EDITORIAL – Signature campaign

Cebu archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal is calling for a signature campaign to demand that the truth about the ZTE-NBN deal be told. If Vidal is to be commended at all for this, it is because this course of action is patently peaceful.

But heaven knows a signature campaign achieves nothing. It is a complete waste of time, effort and money. Besides, what truth do we still seek? We already know the truth about this scandal, and it is a truth that stinks to high heavens.

Perhaps we are having a little trouble grasping at the issues. What is the real issue here? The issue could not be the truth because, as had been said, we already know the truth. Maybe the issue is that we want to force the issue.

And by that we mean forcing Gloria Arroyo out of office. But is that what we really want? Very few people liked Arroyo to begin with. We got stuck with her because she was better than Fernando Poe. Now even those few people who initially liked her no longer do.

Arroyo has become one of the most unpopular presidents this country ever had. But what do we do about her? Actually, forcing her out of office is not hard to do. We have already vast experience in that, having already booted out two presidents, including a dictator.

But why is it so hard to do that? Why is it that despite our indignation, we just do not seem to have the heart to go and kick her out? The answer, in case you still do not get it, is that people are wary of those waiting in the wings to take over.

Who among those waiting in the wings is any different from Arroyo? Maybe they differ only in the levels of their personal capacities to be corrupted. In other words, there is no one out there immaculate enough to be worthy of our trust.

And that is why, painful as it is to wait for a few more years until Arroyo steps down by constitutional means, that is still better than removing her unconstitutionally and be replaced by someone who will not be any better but who could even be worse.

So, a signature campaign? Fine. At least we will not break a finger doing it. But if the Church really really wants to lead a moral crusade, then it must strive harder to recover its lost credibility. And the way to that is far far away from the path of political involvement.