The war of words

In our past history we have seen healthy exercises of checks and balances between the powers of the executive and the judiciary with the calming and settling factor of respect for the final determination by the highest court of the land. Today, however, we feel disrupted by these two branches. What if this settling factor is removed by an open challenge to the integrity of the Supreme Court? What if the final determination of a legal issue by the highest tribunal be put to the bar of public opinion by no less than the President himself?

This public conflict appears to be going personal. There is great danger that the power of checks and balances is being used, wittingly or unwittingly, for this purpose. In this event, a constitutional crisis may soon be lurking in the horizon. God help us!

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Last week we found ourselves dumbfounded with the words uttered by the President of this Republic toward the Supreme Court Chief Justice. P-Noy just put himself into a head-on collision with a war of words at the first National Criminal Justice Summit — in a public forum that is suppose to foster ‘cooperation and coordination’ for that matter. There was nothing wrong with his sentiments. As a matter of fact, many Filipinos may agree with him but to speak in such a manner, I think, is unbecoming of a President. He must learn to say things in the right time and at the right place.

“Kung may isang lingkod-bayan na tumatanaw ng utang na loob, hindi sa taong bayan na siyang dapat na bukal ng aming kapangyarihan, kundi sa isang padron na isiniksik sa puwesto, maaasahan po kaya natin siyang intindihin ang interes ng Pilipino,” (In English: There is one public servant who owes a debt of gratitude not to the people who should be the source of our power, but to a patron who squeezed him into the position, will we rely on him to look at the interest of the people?), the President said.

There are ways to get this message across to the chief justice but what you just did was to create hostility and anger in the hearts and minds of the people. This is definitely not the way to go Mr. President. I think the Filipino people need to see you as a quintessential representative. Don’t teach this nation “madness” with a tongue-lashing technique using powerful words that put us in a frenzy. It’s not good for the spirit.

Yes, it was very disturbing. Call the Pinoys onion-skinned or cowards for that matter but what you just did created more animosity and havoc. Really now Mr. President should you have really acted in such fashion? You are the father of this nation. You must control yourself and know how to act with demeanor.

Another person stealing the scene nowadays and who uses the power of speech to embattle her opponents is GMA’s spokesperson Ma. Elena Bautista-Horn. I am pretty sure she intentionally uses strong, incessant and thought-evoking words to get the attention of the public. This is a strategy used to exude strength, determination and confidence even when everything seems to be tumbling down the hill. GMA’s lawyers fall in the same boat as well. Imagine having to even challenge the opponents with a battle of cutting their private parts? Susmariosep!

I still can’t get over their story of the alleged plot to kill GMA in “Operation Put the Little Girl to Sleep” — that was a classic. Horn’s statement on GMA’s ride from St. Luke’s Hospital to Veteran’s Hospital also came as a teaser to me, “Kahit mag taxi na lang kami kung yun ang problema. Hindi na kailangan mag-chopper.” (We can even take a taxicab if that is the problem. There is no need for us to take the chopper). The mere fact of offering to use a taxicab places them in a “kawawa” (aggrieved) stand. But where did that come from? Such is the power of words!

Abigail Valte the deputy spokesperson of P-Noy also uses strong words to whack the GMA group. It’s all a war of words but at the end of the day it is the actions and the respect they gain from the people that is of greater value.

A British politician, Pearl Strachan Hurd once said, “Handle them carefully — for words have more power than atom bombs.” Yes, words can make or break us, words can destroy, words can drag us down and can wound us deeply. Words can elicit strong emotions (positive or negative), can guide us or deceive us. Words can also heal a wounded nation like ours.

In the past week’s spectacle, we have seen how our leaders, lawmakers, statesmen use words. We can easily see through them. The public is not dumb. We can see who speaks from the heart, who speaks with greed and foolish pride, who speaks to uplift our lives and who has the motive of building a nation and not destroying it.

Instead of confusing us and disrupting our lives — we look forward to the wisdom and guidance from our politicians. Every single character we watch in the political arena has a responsibility towards the citizens of this nation. They must be clear in their logic and thinking, they must know how to move us and must maintain credibility. They must know how to use words to rally people, bring us together to make this a stronger nation.

Buddha once said, “Wise speech is that which is truthful, gentle, helpful, spoken from a kind heart and is timely.” He further reminds us that, “Words have the power to both destroy and heal. When words are both true and kind, they can change our world.”

I hope our leaders start to think right. It’s not anymore about them. It’s about our country and our people.