Polibiz
By Nelson C. Robles

Let's be fair to Pres. GMA

Like many politically mature Ilonggos, I have been observing with great interest and enthusiasm the political crisis that has threatened not only the presidency of Ms. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, but also our fragile democracy.

I share the view of millions but only silent Filipino people that we should not resort into a gung-ho approach in our quest to know the truth behind the “Hello Garci” brouhaha. Let's be fair to our President and give her the benefit of the doubt. If an ordinary accused is accorded the due process for stealing a piece of bread, why can't we give the same treatment to our leader?

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Granting for the sake of argument that she committed a grievous error in calling the Comelec commissioner, is she not entitled to be given her day in court? Are we so bloodthirsty to demand for her flesh and blood for committing a “lapse of judgment”?

You and me and our so-called fellow Christians once had our own share of lapses, perhaps, more catatonic than the impropriety committed by Ms. Arroyo. Did somebody cast stone on us and demand for our digestive system to be feasted by ants?

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I believe in the Rule of Law, the Constitutional processes whatever they call it. I believe in certain Christian virtues, among which is the virtue of charity and humility. Pope Alexander was right when he quipped that “To err is human, to forgive is divine.”

Like many Filipinos, I want to know the truth, nothing but the whole truth in the “Hello Garci” tumult. But this determination does not reduce me to a beast and to bully somebody to resign without any iota of culpability beyond reasonable doubt.

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Before we sent the likes of Huber Webb, Mayor Sanchez, Claudio Teehankee Jr, and other notorious criminals in the country to jail, we afforded them the constitutionally guaranteed rights for due process; they were hauled to court first and given the opportunity to defend themselves despite the overwhelming pieces of evidence that were presented against them. That's due process for you.

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In the case of Pres. GMA, some of our emotionally angry protesters (the same personalities, by the way, who loudly opposed the coal-fired plant in Iloilo), automatically convicted her and jumped the gun on her.

Webb, Sanchez, Teehankee, etc. were luckier than Pres. GMA.

I don't wish to defend Pres. GMA. She may be a sinner; she may have committed a big political blunder that may have put into jeopardy the economic standing of our country, but I am not the type of person who will not lust for her blood.

Again, I advocate the Rule of Law. Let's impeach her and trust our legislators. Let's observe calm and sobriety if we are to survive as a nation. After all, we are all Filipinos; we belong to one sinking ship. Divided we stand, together we fall.