If you recall, Atty. Arbet Yongco and the Bacolod Family already paid dearly with their lives because of this case against Ecleo and I say that it is time for the Philippine National Police (PNP) to give utmost priority to find out where this threat is coming from. Truth to tell, we know where it is coming from and it seems that in this country, people send out death threats and get away with it without even being punished!
This brings us to the headline new of the Philippine Star last Sunday which blared, "RP Will Eventually Go Federal." That story quoted Fr. Joaquin Bernas clearly pointing out that Federalism is not on the table in the present discussion. No doubt we are being hustled to play the game by both former Pres. Fidel V. Ramos and House Speaker Jose de Venecia who want a shift to a Parliamentary system, but play lip service to Federalism.
In his letter sent to me as part of his response to my article in the Philippine Star a few months back, former Pres. Fidel V. Ramos told me that he was in favor of Federalizing the country on an evolutionary process. Frankly speaking, when one speaks of evolution, it reminds us of Darwin's theory of evolution, which could take eons. The reason Pres. Ramos gave was, only five regions in this country can become a Federal State and survive, while the rest cannot. While his observation is true why then should we punish those regions that are ready to become a State now? To add salt, why should we let them wait for those who are not or will never be ready?
Truth to tell, this country has become too politicized for its own good. We've got provinces that cannot even survive as provinces Camiguin, Southern Leyte or Siquijor just to name a few. I dare say that it is time to rearrange our political boundaries and make provinces that cannot even survive as provinces into counties because that's really what they are.
As we learned from the Sugbuak attempt to dismember the Province of Cebu into six other provinces this move benefits only the politicians and assures them of their own political kingdoms. China should be the best example. They only have 24 provinces in a nation of more than a billion people!
So to those who are attending the ULAP Summit I hope that you wouldn't be conned into believing that Cha-cha would give us Parliamentary and eventually a Federal system. I dare say that the members of ULAP who believe in Federalism speak out now before it is too late. This brings us to ask who's afraid of a Federal system and why?
Worse of all, is that they expect the issue on making Federal States a decision to be made in Parliament only. I say that this is a decision by the people who live in that region. Leaving it up to Parliament would allow the Members of Parliament who doesn't like us to vote against our becoming a State. So let's push for Federalism now before it gets pushed aside!