Why a unitary Constitution?

Arnold Garbanzos

ILIGAN City–I have the very question that probably entered the mind of Sen. Tomas Lluisma Cabili way back in 1935 for very obvious reasons. The question: Why is it that a federal nation like the United States gave us, Filipinos, a unitary Constitution?

Isn’t it very obvious that since our nation and its laws are patterned after the US as their “little brown American brothers” that the US should have given us the best and federalize us from the very beginning?

Is it because that it’s much easier controlling this nation with only one leader in Malacanang rather than several leaders scattered all over several states or provinces nationwide?

If truly America had our best interest in mind, then federalism was the best choice.

Anyway, this may explain in part President Duterte’s disdain today towards America, and why he is veering towards Russia and China. I am just asking because when Lanao voted against the 1935 Constitution as the only province in the country that went against it (the final vote was 201 against 1) was Lanao the only province in the country that was brave enough to think and question the motives of our big American brothers or was the rest of the nation simply afraid of the tremendous and outstanding potential of Lanao under a federal government?

Anyway, our hero Tomas L. Cabili released a very prophetic word during that grand assembly warning of imminent war in Mindanao should we decide on a unitary government since our tribal minorities would feel oppressed (just like what America did to their native American Indians) and today 82 years later, we reap the consequences of what he has seen in advance. And the rest is history, folks. I am glad that today, we have a thinking President.

Moral lesson: it pays to think and listen to the lone voice in the wilderness.