the philippine godmother




T.G.I.F
By Rene Saguisag
The godmother



NOW that we have the Gudani-Balutan exposé and E.O. 464, it is clear
we have a Godmother in Malacañang who believes in the code of the
underworld: omerta, which some read as "chain of command." Cover-up
is the norm. In our more innocent time in government we believe in a
code of ethical standards, for transparency and openness, in the
sunlight.

Press Secretary Toting Bunye should not have opened his mouth about the
two tapes without GMA's clearance (he thought he had it but
Consigliori Ed Ermita glared at him and asked, "What clearance?").
Nor should Mike Defensor have said, "It was her voice but it was not
she speaking." Nor should Bert Gonzales have gone to the Senate to
eat and go bananas.

What an official family. The Palace might have known Bert is a runaway
horse. (One lesson: officials should have medical check-ups.) But, like
Toting and Mike, he cannot make up his mind whether he had GMA's
green light. Now, she has made it clear that if one would testify about
her cheating, lying and stealing, her consent should first be sought,
to be courteous and fair. Otherwise, the code is: Lintik lang po ang
walang ganti.

Undersecretary Miguel Luz is being sacked for being the brother of Bill
Luz, executive director of Makati Business, which, incidentally was
complicit in cheating FPJ last year. Secretary Raul M. Gonzalez offered
to surrender Pinoys to the US government. Who asked him? Gudani and
Balutan will be court-martialed. Anti-GMA Raul Pangalangan is no longer
dean of UP Law. Ex-allies President Cory and the Hyatt 10 are getting
it. But if one happens to be a Nani Perez, then he enjoys effective
immunity. To date, no meaningful probe has been undertaken on how he
got $2 million deposited in Switzerland after a few weeks in office
following his quick approval of the (Argentine) IMPSA (Industrias
Metalurgicas Pescarmona Sociedad Anonima) deal that Erap would not buy.


In civilized governments, one cannot break the confidence of heads of
state in matters involving military, diplomatic and security concerns.
But to say one may not expose criminal wrongdoing is to mistake
government for the Mafia. Today, we may not even rally. Inconvenient?
This is the point of any demo, to disrupt the normal tempo of one's
life so that he may think of things he would rather not think about,
say, the future of our apos. That was why the Supreme Court, hearing
out Haydee Yorac in 1983, said a rally cannot be held inside the Rizal
Coliseum nor can one preach to the choir, with no unconverted public to
be inconvenienced. It authorized us to march near the US Embassy as
Antibases Coalition members.

In 1962, when Harry Stonehill refused to answer questions in the House
Committee on Good Government headed by Uncle Jovy Salonga, he was
promptly declared in contempt and detained in the chamber. But,
President Diosdado Macapagal connived with Speaker Kune Villareal and
Speaker Pro Tempore Salipada Pendatun to release him without Uncle's
knowledge. DM then quickly deported Harry. Uncle was aghast and said:
"Harry Stonehill was deported but who can deport the truth?"

Here, Godmother made Garci disappear, (sent) Bert Gonzales (to his sick
bed) and now demands that the few good men in the military seek her
blessings first before testifying that she cheated fair and square last
year. As former UP President S.P. Lopez observed: the Pinoy is
bribable.

There was a move to expel Uncle Jovy from the Liberal Party, in the
same way hotheads want those who had voted "no" in the recent
impeachment voting, sanctioned. To his credit, DM did not take it
against Uncle. Nothing came out of the ouster move. This was what GMA
should adopt, the good traits of the past, as edifyingly exemplified by
her father at times. She is a commander in chief not worthy of respect
and obedience.

There was still delicadeza then. With two others, Ka Pepe Diokno
resigned as Justice Secretary, a position whose prestige has been badly
soiled by Raul M. Gonzalez, who has fouled what was once an immaculate
agency of the Tuasons and Barreras. A confident true leader inspires
and tantalizes, an insecure spurious one demoralizes and terrorizes. We
do not have a government. What we have is a criminal syndicate. E.O.
464 is clear as obstruction of truth and justice.

It warms the heart that the military is not rotten to the core. Some
officers and gentlemen truly protect the people, as envisioned in the
Constitution, properly read. However, we now have utterly useless
constitutional consultants few will take seriously. Some are even
columnists so GMA saves on PR expense. We only mind because money is
wasted in a process for use by a number of certified sycophants
enjoying the consolations of conformism.

But, we protest, "Godmother, you have long abandoned the moral high
ground. With the huge trust deficit and no proper ethical
infrastructure, we are undone." Go! Go! Go!

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