be unprepared for and may not be able to handle and contain.

 In fact, right this very moment, there are already growing concerns even among his loyalists that the relentless crackdown on his political enemies has crossed the line from being a fight against corruption to heartless persecution, thus laying the basis for second thoughts.

 But more than second thoughts, there have been collateral damage made that could quickly move from simmering resentment to open defiance and eventual hostility. When push comes to shove, no amount of popularity can provide an adequate shield against the backlash of fate.

 Noynoy may have won significant victories against his most hated political enemies but it would not look good for him to cash in on those victories by making unwarranted appointments and nominations for no other reason than to reward blind loyalty.