Praying in desperation?

When businessmen resort to prayers, they are desperate.

A friend from another church shared how a senior pastor who was hosting a “Bible study” among businessmen asked who among them were in need of prayers and what in particular did they need to be prayed for? One after another, several of the businessmen asked for prayers so that their importations could be released faster from “Customs,” presumably the Port of Manila. While I appreciate how businessmen find or turn to God in their hour of need, the increasing complaints about the very slow processing and release of goods from Customs is now extraordinarily alarming. In the more than 22 years I’ve attended Bible studies, this is certainly the first time I’ve heard of several people praying that their importations be released!

So many reasons and excuses are being given, but in the eyes of businessmen who have to pay “cost of money” and interests, the delays can only be explained as “hostage taking” or institutional extortion. One businessman shared to the group of his 100 containers that were stuck in the container jam as well as the ever-changing demands of customs officials who would ask for additional documents each passing day.

A few weeks ago, I shared a table at NAIA 2 with a couple that were engaged in supplying computer equipment and support materials to various government agencies in the Visayas. While waiting for our respective flights I learned of their business environment; how corruption had been greatly reduced under P-Noy but in its place “Red Tape” has become the curse of businesses in Cebu and the Visayas. According to the couple what used to take one week now stretches to a tedious 30-day processing and releasing of goods from Customs in Cebu. Yes the BOC leadership has been scoring points lately on garlic smuggling in Cebu and Batangas, but their every victory is eradicated by delay and the perception of intentional delay on the part of examiners demanding too many documents and requirements.

Last Saturday, I got a “tip” from a Customs insider who reported that shipping companies have started to bypass the Port of Manila because there is a pile up of empty container vans that have made it impossible for incoming shipments to be off-loaded for lack of space. The truth is the Bureau of Customs and officials at the Port of Manila have issued a warning to owners of the hundreds of empty container vans that these would be sold or disposed off if not removed from the premises. I would advise the hardworking officials at the BOC to simply arrange for the Philippine Navy and the group of Mikey Romero to bring them to Tacloban City where they can be reused as better and stronger shelters than the coco lumber units built as temporary shelters.

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There was once a king who made it a point to cut the toes and thumbs of his enemies as his trademark of conquest and victory. He made a “career” of it and he specialized in doing this to other kings in particular. Then one day an even greater king came and beat him in battle. As punishment his thumbs and toes were cut off and he was sent to exile where he died.  This Bible-based story reminds us not to be utterly cruel against your enemy in their defeat because their “present” could be your future.

Someone commented on Facebook how unusually quiet officials of the P-Noy administration were while warrants of arrests were being issued against the Senate trinity of Enrile, Estrada and Revilla. It was as if they did not want to be associated with the process or be given credit for seeing the whole thing through.

On the other hand, I can’t help but wonder if there is some prophet inside Malacañang who may have been going around warning them not to rejoice over their enemies’ downfall or to gloat in contempt of the accused. I wonder if certain Cabinet members in the P-Noy administration have considered the very distinct possibility that the present circumstance of those being arrested for plunder is the future that awaits today’s Cabinet members? Guilty or otherwise, the inescapable truth of Philippine politics is what you do unto your enemies will most likely be done unto you under a new administration.

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The case questioning the constitutionality of the Disbursement Acceleration Program or DAP before the Supreme Court is beginning to look like a basketball game with two halves. The first half of the case was the PDAF case that the Supreme Court judged as unconstitutional. It was a quick and easy matter and a very quick first half.

On the other hand, the DAP case has taken unusually long and has slowly become the subject of speculations and innuendos. Some have said that the delay is meant to give certain guilty parties a chance to clean up. Others have said that the delay has become a foil of sorts for the Supreme Court versus the present administration to discourage it from any witch hunting or ideas of impeaching members of the Supreme Court. Last week, word began to spread that the Supreme Court had held a soft-vote or informal survey just to determine how the Supreme Court would vote on the constitutionality of the DAP and the alleged result was a majority of 9 against the DAP.

Clearly the media and the people are growing restless and suspicious over the perceived delay. With these sort of ideas foaming to the top, one can only express concern that the Supreme Court Justices need to exercise extreme diligence, explain the points of the law clearly and patiently, but above all must use the unique opportunity to display the integrity of the Supreme Court. Failure to do so would undoubtedly anger people and give their enemies and critics enough ammunition to turn the tables on them. There can be no double standards. It must be a court of laws and not of men.