Philosopher-novelist Herman Hesse once wrote that “What isn’t part of ourselves doesn’t disturb us.” I am reminded of this by the latest developments in the on-going impeachment trial of the Vice President. Among others, she is accused of a window-dressed statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) and of not divesting from all of her businesses.
By Hesse, those who want to convict her must be so disturbed as to pin on her and divert from their persons the same dishonest schemes that they practice. They further betrayed their fear and bias by lowering the conviction threshold without consulting the Supreme Court, the official interpreter of the constitution.
That’s right, for who among our high officials are filing honest SALNs? My educated guess? Nobody. And who among them has divested from their businesses? In form, maybe all, but in substance, nobody. They simply transfer their shares to a relative or a confidant with whom they sign a counter-agreement that keeps the shares in the “divesting” official’s assets.
We might also ask who among our elected officials file the correct or honest amount of their campaign expenses? Again nobody. Everybody knows they all spend scandalously more than what is allowed by law. Yet nobody goes to jail or is disqualified because they all instruct their accountants to file statements that stay within the limits of the law.
Last but not least is the question of who among our officials files and pays the correct amount of taxes on their businesses? Same answer. Nobody. They pay the correct amount of taxes on their fixed salaries because this is automatically deducted from their monthly pay. But for taxes on their business interests? There are just too many ways of evading all or part of taxes owed to the government. BIR agents, we know, are no angels either. Needless to say, what they steal is tax-free.
On Sept. 21, 2026, we once more shouted the slogan “Never Again.” But never again what? Martial law? Why would corrupt officials risk martial law’s dire consequences when they are already allowed by us to openly plunder the nation and to deprive us of basic freedoms with impunity? What needs to stop is our inaction, our lack of unity in stopping the systemic injustice that is driving so many Filipinos to life’s edge.
Remembering the heroism of those who died fighting martial law is truly commendable. But it is best to honor them by ensuring, in a united, organized and programmatic way, that they did not die in vain. The ship of state that is now drifting in a sea of corruption and injustice will not right itself with protest marches and emotional hero worship. Positive non-violent action against corruption is what needs to happen.
Corrupt officials do not need martial law to plunder the country. In any case, that is not within our power to stop. What is within our power is to stop aligning ourselves with factions of the elite whose rule invariably submerges half the population in the marshes of ignorance, ill-health and hunger. What should happen is that we never again take lying down the injustices our leaders dish out to us. If at all, we should be imposing martial law, in a manner of speaking, on our leaders.