Its never over until it's over. That is to say, until Gloria is over. This is the damning consensus that the nation is getting at. A group claiming to represent the business community has released its stand on the issue calling for the nation to accept the house decision to junk the impeachment charges against the president and for everyone to move on. That is to be expected of business people. They are leaders in the productivity game at least if only on the virtue of their high stakes. On the other hand, they will be the first one to tell you that, in the long term, good governance is good also for business. Their saying "let's move on" only betrays their hopelessness of the system whoever happens to be the captain. When it comes down to it, I believe they will be one of the last ones to abandon ship, but they will abandon ship saying "let's get her over and done with".
If this were a game of chess, the administration would have at least a stalemate to look forward to. But a stalemaet is not victory, not in chess, not in fairy tales, not in reality, not in the Philippines.
To quote Valjean in Les Miserables...
"One day more, Another day, another destiny,
This never ending road to Calvary;
These men who seem to know my crime
Will surely come a second time,
One day more... "
First "they" junked the call for Gloria to resign. Then "they" junked the call for Gloria to be impeached. And we know the truth comission, if there will be one, which sound like a joke really, will be the final insult to the injury"they" heaped on our so-called democracy.
It was refreshing to see Oscar Orbos rise to the occassion and be among those at the frontlines of the September 7 movement. It was refreshing revelataion too how the house legislators voted and thanks to the 'absentee dissenters' now we have 21 less legislators to trust.
It takes but a blink of an eye to know that something "good" will happen when they killed the impeachment initiative that fateful hour. But it may well take the rest of the year to fully understand the new dynamics it has unleashed. That the battle has shifted away from the hands of the professional politicians it is clear. But in whose unknown hands will the future bestow its favor, I don't really know.
GMA's call for the healing of old wounds already began but not because of her call but because of her defiance to heed the people's call. Common wounds foster a common battlecry. We may indeed be seeing the beginnings of the healing of the wounds left by the EDSA Revolution trilogy.
Afterall, our enemies are not the Glorias nor the Eraps and Marcoses of this world. Our enemy is the lack of a leadership culture. One whose adherents can be counted upon to lead and inspire instead of cheat and feed us with lies. Such impossible dream that Ninoy himself did not achieve in life nor in death although he did inspire a lot of people.
The moment of healing has arrived. A truly ambitious politician need only to be a genuine leader to capture this moment to advance himself. . . I do hope that that leader has already arrived unannounced or else the chorus of lesser opportunists and uncanny usurpers will once again drown out our chances.
Still I believe, life goes on... but never backwards.
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