Threats

Freedom is a concept that has been perverted in many ways, when people do not get what they want in this country, they not only flail around and engage in all kinds of demagoguery, they also issue thinly-veiled threats…publicly! And naturally, some sectors in the media go into a tailspin to broadcast everything down to the last juicy bit, all for the cause of freedom of course.

Fierce advocates of the death penalty went to town the other day to protest, decry, lambast, and do practically everything dramatic to register their disgust over the eminent lifting of capital punishment in this country. Now, this is a free country and people should be allowed to protest anything – including of course, the right to protest against a protest, and the right to protest against a protest of a protest. And so on and so forth.

But protesting is one thing, making threats is another thing.

Sadly, this has become rather commonplace today. Last week, businessmen led by Donald Dee went on public television to threaten the President. The message was not even coached in more polite terms, but in plain and simple language: we will withdraw support if the legislated wage increase is signed into law. Businessmen making threats, now that's something you do not see everyday!

It was the turn of the pro-death penalty advocates this week (I always shudder at the label “pro-death,” but then again, it is just me and I always had a weak stomach anyway). The Philippine Council for Evangelical Churches, the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption and the Citizen’s Crime Watch issued a clear threat, again coached in simple, clear, straightforward language: we will withdraw support if the death penalty is abolished. (Actually the Jesus Is Lord movement was part of the protest, but did not threaten withdrawal of support for very obvious reasons: they never offered any support to begin with since their leader Brother Eddie Villanueva was a presidential candidate).

In other words, they are demanding payoff for their support.

And these people have the gall to demand good governance? How can any leader govern effectively if he or she is forced to pander to everyone’s wishes?

Comments

cvj said…
GMA is in a weak position because her legitimacy in in question and people know it. Part of being a good leader is the ability to sticks to unpopular principle that would benefit the common good (as he or she understands it). In the case of GMA, her inability to govern effectively is her own doing.
Jego said…
Evangelicals calling for the death penalty? Coming soon: The Apocalypse. :-D
cvj said…
Alden, the connection is really not that hard to establish. Kung walang saysay ang 'legitimacy issue' ni Arroyo, puwede niyang ipawalang bahala ang mga banta sa kanya ng mga katulad ni Donald Dee at ng mga Death penalty advocates. Kaso, dahil nga sa kalagayan niya, nagkakaroon tuloy ng mas malalim na kahulugan ang katagang 'widthrawal of support'. Sayang nga at kailangan natin ngayon ng Presidenteng may panindigan. (Kung naririndi ka, pasensiya na lang at hindi ko naman sinasadya. Huwag mo na lang siguro basahin ang comments ko.)
cvj said…
Alden, maigi sigurong basahin mo rin ang mga sinabi ni Randy David na naka-post ngayon sa blog ni Manolo Quezon http://www.quezon.ph/?p=935. Doon, pinapaliwanag niya kung paano puwedeng makagambala sa mabuting pamamahala ang mga pagkakautang na politikal ni Arroyo sa mga taong tumulong at patuloy na tumutulong sa kaniyang manatili sa poder. Hindi kaila sa karamihan na tagilid ang lagay ni Mrs.Arroyo dahil sa mga nabunyag tungkol sa kaniya. Iyan ang sinasamantala ni Donald Dee, ng mga death penalty advocates at marami pang iba. Sa akin naman, wala akong ibang hinihingi sa kaniya kundi magbitiw na siya sa tungkulin para matapos na ang kaguluhan na ito.
cvj said…
Rego, of course i remember. Just to clarify, i'm against the death penalty and in favor of a legislated wage increase. I was just explaining how GMA's legitimacy problem is connected with the behavior of those who lobby for this or that issue, something that Randy David has explained more fully in the above link. The fact is, she remains in a weak position to deliver 'good governance' because of having too many political debts from those who prop her up. Even if you and i fall silent, there will always be people who will come to take advantage of this reality. (BTW, what's you take on 'One Voice'?)
Anonymous said…
In politics, everybody has political debt. You are naive if you don't know that. Randy David doesn't have any but is he the President? Chances are, if he runs this very moment he will lose to Eddie Gil.

That was the point of Mrs. Arroyo when she made that infamous speech. In our system, a politician will not survive if he doesn't get any help. Hindi ba nasa kultura natin ang utang na loob? Kita mo yang temporary friend mo ngayon na si Donald Dee, me withdrawal of support kung di mapagbibigyan.

Kasi tingin nyo ang dali-dali lang maging Presidente.

Popular posts from this blog

Open Letter To Our Leaders

Farewell, Victor

A pathway towards better clarity of the issues on RH Bill