Why the Philippines will not become a NIC

By Tony Lopez

VIRTUAL REALITY

[Editor’s note: The author’s original title for this piece, which is too long for our space is “From oppressed to oppressor, persecuted to persecutor – the weather-weather of Philippine politics. Or Why the Philippines will not become a NIC.” NIC in economists’ jargon means “Newly Industrialized Country”— i.e. one that is on the way to the status of a First-World economy.]

I never thought that the day would come when the oppressed becomes the oppressor, the persecuted becomes the persecutor. I have seen 14 years of martial law, two People Power revolts, no less than 13 coup attempts – one against Ferdinand Marcos, nine against Corazon Cojuangco Aquino, one against Joseph Estrada, and probably two against Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

Under Marcos’ martial law government (September 1972-February 1986), the Aquino-Cojuangco family was oppressed and persecuted. The charismatic opposition senator Benigno S, Aquino Jr. was arrested on the night of martial law on Sept. 21, 1972, a Friday. He was jailed for seven years and seven months. He went into self-exile for three years. He was charged with subversion, rebellion and murder. He was tried and convicted by a military tribunal. The conviction was affirmed by the Supreme Court. This act of the high court gave the signal to the military that it was okay to kill him. Hence, Ninoy was assassinated on August 21, 1983 at the airport tarmac.

A grieving and grateful nation gave the presidency to Cory Aquino, the math and French major convent girl who was a plain housewife and Hacienda Luisita treasurer before she grabbed the presidency by virtue of People Power in 1986.

Cory died on August 1, 2009. A grieving and grateful nation gave her son, Benigno Simeon Cojuangco Aquino 3rd the presidency, with the largest electoral margin ever given a presidential candidate— ten million votes, over five million votes more than the second placer, come-backing Joseph Estrada’s 9.8 million votes.

President Aquino has anchored his presidency on just one platform — to run after thieves in government, meaning Gloria Arroyo, her husband and their clan and supporters. Just before she left office, Mrs. Arroyo managed to appoint a former subaltern and veteran jurist, Renato Corona to head the Supreme Court. So President Aquino is also running after him.

Mrs. Arroyo was arrested on the night of Nov. 18, 2011, a Friday. The charge electoral sabotage, a non-bailable crime. She was supposed to have cheated in an election where she was not even a candidate. The 2007 election was a senatorial race for twelve winners. President Arroyo, as the ruling party leader, of course wanted a 12-0 victory. The result was dismal for her – only four of her twelve candidates won. Of the twelve, two were even guest candidates. Of the remaining two winners who belonged to her party, one had to resign later. If that was sabotage, then Mrs. Arroyo doesn’t know how to execute it. Byany measure, one out of twelve is a failure of sabotage.

On Monday, December 12, it was Corona’s turn to be excoriated. He was impeached in record time – just three hours – by 188 members of the 285-member House.

Aquino’s issues against Corona:

• The SC declared his Truth Commission unconstitutional

• The SC tried to stop Congress from impeaching Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez

• The SC issued a TRO against a DOJ hold departure order on former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo without hearing the side of the government

• Corona is not a disciple of justice but a disciple of Mrs. Arroyo

• The SC flip-flopped on the law creating 16 chartered cities four times

• The SC flip-flopped in the case of PAL flight attendants five times

• The SC issued a Status Quo Ante Order on EO No. 2 nullifying all midnight appointments of President Arroyo

• Corona allegedly didn’t file his annual statements of assets and liabilities (SALN)

•The SC is not a fountain of rights and impartial justice

Defending himself, Chief Justice Corona says:

• There is a confirmed plot to oust him from office.

• The scheme will destroy our democracy.

• He will lead the fight against any and all who dare to destroy the court and the independence of the Judiciary. He will not resign.

• He will not allow anyone to violate our democracy and the Supreme Court.

• He will not recognize any abuse of power and processes just to install their own justices.

• The impeachment is the product of lust to have a Supreme Court they can dictate to and a Chief Justice they can grab by the neck.

• The charges are all bases. They are of two kinds – personal and on official acts of the Supreme Court.

• He is not corrupt. He files statements of assets and liabilities every year.

• He is not a midnight appointee Chief Justice. His appointment went through a judicious process in accordance with the Constitution. This included the process of the Judicial and Bar Council headed by then Chief Justice Reynato Puno.

The Supreme Court has long ago made a ruling on this. If they had a problem with the decision, they should have brought it up then. The issue of midnight appointment is being revived to stir up the people and lose their faith in the Supreme Court and the Judiciary. (The SC ruled 14-0 that President Arroyo could appoint Corona as CJ.)

• As to Mrs. Arroyo, the Supreme Court is partial to no one. “Our decisions are decisions of the entire court. The opinion of one justice is not the decision of the entire court.”

• No one can trample upon the rights of everyone. The court is mandated to defend the human rights of individuals against the abuse of power by the administration, especially if no charges have been filed. This is a principle long enshrined in the Constitution – the presumption of innocence and respect for human rights.

• The charge of his alleged partiality is a product of malice and fiction.

• If this impeachment succeeds. Mr. Aquino already controls the Cabinet, controls Congress, and will control the Supreme Court. This is capture of the entire system of government and all its powers.

This will lead to dictatorship. A dictatorship spawned by deceit and the poisoning of the minds of our people.

In the meantime, these are perilous times for the economy. Europe has gone into recession. Japan is in hibernation. The United States is in a stalemate. Asia is slowing down. Philippine growth has halved its rate. The country is now the slowest growing in Southeast Asia. NIChood? Forget it.

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