Deep Shit

Last Friday, while having dinner with Mari and Wrycell, conversation inevitably turned towards the GMA/Garcillano tapes.

for nearly a month now (it could be longer, i'm not so sure, it's so surreal), the whole country, if not the whole world is agog about the GMA/tapes and its various incarnations in the form of transcripts, ringtones, songs, pirated cd's of the tapes, etc...

don't misjudge my seeming silence on the matter. I am bothered. Truly, deeply bothered. But at the same time I'm at a loss, confused, can't really make a stand on the whole issue (which i guess is how most Pinoys feel, at least those that i've actively asked).

On one hand, here's a tangible proof that GMA won by fraud. Sure, we all know by now that cheating is de riguer in any official election, and I for one am very sure that there was massive cheating involved at the 2004 election. But you know it's one thing to know about something and quite another to have proof of the deed. somehow you're obligated to have a stand.

and that's where my confusion grows. I can't make a stand. Or rather i have a stand but i'm scared to stand by it and demand for it. My stand is this: If the tapes are real, then she along with everyone implicated in the tapes, should be investigaated (without bias or favor) and if found guilty, should leave office and accept the punishment.

But who will replace GMA? Some say, bring back Erap. Bleah. just the thought of having him sit for 5 more years makes me wretch. Noli de Castro can't. there's a big chance he's also guilty. We can't be leaderless (well, some would argue that we are in fact leaderless for quite sometime now given the way GMA is running the show) for even one day. Nene Pimentel suggests Drilon takes over for a week then a snap election should be held. But who's to guarantee that won't be rigged as well. Besides can we financially afford one more national election?

To say that we're in deep shit right now is an understatement. We really get the government we deserve. Part of the reason why we're confronted with this dilemma (at least in the case of the middle class) is that we (admit or not, consciously or not) turned a blind eye towards the massive fraud that was the May 2004 elections. We willingly participated in the lie as long as it mean not having another president from that side of the town. and that's why we're saddled with a president who is weak on so many spots, that's not even taking Mike Arroyo and her son in to consideration.

But to get back to the question, what do we do now? I'm grown weary of impeaching, ousting presidents. but if there ever was a reason to take to the streets, it is now. This is as valid a reason as the first 2 edsa revolutions. But what's the alternative? I honestly don't know.

But here's a thought from Conrad de Quiroz:

"... what are we saying here? Public officials who became so by robbing the voters of their vote may not be removed from their posts until the voters can find a suitable replacement for them? The criteria for suitability moreover to be determined by those to be replaced, or the people who helped them get there? What are we saying here? That we may not confront evil as a categorical imperative until we can usher good as a relative choice? That is like saying we may not recover the goods a thief stole from us until we can prove to the judge we will have better uses for them. What kind of imbecility is that?"

Again, I don't know.