by Edcer Escudero
IN a telenovela-like series of imbecilic acts of defiance against constitutional authority and established government, more than 300 misguided soldiers of the Filipino people took up arms to topple the Arroyo Regime in 2003, 2007 and 2009.
They were herded like cattle by self-styled advocates of righteous governance and self-proclaimed defenders – cum saviors of democracy – Antonio Trillanes IV, Danilo Lim and Ariel Querubin. (The last two thought they were good enough to be senators of the realm, but were rejected by the voters in 2010 senatorial race).
Poor planning and zero backing by the civilian populace doomed their stupid adventure. They were arrested and detained on charges of rebellion. They are still detained to this day.
But Noynoy Aquino, the new commander-in-chief, wants to give them back their freedom through a general amnesty. Congress and the AFP agree. In fact, they might even welcome the soldiers back to the barracks and, to top it all, grant then backpay wages for all the years that they were detained. (Lucky souls, these rebels).
Opposition senator Joker Arroyo, however, frowns at such an amnesty grant, arguing that it might send the wrong signal to the military establishment. It will make spoiled brats out of our soldiers.
Let’s hope, that those rebel soldiers, after getting amnestied, won’t succumb to AMNESIA so that they won’t mount a coup again.
My favorite neighbor, Jimmy the Lotto Expert, has an interesting suggestion: We send a fighting contingent to South Korea to be composed of the 378 soldiers who are subject of the general amnesty, and the same contingent should be led by Trillanes, Lim and Querubin. After all they are battle-tested, brave, fearless and are more than willing to “die for democracy”.
—o—o—
Filipino Catholic bishops think they are big enough, strong enough and righteous enough to take on the government head-on. They have been talking tough for quite a while against the Reproductive Health (RH) Bill which is the subject of heated debate in the Lower House of Congress.
They say that the Church will “fight till the final moments” of approval of the said bill.
Tough talk, indeed. But then, that’s as far as they can go – talk tough. They cannot bully the State. This is now the 21st century, not the medieval times.
The State does not dictate upon the Church. It doesn’t meddle in church affairs. The Church should do the same. If they are lukewarm in cooperating with the State in improving the lives of its citizens, the least that they can do is to shut up and not dangle the threat of excommunication over the head of the Head of the State. (In the 13th century, Pope Boniface VIII threatened several times to excommunicate King Philip IV, but failed each time).
The trouble with the Catholic Church in the Philippines today, is that its bishops (most if not all) still cling to a medieval mindset which asserts that spiritual authority is superior to temporal and political sovereignty.
In the 6th, 8th, 13th and 14th centuries, the popes were virtual lords of all royal lords in Europe. They anointed, crowned and named emperors and kings of Germany, France and England and other monarchial countries.
The succeeding popes had kings and emperors under their thumbs: Pope Zacharias, Pope Stephen III, Pope Leo IV, Pope Nicolas I, Pope Innocent III, Pope Boniface VIII and Pope Gregory the Great.
The CBCP wants to go back to medieval times. Tragic.
