Non-stop power struggle

People Power Philippine style as demonstrated in EDSA I and II concededly gave a new twist but more potent meaning to the very essence of democracy which majestically proclaims that "sovereignty resides in the people and all government authority emanates from them". While it has the ingredients of a revolution, it has been recognized as a legitimate way of expressing the people’s will other than through the ballots mainly because of its non-violent and spontaneous nature. Hence many other countries have adopted it in changing their rulers. However, it has also spawned a negative backlash in our country especially after EDSA II because of the dangerous tendency to abuse it.

When EDSA II was successfully mounted, some of our politicians and military men had acquired the mentality that politics in this country is one continuing and constant grab for power; a struggle between those who hold power and those out to wrest that power not only by courting the voters during elections but also by rousing the rabble in between elections. "Popular mass action is fast becoming an institutionalized enterprise" as retired Supreme Court Justice Jose C. Vitug said, thereby, making it hard to draw the "line between rule of law and the rule of the mob, or between People Power and Anarchy" (Estrada vs. Desierto, G.R. 146710-15, March 2, 2001). Thus we see "opportunists" coming out of their shell once more as they delude themselves into believing that the present administration is about to collapse due to the sheer weight of problems in the economy, graft and corruption and lately the reprise of the "juetengate" that mainly caused the downfall of their principal patron.

But the similarities between the present administration and those toppled by the two non-violent civilian uprisings are not really so striking and clear cut as to give some iota of truth to this delusion of another successful non-violent power grab. The previous people power happened under extraordinary circumstances. Both events ousted leaders who had scandalously enriched themselves in office yet did not see anything wrong with their actions. They were precipitated by apparently legal but flagrantly flawed processes foisted on the people by leaders who wanted to prove that they had done nothing wrong – the snap election that was rigged in EDSA I and the impeachment proceedings that was scripted in EDSA II. The administrations targeted in the previous people power tried to use the "rule of law" and legal technicalities to hide the truth and frustrate justice. Both regimes were dominated by almost the same cronies, lawyers, advisers and kibitzers who mightily supported and encouraged their patrons in Malacañang so they could continue enjoying power and influence to protect their own vested interest.

Our country will be much better off if these individuals will just stop entertaining their delusion of power and accept the reality that civil society and the decent law abiding citizens in this country will not back up their destabilizing moves. They should realize that the popular mass actions of the past were successful because they were generally peaceful, non-violent and even had some spiritual flavor in them. They were not the result of a well thought out plot by discredited and worn out politicians and political has-beens out to recapture and relive the heydays of money, power and influence. Majority of the Filipinos still love their country as to be overcome by "senseless adventurism and opportunism" as described by Justice Vitug in Estrada (supra). Any plan to "abolish" or "replace" the present administration is therefore bound to fail.

It does not mean however that the present situation does not call for change or improvement on the part of those in power. There is undeniably some sort of bad governance bedeviling this administration. The President should make some firm and decisive moves. People’s hopes will be revived if they see some imaginative actions that inspire confidence. Requiring the resignation of Presidential appointees tainted with anomalies or even simply perceived to be involved in corrupt practices is one such move. She does not have to wait for them to clear their names in endless investigations. After all they are supposed to serve at her "pleasure". The "all out war" against jueteng on the other hand should go beyond mere declarations and announcements in the media. Let the axe fall on those who fail to do their jobs in stopping this illegal numbers game. When heads start rolling, people will start believing that she means business. With all the powers at her command, she can do a lot to make people sit up, take notice and become hopeful once more. All it takes is a tenacious political will and bold, concrete steps showing that she has stopped playing politics or kowtowing to politicians.

E-mail: [email protected]