EDITORIAL – EDSA 3?

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima’s threats notwithstanding, there is essentially nothing wrong with calling for President Benigno Aquino to resign. One of the most basic rights of the people in a democratic country is freedom of expression, and expressing a desire for the President to step down is simply an exercise of that freedom. Even the group that massed in EDSA last Sunday had this freedom, and they should be allowed to do so without de Lima’s veiled threat that they could face charges of sedition, rebellion, or coup d’etat because of certain actions already implemented by the group, from organizing fora and conferences of supporters and sympathizers. Besides, no one can fault the group for trying to – but ultimately failing – to create some sort of critical mass at EDSA; after all, the 29th anniversary of the first People Power uprising is just a few days away, and they were obviously banking on the sentimental significance of February 25 to attract people to their cause.
Having said that however, the people behind the so-called movement calling for Aquino and other top government officials to resign must take the Filipino people for fools if they think they can muster enough warm bodies to create another People Power revolution. For one, the apparent leaders of the group are politicians and the powers that be who alone stand to gain from a vacancy in the government’s top positions. For another, the people have had enough of popular uprisings that never seem to result in any meaningful change that would actually benefit the people. Two EDSAs are more than enough; one kicked out a dictator, the other a corrupt leader. Mounting a third one would reveal us to the world as an incompetent people unable to elect the proper leaders in office.
Mr. Aquino is certainly unpopular these days, and even his attempts to salvage his reputation seem to backfire on him, but ousting him will not improve the situation of the country. Indeed, removing him from power – whether voluntarily on his part or by force – will only send the country down a more treacherous road from which there may be no return. For what are the alternatives? We shudder at the thought of traditional politicians – we don’t shorten those two words to “trapo” for no reason – gaining control of the country and driving it to the ground. The best thing to do now is work together, and if this administration is completely unpalatable, then the people can express that in the election that is coming up next year. Let the democratic process do its work first.