It's Gloria who'll be convicted

DIE HARD III
Herman Tiu Laurel
9/10/2007



"Then not only custom, but also nature affirms that to do is more disgraceful than to suffer injustice, and that justice is equality." – Plato

The day Gloria’s Sandiganbayan convicts the innocent President Estrada on Plunder is the final day the people convicts Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo – guilty as the supreme liar, thief, persecutor and political criminal in this nation’s history. The Tribune’s headline revealing Gloria’s real intention in the massive NCR troops build-up was right on the nose: As Gloria’s corrupt henchmen have known all this time, consensus has been building across a broad spectrum AFP active senior and young officers - that the time has come to cleanse this country of all the rot and scalawags Gloria’s seven years has spawned. Gloria’s been found Gloria guilty and the execution of her ouster is only a matter of opportunity now.

For President Estrada, the real court has exonerated him already – the court of the GO 2007 election victory, history and the people. It’s reflected in all surveys and comparisons of Estrada’s record and Gloria’s crimes. Estrada should find solace in Plato’s words that, the injustice he suffers is honorable and it is universal nature for all to empathize in the injustice he suffers. The vast majority of the AFP officers and men are no exception from this universal sense, hence the growing consensus amongst our military men to coalesce their moral outrage into the plan of action that Malacañang now hopes to pre-empts with NCR troop deployments to create shock and awe – yet it scares no one.

Gloria is scared stiff, evident in her deployment of thousands of troops that grow as the day of Estrada’s conviction comes nearer – but how sure is she that those thousands of troops can withstand the essential nature of their consciences that empathizes with justice. Only a modicum of prodding is needed to bring the sense of justice out - few uniformed men daring to lead will bring out millions of civilians and start the torrent of outrage to shatter the Walls of Jericho. It happened during Marcos’ time when loyal General Ver’s thousands of troops were useless against a sea of indignant people. We’re not saying this will happen the day of Estrada’s conviction, but we’re going there inexorably.

The day the kangaroo Sandiganbayan convicts, handcuffs him and posthaste hauls Estrada off to the Muntinglupa penitentiary would have been the day the nation would have risen up arms. The thousands of inmates of Muntiglupa would have led the throng to fetch President Estrada, to carry on their shoulders back to Malacañang to restore a government of honesty, principle and of compassion for the people to bring us back on the democratic track. Fearing the potential volcanic outburst of the people certain to be enraged by the injustice and oppression the already manifestly corrupt and brutal Gloria is committing, Malacañang has announced Estrada’s continued Tanay stay when convicted.

Gloria is buying time. It’s obvious her primary fear is to have Estrada walking freely, even just around the Greenhills block of his Polk Street home. Otherwise, she would have agreed to the appeal of many, including leaders of various religious groups: that a lesser crime would allow Estrada time served, still save her face and without having to taunt the nation’s sense of fairness and justice. We heard from those religious sources that Gloria said to them: “Maraming usapan naming na hindi tinupad ni Erap.” That’s Gloria, horse-trading even truth and justice; not dispensing judgment with equality. Erap’s track record on the issue of his innocence has always been beyond “usapan” and compromise.

Even while Estrada is sealed in Tanay, his message has not been successfully prevented from wafting through the air and reaching the nation’s ear and heart. Imagine then Estrada walking around his Polk Street home. Throngs would pour into the Greenhills subdivision and call out to him. So long as Estrada is persecuted, that would reach critical mass even without agitation. Gloria dreads this; hence she will doing anything to keep him in Tanay, even convicting an innocent man. The tragedy is that the Sandiganbayan succumbed to Gloria’s “incentives” (Supreme Court appointments, among others) – another scar on the face of the judiciary pockmarked by Davide.

More than any other nation in Asia this Republic’s citizens cherish justice and fair play - ideals of freedom fighters Rizal, Bonifacio, Mabini, and notorious for its “underdog” sympathies. This nation’s revolts always arise at the pinnacle of long and blatant injustice. Estrada’s conviction this Wednesday will be one such point, it will be that point that the nation will reach the realization that “enough is enough”. My favorite philosopher’s words will ring in the nation’s heart: "The only government that I recognize—and it matters not how few are at the head of it, or how small its army—is that power that establishes justice in the land, never that which establishes injustice."

Estrada’s conviction at the Kangaroo Sandigangbayan is the moment that the last element, the AFP will come to the same realization as our people have, and convict Gloria: “Sobra na, Tama na.”

(9/11 Festival, Tuesday, September 11, 3 to 9pm at # 4 Ilang-Ilang St. across T. Gener Bridge from Kamuning and Sct. Torillo; past Morato coming form Manila. Boying Eustaquio fashion shop and Caltex station at the corner)