Remembering The Late Willie Nepomuceno: Why His Impersonation Of Erap In "ISPUP" Inadvertently Showed The Perils Of Presidentialism

If you were born in the 1980s, maybe some of you remembered ISPUP on ABC-5 before it became TV-5. The show made fun of certain issues such as how Jon Santos became Kris Aquino and Mike Nacua became Joey Marquez. The show aired in 1998 when Joseph Estrada was the president of the Philippines. Willie Nepomuceno (who died a day ago) did several impersonations including the late Noynoy Aquino and former president Rodrigo R. Duterte. Neither his impersonations of Noynoy or Duterte could make me chuckle as hard as Erap. A lot of jokes about Erap spring from the fact, "HOW CAN A NINCOMPOOP BECOME A PRESIDENT IN THE FIRST PLACE?" It was also there where Santos impersonated Erap's wife Loi Ejercito.

There were several comedic stuff related to Erap when he was president. One of the joke segments was English para sa mahirap. It was intentionally English taught wrong. There were even exaggerated segments where Erap wrote the answers on an exam on a pair of briefs. It's because the instructions are, "Answer briefly". We were told to vote wisely yet how often did that work? Some people get fed up with the majority wins rule because of Erap. I may have run across a pasaway in college BUT he did have a point. People would love voting for popular people instead of credible people. I kept pulling my hair saying, "AT BAKIT TAYO NAGTATAKA MGA INUTIL NASA PWESTO?!" 

Along with Erap, he was also involved in what might be best called an unethical intervention in the Chiong Sisters case. I don't deny that a mother lost two daughters and an aunt lost two nieces. Just because his personal secretary, Cheryl Jimenea, was the sister of Thelma Jimenea Chiong that he should've intervened. It was pressure because Erap was the "omnipotent force" behind the case. Erap was also responsible behind gambling cases. Erap was soon subjected to an impeachment trial where he resigned. However, Erap soon got back after he was pardoned. Where's the sense of shame in that?!

I wasn't surprised that new episodes of ISPUP before it got canceled, still made fun of Erap. Erap may be out of his office but the comedy went on. I even remembered an episode in ISPUP also featured the "mainit na mainit na trial ni Erap". That segment was well-known for making fun of his lack of common sense. One segment had the prosecutor asking, "How much is your deposit in the bank?" Erap's answer was, "I don't know how much the FAUCET in the bank is but I hope it's not leaking." There was even a segment where Erap was seen taking away a BUS STOP sign believing it was an anti-Bush sign. George W. Bush Jr. was the American president at the time of the broadcast.

Putting jokes aside - this shows why the presidential system usually ends up with bad candidates. Erap legally won the 1998 elections. Noynoy won legally won the 2010 elections. Duterte won legally won the 2016 elections. Right now, I'm convinced that maybe Atty. Leni Loud Robredo legally won the 2016 elections. Now, Bobong Marcos LEGALLY won the 2022 elections. Even stupider is that you've got people who LOVE presidentialism but hate Erap at the same time!

However, such isn't the case under a parliamentary system. People like Erap would have a hard time becoming prime minister. Let's just say that Erap decided to finish his education at the Ateneo De Manila University. Let's say that Erap was able to become a good member of the parliament for the time being. Let's say that Erap became his party's choice as the prime minister due to his charisma. Meanwhile, the LAKAS-CMD moves Jose De Venecia as the Opposition Leader. Can you imagine if Erap had to face De Venecia in the weekly question hour? It would be hilarious to think how Erap would answer De Venecia's grilling questions. Just imagine if De Venecia asked very simple questions and Erap keeps answering stupidly. Erap could have the choice to either resign or be hit by a vote of no confidence. 

The parliamentary system isn't all about the pasikatan style politics. Instead, it's all about credibility-based politics. If you want to have less Erap style politicians then why not switch to the parliamentary system?