Once More with Feeling: "Matuwid na Daan"

Recently, it was said that he reigning President again proclaimed that bringing to justice the practitioners of graft and corruption has been, still is and will remain his principal, priority and pet project. In effect, this is supposed to be the open and only reason of the now on-going hullabaloo about the GMA case. Thus it was reported that the same Chief-in-Command even made the official and public vow that he would exert no less than a triple effort to steadfastly tread his "Matuwid na Daan" electoral mantra.

No. It is not altogether right to say that the loud shout and repeated claim of self-righteousness are all but nice sound bites. No. It is neither really correct to say that it is instead the Legislative Department that has been since then doing the investigations of the graft and corrupt practices of former public officials - particularly those connected with the previous administration. Yes. It is more appropriate to say that the sitting President is selective in the application of the principle and norm of the "Matuwid na Daan."

The "Matuwid" is not in the "Daan" for the members of the famous and influential K.K.K. Everything is not that straight not than above board as far as the said club members with Malacañang predilection, are concerned. There are these and those positive signs and strong indications of dishonesty about this and that club constituent. But, Malacañang so far has registered a zero inquiry action on them. Amusing!

The "Matuid" is neither the "Daan" for certain big benefactors of the Malacañang occupant on the occassion of the latter's election into office. In fact, there is the interesting total or complete silence on the part of the Executive Department regarding the disturbing findings of "Tan Dem" on the discovered capital anomalies in the well-advertised and acclaimed computerized electoral process of 2010. But Malacañang is indifferent about it. Interesting!

The "Matuwid" is definitely neither in the "Daan" for the Jueteng Lords, the Jueteng Collaborators, the Jueteng Beneficiaries. This is not to make mention of the one too many on-going illegal gambling operations in the Country--such as "Alpor," "Ending," "Hataw," "Loteng," "Masiao," "Tong-its," etc. etc. etc. Jueteng toppled one President. Another now formally accused past President had something to do with the so-called "Vatican of Jueteng." Jueteng is a big reality as well as a great symbol of graft and corruption. But it is excluded from the "Matuid na Daan." Why? Ask the self-proclaimed incarnation of integrity. Ask why the exception. Ask why the selective prosecution against graft and corrupt practitioners. Intriguing!

Hacienda Luisita

There was the bloody Mendiola Massacre. There were the bitter strikes of the farmers staged in the Hacienda. There were the gross killings in Tarlac intimately connected with the same Hacienda – inclusive of the murder of a good and kind Aglipayan Bishop simply showing concern and extending assistance to the aggrieved farmers. One big piece of land owned by one big dynasty causative of one big long standing social problem in the Country – this is the Hacienda Luisita.

“SC junks Luisita stock option deal.” – so read the headline of a national broadsheet dated 24 November 2011. This was even followed with the news that no less than 14 Justices unanimously agreed to a “total distribution of land.” This is the stark reversal of the maneuvering of a long previous government that supposedly had agrarian reform as the centerpiece of its avowed socio-economic program. But specifically in the case of Hacienda Luisita, instead of parting with the land in favor of the farmers, some kind of a stock distribution was ingeniously conceived and implemented.

Question: With the decision of the Supreme Court, is justice finally achieved in conjunction with the crimes generated by the Hacienda Luisita phenomenon? Answer: No. Reason: The judgment does not resurrect the lives lost in the above said massacre and other killings, nor does it compensate those who lost their loved ones. Much less does it administer justice upon those responsible for the crimes. This notable criminal issue seems to have gone into complete oblivion.

Question: With the decision of the Supreme Court, is the Hacienda Luisita fiasco resolved? Answer: No. Reason: All the government agencies that are supposed to execute the judgment, are under the sovereign rule of a Chief Executive that precisely belongs to the wealthy and powerful clan behind the Hacienda. Furthermore, it is not a secret that there is some kind of a duel going on between the Executive Department and the Judiciary. This cannot but have a bearing on what the Department would do with the decision.

Question: With the decision of the Supreme Court, at what monetary cost to the farmers will the land be distributed to them? Would it be at the same cost price when the Hacienda was purchased from Tabacalera – as precisely agreed upon in its sale? Answer: Who knows? Question: Where did the financing of the business hub of the Hacienda really came from? Answer: Investigate. Question: Where did the financing of the piling of that tall and long barrier to protect the Hacienda from lahar, really came from? Answere: Inquire.

There are people who say that the Hacienda Luisita is some kind of a “curse” to everybody therein concerned – farmers and owners alike. While this may not be exactly true, it would be however pretty hard to say that it is a “blessing” to the farmers in general. But to the Hacienda majority owners, it has been and it still is!

Too Little, Too Late

There are now those famous islands whose ownership has long been disputed in many ways, for many reasons, among many countries – considering they are not simply in the “West Philippine Sea” but also in “South China Sea.” This is why the said islands have become concrete objects of conflicting claims by supposedly friendly nations – especially by the Philippines and China. Reason: It is said that there is much more in the islands than their unique formation and virginal state. In addition to its strategic location, there is also the strong belief that they hold a good amount of underneath energy materials. Hence, the on-going skirmish particularly between the Philippines and China as principals in the still low-key but already red-hot issue.

Understandably, the Philippine Government is disturbed by the adventures of China in its progressive avowed ownership of the islands – some or all of them. As some kind of a demonstration of its rightful claim, China known as a super-power not only in the region but also in the world, sent a big loaded and deadly ship thereto as a symbolic expression of dominion over the islands. So it came pass that no one less than the AFP Commander-in-Chief himself entered into the picture. So far, the following are his known progressive counter actions – to this writing.

For a start, he sends a World War II vintage ship of the Philippine Navy to the islands. A good number of Filipinos did not even know that there was such a ship in the Country. It is so old and rusty that the joke came about saying that the ship was a big danger to friends and foes alike not due to its deadly weaponry on the like but rather account of the abundance of tetanus it had as brought about its heavily rusting steel plates.

As a follow-up, the same Chief-in-Command had another left-over ship purchased from the US Navy. It was certainly a surplus weaponry with less rusting parts but also with less potentials in fire power. And there again some naughty Filipinos who commented that the two war ships should be accompanied and aided by fishing boats to confuse the Chinese, together with colorful vintas to distract them.

As of late, there was that public announcement saying “P-Noy asks South Korea for military hardware.” It is said that this brave and expensive move is intended to boost the Philippine weaponry specifically intended to protect the islands from Chinese invasion. Needless to say, the elementary questions asked are basically following: How much public funds would be spent for the desired weaponry? How would the weaponry help the Filipinos in the alleviation of their poverty and misery? How would bullets and bombs remedy the sagging socio-economic development of the Country?

The Philippines buying war implements in these days and times to counter a super power? Sorry, such a venture is too little, too late.