Remaining option

A thief is a person who, in the absence of any force, violence or intimidation but with intent to gain, takes the property of another without the latter’s consent (Article 380, Revised Penal Code, RPC). He is a thief even if he does not take a direct part in the execution of the act when he cooperates in its commission by another act without which the thievery would not have been accomplished (Article 17, RPC).

These are basic concepts in criminal law that I had to mull over anew when I heard P-Noy’s recent address to the nation wherein he vehemently claimed that he is not a “magnanakaw” (thief). He made this denial in connection with the taxpayers’ money deposited in the government treasury for certain purposes specified in the General Appropriations Act but were not utilized as such in 2011 and considered as “savings”. The controversy arose when it was later discovered that said funds were initially and clandestinely categorized by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) as funds for “Development Acceleration Program” (DAP) some of which were allocated to the projects of Senators who voted to impeach then Chief Justice Corona ranging from P50million to P100 million.

Four of these Senators are obviously the ones referred to by P-Noy in his recent address to the nation as the “thieves” accused of plunder in his attempt to point out that he is not a magnanakaw like them. In the light however of the above provisions of the RPC, P-Noy’s denial is not absolutely correct and legally tenable, and therefore not credible enough even if it is coming from somebody like him who is reputedly honest. In other words, it is really hard to swallow hook, line and sinker, P-Noy’s claim that he is not a magnanakaw.

Indeed P-Noy is a big let down to those who supported him and look up to him as the “knight in shining armor” who will slay the dragon of graft and corruption gnawing at our government since we became an independent Republic. His stubborn insistence in maintaining the pork barrel in its various form, whether as PDAF, DAP, PSF (President Social Fund), MF (Malampaya Fund) and other lump sum public funds disbursable at his discretion, just about confirm the bitter reality that our country cannot achieve the needed political reforms we have been longing for, if we start from the top. P-Noy and his rah-rah boys should already stop deluding us that reform measures are being implemented by his administration. What they are telling us is exactly the opposite of what they are doing.

So at least now we also know quite clearly that genuine and long lasting reforms in our government which will effectively solve the long standing problems in our country cannot be achieved if we continue to rely on our trapo politicians, on political dynasties and even on the extreme left that that has apparently gained some foothold to power; that genuine solutions to our problems can only be achieved if we start at the grassroots, the lowest political level in the government.

And as previously pointed out in my article last Friday, we are fortunate enough to still have some concerned citizens in our midst who dared to take steps in changing the existing rotten political culture by starting small and bringing down good governance at the lowest level of our political structure, the barangay. These are the Catholic laity and clergy who established the Solidarity Movement of the Philippines (SMP) envisioning “an enlightened and empowered   Filipino citizenry for good governance”.

SMP has four specific missions: 1) form and organize Barangay Good Governance Advocates (BGGAs) composed of at least 10% of the Barangay voters population; 2) Identify and help nurture competent servant leaders and elect them to public office; 3) help in the formation of good servant leaders, good citizens and families, especially the youth, based on Gospel values; and 4) search, develop and promote alternative economic and political development models for the benefit of the poor.

To achieve these missions, SMP has set up programs and activities during, and in-between elections. During election time, it: a) provides the public, especially the laity, with specific criteria on “How to Elect Servant Leaders” based on the guidelines issued by the CBCP; b) encourages the lay groups and organizations in every diocese to discern and choose the local and national candidates who meet such criteria which will become their collective discernment in deciding to campaign and vote for them; and c) gather and tally through the SMP National Council, the results of the collective discernments in every diocese for purposes of picking out the emerging national candidates it will endorse and support under the banner of Solidarity Vote.

In every Barangay Elections as in the last one, SMP also conducts Servant Leadership Seminar/Retreat for all the candidates; chooses or fields candidates to support; and provides every house with “Gabay sa Tamang Pagpili ng Barangay Lider”.

In between elections, the activities of the SMP includes: 1) conducting a National Transformation Program among the SMP Barangay Chapters anchored on Faith and Patriotism modules that will prepare the members especially the youth to become good Filipino citizens and serve as channels for political renewal and political evangelization; 2) recruiting at least 200 Barangay Good Governance Advocates (BGGAs) per Barangay who will also become SMP Barangay Chapter members; 3) supporting and replicating Church initiated livelihood programs in the barangays and conducting regular barangay to determine other livelihood programs that suit the peoples’ skills, resources and needs; and 4) providing pastoral assistance to elected and appointed barangay officials in partnership with lay organizations and leaders in the area.

SMP knows that it is trekking a long and lonely road to success. But its founders and members have hearts on fire and hearts with faith as they journey together towards transformation and realization of their vision. They truly deserve our support.

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