Thoughts post Maguindanao
A few minutes ago I was listening to joyfully rendered versions of Filipino carols. A week ago 57 persons might have been thinking similarly happy thoughts...
Life is Cheap
I asked my wife if she was surprised that the massacre had happened. And she seemed surprised by her own answer as she said “No”.
Therein lies the unspoken tragedy. Over our history, and especially in recent times we have come to accept death and murder as understandable and even natural concomitants to public life. Given this acceptance, is it any wonder that Maguindanao has happened? Especially given how easily death is dealt out, or how easily those with the means or position escape accountability for their crimes, was it simply a matter of time before such a massacre happened? After all, what is 56 more when one is nothing?
Unless we place the same value on one life as we do the 57 lives lost in Maguindanao, unless we treat each and every murder in other cases as infinitely valuable in its own right, and deserving of justice, then we can only expect more Maguindanaos to come.
We already have a whole nation inured to the notion of death in politics. Unless our leaders take steps to confront and change that mindset and say with unanimity, that from this day forward, as individual citizens and as a country we completely reject this culture of violence and death in politics, then we do not address the societal mindset that allows such animals (with apologies to the natural members of that genus) to find a home.
What Rule of Law?
In another example of leading from the front but all going the wrong way, we have all members of the administration stressing that the rule of law will be applied in full force to all, ally or non-ally alike.
But there are too many recent examples when the Law has been brandished around like a sword but only as and when it suits. The Rule of Law is fine – but not for me!
In the recent transfer of rapist Larranaga to sunny Spain, we have a never before used Spanish treaty applied selectively to one of our mestizos to relieve him from the discomforts of our local jails. Maybe Mr Ampatuan’s legal team should begin scouring legislation for similar treaties. After all there would be similar rationale for a transfer – none!
In the celebrated NbN-ZTE melodrama, the protection of executive privilege was invoked on specious grounds to obscure and deny transparency relating to the president’s personal involvement in the scandal.
Wouldn’t you think that murder most foul was probably on some minds, when Jun Lozada was taken from the airport in that car and driven around Manila?
And when all those honourable men in the Senate fired questions and came out with no one being responsible for that abduction, least of all the minions from Malacanang, doesn’t it just offend your sense of justice?
Patronage
When the president goes to Pampanga and dispenses favours and good works - that is patronage. It is a style or manner of governance that displaces institutions and places one outside due process. In older civilisations when imperial power was absolute, patronage extended to dispensing life or death.
That is simply why the politics of patronage is so objectionable. Patronage in excess, engenders a sense of power that is simply inappropriate in the modern context. Mindless creatures in politics, and we have plenty of those, mistake themselves for God and start dealing in life and death.
At the least you could say the President’s management style and dispensation of political patronage is a style, that taken to extreme, places one beyond law and beyond institutions. It is a mindset that can only lead to Maguindanao.
And what about its effect on local institutions? Doesn’t it render those institutions ineffectual by removing the decision making capacity of that institution, or by indirectly reducing resources or usurping the functions of the local authority?
Accountability
The suspensions , while probably completely warranted, are all too late and only distract from real issues around the role of local law enforcement.
Responsibility and accountability are not there. Already we have the president’s executive secretary disclaiming any responsibility for the massacre. That’s not at issue.
What should be an issue is that local law enforcement turned a blind eye to the massing militia. Who is responsible for that? Did Manila have any role in their inaction? There was enough notice that violence was about to take place. There was a request for protection - why was no action taken?
Malacanang’s stance, despite being the nation’s ultimate repository of executive power, seems to be all care and no responsibility.
What next?
Leadership has taken us into the abyss. In the global scheme of things, I am thinking this maybe puts the Philippines leadership somewhat close to the warlords of Somalia or Afghanistan?
This once proud and loving country has been losing its soul for some time. When will we wake up and find our way?
Life is Cheap
I asked my wife if she was surprised that the massacre had happened. And she seemed surprised by her own answer as she said “No”.
Therein lies the unspoken tragedy. Over our history, and especially in recent times we have come to accept death and murder as understandable and even natural concomitants to public life. Given this acceptance, is it any wonder that Maguindanao has happened? Especially given how easily death is dealt out, or how easily those with the means or position escape accountability for their crimes, was it simply a matter of time before such a massacre happened? After all, what is 56 more when one is nothing?
Unless we place the same value on one life as we do the 57 lives lost in Maguindanao, unless we treat each and every murder in other cases as infinitely valuable in its own right, and deserving of justice, then we can only expect more Maguindanaos to come.
We already have a whole nation inured to the notion of death in politics. Unless our leaders take steps to confront and change that mindset and say with unanimity, that from this day forward, as individual citizens and as a country we completely reject this culture of violence and death in politics, then we do not address the societal mindset that allows such animals (with apologies to the natural members of that genus) to find a home.
What Rule of Law?
In another example of leading from the front but all going the wrong way, we have all members of the administration stressing that the rule of law will be applied in full force to all, ally or non-ally alike.
But there are too many recent examples when the Law has been brandished around like a sword but only as and when it suits. The Rule of Law is fine – but not for me!
In the recent transfer of rapist Larranaga to sunny Spain, we have a never before used Spanish treaty applied selectively to one of our mestizos to relieve him from the discomforts of our local jails. Maybe Mr Ampatuan’s legal team should begin scouring legislation for similar treaties. After all there would be similar rationale for a transfer – none!
In the celebrated NbN-ZTE melodrama, the protection of executive privilege was invoked on specious grounds to obscure and deny transparency relating to the president’s personal involvement in the scandal.
Wouldn’t you think that murder most foul was probably on some minds, when Jun Lozada was taken from the airport in that car and driven around Manila?
And when all those honourable men in the Senate fired questions and came out with no one being responsible for that abduction, least of all the minions from Malacanang, doesn’t it just offend your sense of justice?
Patronage
When the president goes to Pampanga and dispenses favours and good works - that is patronage. It is a style or manner of governance that displaces institutions and places one outside due process. In older civilisations when imperial power was absolute, patronage extended to dispensing life or death.
That is simply why the politics of patronage is so objectionable. Patronage in excess, engenders a sense of power that is simply inappropriate in the modern context. Mindless creatures in politics, and we have plenty of those, mistake themselves for God and start dealing in life and death.
At the least you could say the President’s management style and dispensation of political patronage is a style, that taken to extreme, places one beyond law and beyond institutions. It is a mindset that can only lead to Maguindanao.
And what about its effect on local institutions? Doesn’t it render those institutions ineffectual by removing the decision making capacity of that institution, or by indirectly reducing resources or usurping the functions of the local authority?
Accountability
The suspensions , while probably completely warranted, are all too late and only distract from real issues around the role of local law enforcement.
Responsibility and accountability are not there. Already we have the president’s executive secretary disclaiming any responsibility for the massacre. That’s not at issue.
What should be an issue is that local law enforcement turned a blind eye to the massing militia. Who is responsible for that? Did Manila have any role in their inaction? There was enough notice that violence was about to take place. There was a request for protection - why was no action taken?
Malacanang’s stance, despite being the nation’s ultimate repository of executive power, seems to be all care and no responsibility.
What next?
Leadership has taken us into the abyss. In the global scheme of things, I am thinking this maybe puts the Philippines leadership somewhat close to the warlords of Somalia or Afghanistan?
This once proud and loving country has been losing its soul for some time. When will we wake up and find our way?
Labels: GMA, Maguindanao, Philippines
posted by JayM at 11:00 am
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