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The Duke of Wellington who
defeated Napoleon at Waterloo putatively said that the battle was
won in the playing fields of Eton.
Likewise,
national elections were probably won or lost in the crucible of
campus politics. The UP on Padre Faura and later Diliman was the
playing field of student leaders who became national figures—with
presidents like Jose P. Laurel, Manuel Roxas, Elpidio Quirino,
Ferdinand Marcos (students before the war). Of the postwar crop of
students, the campus has produced a President (Gloria Macapagal
Arroyo), two prime ministers (Cesar Virata and Salvador Laurel),
Senate presidents, House speakers, senators and congressmen too
numerous to mention.
To be sure,
other schools have contributed their comparable share of politicians
who learned their vocation on campus. Invariably student leaders
become involved in traditional politics after making it in their
profession or trade. A good number already come from landed or
political families, and easily adapt to the politics of the ruling
class.
There are also
student leaders who later opt for alternative politics like doing
NGO work for the masses, becoming party-list representatives, or
waging a revolution. Their numbers are growing.
But what is
dominant today is traditional or elite politics. And we are witness
once again to various maneuvers and antics of practitioners—a few
of them we have known on campus. They were admired as nationalists,
human rights lawyers, lawmakers, and one as university president.
Their having been involved in elite politics did not detract from
their effort to do something good for the people and the nation.
Now some
candidates seem to have yielded to opportunism, compromise, and even
dissembling—with a Faustian whiff. I will mention just two.
One who has
dismayed his admirers was a human-rights lawyer who defended at
great risk critics and opponents of the Marcos dictatorship. As
senator, Joker Arroyo had become an effective fiscalizer and
oppositionist, leading the prosecution in the impeachment trial of
Joseph Estrada and later questioning the repressive measures of the
Arroyo government. Now he is part of the administration senatorial
ticket and rationalized his decision by saying that all the
opposition wanted was to impeach the president.
The more
candid is Sen. Edgardo Angara who has impressed us with his
achievements in education, agriculture, and the welfare of senior
citizens. As UP president, he had given academic direction to the
institution at a time when it was used as an ideological adjunct of
the Marcos regime. As executive secretary, he was practically
running the country when Estrada was immobilized during his
impeachment trial. He could have been a good president but had to
reckon with more charismatic candidates.
Now with the
administration ticket, Angara feels assured that his votes will be
counted. In an interview with Inquirer editors, he reportedly said
he was ribbed by colleagues who told him: “Thank God, you will not
be cheated.” To which he noted, “It’s quite cynical but
realistic.”
Who will thus
not take “realistic” steps in an election that has these signs?
Four million extra ballots were ordered by the Comelec whose track
record in the 2004 election has not inspired confidence.
The
administration party is allocating P120 million for each of the 12
senatorial candidates, plus another P80 million if necessary for a
total of P200 million. Money will likely come from the National
Treasury, state agencies, jueteng or drug lords and vested
interests.
“Winnability”
rather than ability and integrity is the criterion for inclusion in
both senatorial tickets. Hence, popular movie stars are at a
premium. Both tickets bank on candidates who did well in surveys.
What is an
alternative to the cynical ways of elite politics? Genuine
mass-based party-list representation. But sinister forces are bent
on crushing these party-list groups by disqualifying their leaders
with trumped-up charges or tagging the groups as terrorists or
enemies of the state. Hence, their struggle not only to survive but
to prevail. A recent survey shows Bayan Muna and Gabriela leading
the party list.
Ultimately,
for the sake of democracy, the mass of the people must vote wisely
and guard their votes. New monitoring groups like “Kontra-daya”
and “NoCheat” can help prevent a repeat of the last fraudulent
election.
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