Defeating corruption: Fighting the battles, winning the war

In a recent television address, P-Noy acknowledged the many battles that he and his “Bosses” have fought together. He was certainly talking about the recent controversies on the DAP and the fight to convict major political personalities, like Enrile, Estrada and Revilla of plunder in the Napoles PDAF scandals.

But it is important to remind the Filipino people, and even leaders in our government, that the real struggle is to win the War against Corruption in all sectors of our society. There is a difference between winning battles and winning wars.

History is full of examples of commanders and leaders who were very fixated on winning battles and not winning wars. It is also critical to remember that in a war it is impossible to win all the battles.

There is the story of the late  Vietnamese General Vo Nguyen Giap who never won a battle against the Americans and whose army suffered tremendous casualties. But in the end, the Americans left Vietnam and the North Vietnamese took over the whole country.

There is the story of Napoleon Bonaparte considered as the greatest military commander of all times. After invading Russia, he was forced to retreat without losing any battle. In 19 years, he only lost his last two battles – Leipzig and Waterloo. But he lost the war.

Wars are not “one shot” events. They occur over a period of time, sometimes over many decades. That is why media commentators are not the ones who can objectively assess who is winning or losing a war.

Media commentators  are looking for instant results. They are constantly on the search for instant gratification which has been the recent conclusions about social media.

In the United States this has been referred to as “Gotcha” journalism. That is why there has been a flowering of the “Paparazzi” journalist. This type of media reporting is best suited to the world of entertainment.

Unfortunately we have “paparazzi” commentators who believe they are qualified to report on economic and political developments. But before we begin to say that this is only in the Philippines, try listening to American news media like Rush Limbaugh.

If there is one strategic weakness in most politicians, it is the fixation with winning battles and not winning wars. Leaders must, therefore, learn how to accept defeats in certain battles and ensure that these defeats will not lead to losing the war.

Just as important, it is crucial that commanders and leaders know which battles to fight and which ones to avoid. This is a maxim that great strategists like Sun Tzu have articulated.

In this War against Corruption, the battle to convict the “big fishes” – like Enrile, Estrada, Revilla, Marcos – is very critical and must be fought at all costs. This can be called a turning or tipping point in this War against Corruption.

There are other major battles that must be fought and won; especially those that allow the rich and powerful to abuse their influence and make a mockery of the rule of law. That is why the fight against tax evaders and money launders must continue. That is why the Bureau of Customs must be reorganized and the Department of Justice must pursue its alleged smuggling case against Phoenix Petroleum.

However, is the battle to retain Rene Villa, a Liberal Party leader, with monetary ties to Napoles, as LWUA head, worth expending political capital? I do not think this is a battle worth fighting.

In any war, the question first asked would be: “Is this a just war?” There are wars that are fought for conquest or revenge.

Let me quote again from the UN Convention Against Corruption:

“Corruption is an insidious plague that has a wide range of corrosive effects on societies. It undermines democracy and the rule of law, leads to violations of human rights, erodes the quality of life and allows organized crime, terrorism and other threats to human security to flourish.”

Let me repeat what I have written before: “Corruption hurts the poor disproportionately by diverting funds meant for development and undermines a government’s ability to provide basic services, feeding inequality ...” This is what makes the alleged PDAF abuse by senators and congressmen so maddening.

Approval ratings will also go up and down. But one of the greatest challenges for a president is to obtain and maintain long term public support. The safest way is to follow public opinion on issues and let approval ratings reach a fairly consistent level.

But one of the greatest tests of presidential leadership is the ability to move the public. This requires having to engage in successful efforts to lead the public. This is especially true for leaders who want to transform society.

These efforts to win the support and approval of the those whom you are fighting for, or at least deny it to those who are opposing, has sometimes been referred to as the fight for “hearts and minds.” In this effort that the President must have a very good communication team especially in their ability to communicate and “stay on message” during times of crisis.

Then there are wars that become part of a crusade. It begun with Ninoy Aquino and his struggle to end the Marcos dictatorship, certainly the most corrupt regime in Philippine history. It continued with his widow Corazon Aquino as she, together with People Power, restored democracy. But her crusade to restore morality in government continued after her term as president expired in 1992. When she passed away in 2009, the public outpouring of grief was clear proof that in the hearts and minds of the Filipino people she had the moral integrity and courage to lead this crusade.

The television address by P-Noy was necessary to again reinforce the people’s belief in his moral integrity. It was important for him to repeat again: “I am not a thief” and dare his critics to disprove this claim.

Finally, a war is only a means to greater end. The War Against Corruption must continue despite the powerful forces in politics, business and media that will fight to go back to the old ways. The message must remain clear and simple so that the ordinary Filipino will understand, support and join not only all the battles, but most especially in winning the war: Kung Walang Corrupt, Walang Mahirap!

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