Time to sober up

I submit that nobody is above the law and that all officials should be held publicly accountable for their actions, including President Arroyo. In that respect, I would go along with Noynoy Aquino if he decides to pursue legal action against her when he assumes the presidency.

But I have two concerns regarding the matter: 1). Noynoy must adhere to the rule of law and respect whatever the courts decide regardless of his own convictions. 2). Noynoy must not use his entire six-year tenure in the pursuit of his enemies.

My first concern is based on these reasons: A). The enemies of Arroyo have long convicted her despite there having been no formal determination of any crime against her. B). This fragile democracy cannot afford a constitutional crisis in case of a judiciary-executive collision.

The reasons for my second concern are: A). While eliminating corruption is important, a fragile global economy requires more time from the president than running after his enemies. B). History has shown that chasing enemies has never been a productive endeavor for this country.

What I am trying to say is that Noynoy must learn to balance his priorities because his priorities are no longer his own. They now belong to the entire nation, and not just to those who voted for him, but even to those who refused to dignify him with their votes.

I did not vote for Noynoy but I have come to accept the clarity and decisiveness of his victory. Accordingly, I have submitted to him as my president. But my submission does not eliminate my right to demand not just fairness but, more importantly, a higher sense of service.

Never having liked Noynoy, I will even be more vigilant of his administration. But I am neither foolish nor an enemy and will therefore be a partner where partnership is needed to push this country forward.

If I have my misgivings this early, it is not because I have misgivings about Noynoy from the start. It is because I find his sabre-rattling uncalled for and unnecessary. He is the next president, for God's sake. He can do almost whatever he wants for the next six years.

If Arroyo is being intransigent and provocative, Noynoy does not have to dignify such intransigence and provocation, especially at this time when the entire nation is in the mood to rebuild again.

There are many ways to skin a cat, so to speak, and Noynoy should have ample time to do that. But if, right off the bat, he should start swinging, what kind of confidence would that inspire in our struggling nation.

Unless Noynoy changes his tack, this nation will never see unity and peace. And there is enough basis to fear that. For while Noynoy may have enjoyed a resounding victory, he must not ignore the fact that, strangely, millions of others gave Joseph Estrada their confidence.

That means that in this country there are potent forces at work that see things differently than Noynoy does. In other words, Noynoy must temper his bravado with prudence for the good of everybody else.

He must not paint himself into a corner from which there is no escaping a trap. The huge mandate he received is a great gift. It is a privilege that is way way more than he deserves. He must truly be blessed by providence. He must protect that gift with due diligence.

I hope that everything that is happening now is simply euphoria manifesting itself and that pretty soon, as Noynoy hankers down to business, it will be the big picture that he sees, not the immediate faces of his expectant followers.