Act now

“The basis of our political system is the right of the people to make and alter their constitutions of government.” – Washington, Farewell Address, 1796

NO amount of legislations coupled with media hype can change the flawed fundamental law of the land. And, yes, the time has come for the Cory constitution to make its final bow before her own loving son, PNoy.

Undoubtedly, the 1987 Constitution as well as the two other constitutions – the Commonwealth of 1935 and 1971 of the conjugal dictatorship of the late Ferdinand E. Marcos and the fast-fading beauty of Imelda R. Marcos – have served us well. But the undeniable truth is that Imperial Manila, the trapos and the filthy rich never gave us a constitution truly reflective of the hopes and aspirations of the poor, who are the sovereign, especially the long abused Mindanaoans of 12 million strong voters. All our constitutions have always been for the elite despite its trimmings. And since we, the Pinoys, believe that a truly democratic constitution is one that is, “of, by and for” the greater majority of its people, now, more than ever, is the most opportune time to have a truly constitution for the poor Pinoys.

At the risk of sounding worse than “a broken record,” allow me to cite once again the compelling reasons for having a “cha-cha” via “con-con” and no other mode especially the trapo-coined “con-ass,” thus:
• The mantra of “matuwid na daan” has only succeeded in selective justice incarcerating the opposition, and arrogant way of life for the elitist few allies of PNoy who are clearly above the law; and,
• The rich have become richer and greedier even as the poor have continually wallowed in the quagmire of poverty more than ever before.
Undoubtedly, our problems cannot be solved by mere legislation, no matter how noble their intentions may be. Only a total overhaul of the 28-year old Cory Constitution of 1987 can help alleviate the plight of the many unfortunate Pinoys spread all over the archipelago of more than a thousand islands blessed with natural and human resources.

Believe you me, the greedy Imperial Manila and their Siamese twins – the trapos in Congress and in high places – in governance cannot bend us! They can only strengthen our resolve to focus on working for fundamental changes, starting from the bottom lead by the legal profession and a few enlightened new-breed of politicians, the likes of Congressman Rufus Rodriguez, a consistent top-notch bigger house legislator and Sen. Koko Pimentel III––“like father like son” and a bar top-notcher. And, of course, the least but not the least, the poor man’s congressman from the first district of our City of Golden Friendship, Klarex Uy, who I understand, is being pushed by his constituents to have a rematch with his nemesis in the event Rep. Rufus Rodriguez in tandem with Sen. Pimentel decides to manage the campaign of Mayor Rodrigo “Super Digong” Duterte and the complete slate up to the last municipality of voteich Mindanao group of islands.

Of course, a constitutional convention is not and could never be the “panacea” of all our headaches. But it is the one and only hope for us, the poor Pinoys struggling to live a decent life away from the evils of Imperial Manila, the oligarchs as well as the cronies of the “Kamag anak Inc.”  Sobra ka na, Imperial Manila. Sa Mindanao na sab ta. Tsada, di ba?
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“Action may not always bring happiness, but there is no happiness without action.” – Benjamin Disraeli
“There is an old legend of a benevolent king who had his men place a great heavy stone on a certain roadway over which all his subjects would have to travel. He then hid himself to see who would try to remove the stone. No one stopped to try to remove the stone, but all worked their way around it, loudly blaming the king for not keeping the roadway clear. Finally a poor peasant farmer on his way to town with a load of vegetables which he hoped to sell in the marketplace came to the blocked roadway. He laid down his load with a considerable effort and in time managed to move the great stone to the side of the roadway. Then turning to leave, he spied a purse which had been under the stone. He opened the purse and found filled with pieces of gold, with a note from the king indicating that it was all to be the property of the one who would remove the stone.” –C. Ruben Anderson

Let us all take refuge in the thought that at the height of martial law, when Imperial Manila, the oligarchs and the cronies were silenced into complete surrender, it took the uncommon valor of the three idealists, brilliant, young and dynamic lawyers from our very own city and the neglected island of Mindanao to spark the unheard off “freedom march” starting from the Queen City of the South, Cebu, all the way to the seat of Imperial Manila.

At that time, our four aces – former Senate President and Mayor Aquilino Q. Pimentel Jr., former Assemblyman and no-nonsense Mayor Reuben Canoy, tiny but terribly outspoken former Gov. and Assemblyman Homobono Adaza, and the irrepressible late Cesar Climaco of the Zamboanga peninsula (whose pockets were practically empty even as their hopes were high) – trailblazed the “impossible dream” of destroying the myth of martial law and regained for us all the lessings of democracy but only to be snatched by the same Imperial Manila, the oligarchs and the cronies when our heroes let down their guards and engaged in the leadership squabble among themselves spawned by their ambitious field commanders.

But enough is enough!
Our three legends are very much alive and kicking, ever ready to lead once more the struggle for the teeming millions who are poor and the underprivileged with Duterte for President. Onward to Malaccanang or the inauguration of the Independent Federal Republic of Mindanao’s group of islands on May 9, 2016.
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“In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can to do me.” –Psalms LVI. 11
Thank you Lord for everything. And Lord God, kindly implant in our leaders honesty, humility and transparency in their solemn task as our servants-leaders because those who have less in life are the sovereign and very source of their borrowed power and wealth. Finally, Lord, enlighten our leaders to see the light that greed is a flawed way of life. For truly, there is more profit in giving than in taking. For it is in giving that we receive. Truly, love begets love. Amen!

(Call or text 09188030197, email to bagabuyos@yahoo.com, and check out iluvmindanao.net, the blog of the iluvmindanao movement)