Former CJ Reynato Puno on political reforms

A few weeks ago, when Pres. Benigno “PNoy” Aquino, III said, “Charter changes is not a priority in my administration,” he literally slammed the door on any real political reform in this country, reforms that we needed yesterday if this nation is to move out of our current political quagmire. For those of us who are seeking reforms, we practically lost all hope in seeing this nation move forward. So what next? Take up arms and fight for reforms the way that the Communists are doing? No, I don’t think so.

 Enter a forum last Tuesday at the University of San Carlos (USC) Gansewinkel AVR dubbed “Reforming the Philippine Political System.” This was sponsored by the Konrad Adenuer Stiftung, Kaabag sa Sugbo, CDM-Dan-ag Region VII Assembly, the Centrist Democratic Movement and the USC and USJR Law Centers. When I got my invitation, my first impression was, are these people deaf? Didn’t they hear what the President just said that political reform was not a priority? Well, I guess those people who sponsored that activity are a hardy bunch. They intend to push for political reform with or without Pres. PNoy.

 First to speak was Mr. Philip Camara of the Subsidiarity Movement. I have known this fellow because of another friend, fellow language advocate Atty. Manuelino Faelnar, but it was the first time I met Philip. Mr. Camara was right on the nail when he said, “People’s Power has not solved the problems of our country.” Indeed, we’ve had two EDSA Revolts, the one that booted out the Marcos dictatorship and the one that booted out a corrupt presidency. But in the end, where did it bring our country? Back to square one! In short, we need to think out of the box. No more EDSA Revolts for us. But yes, we must have reforms and we want it now!

 The main speaker was former Supreme Court Chief Justice Reynato Puno who gave an hour’s lecture on the problems we are facing in our current political system. The former CJ spoke on so many relevant topics, I don’t even know where to start. One main topic he talked in length was the lack of judicial independence and I would even dare add, the lack of respect by the other branches of the government on the Philippine Judiciary, which is supposedly a co-equal branch in our democratic form of government.

 He quoted our present Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona who said, “The Judiciary is under siege.” We already know too well how Department of Justice (DoJ) Secretary Leila de Lim thumbed her nose at the Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) issued by the SC, this was one clear example of a functionary in the Executive Branch showing nothing but contempt against the ruling of the entire Bench!

 Then there’s the Legislative Branch where Senators are often quoted as to threatening the SC with impeachment because they didn’t like the SC ruling. During dinner after the event, I told the former Chief Justice to his face that while I may not have agreed with many Supreme Court decision in the past, but I still respect their decision no matter how erroneous because if we no longer respect the Judiciary, that means we no longer respect our present democratic system of governance, and what next? The rule of the gun just like the bad old days of Dodge City in the cowboy era?

 Come to think of it, there are now many places in this country where the Philippine government is no longer in existence. I’m referring to the areas that the New People’s Army (NPA) already control in Surigao or in Compostela Valley or areas in Basilan or Maguindanao which the MILF control with their high-powered firearms. What’s happening in our country today is that it is fast fragmenting because of the weak leadership of Pres. Aquino. This was the same fear that Puno intimated to me.

 The former Chief Justice also attacked the oligarchy, saying that the Cory administration ushered the 1987 Constitution, which was wracked by Martial Law hangover. Yet that Constitution allowed the oligarchy to return and it perpetuated the rule of the political families who not only control the politics of the land, but also its business enterprise, leaving out the rest of Filipinos to be poor. Puno blames the collaboration of the oligarchy and the political class as the reason why today we do not have anti-trust laws. Like in the power industry, the power generation should be separate from the power distributors if we had this anti-trust law.

 The former Chief Justice clearly cited that our present structure of democracy has been degraded. Even the institution called the Office of the President has been so damaged by the vengeance of Pres. Aquino against former Pres. Arroyo. Though in the news, Malacañang insists that is not personal against GMA. While that may be true, but as Puno said, “They have done untold damage to the Office of the President.”

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