Moral choices

SILVER LINING

Dean Ernest Maceda

04/22/2010

At the Nuremberg and Tokyo War Crimes Trials at the end of World War II, lesser lieutenants employed the defense that “I was only following legal orders” to profess their innocence. As we know, this defense was repudiated by the International Military Tribunals for as long as a moral choice was, in fact, available to the individual.

Of course, the International Military Tribunals were established to try and punish the major war criminals from the Axis countries. The situation demanded prompt, resolute action. The judges from the Allied countries did not have the luxury to assess the individual levels of complicity of the accused subordinates and to make distinctions.

The situation is different in the electoral politics context. Politics is also war — even the most cursory look into strategies and tactics involved in candidates’ campaigns will yield parallels with the best of Von Clausewitz and Sun Tzu. It is even less honorable than war (have you been able to wipe off the LP-NP mud from your eyes?). And there are no laws of politics as there are laws of war. There is no tribunal but your own conscience to remind you about moral choices. And in the end, the only judgment is the people’s vote.

But before you get to the end, the reality is still the conflict among the protagonists, the arena where moral choices are made. Speaking of lieutenants and their degrees of participation, when lieutenants defect from one camp to the other, another moral choice is presented which can be resolved best by an assessment of what exactly the conflict is all for.

In the instant case, the battle is for the hearts and minds of the people, with several aspirants in contention. There are those whose strategy is to present only themselves, their person and their platform, for scrutiny. There are also those who, in addition, choose to distinguish themselves by campaigning on the faults and shortcomings of others.

When faced with a decision on whether to accept or reject the support of a defecting lieutenant, the leader, if he is to be authentic and consistent with what he has professed, must ascertain which kind of candidate he is, what sort of campaign has he waged. If he has painted for the electorate a picture of himself as a self styled savior of the people from the excesses of the other camp, then the choice should be clear.

In the end, the only judgment is the people’s vote. It is not the defectors that are weighed but the “defectees.” But when they are weighed, factored into their relative weight shall be how they resolved their own moral choices.

q q q

Erap surges. Everything is still up in the air. Until all ballots are cast on May 10, the 2010 election remains to be anybody’s game.

Former President and opposition standard bearer Joseph Estrada’s earlier prediction of a late-period surge in the campaign period appears to hold water. The large number of admirers flocking to his campaign sorties even in areas traditionally regarded as his “Waterloo” belie the conditioning results of various surveys from different private polling firms and places Erap as a definite frontrunner.

Estrada’s recent rally in Cebu province, an administration bailiwick, interestingly drew a crowd of about 30,000. Statistically, this has to be the biggest gathering mustered so far by any current presidential candidate without the come-on of big names from local showbiz.

Last Tuesday, 20,000 people attended the Erap-Binay rally in Cavite City. In another campaign rally in Dagupan City, Pangasinan, another mammoth crowd came out to greet Estrada, his running mate Makati Mayor Jojo Binay and members of his senatorial slate. More significantly, though, it was Speaker Jose de Venecia, Jr. and wife Gina who organized the event, and even sat with Estrada on stage during the proceedings. De Venecia’s son and namesake, Joey, is running as senator under Estrada’s ticket.

q q q

Defections 2010. The defections trailing the 2010 campaign are also perceived to raise expectations.

The recent defection of Quezon City representative Annie Susano to Estrada’s camp would also be a big boost to his campaign as it plugs a big loophole in their Metro Manila campaign. The constituency of Rep. Susano includes Novaliches and areas along Commonwealth Avenue with large masa communities, traditional bailiwicks of President Erap.

Major defections include the father and son team of Alfred and Alfredo Sr. Romualdez of Tacloban, Leyte; Vice Mayor Mannix Dalipe of Zamboanga City, Gov. Alvaro Antonio of Cagayan, and Zamboanga del Norte and Nueva Vizcaya mayors.

President Erap’s refusal to engage in mud-slinging or to launch personal attacks on any of the other presidential candidates has also deepened public respect for his candidacy.

q q q

Failure of elections. It is getting more and more probable that a failure of election scenario has been planned by the GMA boys. President Erap and Senator Noynoy have both warned of trouble if they push through with such a plan.

It looks like GMA will exit with the Filipino people condemning her no end.

Villaroyo. It is now quite obvious that GMA and FG have decided to support Manny Villar’s presidential bid.

The latest proof comes from Cebu where GSIS president Winston Garcia and Rep. Pabling Garcia have come out for Villar confirming earlier reports about Rep. Nerissa Soon Ruiz being called by FG to switch to Villar.

Gov. Gwen Garcia is on the warpath against Villar. On the other hand, none of the Osmeñas: Tomas, Serge and Sonny are seriously campaigning for Noynoy. It is now a toss-up who will win in Cebu.

President Erap will do well in Cebu with the masa votes still there for him. In 1998, Erap placed 2nd to native Lito Osmeña.

q q q

Cover-up. Executives of government financial institutions are busy destroying records on their plunder of government funds.

But why are the auditors not doing anything to stop the destruction and cover-up? And the BSP?

As former DBM Secretary Benjamin Diokno pointed out, GMA will leave a bankrupt government treasury to the next President. But it is really abominable that they are raiding the funds of financial institutions.

Back to top

For comments about this website:Webmaster@tribune.net.ph
The Daily Tribune © 2006