Bloody revolution awaits PH

Batas Mauricio

THIS is the next part now of the document entitled “A Proposal for a Change in Governance” which was sent to me for comment by Guillermo Cunanan, former general manager of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, a member of Class 1966 of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA), and an active officer of the Association of Generals and Flag Officers (Agfo).

We read on again: “As most of our politicians are irreversibly corrupt they are rich only in rhetoric and promises but utterly poor in delivery. From being number one in Southeast Asia in economic performance the Philippines under their leadership is now at the bottom of the list. At over 50% poverty rate, we have the highest percentage of families living in destitution.

“Furthermore, over 17% of our people continually go hungry as they often miss a meal or two in some days for lack of money.  With not much to show where our borrowed money have gone, our total debt has now reached an amount we can never hope to pay unless our leaders mend their corrupt ways. The nation’s annual amortization for this debt is now computed at over 90% of our country’s gross revenue.

“Surely, if we allow our present political leaders to continue with their merry but corrupt ways they will bring us to the gutter. That is, if we are not yet there.  Actually, we have not only failed in economic performance but we have also done extremely badly in practically all other aspects of governance.

“We have performed terribly in the field of education and sports, with Pacquiao as our only saving grace. Peace and order has not been improving. Worst, there is no longer a government institution we can trust. Even the Supreme Court, for good reasons, is now widely perceived to have been corrupted by power and money.

“Clearly, our present system has miserably failed our people.  Our nation does not lack competent and honest men but because we have a corrupt election system, we find it impossible to elect even a few good men.

“We need to bring in into government leadership untainted breed of competent and honest individuals but we can do it only if we change the manner we choose our leaders. Our present crop of politicians, however, who thrive only in a flawed electoral system where guns, goons and gold determine victory, will not allow meaningful change.

“We, therefore, need a window of opportunity where we can institute meaningful and lasting reforms without their intervention.  We know such an opportunity can never be available within the bounds of the present Constitution as the mechanism by which it can be obtained are in the hands of the same corrupt political leaders from whose abuse and manipulation we want to be freed.

“It is, therefore, only through a direct exercise of our sovereign right as a people that we can break the chain that ties us to a flawed and destructive political system by instituting an interim government through extra-constitutional measure. Such an initiative is legitimate and it is our only remaining road to freedom…”

“Clearly, our present system has miserably failed our people. Our nation does not lack competent and honest men but because we have a corrupt election system, we find it impossible to elect even a few good men.

“We need to bring in into government leadership untainted breed of competent and honest individuals but we can do it only if we change the manner we choose our leaders. Our present crop of politicians, however, who thrive only in a flawed electoral system where guns, goons and gold determine victory, will not allow meaningful change.

“We, therefore, need a window of opportunity where we can institute meaningful and lasting reforms without their intervention. We know such an opportunity can never be available within the bounds of the present Constitution as the mechanism by which it can be obtained are in the hands of the same corrupt political leaders from whose abuse and manipulation we want to be freed.

“It is, therefore, only through a direct exercise of our sovereign right as a people that we can break the chain that tie us to a flawed and destructive political system by instituting an interim government through extra-constitutional measure. Such an initiative is legitimate and it is our only remaining road to freedom.

“As the Supreme Court ruled in 1987 when it decided on the legitimacy of the Cory government, `it is an inherent right of the people to cast out their rulers, change their policy or effect radical reforms in their system of government or institution by force or a general uprising when the legal and constitutional methods of making change have proved inadequate or are so obstructed as to be available.’

“It is treason not to do anything about our country’s continuing journey to destruction…”

• •

Evidently, this is the same perception that many other thinking Filipinos are holding in their minds. Proposals like these now abound, and literally fly, thick and thin, among many sectors who now share the belief that there is no more hope not only in the present system of government and choosing our leaders, but in our political leaders as well.

Indeed, the Filipino nation has reached another point in its history where change is made possible only by the direct action of the people. The only difference between now and the revolutions our country experienced in the past is that, this time may no longer be as festive and picnic-like, and victory achieved without bloodshed.

Email: batasmauricio@yahoo.com