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The poet T. S Eliot wrote the play Murder in the Cathedral. One of
the most memorable lines in theater literature is found there:
“The last temptation is the greatest treason: to do the right deed
for the wrong reason.”
In 1163, two bosom friends from childhood,
Thomas à Becket (1118 to 1170), Archbishop of Canterbury, and Henry
II (1133 to 1189), the King of England, quarreled over the power
realms of Church and State. The dispute rose to a stormy fury that
Becket had to sail to France to rally support for the Catholic
Church against the pressures of the State, Henry II’s England.
Seven years later, Thomas à Becket and Henry
the King apparently reconciled. But not too long after returning to
England he was murdered in Canterbury Cathedral by four of Henry’s
knights.
As archbishop, Thomas had to pursue the proper
work of a Catholic primate of England. He had to oppose the king’s
wishes when necessary. King Henry’s knights, as T. S. Eliot
dramatized it, heard him muttering, perhaps in pique but probably
without murder in his heart, “Is there no one to rid me of this
meddlesome [or is it nettlesome?] priest?” And his men went to do
Thomas in. The assassination mortified Henry. He paid for it
throughout his life with acts of self-flagellation and homage to his
murdered friend outside the gates of Canterbury Cathedral.
Like an educated Indio
The Saxon priest was canonized as St. Thomas à
Becket, bishop and martyr. He was, being a Saxon born in London
during the glory days of the new Norman kings of England, like an
educated Indio who became the playmate of Henry. He was an
exceptional Saxon who lived like a member of nobility, being prince
Henry’s best friend. As a younger man Thomas was, cavorting with
prince Henry, “a patron of play actors and a follower of
hounds.”
But after he became a priest and in 1162 came to
be chosen Archbishop of Canterbury he turned into a serious shepherd
of souls. He truly stood for the rights of the Church against the
excesses of the monarch.
Partners in Erap ouster
In a way, former Speaker Jose de Venecia was
some sort of Thomas to President Gloria Arroyo in the early days of
their friendship and partnership (with President Fidel Ramos as
their common godfather). This culminated in her being his running
mate in the presidential elections that ended with Erap being
elected president and GMA vice president.
Their friendship-partnership continued until he
supported the moves to oust Erap and to seat GMA in Malacañang. It
continued until the years when she and he together ruled Lakas and
worked to amend the Constitution. Some strongly suspected the
Cha-cha venture was aimed to make it possible for GMA to continue
being head of state as president while J. de Venecia headed the
government as prime minister.
Recent events saw the two friends and partners
breaking up because of the ZTE-NBN deal scandal. The most dramatic
point of this was JdV’s ouster as speaker by the overwhelmingly
pro-GMA House of Representatives.
Protector of balance
Fate is now calling on JdV to be the protector
of the political balance of power against the overarching powers of
President Arroyo over the Congress and even the Supreme Court.
Anti-GMA senators are daring him to appear at
the Senate and speak up and tell all he knows about the ZTE deal and
other corrupt doings in the Palace. His revelations could very well
bring down the Arroyo regime. He could incense the population to
rise in another exercise of people power and ignite police and
military passion and drive these to withdraw support from Mrs.
Arroyo.
As it turns out, and as disclosed by Sen. Alan
Peter Cayetano, it was in fact JDV who was the surprise witness who
saw GMA in Shenzhen when she made a mysterious and possibly
unhealthy visit to the ZTE headquarters and played a suspicious game
of golf with the ZTE officials.
Despite Mrs. Gina de Venecia having made a
televised account of the secrecy of the GMA visit at ZTE
headquarters, the former speaker seems to be backing off from
appearing at a Senate hearing. He seems to dread seeing the downfall
of the regime that has betrayed him. He does not seem capable of
turning his back on his history of loyalty to the Queen.
He should stand and speak up, tell the truth and
that way do God’s will! He should heed the challenge of Bro. Eddie
Villanueva who the other day sounded like a poor man’s version of
John the Baptist.
Wrong and right reasons
Pro-GMA people will of course say, if JdV does
stand up for the truth, that he is doing the right thing for the
wrong reasons: revenge, a chance to rebuild himself in a new
political arrangement after his revelations bring down the Arroyo
dispensation.
He would be a true hero and martyr if his
intention in telling the truth is for God who is the Truth to reign
in this pitiful land.
He will most likely end up a martyr, like Thomas
à Becket. I don’t think he would be assassinated. But he would
probably end up without a new position of power.
If he does as Senators Cayetano and others in
the opposition want him to do, taking the risk of being prosecuted
as an accomplice in the corrupt undertakings he would be exposing,
he will be blessed as someone who has done the right thing for the
right reason.
rqb@manilatimes.net
rq_bas@yahoo.com
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