The Farce be with them

DIE HARD III
Herman Tiu Laurel
8/25/2006



“May the Farce forever be with them” echoed as the just transpired impeachment comedy was being given post-mortem on radio. That it is happening in the 13th Congress of the time of the great political plague in the country may be no coincidence, with the misfortunes it has brought upon the nation. It’s a congress of hypocrites of both the regime and supposedly opposition clowns (playing musical chairs) who have engaged in this zarzuela to distract from the root of the problem – the 2001 violation of Vox Populi embodied by the elected and interrupt Estrada presidency.

About the administration congressmen there is not much more to say, their corruption and depravity being a given. It’s reflected in Nograles’ countenance, and you can see how grotesque it is. A bit more was expected from so-called opposition congressmen, many flipped-flopped. Even the congressional minority’s champions continue to evade the essential the original sin of which they were party to, too: refusing contrition and apology. We do have a “most shameful award”, to Zubiri who eloquently closed the impeachment with a blatantly call for unity – based on perfidy!

It’s a pity that the focus of mainstream media and even the NGO for a use some of the littlest characters like the children of that late senator who helped made a mockery of the impeachment and the Rule of Law in 2000. They’re the star today but they discuss only superficial issues like graft and corruption of Mike Arroyo which everybody knows of already. That other young opposition leader that speak with the monotone hasn’t done any better as his avoidance of the Estrada issue and mendicancy to the oligarchs (that’s why he has a DZMM show) has kept him at the bottom rungs of the senatorial surveys.

The Farce is with the 13th Congress, while the Force gathers momentum across the land. Real young heroes are really putting their future on the line are multiplying. I can think of the young military officers who today are still languishing in prison for their acts of defiance and dignity against the importuning of corruption and graft. No compromise, no dancing with the farce. The young activists drawn by the siren song of ideological militancy is another species of true young heroes but very unfortunately drawn to early swan songs for their beautiful but doomed missions.

Impeachment is no weapon against GMA, an outlaw regime; only the people and its Force can provide the silver bullet or the wooden stake to drive through its blackened heart. the Force can only be energized if is it is united around the truth, so obscured by so many farces being staged left and right, from the impeachment to the Black and White weeping dwarf to the One Voice of the forked tongue of Christian Monsod and Company. The voice their aim to drown out is the voice of truth: that the Rule of Law cannot be restored without restoring Vox Populi.

The impeachment was handily swept aside not by the twisted legalism of Villafuerte or the weak preparation of the opposition young congressmen, ten million reasons per member of the Committee on Justice and pork barrel for the plenary. How can anybody beat that “incentive”, like slop to hungry pigs. The Filipino public is not desensitized yet, thank god, as the texts condemning the impeachment burial poured into our cellphones and radio call in burned with the rage of the people. This will add to the fury of the Force, and may the day of reckoning be brought nearer by it.

The nation needs a radical shift from the monotonous grind that leads nowhere, waiting for real things to happen. Everyday we are greeted by people asking, when will the next real People Power begin again? Here’s one sample of the texts: “If we can not (t)ry crimes of a president why should we try soldiers? Why should we try anybody at all? Is justice selective? Pls. pass” If the text came from Virginia we would say “Yes, Virginia, justice under Gloria and the 13th Congress is selective; but the text came from a retired colonel. So we say: carry on!

Those following global currents ask: Can we do a Mexico? There the electoral protesters took over the park in front of Congress until the oligarchy-controlled state sent in troops, but they moved elsewhere – blocking foreign banks, taking over toll gates to give vehicles free passage and taking over radio stations. Am I advocating anarchy? No. We are advocating escalation of the struggle towards genuine popular action, since the legal process is no longer meaningful for those who have no money to get the attention of the congressmen and generals.

Yes, its civil disobedience that will upset the establishment; but better the rich and powerful Establishment members get the ulcers than the children of poor Filipino families who can’t afford food, doctors or medication anymore. The young officers of Oakwood at one time raised the flag of civil disobedience over the Internet, the NOU (National Officers’ Union) in calling for mass resignation of officers is in this move also pursuing civil disobedience. That is where the Force will lead us and which all the farces are trying to distract us from.

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