The real choice

Coming out in sharper focus from the ongoing events and startling developments rocking the nation is the bigger issue dangled on the people to simply choose between the total absence of “political noise” allegedly for a more robust and sustained economic growth, or the non-stop exposes of scandals coupled with virulent criticisms on some actions taken by the administration.

Filipinos are asked primarily to concentrate and cooperate in the determined efforts to eradicate poverty and alleviate the sufferings of the poor by ignoring “any distractions” thrown along the way that are allegedly nothing but obstacles in our march to progress. We are being asked not to be bothered or be disturbed by these “obstacles” by still wasting our time in finding out whether they are true or not, legal or illegal, moral or immoral. I hope I am wrong, but the impression so far conveyed is that the main priority is the body, not the soul, or our worldly interests not our spiritual concerns.

In the ZTE broadband project now rocking the nation with juicy details of bribery, kickbacks and sex scandals involving high government officials, the government seems to be unperturbed. The line being repeatedly peddled is that the project itself will redound to the benefit of the country as it will improve the government telecommunications network with a lot of government savings amounting to P3.6 billion a year; so it is not important any more to dig up the truth about the anomalies surrounding the deal because anyway the contract itself is not prejudicial to the government. Government is bound to honor its commitment to other countries and should not heed the political noise.

More unfortunate is that the projected image of composure and unconcern is contradicted by the very moves taken. Not only is there a refusal to dig up the truth surrounding the anomalies but there are also attempts to divert attention by digging up dirt against the whistle blowers, thereby leaving the people more confused and unable to decide whom to believe. This pattern is once more obvious in the ZTE contract as it was in the “Hello Garci”, Bolante and other past scandals. Instead of meeting head on and disproving the exposes of the whistle blowers, the modus operandi is to merely deny and attack their character, personality and motive, or exert power, influence and numerical superiority to abort the proceedings that are initiated to ferret out the truth and to bring the cases to credible conclusions.

More difficult to explain to our children and/or grandchildren is the distorted sense of right and wrong that is so apparent in the government officials implicated in the anomalies. In the ZTE controversy, the Comelec Chairman whose position has nothing to do at all with the broadband project, has not denied that he has been meeting with the ZTE officials together with other cabinet members who have a say in the approval of the project. But he sees nothing wrong with such moves because the ZTE people are merely his golfing buddies and were not seeking his help to clinch the NBN deal. Yet in explaining his meeting with young de Venecia who implicated him, he said that the latter came to see him to seek help for his (de Venecia) company’s NBN proposal. After all he could help pala in clinching the deal and he sees nothing wrong with it also.

Another area of concern for us Filipinos is the way a convicted plunderer is looked up to and cajoled in “accepting” an offer of pardon as a political move allegedly to foster national unity for us to forward in our march to economic progress. Our younger generation will never understand why a person who does not admit his guilt or express remorse for what he has done is being offered clemency and even enticed to accept it. The more worrisome part here is that even our laws on the proper workings of pardon are openly and blatantly disregarded. It is quite clear in our Constitution as confirmed by several Supreme Court decisions that pardon can be granted only after conviction by final judgment. But in this case, Erap has already filed a motion for reconsideration of the Sandiganbayan decision. So his conviction is not yet final. Talks about the said pardon are therefore great insults to the Sandiganbayan and to the People of the Philippines. While Erap is no ordinary convict, he can be legally pardoned only if he withdraws his motion, admits his guilt and apply for said executive clemency. Pardon is never offered to be accepted with conditions. It is humbly sought.

Filipinos are asked to accept these events and moves and to disregard the political noise pointing out the corruption, irregularity, illegality and immorality in them allegedly for the sake of sustaining our economic growth. I think it is not the people who should make a choice in this regard. The choice should be made by our national leaders and officials involved in those actions and happenings. It is a choice between pride and humility. The people should ask them to accept and realize that all these unfortunate developments are taking place because of their pride and lack of humility, with none of them accepting that they are wrong one way or another.

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