A Letter To Modmon
My high school classmate who is just as concerned as I with the present political crisis asked me in our Yahoogroup why I joined the rally at Mendiola Bridge, and are not the rallies causing so much anxiety and traffic. Also, he asked who is going to handle the EVAT, the oil price increases, etc. with rallies abounding. I responded to my good friend and with some corrections, reproduced my answer here:
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Modmon,
You know, it's funny you mentioned that. While we were at the Mendiola, other rallyists were just as concerned with the EVAT,the rising prices, etc. Leah Navarro had to answer some business calls right there at the foot of the Mendiola bridge, Gerry Kaimo's car was in the car shop and he was being asked whether to replace the engine bolt or something. Life goes on even in the midst of rallies. Everyday concerns do not stop while one marches and fights for truth and justice.
The usual complaints about rallies are it causes traffic and gives the impression that the country is unstable. You can look at it from that point of view.
But in thinking in that manner, we are covering up the fact that GMA who claims to possess the solution to our country is not, I belatedly realized, the lesser of two evils. Desune [our classmate] was far more advanced in his political outlook. For that, I am thankful to him. She is, in fact, far worse.
She is not the lesser of two evils because she prostituted our electoral process, appointed people who were easily corrupted,manipulated the process to fashion a false and hollow victory. In short, she violated our sacred right to vote and the electoral process. If my child was violated by criminals, will I not be enraged and demand justice? GMA raped our electoral process and violated our rights. Should we not likewise demand justice?
Granted that evil was done and she committed that evil, why do we still ask ourselves, what is the alternative? Isn't the answer obvious? Whether one likes it or not, Noli de Castro is our Vice-President and until such time that there is proof that he likewise cheated in the election, we have to follow the constitutional process. Noli's ascension may be unpalatable to many of us but Rome will not be destroyed with his ascendancy. At the very least, it will bring stability to the political equation. Unless of course, one prefers a military take-over which will likely happen with GMA's continued stay as their commander-in-chief. According to Newsbreak magazine, a military interviewee claimed that 70% of the military thinks she is an illegitimate president.
Our economy will move along with or without rallies because our country no longer relies on the manufacturing sector. It is practically dead or soon to be one. We thrive on the service industries and overseas remittances. The latter is our number one dollar generating industry. 8 billion dollars more or less. So, whether we rally or not, the rain will still fall on the just and the unjust.
But the point of the rallies is that these are the people who stand on the wall everyday making sure that the government will not further desecrate and diminish our civil and political rights. Our government is slowly boiling the water and we do not realize that we are being slowly suffocated. There is no limit to the government's imagination to perpetuate itself in power and limit our rights. Wait till you have the anti-terrorism law in place.
I am sorry to say that GMA is profoundly compromised. She is no longer fit to govern. And even as we discuss this, she is turning her back on FVR and JDV, her main patrons. And even as I write this, FVR is slowly withdrawing his support. Senator Gordon is right. What we have now is a transactional leadership where governance is decided on the basis of survival. Do you really think that she is in favor of the EVAT? Cong. Joey Salceda, her economic adviser, wants it deferred. Do you not think the president is not far behind in that thinking?
There will be no end to the rallies because there will be no end to her or the First Gentleman's illegal acts being discovered day in and day out. You have the electoral scandal in Lanao by Probe. Now, you will have Mark Jimenez, Nani Perez et al. A government that corrupts itself to maintain power cannot command the respect of the people. Even the man on the street can no longer savor her presence.
If we want the rallies to end, then we must make it plain to the president that her greatest legacy is to give up power. I came to this conclusion after the impeachment complaint was perfidiously dismissed by her henchmen in Congress. And that was no rule of law. Even the Jesuits say so. The impeachment trial would have been her saving grace. But I saw how she manipulated the entire procedure. Desune had always been right all along.
We should not be deceived into thinking that her acts are not a black and white affair. Actually, it is black and white but we do not think so only because we think she is not as malevolent as Marcos. And perhaps,that makes it even more insidious. To appear as a savior of our country when in truth, she, and not the rallies, will bring our country to ruin.
---------------------------
Modmon,
You know, it's funny you mentioned that. While we were at the Mendiola, other rallyists were just as concerned with the EVAT,the rising prices, etc. Leah Navarro had to answer some business calls right there at the foot of the Mendiola bridge, Gerry Kaimo's car was in the car shop and he was being asked whether to replace the engine bolt or something. Life goes on even in the midst of rallies. Everyday concerns do not stop while one marches and fights for truth and justice.
The usual complaints about rallies are it causes traffic and gives the impression that the country is unstable. You can look at it from that point of view.
But in thinking in that manner, we are covering up the fact that GMA who claims to possess the solution to our country is not, I belatedly realized, the lesser of two evils. Desune [our classmate] was far more advanced in his political outlook. For that, I am thankful to him. She is, in fact, far worse.
She is not the lesser of two evils because she prostituted our electoral process, appointed people who were easily corrupted,manipulated the process to fashion a false and hollow victory. In short, she violated our sacred right to vote and the electoral process. If my child was violated by criminals, will I not be enraged and demand justice? GMA raped our electoral process and violated our rights. Should we not likewise demand justice?
Granted that evil was done and she committed that evil, why do we still ask ourselves, what is the alternative? Isn't the answer obvious? Whether one likes it or not, Noli de Castro is our Vice-President and until such time that there is proof that he likewise cheated in the election, we have to follow the constitutional process. Noli's ascension may be unpalatable to many of us but Rome will not be destroyed with his ascendancy. At the very least, it will bring stability to the political equation. Unless of course, one prefers a military take-over which will likely happen with GMA's continued stay as their commander-in-chief. According to Newsbreak magazine, a military interviewee claimed that 70% of the military thinks she is an illegitimate president.
Our economy will move along with or without rallies because our country no longer relies on the manufacturing sector. It is practically dead or soon to be one. We thrive on the service industries and overseas remittances. The latter is our number one dollar generating industry. 8 billion dollars more or less. So, whether we rally or not, the rain will still fall on the just and the unjust.
But the point of the rallies is that these are the people who stand on the wall everyday making sure that the government will not further desecrate and diminish our civil and political rights. Our government is slowly boiling the water and we do not realize that we are being slowly suffocated. There is no limit to the government's imagination to perpetuate itself in power and limit our rights. Wait till you have the anti-terrorism law in place.
I am sorry to say that GMA is profoundly compromised. She is no longer fit to govern. And even as we discuss this, she is turning her back on FVR and JDV, her main patrons. And even as I write this, FVR is slowly withdrawing his support. Senator Gordon is right. What we have now is a transactional leadership where governance is decided on the basis of survival. Do you really think that she is in favor of the EVAT? Cong. Joey Salceda, her economic adviser, wants it deferred. Do you not think the president is not far behind in that thinking?
There will be no end to the rallies because there will be no end to her or the First Gentleman's illegal acts being discovered day in and day out. You have the electoral scandal in Lanao by Probe. Now, you will have Mark Jimenez, Nani Perez et al. A government that corrupts itself to maintain power cannot command the respect of the people. Even the man on the street can no longer savor her presence.
If we want the rallies to end, then we must make it plain to the president that her greatest legacy is to give up power. I came to this conclusion after the impeachment complaint was perfidiously dismissed by her henchmen in Congress. And that was no rule of law. Even the Jesuits say so. The impeachment trial would have been her saving grace. But I saw how she manipulated the entire procedure. Desune had always been right all along.
We should not be deceived into thinking that her acts are not a black and white affair. Actually, it is black and white but we do not think so only because we think she is not as malevolent as Marcos. And perhaps,that makes it even more insidious. To appear as a savior of our country when in truth, she, and not the rallies, will bring our country to ruin.
posted by Edwin Lacierda | 2:13 AM
3 Comments:
Sayang lang ang oras mo sa rally. Sinasayang mo rin ang oras natin dahil sa p**** traffic na yan. Your group is small and its only strength is that it is noisy. Bombahan kayong lahat sana. May God help your cause fail.
Even the jesuits say so? Huh?
Why should I care what they think? Are you really a theocrat masquerading as an intellectual? Just wondering. Sorry, I am not Catholic and it always perplexes me why you Filipinos allow the church to involve itself with state affairs.
Adriana M.
Hopefully pag nagkaroon ng isang dictatorial state sa Pinas, hindi maunang madale yung second na nagcomment.
That person is the kind of people that let martial law happened. The kind of person we don't really need. Anyway, let's move on and do something to achieve what we need - justice.
To the third comment: the Church as an institution is not allowed by the Charter to meddle. But the Charter doesn't prohibit the Church to dispense guidance to its flock be it of moral or political nature. If you are perflexed, too bad. I myself don't believe the Church should meddle. But I am not perflexed.
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