BBL can derail PNoy's presidency
As the Mamasapano controversy swirls around the presidency of Noynoy Aquino like a storm of wild bees the highest office of the land seems to be in a state of confusion. In the past several weeks the mass media have played up the issue persistently dwelling on it from various angles and perspectives but centering on the question: Who was responsible for it all? In response, PNoy himself has publicly aired his avowal of innocence. His spin masters too have chimed in repeating to the point of annoyance the claim that His Excellency cannot be blamed for what happened. Error of judgment, says his Secretary of Justice. No violation of chain of command, says the BOI head investigator. But the Senate says PNoy is ultimately responsible for what happened.
Taking together all such declarations, what do the people think? They think the president is responsible for the bungled operation. And they blame him for it. Yet they are willing to let go of it all-if onlyPNoy would be humble enough to accept responsibility and tell the truth. I'm sorry? PNoy doesn't even have to say it. By accepting responsibility and disclosing what he intends to do to prevent repetition of similar incident, people would understand, and let things be.
Which means they want him to finish his term. Of course, the militants and the NTC people want him out now. But these people have agenda other than national welfare. Some want him out because this would destabilize the country, and instability is the cherished dream of the leftists among us. Others would want a leadership vacuum to occur because they want to jump in and regain the power and perks they once had.
For the good of the country therefore PNoy should be allowed to finish his term. His approval and trust ratings may have plummeted, but to interpret this as "alisdiyan" is unfair, after all he still has more than one year left.
After all, too, PNoy is not completely a bad president. He may have been vindictive towards those the perceived to be his enemies. He may have been overly protective of his friends despite their lapses in integrity and honesty. He may have shown delayed and lukewarm reaction towards victims of calamities. He may have harmed Catholic sensibility with his reproduction health program. He may have offended taxpayers with his "pantuwidsafamilia" craze.
Despite these, people can still allow PNoy to go on. But there is one thing that can derail PNoy's presidency, something for which history will judge him with scorn and disdain. This thing is his advocacy of the Bangsamoro Basic Law. That law is plain and simple unconstitutional. Such has been the pronouncements of experts on the 1987 Constitution.
Besides there is something obnoxious in singling out one rebel group in our negotiation for peace. It seems that our peace negotiators have forgotten that the MILF is not the only Muslim group in Mindanao and that whatever agreement we sign with it will not be respected and accepted by the MILF, BIFF,JIMM, and others. Have they forgotten the battle in Zamboanga almost two years ago where MNLF fighters figured? Are they not aware that rivalry among various Muslims groups in Mindanao is as intense as that in the Middle East? Have our peace panel not realized that the BBL if approved as a law would create a state, a Muslim one, within the Philippine state?
The threat this country is facing now is that despite Mamasapano, Congress is poised to take up the BBL in its next sessions. And since Congress is under the beck and call of PNoy, would that body have the guts to say no to him?
Should this threat become imminent all right thinking Filipinos should not stand idly by without doing anything to prevent the passage of BBL.
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