Whether this will get us anywhere is another matter.
The first consideration, as most observers have noticed, is the matter of leadership. Some say that the leader is not important, the quest for truth is. But while that goes over big in rally speeches, the reality is that the "quest" may begin and end in rousing orations, with neither agreed direction nor consensus on the ultimate result.
The "coalition" is united in one thing: Everyone wants Gloria ousted. But once one asks the questions "how" and "towards what end," the Babel of answers is cacophonous and unending. Without any leader to rally around, a leader who articulates a common vision and shows clearly not only what is wrong but how we can all do better and who, if not that leader, will bring us to the promised land, the coalition will dissolve in persistent arguments over ends and, more importantly, means.
Notice who’s at the front of the pack in the demonstrations we’ve seen so far. Among others, we have former President Cory Aquino, FPJ widow Susan Roces, presidential candidate Sen. Ping Lacson, Bro. Armin, evangelist Eddie Villanueva, Metro Manila mayors Jojo Binay and J.V. Ejercito, Hyatt Ten stalwarts Dinky Soliman, Ging Deles and Butch Abad, Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo and Akbayan Rep. Etta Rosales, Reporma chair Rene de Villa, retired general Fortunato Abat, Caloocan Bishop Deogracias Iniguez and some priests, supporters of former President Erap Estrada, "jueteng whistle-blower Sandra Cam and some members of "civil society."
After their crushing defeat in the full House vote, several opposition legislators such as Chiz Escudero, Alan Cayetano and Ronnie Zamora were seen in the pack, making good their threat of bringing the impeachment to the streets.
This is your quintessential, to use a much-abused phrase in print media, "motley group." To describe it as "diverse" does not exhaust the full meaning of the word. To say that it’s like oil and water mixing is to give a hint of this profound incompatibility.
Consider some glaring examples of this diversity: Cory and Satur mixing it up in the morning over Hacienda Luisita, Cory and Satur side-by-side outside the Batasan in the afternoon, Ping and FPJ forces in a futile battle over who should run for President and who should "slide down" to veep, Ping and Susan linking arms at the spearhead of the crowd, Erap supporters and civil society knocking heads during Estrada’s own impeachment ordeal, Erap supporters and civil society shouting anti-GMA slogans in unison, armed forces and police generals and activists arguing over human rights violations, generals and activists marching in step in front of TV cameras.
Is it any wonder that there are basic, and unresolved, disagreements over whether the struggle should resume in the House of Representatives after another 900 days or so, or stay in the parliament of the streets? Some opposition, or closet opposition, congressmen are reportedly already preparing to wage another battle when the one-year Constitutional ban expires. Next time around, they vow, the same mistakes will not be committed.
They’ll make sure House rules on impeachment won’t be stacked against them. Thus, they won’t allow complaints to be filed when the House is in recess, they will allow amendments to the complaint before they are referred to the Justice Committee, and they will reinstate the requirement that a finding on sufficiency in form and substance must be based on evidence submitted by the complainant.
Just to be sure, Congressman Boying Remulla told the Viewpoint audience the other night, he will park himself in front of the House Secretariat on the first day of the next session and be first in line to file a proper and indestructible complaint.
However, many of their – temporary? – allies insist the exercise will remain just as futile because Gloria’s majority, by then totally satiated by the "care", if you get my drift, that will be lovingly given them in the meantime, will still be primed to head them off at the pass and, in the end, bury the impeachment effort all over again.
Then, of course, there is still the epochal question of who, once GMA is ousted, will be entrusted with the reins of government. Many in the coalition give the correct, legal answer to this pop quiz: Why, Vice President Noli de Castro, obviously! At which point, you hear all those moans and groans about qualifications, proven track record and alleged complicity in electoral fraud. The dismay of coalition members from the business sector is palpable and barely concealed.
The rat-tat-tat of alternative, some say wacky, proposals ensues: a caretaker head of government, a caretaker council, a military junta, a revolutionary council, a transition council and, naturally, that all-purpose nostrum, we simply cha-cha!
In the meantime, business and professional groups are divided, with one group staying pat on their demand for GMA’s resignation, nothing less, while another publishes full-page ads asking this country to put conflict behind us and get back to confronting our economic problems. The CBCP says its position is good until December, although the coalition itself counts many priests and religious among its most prominent members, whatever the Conference and even Pope Benedict XVI says about priests in politics.
The military is playing it cool, as usual. There are supposedly "rumblings" within the corps about how badly civilians are running things, and why men in uniform can do better. But the high command still issues soothing statements that the armed forces can discharge its Constitutional duty to "protect" the Filipino people by letting the politicians sort out the royal mess they got themselves into.
The Coalition for Truth, manifestly, must get its act together. While we all want the truth, and our collective confidence in the system’s ability to promote that search has been shattered, I think we’re also beginning to realize that this is not the time for striking out blindly at the dark.
We need some light here, a clear vision of where to bring this country, particularly the poor who see all this as a mindless game by the rich and powerful who still don’t get it.