by Lito Banayo
Malaya
The time and the setting they chose were most appropriate. Led by the erudite Oscar Cruz, D.D., Archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan, friends and concerned citizens trooped to the Rajah Sulayman Park fronting Manila Bay Friday last week. Before the Christmas season with its message of joy, thanksgiving and hope dawns upon the nation, these friends chose to “rage against the dying of the light”.
More pointedly, they chose to show their moral outrage because the present leadership, in judgment which is shared by 4 out of 5 Filipinos, has become “morally bankrupt”. They staged their prayer-rally just as the sun set on the bay fronting the nation’s capital, in a park constructed to memorialize the last king of Manila before foreign conquistadores gained the islands for Cross and royalty. They chose to “rage against the dying of the light”, clinging to its last orange rays before the velvet of benightedness enveloped all reality. They still see rays of hope where many have seen nothing but the darkness of despair, and have since departed for foreign climes and foreign cultures, giving up on the land of their birth, trading it for opportunity, trading it for hope.
They still hope to ignite the flames of people power, manifested first and genuinely in Edsa Uno, thence poorly-copied in Edsa Dos. Both were successful in ousting the incumbent presidents of their time. Replicating these have proved quite difficult since though. The regime’s storm troopers have learned the not-too-fine art of preventing people from massing at designated rally sites. Like robots, her policemen and military simply follow all her orders. And the Boss Woman would do anything, from ordering her operators to try to turn the tide of public discontent by purveying lies and paying some media to parrot these, or even the most criminal act of bribing lesser officials. She simply won’t budge, and let hell freeze over.
Not the least of the reasons for the failure to assemble huge crowds to bring out the rage in their hearts is the slaying sense of hopelessness itself. And a seeming indifference to the politics of the land. The younger generations have seen how change never seems to bring about change. Specifically, how despite changes in political leadership, whether through elections or people power, their seminal lives have not been affected positively. As the French say, “plus ca change, plus la meme chose”.
We have been changing one crook with another whose crookedness we realize only when he or she is already in Malacañang. And we have been mute witnesses on how the power of Malacañang is extended by making crooks of most everybody else. No wonder we keep descending into the pits of corruption. The No. 2 most corrupt in Asia, and we sometimes wonder if we are not yet the first. We have accepted it as a way of life. Throw away such “archaic” principles as honor, integrity, honesty.
After all, this president, this Boss Woman has made a successful enterprise of leading through nothing more than cheating and lying and stealing, so maybe it’s more personally satisfying to partake of the crumbs, or failing so, just mind one’s own limited business. See no farther than the tip of your nose, or mind nothing else than the four corners of your abode. Quite typically, 70 percent of the population in the D and E statistical divisions are concerned with daily survival. Twenty percent who statistically are classified as the middle class fret about how to keep what little they have thus far accumulated, not through inheritance but hard work, either in their professions or their small business endeavors. And only the 10 percent who belong to the so-called political and economic elite, as well as those of the criminal underworld who thrive alongside government corruption, have the luxury of living comfortably without trying too hard. They wallow, while the rest of us survive. Incomes to them are measured by the tens of millions minimum each year, with a hundred or so measuring wealth by the billions, while tens of millions try to push their earthly existence with less than a hundred thousand each year.
Given this political, social and economic environment, do we as a people simply sit tight, and wait for election after election, manipulated as these are by the unholy alchemy of power and money, and hope for positive change no matter how incremental, with each new leader bought by the imaging, networking and concomitant cheating, hostaged as they will always be by the purveyors of hefty campaign contributions? Would the system that we have now, ever allow the rise of a leader armed with the fervor of uncompromising principles, ready to make a clean break from the traditional politics of continued and continuing corruption, ready to thrash the feudal structures of a society of unequal opportunity? Ready to break the monopolies and oligarchies that profit unduly from the regulated industries of power and telecommunications, ports, land and air transport, as well as water distribution, while we are collectively powerless to even protest their privileges at our expense? Ready for once to protect the consumer against price manipulation and shoddy products and services, even if it means fighting the cartels both foreign and domestic? Ready to smash the unholy syndicates of illegal gambling and drugs, smuggling and illegal destruction of the nation’s natural resources?
Clearly the system and its past and present praxis has failed both people and nation, and its continued failure has affected the present lives of all but the ten percent who profit handsomely from its perpetuation. Because the elite control all the levers of power, they will perforce keep the system, which in turn dooms the future of the ninety percent of this country in state of hopelessness.
The elections of 2010, this early hotly contested by the same elite, will after all be held under the auspices of a lameduck who would do everything to ensure that she would remain in the collaborative saddle of the new leader. That is, if she cannot force her continued stay in power, through constitutional machinations or the force of her bought generals. With shallow reason, media unwittingly plays to the music of the elite, this early speculating on how much money it would require to be elected president of the land. Even a senator of the realm, once regarded as the bete noire of corruption, mouths the amoral observation that the presidency is for billionaires alone to aspire for. Nobody bothers to examine principles, let alone character. Just the surveys, and the money.
Never has the sovereign people been so powerless. And ever shall they continue to lose the marginal political power that they have, with elections a function of money and cheating, while governance is kept a function of money and monopoly, hardly one aimed at the greatest good or lofty vision. To escape the horrible state of things, to dare carve a future for themselves and their family, the people have to opt out. How convenient if all of us could just shout, “Stop this country! I wanna get out!” as we would a bus driven by a wayward drunk.
Who has the power to effect meaningful change in the kind of polity obtaining? Not elections. Not the Congress, the lower House of which is openly bribed, while a preponderant majority in the Senate is bribed in manner less flaunted. Not the masses who cannot skip a day of foraging to keep body and soul together, unless someone would pay them for the effort. Not the indifferent middle class who have seen nothing but disappointment in the results of “meaningless” people power.
Sad be it to say, our democracy is dying fast, if it is not already in the throes of death. We go through the funereal motions of oratory as homage, or eloquence of words as anointment or incense, but we are powerless to revive it.
Perhaps shock treatment, as in soldiers of the Filipino people seizing the day with the blessings of the Almighty. Don’t consider this unthinkable. Soldiers after all, have borne the system in patient sufferance, and their own lives are none the better for it, but for a few generals who toady to the elite. Unlike the OFW’s, they have no escape valve in outward migration. They have no future other than in the camps, and to grow that future, they have to toady to the corrupt, they have to sell their souls to a government so anathema to everything that is right and true and good.
Their training and discipline teaches them to follow “legal” orders through a chain of command, but they have twice seen that chain broken, and for what? For changes in leadership which lead only to gross mis-governance and gross corruption. Who knows when the uniformed servants of the people shall seriously consider being protectors of the people once more?
A leap into the dark? Well, aren’t we in land so benighted anyway?
is there still hope in total darkness?
shall we wait for it (darkness) to totally engulf on us?
maybe it’s about time to install someone like archbishop oscar cruz or among ed in the highest office of the land to save the remaining strand of our unity and dignity as a nation and people while we are in a transition of selecting an able leader far from the shameless lying woman who calls herself president.
You’re so smart Ellen. So who would it be then? Who do you replace GMA with? A national committee composed of whom? Which leadership will emerge? Another election? OK. Who? If say for example, Villar wins. Will this shut you up?
So 4 out of 5 Filipinos find the government morally bankrupt? I will not dispute that but please cite your sources for such statistics. All I read from you is pure socialism and smatterings of liberation theology. Something that I would gladly die fighting against. You are not so far removed from a college freshman brainwashed by communist propaganda.
OMG Mrivera. Install clergy to run the government? So when it is convenient for you people, the separation of Church & State rule is subjective. I am a Catholic. Not a very active one, but I’ve even converted a couple of INC. The tattoos in my body only say that I am a Catholic. I enrolled in a seminary. Kulang na lang maging pari ako para tawagin nyo ako na Catolico. But, I cannot agree for any clergy to step in the shoes of leadership for the nation. Why? First of all, the CBCP is a bunch of socialists disguised in the “cloth”. Adherents to liberation theology which is very obvious. You cited Oscar Cruz – Bishops, you are losing Catholics to born-again movements and Islam. Go back first to why you became a priest. When the people truly understand the meaning of Catholicism and follow its teachings, then maybe we will all be less corrupt. Because those that are corrupt and immoral politicians, civil servants, soldiers and policemen are largely Catholics themselves. If you’ve (priests) really taught them the message of Christ and the doctrines of the Catholic church, then maybe, just maybe, they’ll be a lot more honest and there will be less need for molesting communist Bishops like Oscar Cruz, to prance around the political stage.
Sendero, please take note that the author of the article is Lito Banayo.
Although I agree with his views.
Sorry, my mistake, but there was no edit button.
Welcome Sendero. I appreciate your giving us the side of Gen. Martir.
Merry +mass Sendoro Escuro,
Nice name or Pen name!
Either socialist, communist, democratic, autocracy, authoritarianism, despotism, totalitarianism, monarchism and tyranny ang pinag-uusapan dito eh ang legalidad ng panunungkulan at naayon sa batas.
Alam mo, ang problema na pinag-aawayang ng mga Pinoy eh si tita Glo? Siya ang puno’t dulo ng lahat ng ito.
Ang EDSA II ang simbolo ng pagtataksil sa ating Saligang Batas, the only legal basis na foundation of our beloved Philippines. All other laws are only supplimental to the Constitution.
Kung di lang nagmadali si GMA at may ambisyon palang maging Pangulo eh di sana aabot tayo sa problemang ito. Sinira niya ang halos lahat ng institusyon sa ating Bansa.
WALA as Nothing credible sa isa man sa ating institusyon, ang Korte Suprema dapat palitan na ang obsolete nilang Timbangan ng Katarungan ng digital one para maging effective at efficient sa paggawad ng katarungan.
Tutal malapit na ang 2010, konting tiis na lamang kasi nga nakapagtiis tayong ng 7-years eh ngayong pa.
So, sundan natin ang susunod na kabanata……
Tama nga si Gat Jose Rizal na sabihin nya na probinsya itong Las Islas Filipinas.
Kung sabihin ko kaya dito na si Premier Li Peng na lang ang lider ng bansa? komunista ang labas ko diba? nakakadiri!
Kapag sinabi ko naman na si Susilo Yudhoyono na lang? Islamo fascist?
Hindi ba’t ganito ang turo ng western propaganda sa atin, na kapag binanggit mo ang personalidad sa itaas, ayaw ng mainstream media!
Isa sa mga dahilan kung bakit nagkanda-leche leche ang bansa natin ay dahil na rin sa mainstream media.
Mas mabuti pa siguro na sabayan na lang natin ang Taiwan.
Dun sa mga sumusubaybay ng postings ko dito sa EU, alam nyo na siguro ang ibig kong sabihin.
Ang Republika ng Pilipinas ang may pinakamalaking intelligence network sa buong mundo, mula sa pagiging katulong, hardinero, driver, entertainer, bible carrier/bearer, abugado-abugaduhan, bugaw, bolero, kubrador, split personality at kung anu-ano pa!
Subukan mo na magbigay ng mansanas sa mga bata na nangangaroling sa bahay.
Ang isasagot sayo, “perahin mo na lang”.
Ganito ba ang klaseng naituro sa atin ng mga Kastila at mga Amerikano?
“Mas masarap na makasama ang mga matatandang Hapon kasi may pera!”, ganito ang maririnig mo sa mga lugar na pinamumuragan ng mga informal settler.
Tama! Ang pasko ay araw araw sa mundo ng mga Kristyano
Dahil mas pinahahalagan natin ang mga materyal na bagay!
Sinusukat ang kakayahan ng isang tao kapag may naiuwi kang malaking balikbayan boxes.
Hindi na mahalaga ngayon kung doktor ka, maestra, karpintero o propesyunal ang isang tao.
Mas pinahahalagan ngayon kung papaano mo ako makikiliti.
haaaayyy buhaaaay!
Maligayang Pasko sa inyong lahat!
Per Mr. Ray Arcilla of Malaya:
Brief rundown of those cases would more than suffice to validate the people’s perception that Arroyo is indeed the most corrupt among the chief executives we have had, legitimate or otherwise:
The IMPSA power deal.
The Diosdado Macapagal Boulevard overpricing.
The Jose Pidal case.
The Comelec computerization scandal.
The Venable contract.
The Piatco case involving NAIA III.
The “Joke-Joke” Bolante caper.
The AFP Comptroller scandal.
The NorthRail project.
The Department of Education book scam.
The computer scandal in Bicol.
The ZTE-NBN deal.
The Cyber-Ed project.
The pending South Rail project.
The sale of NPC-EDC assets.
The overpricing of coal purchases by the NPC.
The brewing Transco bidding controversy.
The rampant smuggling by characters allegedly close to Mr. and Ms. Arroyo.
The bribery of congressmen and local officials right in Malacañang. This is the most blatant and brazen. Ms. Arroyo did not even deign to have the scandal investigated.
Anong masasabi mo Sendero Orusco, di ba dapat alisin at ikulong na yang Glorya na yan sa dami na ng kasalanan niya sa taong Bayan?
Mrivera,
RE: Is there still hope in total darkness?
Shall we wait for it (darkness) to totally engulf on us?
My personal point answer your 1Q is YES! Here is my point of view concerning this matter, If we Pilipinos will become responsible citizen of our country and God-fearing….for sure 100%, magiging maunlad ang Pinas at magiging mapayapa ang ating lipunan.
About the 2Q? Sang-ayon sa Banal na Kusulatan, “And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shorthly….”1Cor.16:20
Papaano mangyayari ito? Use the whole armor of GOD, not the AFP of GMA or any other form of resistance group.
Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of devil.
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
….take up the whole armor of God,….having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplace of righteousness,… having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;…..taking the shield of faith…… take the helmet of salvation, …the sword of the Spirit,… praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit,…
Konting hirit, eh bakit po sa kabila na isa tayong bansang Krisitiano na naninilawala sa pag-ibig ng Dios eh magkakasalungat ang kaisipan ng mga Pinoy? Ito po ang sinasabing Christless society!
As Archbishop Oscar Cruz said in his blog,”Thank God there is God.” Gloria and her palace gang can probably fool everybody but in the long continuum of time ,God will prevail.That’s for sure.
Merry +mass Etnad,
Good INFO, all these things done by GMA regime will be the basis of all the charges that the proper authories or individuals can use against GMA after her tenure on 2010.
According to her tuta at Malacanang, all these charges against her gov’t are purely tsismis lamang without concrete evidence.
Hihirit pa sila, isampa daw sa Korte at doon pag-usapan. Anong Korte ang tinutukoy ng mga hunghang…ang KORTE SUPREMA, WAG NA LANG kasi obsolete na ang Timbangan ng Katarungan na nakasabit doon, dapat palitan muna natin ng digital type para accurate ang reading wag lang idiskonek sa power source.
Yan ang multo na katatakutan ni GMA after her tenure, at for sure gagawin nila ang lahat ng paraan para maipanalo ang Presidency sa 2010 kung mayroon man.
Dapat lang bantayan sina TABAKO and co. yan ang utak ni GMA.
As I always emphasize so many times, since the amendment of our Constitutions, The British North America Act of l867 which created the Nation, and the creation of the our own Charter, the Constitution Act of l982, known popularly as the Charter of Rights and Freedom, every law, enacted before and after the Charter should conforme with its spirit and provisions or it has no force, and that is including EMERGENCY Laws, National Security Law and any law so challenged and declared by the courts at all level unconstitutional and stood appeal are either repealed, repaired or amended. That is the rule of law, and we don’t care who the Government is.
So if we follow the Democratic Principles of Government, GMA should have been irrelevant in the scheme of whole, but in the Philippines she is the Rule of Law. She mouths the Phrase as if it is a SLOGAN but it is not, it is a principle, to be followed, not to be preached. Her administration and the people working under her, not only corrupt in perception, but considerable number of them are guilty and only the real Rule of Law will prove their guilt, and that at present is not available in PGMA government…
From the Big Apple a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all despite my rants….
Merry +mass T.E.,
I agree with you 100%. Kung pwede pang humirit eh 101% okey ba!
Hinahangaan ko po ang Kgg. Archbishop O. Cruz unlike other Bishop in our Church, mayroon siyang paninindigan at maka-Dios ng katwiran.
Mabuhay po kayo A.O.C.!
Merry +mass Vic,
This is a part of democratic process, whatever happened in the Philippines only demonstrates political maturity of our people.
Ofcourse, we knows that there are some foreign powers who control and dictates our nation. One of them is Uncle Sam (who influence us politically and economically).
Hoping The Britz will come in our country and help us economically and introduce their magnificent form of governance (kasi po bago ka mahalal sa House of Lords eh may pambihira kang track record sa buhay).
In justification of Britz influence around the world, all these countries under their rule were economically progressive (e.g. USA, Hongkong, India, Malaysia, South Africa, Canda, Australia, New Zealand and others).
“Yan ang multo na katatakutan ni GMA after her tenure, at for sure gagawin nila ang lahat ng paraan para maipanalo ang Presidency sa 2010 kung mayroon man.
Dapat lang bantayan sina TABAKO and co. yan ang utak ni GMA.”
balweg,
Yan na nga ang mas problema kapag nanatiling namamayagpag ang madilim na kapangyarihan ni Gloria. Pinagtulungan ng kampo nila Ramos at Gloria na mapatalsik si Erap para hindi makasuhan si Ramos sa kanyang mga nakurakot at kasAlalan sa bayan. Nang umupo si Gloria nagsamanatala rin at mas masahol pa. Siguradong kung makatapos man ng termino si Gloria hanggang 2010, ay mamanipulahin lang nila ang resulta ng eleksyon at iuupo ang lider na poprotekta sa kaniya o sa kanilang dalawa ni Ramos. At ang uupo ay pihadong susunod sa yapak ng mga kurap. So, madadagdagan ang magbubusabos sa mamamayan. So ngayon pa lang ay dapat pigilan na ang kanilang masamang balak. . .PATALSIKIN SI GLORIA!!!!
Kailangan ng Pilipinas ng isang TUNAY NA REBOLUSYON na magpapalaya sa lahat ng mga social injustices!!!
Merry Xmas at Manigong Baong Taon Ellen, Balweg at sa lahat ng kakusa dito sa Ellenville. Mabuhay tayong Lahat!!!! Patalsikin si Glorya at ang kanyang mga mga TUTA!!!!!
Ang mga Tongressman na tumanggap ng 500T at 200T, sana mabulunan kayo ngayong Pasko, mamatay at ilibing kayo sa Bagong Taon. Amen!!!!
merry x’mas and happi new year to eveyrone here in ellenville! may the philippines have a fruitful new year with gloria and her bandidos kicked out.
balweg, chi? paano ko kayo makontak pala? 🙂 i’ll check this site in 2 days. take care!
I.M. hapi merry +mass and properous 2008 sa inyong buong pamilya!
OO nga pala, sa Dec. 23 pa ang balik ko eh magpahangin muna ako bago sumapit ang Kapaskuhan para refresh uli.
Magkita-kita uli tayo this coming Sunday. Pagpalain kayong lahat mga kabloggers ko sa Ellenville. Tuloy ang laban till we overcome all this mess.
Mabuhay ang Ellenville Bloggers Brigade at lalung lalo na po sa inyo Maám Ellen, ang kalakasan at kaligtasan ng Panginoon ang salagi nang sumainyo.
Merry +mass and Hapi 2008 sa inyong lahat!
Hi Ellen,
There is a saying, “the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing…” This is truly applicable to us. We have been witnessing all the crimes of the Arroyo administration against the poor Filipino people as enumerated in this column by ETNAD and yet, what are we doing? Come to think of it, we are cowards in the eyes of our Asian counterparts because we are so inutile. Do you need somebody to lead? I am thinking seriously of doing this. But do you know who am I? That’s the problem.
EdFaji
sendero: indeed you seem to be an interesting person..intriguing perhaps would be a more articulate word to describe you? catholic and almost become a priest (sayang? but God knows best). Human and humble to say sorry for the mistake that it was not Ellen who wrote the article…I am sure you were in a rush to air your view..something must have been said in the article that displeased you..I wonder what? your contribution in this blog I am sure would be interesting..the view from the other side they say..it all depends on whose side..but nevertheless it would be interesting…
ang tanong who could be a leader? To those who are christians..catholics…have you ever wondered why God chose Joseph to be the protector of Jesus and Mary in this earth? He was old..he was a carpenter, someone who made simple things..chairs, tables, cabinets.not hi tech! he probably didn’t go to school..certainly without a master’s degree in economics..but God chose him to protect Jesus and Mary…for HE WAS A RIGHTEOUS MAN..A MAN OF GOD.! Wala bang RIGHTEOUS MAN, A MAN OF GOD (and I don’t mean in the hierarchy of the church), who can lead and together with other good men (the young ones and the young once) can work together man to man…stout hearted men..who will fight for the rights they adore..shoulder to shoulder and bolder and bolder, they come as they go to the fore?” Start with ten and soon there will be ten thousand more..
Ever heard this song?…
balweg and all! A Joyous Christmas! And a Blessed and Holy New Year 2008. And may 2008 bring us to go straight…and right…PEACE! fOR those like me away from home (Philippines) let us sing “I’ll be Home for Christmas…and certainly I am not dreaming of a white Christmas (hindi pa natunaw ang snow last week)..
I notice that this blog is now posting Lito Banayo’s column. Good. He’s a good fearless journalist. Sana kay Herman Tiu Laurel din. Gusto ko ang mga banat ni Herman tungkol sa patuloy ng pang-aabuso ng mga Kano sa ating bayan.
Eto ang isang column kailan lang ni Mr. Laurel na gusto ko:
The most repulsive, and destructive thing, about America’s foreign policy has been its imperialism. For the last hundred years, the US government has lorded it all over the Third World, telling this and that Third World government how to do this and if they don’t then Washington simply instigates a coup and installs a government that would do what Washington says it should do.
The repulsiveness has been compounded by its hypocrisy. Washington, through a collaborative media, has cultivated the myth that America is a generous and benevolent nation and what it does has been done with nothing else but the best of intentions. But as a noted American historian, Sidney Lens, said in a monumental work on American foreign policy: “America the benevolent does not exist and never has existed. The United States has pilfered large territories from helpless or near-helpless peoples; it has forced its will on scores of nations against their wishes and against their interests.”
Brownberry,
What country has America conquered? If we are not benevolent how come Nations after Nations came to our aid. How come we can not stop the throngs of people that comes to the U.S. year end and year out who wants to study and live here for a better life. Last week we registered 4,000.people from all walks of life became U.S. citizens just in 1 county alone. Maybe, just maybe you have not been treated right because you don’t treat people right yourself. During the Tsunami and Katrina I gave $100.00 each disaster. I work in food banks, all kinds of charities with groups and groups of benevolent Americans. We do not ask questions, we do not say who we are. Benevolence starts with every one of us, you. Gather friends and relatives and make it a perty to help dish out food and help to the less unfortunate. Believe me you’ll have a better Christmas and you will feel better.
corection:
Gather friends and relatives and make it a party to dishout
food to the less fortunate.
Re: The brewing Transco bidding controversy and Transco Misdeal?
A consortium of Filipino and Chinese firms led by local infrastructure holding firm Monte Oro Grid Resources Corp. bagged the concession contract for power grid operator National Transmission Corp. with a bid of $3.95 billion.
*The government will get 25 percent of the purchase price once the franchise is awarded, with the remaining funds to be paid over 20 years.*
There’s something wrong here. What kind of bidding is this? The 75% of $3.95 billion will be paid by *installment* in 20 years. This is a total sell-out. Parang gini-gisa tayo sa sariling mantika. Bakit? Sino-sino ang mga kumita?
President Gloria Arroyo is not the problem at all. Its the people who put her in power. Meaning you all.
Sendero Oscuro,
Napansin mo rin iyon! Liberation Theology at mga Socialist na nakasutana kapag may misa lang. Sabagay, sa dami nila sa loob talagang mapapansin. Pati sa tema ng pagtuturo mapapansin din. Liberation Theology, sikat na sikat ngayon iyan sa lahat ng seminary at kahit saang simbahan. Kahit si Bishop Lazo ng La Union, napansin din iyan.
As reported in the Daily Tribune. A statement of Concern – the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP), the country’s national organization of lawyers, yesterday strongly condemned what it termed as the “culture of corruption, dishonesty and deceit” that marks the Arroyo government “whose moral fiber has worn thin and whose conscience has vanished.” and called this state of Arroyo government affairs “abominable.” stressing that hers is a “government which has mastered the art of cover-up and manipulation”
They say the huge list of controversies clearly show a malignant social gangrene that afflicts the nation’s leadership. The lawyers deplored the fact that when the Filipino people asked for answers, all they got was a “flimsy and belated explanation peddled by Malacañang’s spin doctors that were untrue, unbelievable and utterly insulting to anyone with a functioning brain.”
Broadly hinting that the people must move against the Arroyo government, the IBP statement said: “We need to act now. We challenge the Filipino citizenry to channel (its) rightful indignation and disappointment into legal means of expression. The IBP lamented that the people are now all witness to a government that “dampens our hopes to positively inspire, a government which shamefully pampers the already rich and powerful and pays mere lip service to the interest of millions who are now impoverished.”
IBP leaders also said it is ready to mount street protests to express the “growing anger” of lawyers over controversies pestering the Arroyo’s administration
MY COMMENT
In my view the IBP could have started policing its own profession long before now, even before the Secretary of Justice and the Senior Prosecutor recently decided and be prepared to take the liberty away from people and jail them without obtaining evidence of an offense. These people were deprived of their liberty for fifteen days no less.
When the Justice Dept. starts to bend or ignore rules of evidence it gives a signal to the PNP, AFP, DILG that they can also get away with bending the rules.
One way of correcting this is instead of calling it ‘Corruption’ everyone starts to call it what it really is, that is lack of ‘Honesty & Discipline’ and everyone is duty bound to correct the phrase corruption and call it what it really is.
If we keep everything we do to being Honest & Disciplined and prepared to expose the people who are not Honest & Disciplined we can greatly increase the odds of reducing fraudulent acts. Failing this, don’t rely too much on the Lawyers because as of now they’re all newspaper talk and no action.
I just feel that I need to point out that I’m aware who allows the evidence bending tactics, the little evil woman who dishes out brownie points in the shape of PNP medals.
wwnl- just wondering..re the IBP condemnation…will they be able to get the many lawyers who are now congressmen and senators? How about the judiciary department? the judges from the lowest courts up to the supreme court..the executive branch..there are many lawyers in that branch..the husband isn’t he a lawyer? the press secretary isn’t he a lawyer…si Brenda Starr isn’t she campaigning for a seat in the International Tribunal? Sana nga..”Lady Justice when equal scales she holds is blind”..will be back to what it really symbolizes..sana nga…
wwnl: I get the impression that the IBP is calling for street demonstrations…where were they in Nov. 29..iilan lang ang lawyers who took the walk with Trillanes..bakit ngayon? isn’t that more than a bit too late?
Rose, Pareho tayo ang tanong. Bakit ngayon lang? Ang Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) ay matagal ng kapon. Nasaan sila noong Hello Garci political scam? Nasaan sila noon impeachment(2X), EO464 at P1017?
I like the reference to Dylan Thomas’ “Do not go gentle into this goodnight” this has been one of my favorites…
Do Not Go Gentle Into That Goodnight
By Dylan Thomas
Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
valdemar,
You forget, Gloria manufactured the winning votes. Don’t blame the people, they voted for FPJ.
Lets not belabor the Filipino people too much, we’ve suffered enough…
sendero,
If you came down from your ivory tower long enough and be with “people” you’ll see that “liberation theology” is not the “red scare” governments bent on deceiving their people by scaring them about leftists, rightists, islamists, kuk klux clan, vilmanians and noranians. These are all “classifications of hate” that the powers that be would like to exploit to their advantage.
We are all Filipinos, we must find a common ground to start settling these differences.
Contrary to your belief, the people are not idiots to buy that crap anymore. Where is Jonathan Burgos?
sendero,
Our soldiers have long been used as pawns to fight these “fights” that only a few stand to gain. Lets not waste more lives, stop this deadly drama!
sendero,
I know someone just like you. Grew up from a catholic family, applied for priesthood in Don Bosco, was accepted, but his father did not approve, applied again in Claretians, accepted but father still did not approve, so after graduating from high school, stayed a bit in college and took the entrance exams for the ‘cademy. Now the guy became born again but fell away, so basically he has no religion at present…probably direct line na lang, wala nang operator to god?
“Liberation theology” is borne out of genuine concern of the suffering of the “masa” the poor, the sick, and the uneducated. If you spend time with them and see for yourself the impact of an abusive regime that has a double standard (pro-oligarch), you will understand.
But if you’re on the “gracia” receiving end of this regime, you will dispute, fight, oppose with all your might because you see this as a threat to your way of life…
sendero,
kindly read each line first and take note of “transition”.
i did not say they should be installed for the purpose of “absolutely running the government”.
After such a long time, why is IBP only now attacking GMA? More than seven years ngayon lang nag-ingay. O baka naman may hinihingi kay GMA ang pamunuan ng IBP? Teka…what’s IBP? Indecent or Insecure Blood Pressure?
Re-IBP: Are the following members of this prestigious group? Sec. Raul Gonzales, Senators E. Angara, Joker Arroyo, Miriam Santiago, Enrile, the two Punos, at marami pang nasa staff ni Gloria Macapalgal..I suppose anyone who is a lawyer could be a member..pero once a member, hindi ba dapat they are the ones who should really be good interpreters of the law? and if they are not..is their membership suspended? kasi kung mayroon ang member sila ay dapat..hindi nangyayari ang mga nangyayari ngayon..the lawyers do have a code of Professional Ethics..hindi ba..naitapon na or punit punit na..
Juggernaut says:
“If you came down from your ivory tower long enough and be with “people” you’ll see that “liberation theology” is not the “red scare” governments bent on deceiving their people by scaring them about leftists, rightists, islamists, kuk klux clan, vilmanians and noranians.”
*****
How can you be so insensitive? Paano kaming mga Sharonians?
Jug,
Kinilabutan ako sa 2:09 p.m. post mo, above. I actually have one such friend – former – that is. His death in the academy stirred so many people’s emotions it resulted in the Anti-Hazing Law.
Kaya ako kinilabutan dahil yung pangalan niya nasa ibabaw ng post ko in the next thread!
Can we really put our trust for Military revolt to effect radical change in the Philippines today? Mr. Bayano is toying with the idea.
Seeing a glimmer of light at the end of a dark tunnel is a sign of hope.
Looking at the fading light is indeed alarming. This is why the group of Archbishop Cruz has opted to “rage against the dying of the light.” This a rage is grounded on one’s belief that if we Filipinos continue to be complacent amidst the “moral bankruptcy” in the land, our last drop of hope for a better Philippines will be drained and in near future, we will be groping in the dark. This is a typical call of a prophet and woe to those who refused to listen to this call.
These few “awakened” people at Rajah Sulayman Park (RSP) “still see rays of hope where many have seen nothing but the darkness of despair.” The assumption is that many Filipinos (4 out of 5 according to Mr. Banayo with no mention of its source) are powerless against the inevitable “darkness of despair.” And only a few “awakened” people at RSP have seen the “moral bankruptcy” and its ill effects, and with no uncertain term, accused the PGMA Administration as the principal culprit.
As noted by Mr. Banayo, these awakened people hope “to ignite the flames of people power” but find “quite difficult” as the “Boss Woman” efficiently used the police/military robots to curtail mass actions, successfuly mobilized her operators in “purveying lies” and bought some media practitioners to parrot these lies. Another reason for failure to ignite people power, according to Mr. Banayo, is the “slaying sense of hopelessness” of the Filipino people. The rest of the article was a litany of hopelessness.
Mr. Banayo summarized this dismal situation: “Who has the power to effect meaningful change in the kind of polity obtaining? Not elections. Not the Congress, the lower House of which is openly bribed, while a preponderant majority in the Senate is bribed in manner less flaunted. Not the masses who cannot skip a day of foraging to keep body and soul together, unless someone would pay them for the effort. Not the indifferent middle class who have seen nothing but disappointment in the results of “meaningless” people power.”
Then, with a drama effect, rise the heroes of the dying democracy: an awakening of the military people. Here’s the dream (or illusion/delusion?) of Mr. Banayo:
“Perhaps shock treatment, as in soldiers of the Filipino people seizing the day with the blessings of the Almighty. Don’t consider this unthinkable. Soldiers after all, have borne the system in patient sufferance, and their own lives are none the better for it, but for a few generals who toady to the elite. Unlike the OFW’s, they have no escape valve in outward migration. They have no future other than in the camps, and to grow that future, they have to toady to the corrupt, they have to sell their souls to a government so anathema to everything that is right and true and good.
“Their training and discipline teaches them to follow “legal” orders through a chain of command, but they have twice seen that chain broken, and for what? For changes in leadership which lead only to gross mis-governance and gross corruption. Who knows when the uniformed servants of the people shall seriously consider being protectors of the people once more?”
Indeed, not at all unthinkable considering the power of the weapons held by the military. Do these “uniformed servants of the people” truly serve the best interest of the Filipino people? I doubt that the few “awakened” people at RSP shared the “hope” of Mr. Banayo.
Lest we forget, history bears the fact that nations were built on martial (military) ground. Nations were born and nurtured by the rigid organizational set-up of the military. On the other hand, the same nations derived its values on its religious organizations.
There are only two organizations in this world that has stood the test of time…the MILITARY and the RELIGIOUS.
Democracy, communism, monarchism, parlaiamentarism, etc, have been tried, retried, used, reused and abused several times but only these two organizations remain constant.
The fear of the military organization, including that of the clergy, or any of its member taking over the reins of government by whatever mode, is actually the FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN. This fear in anchored on WHAT IFS.
Let us take stock of the reality. 4 people out of 5 believe that there is a problem with the current situation. They believe that the system and the people running it does not deserve to run the ship of state. And because of this realization, they want CHANGE. However, they could not get what they want because they limit their options. And this limitation is brought about by the distorted view that governance is the monopoly of specific professions and specific systems. If we want to sail on smoothly, we should accept the fact that there will be some rough seas in between. The worst thing that could ever happen to us as a people is to accept the status quo.
On the other hand, the proponents of status quo, like our brother here sender_oscuro, may have their own reasons also. The status quo might be his comfort zone. Or it might be that he benefits from it and does not want to part with the blessings that flow in his direction. But the one glaring fact is that, he is the 1 out of the 5.
Hence, realizing the need for change and seeing the options available for us…..LET’S DO IT!!!!
sulbatz,
sendero is non other than John Rat, hehehe. And I believe you’re right, actually a long time ago already, long before any general became senators, I wrote a piece calling for military officers, specifically from PMA, to run for public office, as senators, yes even as President. People are just afraid of “juntas” so some corners either try to frighten us or make us hate the concept of the military at the reins of government. Indeed there are not much cases of successful juntas except the Turkish military, which is also a good model to study – they enjoy the support of the people immensely and always, they return the reins of power to a civilian authority.
If the church leads the call for change, they call it LIBERATION THEOLOGY, if its the military – COUP D’ ETAT. Scary concepts, scary names, but I pray we do not allow ourselves to be scared anymore…