Postscript to Con-Ass

To better understand what triggered the combined force of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Phillipines, El Shaddai, Iglesia ni Cristo, Jesus is Lord, and the Baptist Churches (as a collectivity), to move against the strong political current that was the Con-Ass initiative, a cognitive re-enactment of what transpired on December 6 and 7 is necessary.

The whole imbroglio was actually ignited when a motion at the Plenary was raised with regard to amending Section 105 of Article XV of the Rules of the House of Representatives. It was voted upon via nominal voting 161 to 25 in favor of the amendment. Not surprisingly, the majority won, the minority lost – on account of what is called the “tyranny of numbers”. Better still, call it plain and simple – gangsterism. One historian aptly said, the “House ran amuck”.

What followed – two sleepless nights on the row – is to vote upon House Resolution 1450 calling for the convening of Congress into a Constituent Assembly. Again, by viva voce vote, the tyrants or the gangsters conveniently imposed their will upon their minions – the minority bloc. The majority won, hands down. So who are the real “bullies in the schoolyard” that GMA was talking about?

Voting upon any motion or appeal from the ruling of the chair appears to be the simplest way of the administration’s dirty tricks department to solve all sorts of contentious issues. It is a ‘catchbasin stratagem’ that has no place in civilization. Literally enough, the situation, for the minority, means – hoping against hope. The “Old Boys Club” that is the majority with their bullies or frontline ‘operatives’ pulled the rug from under our feet – unabashed, unashamed, unafraid, unscrupulous.

Then, at a point in time when the House of Representatives is supposed to commence Day 1 under a Constituent Assembly and propose the ready-made package of constitutional amendments, good JDV served public notice that the Con-Ass is “archived” as a sign that the House of Representatives is sensitive to the sentiment of the people at large. For the first time in history, the majority lost in the bar of public opinion. And May 11, 2007 is a day when revenge is sweet assuming martial law is not declared.

The House caved in to the pressure of a converging inter-faith community moving against Con-Ass. Certainly, JDV and his conspirators know their arithmetic or political calculus: El Shaddai has 4 million, Iglesia ni Cristo has 8 million, CBCP has 85% of the entire population, Jesus is Lord has 3 million, and the Baptist Churches, as a clique, has anything in between the range. All told, JDV has to swallow the bitter pill than be remembered in history as the tyrant, the gangster leader, the bigot.

Of late, there are last-minute “fireworks” still going on. Rep. Golez, though not a lawyer, has never been more circumspect than making sure House Resolution 197 is killed for it cannot be buried alive. Ironically, according to Rep. Suplico, there is no term that can be found in the House Rules relating to the word, “archived”. It is simply non-existent and JDV, the perceived magician in the context of “if tails, I won; if heads, you lose”, is trying to doze water in a burning fire. The grand conspiracy is like merely removing one live bullet from a loaded double-barrel shotgun – it still kills.

The CBCP went to the extent of publicly inviting elements in the AFP to join their scheduled prayer rally pursuant to its role as protector of the people and the Constitution. This gives General Esperon a little bit of a problem and like a warrior, ordered all units in the entire AFP under a state of red alert. General Calderon in the PNP is given the same marching order. Against this backdrop, who says that “civilian authority is at all times supreme over the military”? Blind obedience should have no place in more contemporary militaries around the world.

After the People’s Initiative has failed, the Con-Ass has failed, too. Now, JDV is heading toward option C, and this is the Con-Con thing. It seems that JDV is trying again to bait the Senate into accepting it – hook, line and sinker – this despite the increasing public hatred against any mode toward charter change. Will the self-styled JDV want to test the turbulent waters again to his own peril? Good friend Joe, please put your House in order and don’t bluff! Patronage politics is long taboo.