Wednesday, October 25, 2006 Arinday: Pooh-poohing the people By G.H. Arinday, Jr. Sunfare
POLITICIANS HAVE too long obsessed with their thinking. When political activities continue for a long time without being subjected to intellectual dissections or criticism save for paid advertisements the whole exercise becomes useless if not anomalous.
Take for instance the issue of the Charter Change. Two "outstanding" groups are vying for the High Tribunal's favor-the "People's Initiative or Sigaw ng Bayan" and the "One Voice" with collateral allies cheering for each side.
Compounding the issue, not relevant though, is the alleged "heavy pressures" on the magistrates and no less than the Chief Justice revealed such interesting matter.
Within Philippine context, it cannot be denied that there are always some specks of intrusion from the "without" and even "within" any governmental agencies making judicial or quasi-judicial decisions, the irritating interference of "influence peddlers" cannot be discounted.
However, the issue or proposition that the Constitution shall be amended or revised is a matter of public concern where the so-called "heavy pressure" is widely demonstrated by the protagonists. There are variables in the historic-making events where voices compete but the separate genera is how the magistrates could compose themselves and work out a truly independent decisions.
The undulatory movements seen or heard in the cacophony of voices relative to the amendment or the maintenance of the status quo and the apothegm that "history never repeats itself" is probably true should the maxim vox populi, vox dei would not prevail. In brief, the two classic sayings only come true under natural course of events.
Should the "People's Initiative" end in the trash can, the significance of it would be a terrible indictment against the prime movers of Sigaw ng Bayan as well as the United Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP). While the denial of their petition may be couched in very legalese nuances but just the same it boils down to one simple indictment: It is contrived, hence it deserves no merit. That is of course short of calling them as liars or cheaters.
If, on the other hand, Sigaw ng Bayan's people's initiative prevails, then it is a triumph of the voices of the majority but certainly not the vox dei-the voice of God.
As pointed out earlier, the natural course of events is mustered by congregation of forces where a mass of people are drawn by same sentiments without an outside influence but by startling events which draw them together just as the magnet attracts metallic objects.
In a sense, there is an outpouring of the same sentiments like the wind from four directions converging into one and blow against the definite barrier of unreason.
The Charter Change (Cha- Cha) issue has become a guessing game as of now, while the pros and antis continue to express their thoughts, some of which are downright silly.
The experts on constitutionalism are divided, while some are apprehensive whether there shall be no 2007 midterm elections. Of course, the men and women who eke out their living on a daily or hourly basis do not really care whether the Cha-Cha would take place.
If Malacañang would issue any statement favoring the move to amend the Constitution, it cannot be considered as pressure on the judiciary. Any executive pronouncements on issues of domestic or international matters is a policy matter, which the legislative and judiciary may demure.
Deprivation of executive policy makes the office merely titular in nature. But what makes the current rage, if you call that way, that there is a need of amending the Constitution then pray that your voice shall be listened to by the magistrates.
One forceful opposition to the shift to unitary parliamentary government comes from the Senate which as suggested is to be abolished for a thousand and one reasons.
If perchance, we shall have a unitary parliamentary system; those in the Senate without defined constituency would just ride into the sunset without even looking back and bidding as goodbye. How sad, indeed, if you are booted out of office and no savings from the pork barrel.
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