The coup attempt at the House of Representatives highlights the state of the nation: power grab for, of, by politicians.
The address itself was more of the same promises made during the 2016 election campaign. The coco levy trust fund law, for instance, has been promised then, and promised again now. As with realizing workers’ right to security of tenure, an independent foreign policy, the entry of a third party in telecommunications, etc.
The promise to continue “relentlessly” on the war on drugs is, as has been admitted, “chilling” and also senseless. Because daily killings have not solved and will not solve the drug problem. Daily killings are in fact part of the problem, as violence and impunity have now spilled over and have claimed the lives of children, journalists, and priests.
Particularly grating is the supposed fight against corruption as the reality is miles away from the promise. Where is the mastermind in the P6.2-billion shabu smuggled out of Customs? Who was held accountable in the intra-family advertising contract at the Department of Tourism? Why is the Solicitor General allowed to keep his security agency that has contracts with the government even as it smacks of conflict of interest? What happened to the corruption allegations in the SSS, the NFA, the NIA, among others?
The people cannot live on promises.
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Pahayag ni Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, Pangulo ng Partido Liberal,
sa State of the Nation Address
Ang mala-kudetang nangyari sa House of Representatives ay naglalarawan ng estado ng bayan: ang pag-agaw kapangyarihan para sa mga pulitiko, ng mga pulitiko, at binubuo ng mga pulitiko.
Ang SONA mismo ay parang mga pangako lang na ginawa noong halalan ng 2016. Halimbawa, ang ipinangakong coco levy trust fund law ay muling ipinangako ngayon. Ganoon din ang maipatupad ang karapatan ng manggagawa sa security of tenure, isang independent foreign policy, ang pagpasok ng ikatlong telecommunications company, atbp.
Ang pangakong itutuloy nang “relentless” ang giyera sa droga ay, tulad ng inaming “chilling”, ay walang kabuluhan. Dahil hindi nilutas at hindi lulutasin ng araw-araw na pamamaslang ang problema sa droga. Sa katunayan, ang araw-araw na pagpatay ay bahagi ng problema, dahil ang karahasan at walang kaparusahan ay kumalat na at kinuha na ang buhay ng mga bata, mamamahayag, at pari.
Mas nakakaasiwa pa ang laban daw sa katiwalian dahil malayo ang katotohanan sa pangako. Nasaan ang mastermind sa P6.2-bilyon na shabu na pinalabas ng Customs? Sino ang nanagot sa advertising contract ng isang pamilya sa Department of Tourism? Bakit pinahihintulutan ang Solicitor General na kanya pa ring pangasiwaan ang kanyang security agency na may kontrata sa gobyerno kahit na ito ay malinaw na kaso ng conflict of interest? Ano ang nangyari sa mga paratang ng korapsyon sa SSS, NFA, NIA, at iba pa?
Hindi nabubuhay ang tao sa pangako.