Minguita Padilla
\nThe Philippine Daily Inquirer
\nAsia News Network
\nManila<\/p>\n
I voted for Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo not so much because I was
\nconvinced she was the best of the lot, but because of fear.<\/p>\n
I feared that a vote against her would be a vote for Fernando
\nPoe, Jr. who, at that time, I believed to be the greater evil;
\nnot so much because of his person who history has since judged to
\nhave been a good man with a noble heart and a sincere desire to
\nserve our country. No. Like many, I feared FPJ because of his
\ninexperience and especially because of the people behind him who
\nhad been shown to be opportunists. I voted defensively.<\/p>\n
However, it was a defensive vote that carried with it the hope
\nthat by giving Arroyo a clear mandate, she would perform as a
\ngood president should, with only the best interest of our nation
\nand its people in mind. I did it for love of country.<\/p>\n
But the events over the past several months, especially those
\nof the last, have been enough to almost cause me to throw in the
\ntowel and declare, like so many of our countrymen, that indeed we
\nare a hopeless nation. It is only the fighter and the dreamer in
\nme that make me hold on.<\/p>\n
We are a battered people, battered by administrations that
\nhave betrayed our dreams and shot down our hopes since we fought
\nfor our freedom in Edsa I. It is a \"learned helplessness\" that
\nseems to have taken over the majority of our people, now grown
\ncynical and numb in the face of scandal after scandal that has
\nrocked the last two administrations. But we cannot allow anyone
\nto rob us of hope. We do that and we lose everything.<\/p>\n
Shocking as they may be, the latest jueteng scandal now being
\ninvestigated in the Senate as well as the taped phone
\nconversations of the President that allegedly point to her giving
\ninstructions to an official of the Commission on Elections to
\ncheat during the last balloting are but the symptoms of a cancer
\n(corruption) that has slowly and insidiously taken over our land
\nand our people.<\/p>\n
Should the taped conversation prove to be authentic, the
\nbrazen way the instructions for cheating were being given by the
\nPresident to a Comelec official is again a symptom of how we have
\nbecome as a nation to corruption. The head of state and an
\nofficial trusted to safeguard our votes would think nothing of
\nmocking one of the most sacred rights of our people. And even
\nsadder is that very few groups, save those with vested interests,
\nare publicly demanding to get to the bottom of this serious
\ncharge.<\/p>\n
Could it be because we are still stunned by what we are
\nwitnessing? Or could it be that we have sunk to such depths as a
\nnation that we are no longer capable of outrage?<\/p>\n
We are at another crossroads and we, citizens of good will who
\nhave not yet given up hope, must reclaim our nation. We must
\ncomplete the unfinished Edsa I revolution that lacked an
\nessential element-the transformation of heart. We do nothing now
\nand we may again see our country held hostage by yet another
\ngroup of people only too eager to oust the present regime so it
\ncan do what it is accusing the present leadership.<\/p>\n
We need to be united as a nation during these difficult times.
\nBut it cannot be a \"unity\" that is achieved at the expense of
\ntruth and justice; a unity that simply helps to propagate all
\nthat is wrong with our present system. If we must be united, let
\nit be in demanding that our leadership set things straight and
\nstop skirting issues by fighting accusations only with counter-
\naccusations. Let us demand that we be given the truth for a
\nchange. We have turned a blind eye to wrongdoing long enough and
\nthis is where it has led us.<\/p>\n
Like most Filipinos, I so desire to see our country get back
\non track. I wish to see the sanctity of the ballot protected, the
\ndignity of our institutions restored, our Constitution respected,
\nand our nation's soul reclaimed. I am not a destabilizer. I am
\nsimply a Filipino who refuses to give up hope. I therefore beg
\nthe President to submit these taped telephone conversations for
\nauthentication by independent, international agencies.<\/p>\n
If the version wherein she is speaking to the Comelec official
\nis proven false, then everybody stands to gain. She would be
\nvindicated and we would perhaps learn how to trust again.
\nHowever, should it be proven authentic then she would be guilty
\nof an impeachable offense. Should this be the case then she
\nshould do what is decent and best for our country. She must step
\ndown.<\/p>\n
The writer is the founder and president of the Eye Bank, is
\nalso president of Sinag, a People's Crusade for Good Governance.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/minguita-padilla-1447899208",
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