THE HUMOR OF AMANG RODRIGUEZ

By Philip M. Lustre Jr.

ONE of the most colorful persons to have graced Philippine politics was a humble man named Eulogio Rodriguez Sr. A son of Rizal province, Rodriguez, who was "Amang to friends and foes, had a political career that spanned both the prewar and post war eras. He was the longest tenured Senate president. He held the post for over ten years until Ferdinand Marcos replaced him in a turbulent takeover.

Amang Rodriguez, for whom a major thoroughfare in Quezon City has been named (remember E-Rod?), was reputed for his unparalleled sense of humor. He could make people laugh with his special humor. There were many humorous vignettes about him. No, Amang was much intelligent than the likes of Tito Sotto, Manny Pacquiao, Migs Zubiri, or even the sick old man of the South, who did not bother to run for senator and was never elected as one. Tito, Manny, Migs, among others could be regarded as dumb but not humorous.

Although elected senator under the Liberal Party, Ferdinand Marcos joined the Nacionalista Party in 1963 to become its standard bearer in the 1965 presidential elections against incumbent president Diosdado Macapagal. Amang Rodriguez, dubbed as "Mr. Nacionalista for his party loyalty, opposed Ferdinand Marcos, uttering the prophetic words: "luluha tayo ng dugo diyan." Amang did not like Marcos because it was Marcos who took his place as Senate president. But Marcos knew how to charm his opponents.

Together with his chief party backer, the Speaker Jose Laurel Jr., Ferdinand Marcos went to Amang Rodriguez's residence in New Manila to ease the pain of having an opponent as his party ally. But Amang refused entry to his uninvited guest. He feigned illness, but not without telling one of his kasambahays, a male, to face Pepito Laurel and Marcos to tell he was ill. "Maysakit po si Sir. Under seduction siya," the kasambahay told the two politicians. Even Marcos narrated this anecdote in his speaking engagements when he became dictator.

Amang Rodriguez was always patronizing to reporters, who covered the Senate, but in a different way. While he was a perfect gentleman to lady reporters, he was irreverent to the men. He called "Kupal" every male reporter who covered to the Senate during those days. In return, every male reporter called him "Kupal" too. He never lost his cool to journalists; he never sued any journalist for libel.

The late Maning Almario, a journalist who happened to know personally Amang Rodriguez, once narrated how he warned journalists, who were about to partake a whole lechon baboy. "Don't eat too much lechon, guys. It has plenty of collateral," Ka Maning quoted Amang as telling them. They all laughed.

Another vignette was how he chided a local official and partymate, who always narrated complaints about the Nacionalista Party. "I don't want to talk to you. You have many reclamations," Amang told him. In another instance, he coined a new word "ejempol," which was a odd mixture of Spanish and English words for example.

It was in a bitter debate with Senator Cipriano Primicias Sr. that Amang cemented his humorous and disarming style. In the middle of plenary debates and interpellation, where Amang was defending a bill he authored, Primicias stood to point out many errors in the proposed measure. Amang was so embarrassed by the mistakes, but not without leaving the Senate hall with a humorous line. "Yes, I made a mistake in the bill, Your Honor. I stand erected," Amang said with an air of contrition.