The Philippine Elections: A Story of Hope and Frustration

Note:  *This is an essay I wrote in my college years (2007)..It sucked, but there's sincerity in it..I guess...

One may wonder, given their dull and tasteless appearance in their pre-campaign television (and ‘facebook’ ads), if these politicians are ever aware that people today would rather turn their TV sets off than to watch their exaggerated and self-laudatory masterpieces. What is it that prompts them to spend millions just to look good on the screen? What makes them fake those smiles in front of the camera and tell us ‘things’ – beautiful things, promising things, hopeful things?

Why do they want to become the leaders of this country?

We have seen and heard of men and women of power; of people who ventured for greatness, and ended up being blinded by its illusions; tales of warriors who took the chance of slaying a monster...only to turn into the same monsters which they thought they have defeated. We have put people in power, in hopes that they will be different from those who are corrupted, only to find out later that they are of the same mold – eaten by the same ancient system that caused them to exploit their own people.

What is ever new to people who, by experience, have grown cynical to power politics and traditional state affairs? None. For them, it will always be a series of repetitions similar to what they have already witnessed; the same colorful posters that will be scattered on the streets, and the same long speeches of “Iboto ang pagbabago..”, “Tutulungan ko kayo…”, “…babangon tayo”, “…lalaban tayo…” and “Hindi po ako katulad ng mga iba..” As if they have known us for a long time, as if they have known our problems and troubles, as if they can save us from all of the damn worries of our everyday life.

Keeping their pristine ideals, young people storm the streets with painted boards and loud speakers to express their disgust on the government and the politicians in position. After awhile, the movements will be succeeded by some new faces and the young people grow up to become the same people they have criticized. Maybe, there is something about age and experience that makes idealists plunge into the bitterness of realism. Many people who have seen “how it is” and sadly, and maybe, of “how it will always be”, tend to lose hope and embrace apathy because it is only in such way that they can accept the cold stinging truth that they cannot change or go against “this system”; and that,  if they cannot “beat them”, they might as well “join them”.

But, why? Why do people want to become politicians? Why do they want to become the Mayor? The Congressman or, the President? To help the poor? To initiate change? To make the move for a more responsible and more accountable government? I hope so. Or, is it because, they wish for the power and wealth that comes with it? Or to cement their names in the pages of history and become immortal in the process? We will never know until they are seated…when they will reveal their true intentions. All that is left to do is, yes…hope.

Money, Politics, Death and 'Simple Jesse'

When I ran for a Barangay Councilman position two years ago, after a short contract at UC, I expected a lot of criticisms – that I was ‘too young’, ‘too inexperienced’…just another restless kid armed with inapplicable idealism to the ‘real’ world. “Just who is this young guy who opted for an elective office? ‘Why not work abroad?’ ‘Why not join big corporations?”  There are a lot of questions, and why would I not, if everything is about money. But then, it is never all about money. The death of our heroes, or even our very own Sec. Jesse Robredo shows that it’s not all about the money. It will not always be the money.

When my father died about a year ago, I was suddenly confronted with a big challenge. Certainly, I’m not a brat anymore; I am already an adult and I have a degree haven’t I? My friend, Howard, made it to the top of the class and yet he did it with working his ass off to pay his tuition fees, so why can’t I do it too? There should not be a problem, “my dad already left me a tool to live”, I told myself. Then, it hit me; I did really need the money. I needed money to finish my law school, to continue my Masters, to help in the house, to sustain my personal allowance, to maintain my damn car which is still being paid through a salary deduction in the first place. I now face the inevitable, without the help of someone, no one to call and ask for a little extra money, no more, “Pa, agdawatak man ti pangnayon ti kastoy”.  In short, I am really my own man now… I choked, admittedly,  but then surprisingly after, I  can only grin.

I am not that scared because I have a plan.

They often say that, “Education is one of the things that they can’t take away from you” , and indeed, it is true. Equipped with my teaching license and some significant experience, I returned to teaching with a growing college in La Trinidad. It is near my home, my workplace, and my graduate school. I am starting to learn how to save some money by cutting my choice of travel. This is logical since I do have an alternative and I have to finish at least three degrees more. However, what complicates it is the position that I am still holding;  although the law provides that local elective public officers (legislative in nature like sanggunians) can engage in other profession provided that it doesn’t interfere with its sessions and meetings, there are still a lot of times in which I have to literally split myself to the demands of two professions. Fortunately, I was able to manage it. What I detest however, is when some persons decided to use 'these'  as ammunitions to their political mudslinging against my poor self.

What I mean is; when my father died, I have to face this war by myself – a newbie against a legion of old timers who felt that I am in the wrong place. Ordinances I forwarded were junked into the piles of 'unstudied' documents in the municipal committee on laws without any action because I guess, they think that I’m just a kid ( and for what he really is; the councilor who heads the Committee on Laws is a piece of sh*t) . Although some were approved, the unapproved solid waste management ordinance of Pico, or even the Boarding House ordinance lay there unattended by councilors contribute to our waste problems and municipal offenses. Resolutions are ignored by higher offices. Example, the road repairs and drainage at the Bayabas road we personally made to both the provincial representative and governor lay there untouched, although it is obviously a priority project. I’ve exhausted the powers and responsibilities we can utilize for goals like these, but sadly…I can only do so much, especially with my current schedule. I’m not making an excuse, but it does sound that I am and I hate it. These situations are just to give you a glimpse of my life. .

Why am I suddenly writing this? Is it to lift some guilt that I feel from a few of my absences in the community because I have to attend to my students? Is it because I felt that I have not done so much? Is it to criticize the game of politics? I don’t know. Nope, on the second thought,  I want to outline how money shaped my decisions. In this case, I refused to quit school hence I have to teach, which may prejudice my other job BUT not for a long time. I believe that when all of these extra baggage are done, I’ll be more qualified to take on tasks which are heavier than what I am presently holding. These are simply prerequisites to becoming the real men which are expected of us. Hopefully, when this time comes, we have already rid ourselves of the self-indulgent vices we frequent, like overgrowing the toys we had in our childhood.

Or I guess, I just dream of following the Robredo Legacy. How could a man have lived more than how he died? As a co-cabinet member said “Nakakahiya kung hindi ganito ung burol natin…”. Our mayors would only dream of the awesomeness of ‘Simple Jesse’. What if people only attend your funeral because of the free biscuit and coffee, the ‘chismis’ and the simple noise? Perhaps that would be the real tragedy. Now, if anything good can come out of this heartbreak, it would be his legacy to current and would-be public servants. Sec. Robredo Legacy is not a ‘trapo’, he does not own mansions (have you seen his unfinished house?), he does not employ bodyguards, he detested putting names on government projects, he is not used to putting his face on tarpaulins just to indirectly launch a campaign ( I know a councilor who has the habit of always putting his not so handsome face in tarpaulins on almost every occasion). Further, he knows his priorities; where money and luxury matters and where it is not - he died in his way NOT to a trip to a casino or another sin city, but a trip to attend to her daughter and family. Money is not always everything.

So how do I relate my topic about money on Robredo’s legacy? It makes the difference. When he took the post as Secretary of DILG which has control over LGUs, he introduced policies and measures which will avoid red tape, corruption, and delay of service. His goals are intended to fair and responsive governance…without the ‘money-making stop-overs’ in the government bureaucracy. He introduced a lifestyle of slippers and bicycles, far from the Porsche and Fortuners of many politicians, hence, the name ‘Simple Jesse’. All of the good things I must say will not render this blog sufficient. I decided that he is my hero.

When my father was dying, he gave me an advice which I plan to hold on until I die. ‘Okay en dayta nga biag; teacher ken public service tapos asideg pay ti balay ken ilim, mayaten dayta’ he told me in a convincing tone. What he meant that time is that I be contented, if not happy...for there is joy in simplicity and in living in a community where your existence is valued.

Certainly, not everything is all about the money.

Corona's downfall

I am what you can say, a mediocre law student ; I get a few units every semester, I failed two subjects three semesters  ago, I dropped once, and I attend my classes not as a law student, but just like how I did in my undergraduate  classes– no wonder that I am a year delayed. I blame myself, my other commitments, and some of my law professors for this. It cannot be denied, however, that even with some ‘mediocre’ law professors who attend our classes only four times in a semester, or those who prefer telling their life stories and favorite viands rather than really teaching us; there were a few gems in every Law School that have drilled us with legal principles that will, from time to time, appear as the legal truth.

When the impeachment trial of Corona started, we were excited to see an actual application of what we learned in our first year’s Political Law subjects. Finally; we can make sense of the concepts and doctrines which our professors taught us for hours. We were excited to witness a live telecast of the relevance of ‘Checks and Balances” in our system. I must confess though that I have pre-judged Chief Justice Corona simply because he was appointed by former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (who is one of the most corrupt presidents in our history), especially because his appointment created division among the members of the Supreme Court and necessarily planted suspicion on the public mind. It is not because I am a Pnoy fanatic (I did not vote for him), even if there is truth that the impeachment is a crafty machination of a vindictive and single-minded executive in an effort to protect his family and personal interest. This has no bearing since Corona once penned a decision which suggests that "impeachment is inevitably political in nature". Personally, I still believe that the impeachment is still a necessary process in checks and balances provided by the constitution.

As the prosecution conceded to the imperfect conception of the complaint, it still managed to raise one issue that has given relevance to their case: The declaration/non-declaration of assets in his SALN. Even a Barangay Kagawad like me was advised, actually ordered, to fill it up with necessary honesty, we even subscribe and swore to it - as Enrile pointed out; "it's an order directed to public officials". Thus, I even declared my guitar and cell phone (and there was actually a waiver for the Ombudsman to look into my records and employ it’s given powers to check other government agencies to ascertain if I am telling the truth or not). Now, if the Chief Justice, the head of the last bastion of justice and truth, or the highest court of the land, will not do this, or have failed to do this, then what message does this give to even the lowest public officers like us?

When former Justice Morales dropped the bomb (thanks to the defense team), it created strong waves that forced CJ Corona to attend the impeachment hearing to answer queries from the senator-judges and the prosecution team. He appeared however with a script and a drama in his last effort to sway public opinion on his side, he acted more like a politician than a magistrate – he did not stick to the issues immediately. In law school, that will fail you automatically; even that one moment of going around what is not relevant to the issue will cost a student points in recitation, and worse, even a semester. And after the walkout and the drama and the obvious stage act, I thought I have imagined another Angelo Reyes on the making.

The last hearing ended with admissions, more drama, more admonitions, and that rare increase of anticipation. There were foreign accounts, period. It was an asset, period. It was not declared in the SALN, period. It is a violation of a constitutional mandate for public officers, period. It is something alleged in the complaint and a necessary issue in the case, period. As law students, we were trained to give the highest regard to the courts, especially to the highest court of the land and its officers. Hence, his reasons for not doing it (for years) because it was co-mingled funds, or that it was forbidden by another law to disclose it was unsettling, much more to us who thinks that he must possess the highest standards of legal knowledge as the Chief Justice. The point is, he did not declare it. The purpose of disclosure sprouts from the public need to know about their officials' transactions and accumulation of wealth, thus, discouraging them in committing corruption or any illegal means of acquisition. It is a precaution, and it is also a means to repair the system. As an official, he has to know the essence of it. That may decide his moral fitness, integrity, and honesty in this case. If a mere judicial 'employee' was removed from office because of non-declaration of a sarisari store, then how much more for "millions and millions" of pesos and dollars?

In the last interview with Angelo Reyes before he committed suicide, he spoke these words that might have helped the Chief Justice in contemplating what he might have done with the case against him;

“Coming clean, on the other hand, cannot be done without giving up something. I have decided to come clean, bare my heart and speak the truth. The truth can cut two ways: 1. If you are guiltless, you can embrace the truth and hope that it will protect you; 2. If you are NOT guiltless, speak the truth and it shall set you free.”

“Honor is above all else. More valuable than freedom or even life itself. Therefore, honor must be guarded/defended with your life.”

“Living life without honor is a tragedy bigger than death itself.”

Indeed. What is the essence of living a life without it? When you have been doing something that has purged it, sliced it, and burned it all away? He could have told the truth earlier, in the initial stage of the proceedings, and walked away from it had he chose to like former Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez.The public can accept bravery, and acknowledgment of mistakes and omissions. There is no half truth, and three-fourths truth - he could have admitted guilt, or even simply step down and it would have led to a better result - it could have set him free. Life is too short. 

But because he did not, he is doomed.

If he is convicted, in which he can no longer appeal to the Supreme Court, because on matters of Impeachment, it is the Senate, sitting as an Impeachment Court that is actually the Supreme Court (although former Judge Cuevas opposed this view), and because he has already submitted to the process, and rejecting the result from the process is absurd; he will still be written as a precedent to future events of history...it is simply a disgrace. If he is acquitted, the people will still judge him for his deliberate or intentional ignorance of the law – whatever personal reasons he must have. He is after all, the Chief Justice, and he should know more. Whatever the decision is, CJ Corona has already tainted the image of the Supreme Court and the institution of laws and justice. He was already judged.

 The lesson here is simple; "students must hold on to even that smallest bit of idealism that they might have, even until they get to rise to the ranks of the real world". In the movie based on John Grisham’s book; The Rainmaker, it shows a side story of how law students enter lawschool with a certain amount of idealism, only to forget them all and become like the people they criticize before. In the final scene that ended the movie, Rudy Baylor, the protagonist contemplated on the reality of every lawyer who attempts to climb the post. He said; “Every lawyer, at least once in every case, feels himself crossing a line that he doesn't really mean to cross... it just happens... And if you cross it enough times it disappears forever. And then you're nothing but another lawyer joke. Just another shark in the dirty water."