Again, hopelessness in the justice institutions of the Philippines. Such a feeling is repeatedly manifested by the Filipinos in the Philippine Media.
In a recent letter to the editors of the Philippine Daily Inquirer written by Mr. Jose Osias, he stated what many Filipinos feel:
“Unless someone can show us proof that the system and its keepers are still “savable,” it seems pretty clear that system is broken and must be fixed. And it looks like extralegal means are all that are left as options. A military withdrawal of support for Ms Arroyo could be one. Another would be a citizen’s arrest of Ms Arroyo and members of her criminal syndicate. Two options among many.”
No more legal means?
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 01:46:00 12/11/2008
It may be a time for prayer, as Rev. James B. Reuter, S.J. has counseled some months back, but we should also keep in mind that God helps those who help themselves.
On the eve of Joc-joc Bolante’s return to the Philippines, Archbishop Angel Lagdameo and four other bishops said that now is the time to change the government.
Subsequently, Archbishops Antonio Tobias and Deogracias Yniguez stated that when legal means to do this have been closed, then there is no other option but the extralegal.
There’s no longer a legal way to battle corruption and criminal cover-ups under the present administration. The callous Committee on Justice of the House of Representatives, “perplexed” over why and how the case was filed, junked the fourth impeachment complaint against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo despite the documentary and testimonial evidence presented during the recital of facts. In another hearing, Bolante mocked the Senate “blue ribbon” Committee on Accountability of Public Officials and Investigation by stonewalling and lying in the investigation of the fertilizer fund scam to protect, if not absolve, his masters.
Insensitive and arrogant, the crooks and cronies of the Arroyo administration then celebrated, with a boodle fight in the Palace, these perversions of legal and constitutional processes. Unless the Filipino rises up, it will surely be more of the same until 2010—and beyond. Then many more patient, forgiving and suffering Filipinos may well die of hunger even before 2010.
Those who still harbor illusions that there is hope in Ms Arroyo must look more closely at the “silencing” and “salvaging” cases cited in the impeachment complaint that was killed by the votes of corrupt congressmen. There is no way to prevent more extrajudicial killings except through the conviction of the perpetrators, who will of course block any legal and peaceful way to obtain justice with even more criminal actions, and then dare anyone to file cases in court even as they will admonish everyone to observe the legal processes.
Is there anyone to turn to for help? At least 90-95 percent of the Executive, the legislature and the judiciary have all been co-opted. The media may be less corrupted (70-75 percent). Even if we generously grant that the military, the bishops and businessmen are split 50-50, we can’t be certain who among them (save for a very small few who are really outspoken and probably foolhardy) sympathize with the Filipino masses in their present plight.
Unless someone can show us proof that the system and its keepers are still “savable,” it seems pretty clear that system is broken and must be fixed. And it looks like extralegal means are all that are left as options. A military withdrawal of support for Ms Arroyo could be one. Another would be a citizen’s arrest of Ms Arroyo and members of her criminal syndicate. Two options among many.
JOSE OSIAS
see:
http://opinion.inquirer.net/inquireropinion/letterstotheeditor/view/20081211-177291/No-more-legal-means
