Accents
Democracy into the mud?
I unearth from the pages of my own journalistic history the column, ILAC condemns Bocar murder, buried in the tome of September 2005. As if preserved in blazing bloody-red, let these quotes rouse into action every Juan and Juana who value the sacredness of human rights. Let this part of the world know that behind every murder, every forced disappearance such as that of Luisa Posa and Nilo Arado, there are legions who will take up the cudgels against the transgression of their human rights. Because democracy must be prevented from going into the mud.
SEPT. 1, 2005, break of dawn, a lawyer was felled: Atty. Norman Bocar, chair of the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan or Bayan-Muna of Eastern Samar, and tourism officer of the Eastern Samar provincial government. At once fellow lawyers of the Iloilo Legal Assistance Center (ILAC) came up with a Manifesto condemning the "dastardly, cowardly and treacherous" act, to wit:
"The dastardly, cowardly and treacherous murder of Atty. Bocar is a clear manifestation of the State's unleashing its dogs of war against the individuals who are critical of the present exploitative and oppressive system and are in the forefront of the legal struggle against said system.
"While the Arroyo government issues strident and shrill calls for anti-terrorist measures, it turns a blind eye and even sponsors state terrorism against perceived enemies of the state. The Arroyo regime hides behind a mask of a democratic and duly elected government to lull and mislead the people into accepting the vigilante-type killings.
"The killing of Atty. Bocar will not discourage, deter nor weaken the resolve of progressive and patriotic lawyers who are upholding, defending and protecting the rights of the marginalized sectors and individuals in the forefront of the struggle to uphold and protect human rights."
To push the solution of the crime and punish the perpetrators, the Iloilo Legal Assistance Center immediately circulated the Manifesto on the Murder of Atty. Norman Bocar, accompanied by court actions -- all to no avail. Nonetheless, even with more courage, resoluteness, and strength of moral fiber, ILAC and other human rights lawyers seek redress of the "dastardly, cowardly and treacherous act" perpetrated on Luisa Posa and Nilo Arado.
It seems protests and legal tussles against the 800 or so extra-judicial killings and enforced disappearances committed under the Arroyo administration are going nowhere. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has to account for all these before the door to ignominy shuts her in.
Politics has made a mockery of Philippine democracy that we Filipinos have been so proud of in the whole of Asia--until Marcos ruined it devastatingly and tragically. Ferdinand Marcos colored it black and now astute Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo paints it with the darkest hues of black. Writes Inquirer columnist Neal Cruz, "What we have now is worse than Martial Law." (At the moment, I cannot find the date of the paper when it was written.)
Politics is swollen with obnoxious characters as witness the wheeling and dealing in the recent elections. Money exchanged hands in ways most foul. Our apologies to the politicians who have not contributed to the sneering meaning of the word. Respect is due to the rare few where honesty is not a lonely word. Their integrity is invulnerable to temptations.
Philippine democracy? Whither art thou bound? How many media persons were killed in their efforts to uphold freedom of expression? Marketplace of ideas? How many demos were curtailed, activists killed, defenders of human rights sacrificed to perpetuate an unjust, exploitative, oppressive society that thrives on the poverty of the people?
Democracy must be prevented from going into the mud. At all costs.
(Comments to lagoc@hargray.com)