EDITORIAL - Checks and balances

A credible opposition is crucial to a strong democracy. While a president may consider it ideal to have a rubber-stamp Congress, the absence of checks and balances makes for an unhealthy democracy and can lead to bad governance. Taking on an adversarial role, however, does not mean the opposition in Congress cannot work with Malacañang when it comes to matters of national interest.

Such a credible opposition can come from the Senate, where President Arroyo’s allies enjoy a slim majority. From all indications, the opposition has rejected the President’s call for a one-year moratorium on politicking and bickering. One opposition member complained that while the President is proffering the olive branch, her allies in the Senate are declaring war on their opposition colleagues. You can read in this complaint the opposition senators’ failure to get positions they wanted in the chamber, which they interpreted as a rejection of their offer of critical collaboration. The opposition tried to toss the blame to Malacañang, accusing it of meddling in the Senate leadership fight. These opposition members, however, did not complain when Joseph Estrada, during his presidency, stepped in to broker power-sharing schemes just to get legislation moving in the Senate.

Asking for a moratorium on political bickering, especially in these times, is a pipe dream. Malacañang also cannot expect the opposition to lay off allegations of impropriety hurled against First Gentleman Mike Arroyo. The Palace in fact should push for a full investigation so that the innocence he is professing can be established unequivocally.

There are worrisome signs, however, that the opposition is preparing not just for the usual political bickering, but is making sure all administration efforts to revive the economy and improve life in this country will flop. Among those making the loudest noises are a senator infamous for his critical collaboration with the unlamented Estrada administration, and his colleague whose critical collaboration with corrupt regimes goes all the way back to the Marcos dictatorship.

The last thing the country needs is an opposition that exists simply to obstruct and make sure none of the administration’s programs will succeed, even if it means the downfall of the nation. There are decent, capable individuals in the opposition. They must steer their group toward a more responsible direction instead of pushing the nation to self-destruct.