Constitutional crisis?
Welcome!

The country is facing a Constitutional crisis. Frankly, I am not afraid of it. I welcome it. Let there be one. We need it.

I hope, through this crisis, the country might be able to get out of the rut it has been in for so long, both the executive and the legislative in a grand conspiracy have not given the people the government they deserve.

In the history of nations, improvement and progress came in the wake of political crises. Europe was changed with the French Revolution. The U.S. would have been still fragmented into small enclaves like South America were it not for the Civil War.

I can go on citing case histories. But I don't want to sound too historical.

The biggest question is, will this crisis bode well for the future?

* * *

I was hopeful the two Edsa Revolutions would transform us into a better nation. It made us worse. Graft and corruption has become endemic and seeps down to the grassroots and even to private businesses.

And no public official strongly denounces graft and corruption. The reason is none can claim to be too clean himself. Whistle blower Marine General Francisco Gudani is himself being accused of "distributing cash for the opposition" and "enriching himself." I don't believe this.

I hate to say it but I smell some gunpowder of an armed revolution. But, let there be one if that is needed, as long as this can bring a change.

Martial Law, or whatever you call it, let there be one. Welcome! We have experienced it already. And, it was good, until Marcos abused it through repression and corruption.

I have always been for a strong republic. Which means a strong President. I want a President who is not only loved but, following Machiaveli's principle, also feared. I see an effective leader in Bayani Fernando.

* * *

But the President must be knowledgeable of history. Again, this is another reminder. National leaders who became great were strong and honest.

Honest leaders who were weak were forgotten by history. Strong leaders who were corrupt became villains. Greatness also requires a visionary leader.

Strong leaders who became villains of history because they were corrupt are, let us start with our own Ferdinand Marcos. His Martial Law was very well accepted and was good. But when the family started amassing wealth and stashed it in foreign banks that destroyed him and I don't think his family can change the verdict of history.

Augusto Pinochet of Chile who took over after the death of President Salvador Allende ran Chile well until he became corrupt.

The Duvaliers of Haiti, Francois, the father, known as "Papa Doc" and Jean-Claude, the son, known as "Baby Doc" were the strong men who controlled Haiti. But they were so corrupt that "Baby Doc" was driven out by the people and fled to France taking along what was left in the treasury.

Benazir Bhutto of Pakistan was a good leader after she succeeded her father, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. Benazir tamed the army, improved relations with India, and led her country back to the Commonwealth.

But, when she became corrupt and her husband, I forgot his name, was later jailed, Benazir had to flee Pakistan.

* * *

Look at these countries which have strong and honest leaders: Singapore with Lee Kuan Yew, Malaysia with Mahathir Mohammad, talking only of our closed-door neighbors. In an earlier era there was David Ben Gurion of Israel, a strong leader but when his term as president ended, he went to live in a kibutz because he was poor.

And, of course, other progressive countries. They have strong and honest leaders. We can site endless cases.

But I reiterate my belief that we must have a strong President. I agree with President Arroyo wielding a strong hand. As Mahathir of Malaysia told Loren Legarda in an interview in Kuala Lumpur, democracy must serve the Philippines, not the Philippines serving democracy.

Let there be sacrifice.

What I just ask is the President's strong leadership must first address graft and corruption, the main cause of all our woes now with which no one wants to talk about in government.

If being strong is used only to repress critics and the opposition without addressing the bigger problem of corruption, the President can not succeed. And will be a villain.

* * *

The present Constitutional crisis is the expanded turf war of two Ilonggo political titans, Senate President Franklin Drilon and Justice Secretary Raul Gonzales. What is being contested is the supremacy in Iloilo. Drilon has Iloilo Gov. Niel Tupas for an ally and Gonzales has City Mayor Jerry Treñas. And Raul is lining up municipal mayors to be with the President.

If Arroyo falls, Raul is decapitated. If the Senate is abolished by a new parliamentary government, Franklin will come home to fight a local battle.

They are both warriors of many political wars. In Iloilo people are beginning to line up already behind either of them.

This is a very interesting thing to watch.*

back to top