BLIND SPOT: Charge vs Charge

Joseph Ochoa

What is with us nowadays? Can’t we get a little peace around here? Can’t we all just stick to our job descriptions? “Magdalo Representative Gary Alejano filed the (impeachment) complaint, accusing Duterte of culpably violating the Constitution, engaging in bribery, betraying public trust, committing graft and corruption, and other high crimes. The complaint cites the President’s alleged involvement in the creation of the Davao Death Squad when he was mayor; his war on drugs since he became president, which has led to the alleged summary killing of thousands of Filipinos; and his supposed unexplained wealth in the form of bank deposits and undeclared properties, among others. (www.gmanetwork.com) “Lawyer Oliver Lozano and Melchor Chavez, who both have previously run under the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan banner associated with late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, wish to have Robredo impeached for culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust, based on her recorded speech for a side session during the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs annual meeting.” (www.gmanetwork.com) So, what’s going to happen now? In case both complaints proceed, the two highest officials of the Philippine Republic will be busy responding to allegations hurled against each of them. Even if the accusations do not follow legitimate procedures, the battle will rage on over mass media; and the Filipino citizenry will sip coffee and chew pan de sal, and take dinner, with claims of blames on the background on TV and radio – some appetizer. May I invite you to take a close look. Congressman Gary Alejano is introduced as a Magdalo representative. So, he is in the same Magdalo group as Senator Trillanes? The same Sen. Trillanes who perennially criticizes Pres. Duterte? Lozano and Chavez are introduced as members of the KBL. Is this the same KBL which is the political party of the former Pres. Marcos, who is father to former Sen. Bongbong Marcos who was opponent to Vice President Robredo in the last elections? I guess, in the context of Philippine politics, what else is new? Doesn’t this sort of thing hap pen in many local political settings? If I seem surprised, I’m afraid I may expose my naïveté, implying my birth yesterday. Is this human nature or Filipino culture? The “bitter view at competition,” “the behavior of preventing someone from achieving something due to jealousy or envy, instead of praising or rendering assistance” is listed as top in both the list of “12 Annoying Habits of Filipinos we need to get rid of” and the “14 Bad Habits That Filipinos Should Break to Achieve Progress “–. One “would think “if I can’t have it, then you can’t as well” and will purposely try to bring his/her victim”, “that if we cannot win, then no one will. Instead of helping each other to be successful, (Filipinos allegedly) even make ways to pull them down like discouraging them from taking great opportunities, or destroying their image. This is because (Filipinos allegedly) want to be the only one at the top.” (faq.ph) (www.thefilipinomind.com) Also included in the list of 12 is “double standards.” Don’t we notice? Or refuse to notice? Or just too numb to even care to notice that minor mistakes of the opponent are magnified, while blind eyes are turned to errors of one’s own and those of allies. It is a disease of society that is simply irritating, incomprehensible and inciting of humor, all rolled into one. Another element in the list of 14 is “Blaming others (irresponsibility)”, a propensity towards excessive self-righteousness, and the initiatives in great lengths to escape responsibility of fault, and diversion of blame to unfavored adversary. At the very essence, the persons in question, and many of the supporting characters in this infuriating drama are “public servants” or so they are considered or esteemed; signifying a primary responsibility of service to the populace. The effort of gathering, compiling and consolidating evidence against a supposed foe, could undeniably be more efficiently utilized towards the productive and progressive initiatives for the struggling developing Filipino nation. Maybe some people have too little work that they look for something else to do, like picking on the rival of the gang they’re members of. Even if the intended destabilization had not succeeded, in the process it has already gained little achievements in causing stress on the other side of the fence. Even if a structure had not sustained significant damage from constant banging, it would still have minor pressures which had in some little way deterred the system from advancement. In other words, we could have done so much more, and gone so much farther, had the environment been devoid of debacles. “Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.” Romans 14:19