Who’s fooling who?
The “fool me once, shame on you…” statements of President Aquino before religious leaders last Monday, where he squarely laid the blame on the shoulders of sacked SAF Chief Getulio Napeñas for the death of 44 troopers, has sparked another round of criticism from many sectors including former President Ramos who accused President Aquino of being totally “unpresidential,” and eroded the popularity of the president even more with everyone now asking who’s fooling who. It did not sit well with a lot of people that the president couldn’t wait for the Board of Inquiry’s report by “jumping the gun” on the Mamasapano debacle.
The BOI report is out and it stated that both the president and Napeñas violated the PNP chain of command – something that could give P-Noy critics even more fodder to demand for his ouster. Certainly, the full impact of the Mamasapano tragedy will be seen not only in the next survey but in the outcome of the 2016 elections given the already heated political atmosphere as seen in the escalating animosity between the camps of vice president Jojo Binay and Interior Secretary Mar Roxas.
There’s really no telling which way the highly charged political atmosphere will take us, but ultimately, it will really be up to the people to judge who they think is more credible. It’s clear, too, that the political dynamics in this country have become even more volatile. With the president’s credibility having suffered heavily – “rapidly eroding” as his critics maintain – Mar Roxas who is the presumed Liberal Party candidate may have a problem relying on the president’s endorsement. On the other hand, VP Binay continues to be under siege. If he maintains his credibility with the masa and can convince them that the attacks against him are all political in nature, then very likely he will remain on top of the heap.
No doubt the botched Mamasapano operation has trained the attention of people on other potential presidentiables, like Senator Grace Poe who gained a lot of ground for her impressive handling of the Senate committee hearings on the SAF 44 – with a lot of supporters now urging her to make a run for the top post in 2016.
Senator Alan Peter Cayetano’s strong words against the government peace panel which he has lumped together with the MILF as untrustworthy – saying in one interview that he was almost taken for a ride by the MILF on the Bangsamoro Basic Law – also gave him a lot of mileage especially among opponents of the proposed Bangsamoro law, although we have yet to see if this will improve his ratings in the next survey.
Sonny Trillanes is also perceived to be veering away from his image as the administration’s “defender-in-chief,” perhaps reflecting that being linked with the president may not be in his best interest. In fact, even administration allies seem to be distancing themselves from the chief executive whose perceived conflicting accounts about the Mamasapano tragedy has provoked a number of them seriously thinking of jumping ship. When all is said and done, people will remember US President Abraham Lincoln’s famous line — “You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all of the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.”
Not surprisingly, the highly charged political atmosphere is prompting some groups to again call for a transition government headed by Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno. The chief justice — who was our guest speaker at the MOPC forum last Thursday (see photos of the event in today’s Allure section) – bucked such calls, saying that the 1987 Constitution has denied her that political role of succession (unlike in the 1935 Constitution where the Chief Justice is fourth in line after the vice president, the Senate president and the Speaker).
Sereno said her role is not to engage in partisan politics, stressing that her mandate is clear: To help bring the country towards a more constitution-oriented framework. “War comes at a very high cost, and if there is an alternative to war that is acceptable in the context of justice and the rule of law, then this must be pursued. But how that pursuit is to be made is the test of good governance,” she said.
During the forum, it became apparent that despite P-Noy’s “disappointments” regarding Supreme Court decisions (like the disbursement acceleration program which was ruled with finality as unconstitutional), CJ Sereno is, ironically, turning out to be good for him and is probably the best appointment he ever made.
To the chief justice, the Supreme Court has a grave and sacred role bestowed upon it by the Constitution — and that is to constantly bring the ship of state back to the Constitution — the “North Star” — whenever it departs from its course. To this end, the SC must not lose its relevance in shaping society and history, and must be the “stabilizing force” in a democracy where the two other branches of government are political in nature. What this country needs, she said, are “leaders whose agenda will not be questioned, and whose motives are clear.”
The symbol of justice is a lady holding a scale with her eyes blindfolded to show impartiality. But it’s becoming clear that our lady chief justice who famously said, “I do not serve presidents, excuse me” (to emphasize that the court has a distinct role and that the Filipino public’s belief in its independence will assure the long-term survival and flourishing of democracy in this country), is not blind – neither deaf – to the strong need among the Filipino people to be validated in their quest for justice. ***
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