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Saturday, February 25, 2006
Speak out:She who rides the tiger
By Democrito C. Barcenas
The successful Edsa revolt that sent Ferdinand Marcos into exile 20 years ago will long be remembered as a triumph of the human spirit. I will never forget that day when the dictator left Malacañang palace by helicopter after 14 years of martial rule.
People all over the country (except in Ilocandia) went into frenzy after hearing that Marcos had left the country. Here in Cebu, Cebuanos went out of their houses, danced in the streets and, in Fuente Osmeña hugged each other, some in tears.
But now, people ask: What has gone wrong?
The people rose up in Edsa in angry protest against Marcos having stolen the 1986 snap elections. Now, the overwhelming majority of the people believe Gloria Arroyo rigged the 2004 elections as evidenced by the Garcillano tapes.
During Marcos time, the Comelec under Leonardo Perez became the official machinery to thwart the peoples’ will. Now, the Comelec under Chairman Benjamin Abalos has sunk to the lowest depths of depravity.
There was massive graft and corruption during the Marcos regime. Today, corruption in high places of the government involves not only millions but billions of pesos. The scale and scope of this grand larceny is unprecedented in the nation history.
During Marcos’ time, human rights violations were rampant. Today, human rights are trampled upon with the rise of vigilantism, summary executions and assassinations of leftist leaders and people demanding social change.
Marcos suppressed basic constitutional rights like the freedom of assembly and free expression. Under GMA, violations of the Constitution have been officially sanctioned through the Calibrated Preemptive Response to bludgeon the rights of the people to peaceably assemble for redress of grievances.
The judiciary was under the thumb of Marcos. Today, judicial independence is a farce. Just listen to the government proposing to grant Joseph Estrada, facing a non-bailable offense, a 30-day vacation under a recognizance.
Martial rule and crony capitalism under Marcos spawned poverty while the cronies got richer. Today, the economy has gone from bad to worse. Around 70 percent of Filipinos consider themselves poor while 16 per cent go hungry everyday.
Unemployment has reached alarming proportions because of government's refusal to launch nationalist industrialization upon dictation of foreign interests represented by the World Bank-IMF.
Everyday around 3,000 Filipinos go abroad in a massive exodus of professionals. The government has done nothing to prevent the coming “medical apocalypse” with thousands of doctors and nurses leaving every month for abroad.
Twenty years ago, a dictator ruled the country; today a budding dictator is running it. The constitutional provision on checks and balances and the power of the Senate to issue subpoena have been destroyed with Arroyo’s issuance of EO 464. Peaceful rallies are dispersed and political activists gunned down with impunity.
During martial rule, the Constitution was amended to give authoritarian powers to Marcos. Today, GMA is proposing to amend the Constitution to shift from presidential to parliamentary system to enable her to rule beyond 2010 as prime minister.
With her popularity plummeting, Arroyo refuses to resign. Through her minions and mercenaries in Congress, she killed the impeachment proceedings.
GMA is still in control, but with a dubious legitimacy and sliding credibility, I doubt if she could stay in power longer. As the social and political crises escalate, the sufferings of the angry and hungry people accelerate.
Gloria does not mind the hatred of the people as long as she has the support of her corrupt generals. She ignores the historical lesson that he (or she) who rides the tiger will end up inside.
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (February 25, 2006 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
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