An Ateneo humanities professor likes to begin his classes with the prayer, Disturb Us, O Lord (oft-attributed to Sir Francis Drake). It is a challenge, as much as it is a prayer a veritable rejoinder to the Lord’s Prayer, as though to ask us to relish being put to the test, without being testy. It is a wake-up call that is jolting for its being counterintuitive: after all, who would choose to voluntarily relinquish one’s comfort zone?
Indeed, we tend to give too many reasons in accepting things as they are. This, in turn, has led to our own debilitating inability to fix things so much so that, when a real painstaking effort is being undertaken to do something, we mistake the pain for the prize that’s at stake.
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Intuitively, one of the biggest hurdles that our country faces (in its fight against corruption) is also the simplest one: we have yet to see “big fish” fry for their shenanigans in office.
A former President was convicted, but then his successor took the sting away by extending a conditional pardon. The sting, had it been allowed to fester, would have sent a chilling effect. Instead, it passed quickly, lesson unlearnt the time and taxes spent in trying and deciding the case apparently laid to waste.
If the aim was to communicate a message of mercy, then it should have been a personal one and not at the steep price that was shouldered by the Filipino people.
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Impeachment déjà vu: We are at a familiar juncture, yet again though one that’s not entirely similar as the first. Whereas 10 years ago, a trial was brought to a screeching halt through a decision that tested the limits of our Constitution, we are again at a point when our Constitution will be tested to try our institutions.
The trial will, admittedly, bring us into politically turbulent times. Already, a number of lawyers have come out to try to stop the impeachment process. There could very well be a number of reasons for the Supreme Court to intervene it having the Constitutional duty to settle the legal controversies. To do so, however, would run the risk of frustrating the people’s quest for accountability.
By the Court’s actions will our country’s history be writ: it can choose to stay its hand, or stay the hand of the Senators-Jurors of the impeachment court. We can choose to disturb and be disturbed, and see how all of this plays out or we can choose to opt out and bow down from the challenge, and suffer from being silenced.
If these be trying times, then let it not be said that it is for our want of trying. We have been given another opportunity, without having to take to the streets, to try things, according to the structures of government and processes enshrined in our Constitution.
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Sadly, corruption no longer offends or shocks us with the same opprobrium. Perhaps what we need is to recover from our “decent-sitivity”. And being scandalized may help us write a new story for our country. A conviction can become a cautionary tale for those who would seek to finagle, cheat, lie, or steal and the moral of the story will help bring back a much-needed sense of morality to public service.
In 2011, there was much ado about corruption. As to be expected, there were inevitable gasps of shock when a genuine attempt was finally made to combat corruption. Our cynicism threatened to get the better of us. What difference would these efforts now make, if we allow things to be as they have always been?
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We need to come to terms with where we are to figure out where we’re heading. The truth is that this single-minded concerted effort to hold people accountable for their failings is a way to commit to memory our steps to tread this straight and narrow path, as well as to institutionalize the conviction that there is no place for deceit in our vision of a prosperous Philippines.
We need to be determined and forceful in our pursuit, and not allow a misguided sense of mercy to compromise the ends of justice. Forgiveness, without justice, is not compassion especially when the lives and welfare of the people and the future of the country are at stake.
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As cynics continue to preach a doomsday scenario of dissension, division, and even destruction, we should at least be able to concede that all of this does have a point. If we can accept the contingency of things, then perhaps with greater reason should we embrace the direction we’re heading as a people and as a nation.
There will always be disagreement and differences in opinion. It is commonplace to lay the blame, than to take responsibility or take things responsibly. But, contrary to that which is often said, it is not “easier” to blame; what is easier is simply not to.
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Model competition: What makes a “model” student? Academic excellence, obviously, but other factors like leadership, community involvement, and even personality should be considered as well. In this regard, two centavos are given to the Order of the Knights of Rizal for spearheading the search and Ateneo de Davao student Aldwin Dumago for placing first in the 2011 Ten Outstanding Jose Rizal Model Students of the Philippines. Aldwin also garnered the honor of being the first Mindanaoan in 24 years to have topped the competition.
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Greetings: Birthday felicitations to high school classmate, “Hard Ball” host and STAR sports columnist, William “Wild Bill” Velasco and PCGG’s Dondon Aspa.
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“If you want to make enemies, try to change something.”
Woodrow Wilson
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E-mail:deanbautista@yahoo.com