Our mail crackles: Fortress establishment issue

As we expected, there was a deluge of fan mail in the wake of our two-column write-up "Fortress establishment". There had to be. The main and overpowering issue had to do with the Roman Catholic Church joining hands with Big Business to virtually affirm the presidential triumph of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in the May 10 elections. A side but equally thorny and controversial issue was their contention that cases of electoral cheating were "isolated". There was no "massive cheating" or "widespread fraud".

Ergo, government spokesman said the cobra head of criticism and censure on the part of the political opposition and nay-sayers like me, like the head of a poisonous reptile, had to be severed. We were the "destabilizers", the "traitors", the "betrayers" of democracy. The nation had to go on, was the refrain. The welfare of democracy and the republic was uppermost. Divisiveness had to stop. Reconciliation and national unity would have to prevail over everything else. If we moved into the streets, we did so at our peril.

The military would take us on with barrels blazing.

Fine, just fine. Except that the political forest is on fire. As it rages, just soothing words on the part of the Establishment, promises and pledges as of old – and yes dire threats – do not work anymore.

But a few things have to be straightened out. First, I have never taken the political side of Fernando Poe Jr. (FPJ). He was anathema to me from the very beginning. And I said so in quite a number of stinging, insulting columns, stopping short of questioning his bloodlines. Like so many others, I feared an FPJ victory would destroy the country. I agreed with GMA, if that happened, we would be the "laughing stock" of the world.

But being against FPJ did not mean, in loco parentis, I was for GMA.

Oh no, from the very outset, I mounted the barricades against her, emphasized time and again she had no "moral bedrock" for the job. I was for a change in the system. Our democracy was not working, in fact had virtually disintegrated, I argued. Abraham Lincoln’s "of the people, for the people, from the people" depiction of democracy had been an empty and preposterous slogan in our nation for decades. Poverty was an ogre that had devoured the Filipino, disfigured his soul, degraded him to the life of a beast.

I was for a systemic change. I suggested the spectacular successful economic models of Asia could be models for the Philippines to imitate.

As to the Church’s and Big Business’ contention that cheating was just "isolated" and not "massive", I stand my ground it was massive. More and more proof is emerging that electoral fraud was widespread. The fact alone, virtually uncontested, that GMA scooped billions from government coffers and programs for campaign money and campaign goodies, is fraud on a colossal scale. And how about vote-buying? How about disenfranchisement? How about dagdag-bawas? How about all the government’s resources – most of all the Comelec – mobilized for GMA?

All these are valid issues. And as a professional journalist, who loves his country dearly and has not sold out to anybody, it is my wont to dig and dig deeply for the truth.

I could be wrong. I could be right. In this case, I quote Walter Lippman who said, "We say that truth will make us free. Yes, but that truth is a thousand truths which grow and change." Which simply means the truth, in regard to the May 10 elections, has a thousand faces. Almost daily, additional proof emerges cheating was disgusting and profligate. Truth emerges, too, from the continuing sound and fury emanating from the May 10 elections. Streams of fact. Rivers of opinion. They continue to flow.

Anyway, to the readers’ reactions. Almost three to one, they agree with this columnist’s analysis of events in the Philippines – the May 10 elections, particularly – as they weave themselves into our sad contemporary history. The almost unanimous sentiment is that the nation is or almost prostrate and bleeding profusely. And there is very little time. Drastic surgery is needed. Or else the republic dies.

First on the line is Elvie Punzalan-Estavillo (No. 47 Ponce, SLV, Makati City). She writes: "Accurate counting of votes is a sacred duty! Accuracy, not speed, truth not deception must be the overriding principles our lawmakers must adhere to. Because for as long as the dark, thick clouds of doubt and uncertainty will hover over the President and vice president proclaimed under dubious situation˜there will be no unity, peace and progress for us. Divisiveness will hauntingly linger on and on. And leave our economy shattered – tattered."

Next is Jonathan Best, a prominent name in our cosmopolitan community. He writes: "Keep up the good work, Teddy. Your writing has never been sharper or more to the point. So many of us, foreign friends of the Philippines, are really heart-sick over the political hole the country is wallowing in. Whatever happened to the light that was lit with EDSA 1. Patay na, I guess."

Estelita R. Bonus (Vendor Documentation Services) states: "I hope our government will change. The Church must not give their opinion on politics. Also, the leaders of any religion must not dictate to the people who to vote. Good luck. I am praying to GOD that we must always have the freedom to speak and love of the rich ones to the Filipino people."

Bobby Gonzales (San Francisco, Cal.): "Thank you for continuing to be a beacon of truth in these darkest times of our beloved nation. As for the business and rich elite, I do not wonder. They participated in 1986 not for our country’s sake but for their self-interest. As a practicing Catholic, I am saddened, disappointed and ashamed with what the local Catholic Church has done. Even though I am a Catholic, I must agree with you that only Bro. Eddie now among the five candidates has the moral ascendancy to lead our country."

Lovell C. Natablo (address not provided): "Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité! Funny we are now in the 21st century and we are still echoing the same cries of our 18th Century Enlightenment fathers when we are supposed to be their heir, reaping the fruit of their struggle to exalt and dignify mankind. Sad indeed that our societal resolution must come ever so slowly. Mabuhay ka, keeper of the flame of the torch of humanity! A gem of a column you dished out."

Constancio R. Montera (no address): "It is not just the Establishment, sir. It is the Filipino electorate. Just look at the winners of the present electoral lineup. In the winning circles are the corrupt and the corruptible. Why did the Filipino electorate vote for these people? The two EDSAs rejected the Marcoses and the Eraps. What kind of electorate do we have?. Where can we find the answers to these questions?"

(As an aside, this columnist has argued ad nauseam and ad libitum that elections are the greatest folly of the Filipino people. They love it as they love fiestas. The country becomes worse after every elections politically, socially, economically. But not to worry. History has an alligator’s tail of righting wrongs. It just takes time.)

Justin Chua (no address): "Does this mean that democracy failed the people and not vice versa? People may find it difficult to change their ways and wants. But if the Indians and the Taiwanese, could do it, why not the Filipinos?"

JE (American, address withheld): "Has the Philippines moved from democracy to plutocracy? Plutocracy is rule by the rich and I think that is what we have arrived at. I will agree that politics has been commercialized in the Philippines. So now power is bought and sold openly in a well understood and not openly acknowledged marketplace."

Johann Camayo I (no address): "I started reading your column when it seemed like you were the only journalist who was fair with views about the opposition. Especially during the election. More power to your column. Do continue to present truth as you have been blessed to see and present it."

Nonoy Layson (no address): "It saddened me a lot to see that some groups are rocking the boat violently without regard to what will happen. We are all aboard this sinking boat. We cannot just sit gritting our teeth in some dark and filthy corner. Now! I say the Church is taking some risk in stepping into slippery ground. But it is a step worth taking."

Juanito S. Cruz: (no address): "It would be a tragic mistake for politicians in Congress for GMA to force a proclamation on or before June 10 instead of having a tally free from doubt even if such proclamation goes beyond June 10. Truth and credibility must not be sacrificed in the name of time."

More letters we have, a thick sheaf of them. In some future column, we’ll publish what we can. Almost all of them send the message the May 10 elections were highly questionable, a huge knife wound on the Philippines’ image. A few of course took up the cudgels for the Church and GMA. None did for Big Business. I don’t think we can muddle along anymore. The elections brought out the worst in the Filipino. And already we can hear the bamboo reeds whirring and whining in a stormy wind.