The US government’s plan to build an ammo plant in the Philippines is opposed by the Philippines’ current Vice President. The Philippines should be concerned with its interests rather than that of foreign powers. At first glance, if not reflected, it sounds patriotic. However, in the bigger South China Sea (SCS) context, where China has grabbed the entire so-called SCS, almost even up to our own shores, it sounds appalling.
It is true that the Philippines is an independent country, having its own foreign policies, but it is also true that this country is doubtless an underdog when facing off with China. In the global events now, which coincide with what St. Matthew’s Gospel 24 spoke of 2,000 years ago, a looming WWIII is not far-fetched. It is not therefore mindlessness on the part of the Philippine government to find military support. Her comment rather causes one to recall their being pro-China.
Moreover, she criticizes the newly appointed Philippine National Police Director Gen. Nicolas Torre III, for his “no brains DDS” comment. Also, she is no longer surprised that “everything that is happening” is blamed on the war on drugs of former President Rodrigo Duterte and that all that is done is politically motivated, political scapegoating. And here is the most interesting part. She says that “they don’t want responsibility, they don’t want to be accountable for the problems.”
Responsibility and accountability are two concepts enshrined in the 1987 Constitution when it comes to public service. A public servant must own responsibility and accountability in whatever graft and corruption committed. It is a constitutional mandate which is but the people’s general will in a democratic republican government.
It is clear that the government of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. is urged to own responsibility and accountability. Well, it is just the right thing to say to those in public service, including the one speaking who happens to be also in public service. But it appears to be hypocritical for a public servant to say to the other public servant to swallow responsibility and accountability while trying by all means to vomit those.
It is a kind of looking at the speck in the eyes of the other public servant but refusing to look at the speck in one’s own eyes (cf.Mat.7:3-5). It is pointing the index finger to the other while the middle, ring and little fingers point back to one’s self. It is pointing out the responsibility and accountability of the other public servant but refusing to face one’s own responsibility and accountability as a public servant regarding the confidential funds [taxpayers’ money] which go to hypothetical people with such dubious names as Piattos, Tempura, Oishi, Nova, etc. A diehard senator once said, “You can’t eat impeachment.” But perhaps he should also have said that those dubious names can be eaten.
The commentator, Ronquillo, categorizes two groups of current senators who “may trigger a national convulsion.” First, the triumvirate diehards, Padilla, Go, De la Rosa, and second, the cowed ones, who take part in remanding the impeachment case to the House. They all assist in the vomiting of responsibility and accountability and who themselves try to vomit their constitutionally mandated duty and responsibility as senator-judges in an impeachment court.
This urging the other to swallow, but one’s self vomit, responsibility and accountability and the assistance of the minions in power could indeed trigger a national convulsion. And, as Ronquillo points out, it would be this time (1) the law professors, deans of college of law, practicing lawyers, (2) the ideological groups, leftists, centrists, rightists and (3) the academic group, students and patriotic professors/teachers.
Indeed, conscientious Filipinos could and would not just suck up one’s thumb and let loose such Senate-“short-circuited…torpedoed” impeachment trial which is the constitutional process of swallowing one’s own responsibility and accountability in public service.
Again, a Gospel passage related to this says: “You hypocrite! Remove the plank from your own eye first; then you will see clearly to take the speck from your brother’s eye” (Mat.7:5). Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa.