Phil. Politics: The song remains the same!

Once again the Catholic Bishop's Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has issued another hallowed call to end the usual dirty elections that continues to plague this nation. This call was issued by CBCP Pres. Angel Lagdameo who said, "As a nation, we cannot afford yet another controversial electoral exercise that further aggravates social distrust and hopelessness." While I totally agree with this statement, it's no guarantee that we will finally see clean and honest elections. In fact I know it will be dirty!

A few months back at the height of the plans to push for charter changes (cha-cha) the CBCP called instead for "Character Changes" as if Filipinos can change by a simple call from the CBCP. We have a sorry political system that needs to be totally fixed. We have the wrong political system where today, only the rich and powerful families have a chance to run and win any elections.

The Philippines is akin to an old rickety bus filled with passengers. Its tires are all worn out and wobbly, the body is old and decrepit yet the main question in the mind of our passengers is, who will drive the bus? Don't you think it is time to change the question and ask, when will we change this rotten bus? Alas, the CBCP blindly refused to see the light and demanded only for the passengers to change their ways.

If the CBCP wants proof why I believe that there would be cheating in the coming elections all they need to do is look at the computerization of our election system. The 2004 elections ended as usual with the sore losers crying out their usual chorus, "I was cheated in the counting!" It is time for the CBCP to understand that in our present system of governance there are no losers in our elections, we only have winners and cheaters. When Pres. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (GMA) won the 2004 elections and even before they could present any hard evidence to the Comelec, the losers already cried that they were cheated. To add insult to injury, they had the gall to declare that we Cebuanos cheated for GMA!

In truth, politicians are scared of a computerized system because they know too well that computers are tools of efficiency and if installed properly, the day after elections are over, we can already know who won the elections and who lost. To a cheat, computers do not give them enough time to do magic tricks like "Dagdag Bawas" that they've mastered through all the years they or their families ruled their localities.

They would move heaven and earth to prevent the use of computers by the Comelec. This is why three full years after the 2004 elections where computers were supposed to be used we are still going to use the same old, tried and cheating ways of counting the ballots. Hurrah for those who want to cheat this coming elections! If there's anything positive in this coming elections, it is that the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) won't be taking any part of it, except be on standby for untoward incidents as agreed by AFP Chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon and the Comelec.

The CBCP should take a long and hard look at Philippine politics because they seem to be so interested in it anyway. Until and unless we have Charter Changes (cha-cha) this nation will always suffer through the same political names over and over.

Take the case of that two-paged open letter of former Sen. Francisco "Kit" Tatad that appeared in the Philippine Star the other day. I have never liked Mr. Tatad for his canine loyalty to deposed Pres. Joseph "Erap" Estrada, but at least here's one fellow who can't take it anymore as the Senate slate of the United Opposition would bring in Koko Pimentel, the son of Sen. Aquilino Pimentel, Allan Peter Cayetano brother of Sen. Pia Cayetano and JV Ejercito, son of Erap. They are new names for the Senate but their family names are the same. This reminds me of the famous rock band, Led Zeppelin's album and song entitled, "The Song Remains the Same."

Kit Tatad readily printed Article II Sec. 26 of the Cory Constitution, which states, "The State shall guarantee equal access to opportunities for public service, and prohibit political dynasties as may be defined by law." While it is true that this is embodied in the present Constitution, no single legislator dared to file an anti-dynasty bill. We are now nearing 88 million Filipinos and the names in the political landscape are the same since my grandfather's time and that's because we cannot expect character changes from our politi-cians... how much more for the lesser people of God?

It is time for the CBCP to wake up to the reality that the only way to change this country is to change our political system. The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) is the only group with that agenda. If the CBCP refuses to see it this way, then they can always prepare for the worst! After all, we're living witnesses to the worst in Philippine politics!