By Reni M. Valenzuela
It was heartening (indeed) but sadly wanting in soul.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. gladdened hearts and/or tickled ears as he reportedly responded grandly to a senator who approached him right after his 3rd State of the Nation Address (SONA) in order to appreciate His Excellency’s pronouncement to ban Pogo. BBM told Sen. William Gatchalian, “I am listening.”
Wonderful. Congratulations, Mr. President! But may I suggest, if you please: Do more than listening or listening to “loud shouts.” Have your own wisdom and guts to judge, decide and act on important, critical issues of national concern — with or without “shouts,” popular or not, survey or no survey.
Did you really ban Pogo, sir, only because of “shouts,” just as you said in your SONA speech, “At ngayon po, naririnig po namin ang malakas na sigaw ng taumbayan laban sa mga Pogo.” (And now we are hearing our people’s loud shouts against Pogo). Nakasisiya. Subalit ano na kaya ang mangyayari sa ating bansa kung ang pandinig mo po ang magkaproblema? Delightful. But what will happen to our country if perchance or suddenly you lose your sense of hearing, partially or totally?
How loud do the shouts have to be regarding the many other issues that require your decisiveness and immediate action when, as a matter of fact, the shouts have been deafening even before you occupied Malacanang?
These are shouts coming from both heaven and earth that are blaringly ear splitting, enough that they have apparently overcast (for the deaf) the shouts, laments and cries of the numberless, countless, hapless, helpless victims of injustice and neglect (and oppression) in the country, both dead and living.
Worse, the culprits continue to swagger in the world of maddening, outrageous politics of insanity or “survey popularity.” Instead of being repentant to be forgiven or stricken by their conscience or shame or by restless, troubled hearts — they arrogate unto themselves powers and “immunity” or impunity (even until now) which only heaven commands.
Example: The tens of thousands of our countrymen who were butchered to death (extrajudicially) — mere suspects, innocents, young and old, men, women and children, not to mention the bystanders and those that the soulless labeled as “collateral damage” — all as a result of the crazy, horrendous “drug war” of the previous administration. Double victims were they, whether innocent or guilty — of society and of government cruelty. Merciless.
The same goes for the decades-old “shout” against the wily dark tricks that enshroud/overlay the mysterious “political dynasty” among unscrupulous, avaricious, grievous “public servants” — the wolves, crocodiles, vultures and sharks in devil politics. Alas, they abound every election, and win hands down.
“Woe to those who enact evil statutes. And to those who constantly record unjust decisions, So as to deprive the needy of justice And rob the poor of My people of their rights…” – Isaiah 10:1-2
Email: renivalenzuelaletters@yahoo.com
(To be continued)
