A Call for Unity and Sacrifice

It’s been a year after the Garci tapes first surfaced, and we are still hopelessly divided as ever. Each side appeal to the other to join their cause, both claim to represent the majority. The anti-GMA forces base their claim on survey results which consistently show that a vast majority believe GMA cheated. Pro-GMA forces claim the people have spoken – they have not responded to the opposition calls for protest. They conveniently forget that neither have the people responded to their call to move on.

The truth is we are in a political gridlock. And the situation will continue to worsen unless we see a breakthrough in the current impasse.

It is unreasonable to expect GMA and her allies to budge. Therefore, the only option left is for us within the anti-GMA camp, who claims to be motivated by love of country, to make the supreme sacrifice by abandoning our quest for the truth. After all, truth is a small price to pay for progress.

Let us heed the admonition of the bishops. They discourage us from pursuing impeachment, convinced that it will fail, and will only dismay every citizen. Besides, they question the motivation of some groups in our rank. In effect, they’re saying we might inadvertently abet the return of Erap, the succession of Noli (whom they probably see as incompetent), or worse, the ascendancy of the communists. So, let’s not waste our time and energy on impeachment.

While at it, let’s ask the poor to stop filing cases in court. They will only be dismayed since we all know it takes money to win a case. They will do all of us a favor by unclogging the dockets in our court system. The wheels of justice will finally grind faster, especially for those with enough money to influence the court decisions.

And what’s all this talk about asking the US government to deport Bolante so he can finally testify at the Senate hearing? We all know that he will simply deny all allegations, just like Garci did, and nothing much will happen. We will only be dismayed. Let’s not waste any more taxpayers’ money on all these Senate inquiries in aid of legislation.

On the other hand, the bishops want us to continue denouncing the palace-led people’s initiative for charter change. They find the haste by which Malacanang is pushing this rather alarming. I wonder why they do not find the alleged cheating and the subsequent cover-up efforts by the palace equally alarming.

I also wonder why they have decided to fight this one when the very same groups whose motivation they question are fighting this one, too. I guess it’s because non-partisan groups like One Voice and Kapatiran, are endorsing it. They have no agenda (just like many of us in the anti-GMA camp, anyway) and they know what’s best for this country. Let us join them and speak with one voice on this issue.

While at it, let’s also heed the repeated appeals of the “top 600 women” and businessmen like Donald Dee for us to stop all forms of protest. They only scare investors away and imperil the economy. Let’s not nitpick on the issue of cheating. Everybody cheats anyway. Some of them even expect us to be thankful for GMA’s cheating, because it saved us from an FPJ presidency. The end justifies the means.

Let’s not bother to have elections in 2007 and 2010. In fact, let’s not have elections ever. Everybody will cheat, anyway. And we run the risk of our mindless masa voting another incompetent movie personality into office. Let’s just leave the future of this nation to these all-knowing non-partisan groups. Never mind that the rest of our people do not agree with them. They know better.

Some of them actually believe that what this nation needs at this time is a benevolent dictator. And they cite Singapore’s success under Lee Kwan Yu as the best example. No wonder they eagerly embrace GMA’s all-out war against the leftists. Never mind the unabated killings (they’re all communists, anyway) and escalating human rights violations. They are but small sacrifices that we can offer in the altar of national progress.

Of course, GMA supporters will not openly admit that she is a dictator, even though she has repeatedly violated the constitution with CPR, EO 464, and PP 1017. But we can all agree that she is benevolent. Just ask the Comelec officials who met at her house and the congressmen who voted down impeachment last year. But then again, the bishops may not agree. P20,000 in an envelope can hardly be considered benevolent.

I call on my colleagues in the anti-GMA movement to stand down and join the majority of our people who believe she cheated but have decided not to do anything about it. That is the most patriotic thing to do.

Never mind that we are breeding a new generation of Filipinos lacking in moral scruples, where lying, stealing and cheating abound. You cannot eat morality. Never mind that our rights are curtailed and our basic liberties trampled. You cannot drink democracy. National unity, at whatever cost, is our only hope for a better future and a strong republic.

How times have changed. I remember, right after EDSA 1, people proclaimed, “Never again!” Now, all we can say is “Never mind!”

Enteng Romano III
Convenor, Black and White Movement

P.S. – please pass this on to everyone you know who are actively involved in or even remotely supportive of the anti-GMA movement that they may be enlightened and do the right thing for the sake of our nation.