Yeng Guiao's DNA

By Joselito Basilio



I once remarked in the defunct Among Ed website that “Yeng Guiao is the only Guiao who is not Bren”, an obvious rip-off of one martial law truism “Rafael Recto is the only Recto who is not Claro” criticizing the younger Recto’s collaboration with Marcos. The late Rafael Recto is of course the son of nationalist Claro M. Recto and the father-in-law of Gov. Vilma Santos. Why is it it’s not “like father like son” in the case of Tatang Bren and Yeng? Perhaps the good genes of a father are not always transmissible to the son. It is patently evident that Yeng Guiao did not inherit the good genes of his great father Bren whose principle as a freedom fighter was comparable to that of other Kapampangan great leaders like Ninoy Aquino and Jose Lingad.



Look at Yeng now. He is the exact opposite of his illustrious Dad whom I admired as one of my childhood heroes during the Martial Law days. He seems to have mortgaged his life to serving the selfish interest of his political masters because of huge political debts he can never repay. Try to observe him. He plays the role of a silent apologist and henchman of those who raises money by selling slip of paper. He shrugs off whatever Among Ed utters just to delight and wow his political lords. Whenever Among Ed executes a clean shot on good governance, Yeng, the hard court master tactician, “elbows” the governor publicly and pooh-poohs his pronouncements. The recent support demonstrated by the Provincial Board on the recall move may lend credence to my belief that Yeng is profoundly involved in the master game plan to depose the incumbent governor at all cost, a diabolical plot never tried to the two previous governors whose castle in Porac was built from quarry sand.



Poor Yeng! He’s on the wrong side of history. He would certainly be assured of a place in Kapampangan history if he had not been gulp down by corruption and patronage. He possesses leadership potential and might become a future governor if he did not take the wrong path to greatness. I hope this bright UP alumnus would come to his sense of history while there is time, otherwise his father’s former Provincial Administrator might assume in near future the position he dearly covets.