Arrogance

"Reconciliation and unity" is indeed an excellent campaign theme for the administration in the coming elections. It is non-controversial and has a universal appeal especially during these times. No genuine opposition can dispute this call and still look convincing and credible. It seems however that while this appeal has been echoed and re-echoed by the administration even prior to this election, it has fallen on deaf ears.

GMA and her cohorts should not always blame the opposition why up to now no reconciliation and unity have taken roots in the hearts and minds of Filipinos. To be sure, there are a lot of opposition people who are really sowing the seeds of dissension. But even with them around, we can still have reconciliation and unity. GMA will just have to realize and admit that some of her own cabinet members are the very cause of disunity, discord and strife because of their arrogance. Foremost among them and frequently in the news for displaying such unpleasant and negative attitude is Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez.

Gonzalez should have realized by now that his arrogance is squarely incompatible with the position he holds. Upholding, protecting and maintaining justice cannot be performed in a high handed and scornful way especially in an administration that has been constantly appealing for reconciliation and unity. Unfortunately he appears to be incorrigible; he keeps on haughtily pointing his fingers at others for the many faults, malfeasance and misfeasance happening all around him.

Apparently, he does not consider gender when he condescendingly points his fingers at others. Several times in the past, women bore the brunt of his accusations. He even blames women victims. Most unfortunate yet is his latest tirade against Julia Campbell, the Peace Corp volunteer found dead in a shallow grave in Banaue Rice Terraces apparently the victim of foul play.

Our Justice Secretary, who heads the investigating bureau that may probe the slaying, partly blamed the poor Julia right away for what had happened to her. I was shocked and dismayed as I saw him cheekily blurting out on TV and before news reporters that Ms. Campbell "was a little irresponsible" Elaborating further, he even asked: "Why would she walk alone in this remote mountain?", then concluded that: "if she had a companion it would not have happened. Or both of them could have been killed. She was careless that she took a lonely walk in this deserted area".

Blaming a victim is already deplorable. More appalling is if the victim being chided is a woman who is obviously less capable of protecting herself from harm. But most disgraceful is to censure a woman victim who is already dead and no longer capable of speaking up to deny or explain herself regarding the alleged faults attributed to her.

Aggravating the act in this case is the stature of the victim. The fact alone that she was from another country should have deterred our Justice Secretary from prematurely commenting because of its international repercussions. More so in this case because Ms. Campbell was from the U.S.A that has special ties with us. Most importantly is the fact that she was not of the "ugly American" type but a dedicated Peace Corp volunteer who had greatly contributed to the improvement of the lives of many Filipinos especially in Bicol. She had learned to love our country and had endeared herself to a lot of our countrymen by her good works. Filipinos helped by Campbell are certainly mad not only because they love her but because other volunteers may be deterred from coming to help them.

Gonzalez statement also depicts the country as an unsafe place for tourists whether walking alone or with a companion in a deserted area because either way, tragic death may follow. Moreover, he is jumping into erroneous conclusion that the place is a deserted area because the place where Campbell was last seen walking alone is a tourist spot frequented by tourist. Actually, the deserted area is the shallow grave where Campbell was buried. Criminals would naturally hide the corpus delicti to avoid detection of the crime.

Sad to say, it is so unbecoming of a Justice Secretary to have reacted that way much more so because he is a Cabinet member who is supposed to be the alter ego of the President. His statement is unfair, unkind and uncharitable to the victim. It is not good for the country and the Filipinos as it does not promote goodwill among men. He has merely created more enemies against this administration and dealt a serious blow to its appeal for unity and reconciliation.

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