JUST about everything in this country is politically motivated. Sovereignty, freedom of speech, love of the poor and of God, etc. are too easily exposed as sugar-coating for selfish political motives.
If politicians who assail President Duterte’s friendliness with the Chinese are doing it for sovereignty (defined as “the full right and power of a governing body over itself, without any interference from outside sources or bodies”), why did they ask the five US Senators, the EU, the ICC etc. to interfere in the affairs of sovereign Philippines?
These same people stand with Rappler, a media outlet that is facing charges of being foreign-controlled. If freedom of speech is their issue and motive, why don’t they let the country’s sovereign courts decide whether or not Rappler has violated the law against foreign control of media?
The US Senate, the EU, the ICC are clearly outside bodies that do not enjoy the freedom to interfere in our affairs unless requested by the sitting government. Nor does Rappler, if proven to be majority-owned by foreign interests, have the right to exist as a media outlet in this country.
Justifying their actions by accusing the court of having lost its independence doesn’t really solve anything. If anything, the courts are one more problem we have to solve by ourselves as a sovereign nation.
These outside bodies might be patriotic in advancing their national interests. But on the contrary, it is most unpatriotic of Filipinos to ask them to interfere and meddle in domestic affairs that we should settle by ourselves first as a sovereign nation and only as a last resort with the help of outsiders.
The Catholic bishops’ defense of God and of the poor against alleged EJKs and clear blasphemy is also politically motivated. Like why did they not speak up against the dictator Marcos who killed thousands more poor people than will ever be killed during Duterte’s term? Why were they so scared to use the pulpit against Marcos like they freely do now against Duterte?
They were also relatively quiet during (devout-Catholic?) Cory Aquino’s term when so many more activists were recorded killed. And why were they also silent against the corruption of (generous?) Erap and Gloria Arroyo?
Answer: those leaders were careful not to expose the hypocrisy of bishops and not to threaten the latter’s social position as only Duterte has so far dared to do. Thus, bishops are not defending God and the poor but their positions of privilege against a (godless?) President. What, anyway, have they really done for the poor who can’t afford the price tag on church services?
Political motives accomplish nothing more than make us a more pathetic non-self-respecting people.