Bishop: Checkmate

In the game of chess, only the king can be checkmated. The latest revelations by PCSO officials that Catholic Church bishops had asked former President Arroyo for high-end vehicles as “birthday gifts” is a clear sign of the political mess we are in. We are not questioning whether such “gifts” and “donations” were used for charity work or some other purpose; that’s up to the Senate to figure out. But what is becoming increasingly clear is that this whole unraveling web of complicity has only one objective – to checkmate the former Queen. In this case, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Ever since the Spanish colonial days, Catholic bishops have been lording it over this country. The time has come for their role to be confined to looking only after the spiritual and moral wellbeing of Filipinos. They have gotten used to wielding influence in almost all aspects of life in this country – dictating legislation and the leadership structure by telling people who to vote for and even demanding for the resignation or removal of presidents. While the bishops’ intervention may have been understandably justified during EDSA I, their involvement and interference in politics should have stopped there and then.

In hindsight, one could say that everything that happened during the nine years of GMA’s rule can be traced to just one particular fact: Gloria Arroyo had to ensure her political survival because she had a tenuous hold on the presidency, having been placed into power in a totally unconstitutional manner. And like a master chess player, FPGMA used whatever tools were at her disposal to move the “pawns” according to her objectives. Take for instance the fertilizer scandal, with allegations that GMA used the funds for the 2004 presidential elections. Again, whether the money was indeed used for patronage politics is one that the courts will have to determine. However, decent people like Cito Lorenzo were used as pawns and placed into a very unfortunate situation. Coming from a wealthy family, Cito does not need to engage in any kind of corruption to enrich himself. But now his famous father’s name, Ateneo basketball hall of famer Moro Lorenzo, has been tainted by this scandal.

During the “Hello, Garci” controversy, the people waited for the outcome of the CBCP conclave that would have probably spelled doom for GMA had the bishops censured her. But none was forthcoming. Instead, what surfaced were reports of a dinner with “envelopes” being served as dessert. It was obvious that all the special perks and favors extended to the bishops were meant to keep them “friendly” and forgiving of a presidency that was getting besieged and battered by allegations of corruption and bribery.

Some have said they wouldn’t be surprised at all if the former president’s reading list included Robert Greene’s “The 48 Laws of Power” – which many have characterized as a modern-day take on Niccolo Machiavelli’s “The Prince,” and comparable to Sun Tzu’s “The Art of War.” The rules have only one objective – to assure one’s survival and pre-eminence over rivals and enemies. In Rule Number 11, one is advised to “Learn how to keep people dependent on you.” Many politicians have followed this to perpetuate their stay in power mostly by dispensing “favors” to a point where their beneficiaries become so dependent on the perks, not wanting to rock the boat, so to speak. After all, why kill the goose if it keeps laying the golden eggs? Coupled with Rule Number 33 that wisely suggests, “Discover each man’s thumbscrew,” or simply knowing what makes a man tick or finding his weaknesses – an astute politician can have enormous power and control over his allies and enemies alike.

Even institutions like the AFP have not been spared, with the Garcia plea bargain and other scandals showing how funds were used – or misused and abused – to make the generals toe the line and keep the Queen in power. The military – which in chess are the knights – had to be handled with the utmost perception and shrewdness since among all the pieces, they could move with the most unpredictability. Knights are the only ones that have the power to “jump over” other pieces and land on either a white or black square depending on the maneuvers. Just like what happened in EDSA I when allies were allowed to take over corporations courtesy of the PCGG, EDSA II saw the spoils of victory parceled out to the generals who threw in their lot with GMA.

Unfortunately, with GMA’s “gambit” (which chess players know as a move where a minor piece is sacrificed to maneuver into a position of advantage) – it is the Filipinos who have remained the poor “pawns” – with the PCSO funds, AFP funds, fertilizer funds and only the Lord knows what else – seemingly diverted to things other than the welfare and benefit of the poor who continue to suffer from hunger, poverty, illness, squalor, lack of education etc. No doubt the revelations from PCSO have touched a very sensitive nerve among bishops who are offering to return the questioned vehicles – a checkmate if ever there was one because it seems the most likely way to put an end to the whole “indelicate” issue.

The lesson in all this is very clear: The 1987 Constitution, no matter how imperfect it may be, was discarded. In other words, the rules of the game were changed in EDSA II, consequently bringing us to a nine-year GMA rule with one basic objective: political survival. Like chess, unless we follow the rules – we will all remain pawns in the game of politics.

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