SK polls deferred...but we want it abolished!

It seems that both Houses in the legislative branch of the government have unanimously approved a bill to defer the coming elections for the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK). Now all they need is the signature of Pres. Benigno PNoy Aquino III and this will be a done deal. While this is only a deferment, it falls short of what we've been asking: to have the SK abolished. But it is a step in the right direction and let us hope that Congress would work for its scrapping as part of the reforms of the government.

We have been against the continued operation of the KB since the EDSA Revolt removed the unlamented conjugal Marcos dictatorship because we knew too well that the SK was created by a Presidential Decree by then Pres. Ferdinand E. Marcos. This because he wanted his daughter Aimee to have a "political" toy to practice for a future political career. Accordingly, the SK was created in order to allow the youth to participate in the Barangay elections or to train future leaders in government work.

More important of all, the SK was supposed to be apolitical, just like the barangay elections are also apolitical. These are noble and highly-idealistic goals. But 27 years after the EDSA Revolt, it is common knowledge that the SK and the barangay polls have been politicized to the point that no SK official can run for office unless that person has the blessings not only of the barangay officials, but also of the local mayor or governor. This, in my book, is the sole reason why Congress should abolish the SK.

Like it or not, the SK has been used by political dynasties as their training ground for those siblings who want to join politics. But the 1987 Constitution cemented or institutionalized political patronage and soon, political dynasties flourished for 27 years. Hence, this cancer in our political society began as a cancerous lump called the SK. Then it metastasized into the barangay elections and soon, this cancer spread to the legislative arena, spreading that vicious lie to the poor Filipino people that these people are running to help the poor people. Years later, the Filipinos are still poor!

In the end, we all saw what was half-revealed by the whistleblowers that the political elite have been feasting on their respective Pork Barrels and getting away with it since the 1987 Constitution was ratified. I say half-revealed because at this point, we are getting signals from the Department of Justice (DOJ) through Sec. Leila de Lima that she is no longer cooperating with the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee because of the row she had with Senate Blue Ribbon committee Chairman Sen. T.G. Guingona who then had to issue a subpoena to her to produce the whistleblowers.

When we get unnecessary delays like this, it ripples all the way to our snail-paced justice system and then we start asking ourselves, when will we see the crooks of nation go to jail? Remember the infamous Ampatuan massacre? Come November, it will be commemorating its 4th year. And to think Pres. Aquino came into power telling the Filipino people that we should tread the "straight path" or daang matuwid.

Why is it that under the much-ballyhooed Aquino reforms, justice is still very much delayed? At this point, I read the column written by Arch. Oscar V. Cruz (I'm not sure which paper he writes) entitled "Beware the Fourth Monkey." It's a parody really, but it sounds very logical.

Yes, we know of the famous three monkeys; the first one has its hands over its eyes so it doesn't see any evil. The second monkey has its hands covering its ears so he doesn't hear anything and the third monkey has its hands covering its mouth so it doesn't speak evil. So okay we've been here before and heard of this. But Arch. Cruz adds the fourth monkey into this equation. This monkey simply does nothing.

So allow me to quote Arch. Cruz when he wrote, "Yes! This fourth monkey can see, hear, and talk. But act he does not. Lo and behold! He sits comfortably, has his hands cozily folded as he listens to what is taking place, merely looks at what people are doing and that's it! But when the right time comes, when the right occasion and opportunity are present, this monkey jumps into action, denouncing what is wrong, etc. and eventually announcing his availability to serve the people, to save the country, etc. Call this fourth monkey an astute one, a smart aleck, a good opportunist or whatever. But the advisory is the same: beware of the fourth monkey!"

Of course, being a staunch Aquino critic, Arch. Cruz was referring to Pres. PNoy Aquino and describes his persona almost to the dot. Except that I disagree with him when he said that this fourth monkey is a "good opportunist." Just remove the good. But there is no doubt that Pres. PNoy is an opportunist and the Filipino people were sold down the river believing that he would reform this corrupt nation. He won't even agree to Charter changes!

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