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What do you think of Lozada? That question has been
ringing in our ears for the past several days. It is not going
anywhere anytime soon. Protest actions abound, hearings continue,
rumors spread and confusion reigns. We need to make sense of what is
going on. Either that or ignore. Walk away. Focus on what you do
best and know that you are helping in your own corner of the world.
For some of us (especially in
government service) who can’t stay away or even look away, the
answer to the question is frightful because of its consequence. If
you believe in what Lozada is saying and, he is saying a lot, it can
only lead you to commit to a course of action that students, the
church and militants are crying for—some form of people power. And
yet we are weary and tired. Have we not enough problems of our own
to take on the task of governance ourselves? Even if we changed
leaders, the same elite rules and it makes no meaningful difference.
If you do not believe in his
story, then it becomes a different nightmare. It is the spin of the
century, the grandmother of all tales that has stalked our fair land
for many years. It is a narration that includes all the villains in
the Lord of the Rings plus more minus the heroes therein. It is a
terribly uneven fight. Again, what is our response? At present,
there is the Ombudsman complaint against the ZTE deal, the DOJ
fact-finding panel, the Senate hearings in aid of legislation, the
Supreme Court rulings, civil society movement and media coverage
with ostensibly different objectives but anchored on the same key
issues.
Above all, there must be no
violence. No mayhem in the streets, no assassination, no use of
force upon persons or things, no blood, no shortcuts. What doesn’t
kill us will surely make our democracy stronger no matter how
strange our system is turning out to be.
In a sense, this article is long
overdue. Someone once said, “give me a hundred good men (and
women) and we will change the world (or country).” At first the
challenge looks simple enough with our 90-million strong population.
In the hour of need, in our stage of darkness, in a period of
shadows and mist, where are the few good men?
Lent is upon us not for 40 days
but always. We flog and beat ourselves. It is as if our nation’s
ills are our collective penance. Penance because for such a
beautiful country and beautiful people, we turn to the other side,
we ask for trouble and look for punishment. Collective because we
refuse to singly take stock of our actions and be responsible for
our deeds. Even God is not laughing.
What do I think of Lozada? I
think he should summarize his story and stick to his central thesis,
whatever it is. He has given his motivation and intention for coming
out despite the seeming overwhelming odds. Speak one last time and
keep your peace. You have made a choice and taken a stand; let the
others come to their own conclusions without the hype, the lights
and the camera. It is in the silence of our hearts that our purest
decisions are forged. Only through solitude can we truly come to our
own self. With this, a few good men might just emerge to bring us
out of our apathy and distrust, to point to the way and to march
with us yonder.
We are weary; we are tired. We
want to scream; we want to cry. We want to give up; we want to
shrink. It is too much a burden. It is at this moment that we take a
deep breath, cross ourselves, smile and carry on.
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