Dickensian Lens: Is Du30 > De5?

What the dickens is happening in our country? A president versus a senator, two equal powers in Philippine politics are fighting for their beliefs. This is a battle between his invective-laced truth versus her dulcet toned half-truths. But when the tongue lashing is done in front of the media, the world becomes a “spectActor”. Everyone is engaged, involved. As a result, a war is being waged in social media among intellectuals, pseudo-intellectuals and trolls. Even foreign agencies that threaten our sovereignty have joined in the melee. These political polarities have created a social schism.

A Tale of Two Lawyers

It was the best of times (for law-abiding citizens), it was the worst of times (for criminals), it was the age of wisdom (for the open-minded), it was the age of foolishness (for those hopelessly biased)… (Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities)

The differences between the cases of De Lima’s complicity in the drug trade as a narco-politician and Duterte’s purported extra-judicial killngs (EJKs) lie in the evidence. First, De Lima and Trillanes are feverishly fabricating evidence against the president while Aguirre is plainly presenting evidences against the senator. Second, the two senators are desperately defending their false witness unlike the secretary of justice and the president who are simply allowing their evidence to speak for itself. Finally, the senators schemingly sidestepped protocols by hiding their witness from the senate committee till the hearing but shared him with the New York Times for an exclusive interview, presented him without a sworn statement or affidavit, and concealed incriminating material evidence against him. On the other hand, the present administration went through the perfunctory procedures i.e. legal affidavits, and informed the entire HOR.

And just like in Dickens’ novel, De5 presented the Senate Committee on Justice with ruses like magic mirrors and smoke and daggers. This wasted the country’s time and coffers in pursuit of the truth which was kept somewhere in De5’s notes or perhaps hidden in Trillanes’ secret room along with Matobato and Joseph de Mesa.

… it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair… (Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities)

Hard Times for Corruption

The only difference between us and the professors of virtue or benevolence, or philanthropy – never mind the name – is that we know it is all meaningless, and say so, while they know it equally and will never say so. (Charles Dickens, Hard Times)

Since the inevitable outing of the truth, the oligarchs, and the rest of the Philippines’ elite and would-be elite have launched campaigns to obscure it. They attempted to rouse sympathy for their deceit by hitching it to pre-existing emotionally charged causes.

First, #Everywoman once stood for every woman. Now, it stands for only one, De5. They begin by baiting people to stand up against male chauvinism in general before switching it to only support her. If this was truly about every woman, shouldn’t they be fighting for the rights of other women too, like Mocha Uson?

Second, #wearBLACK was launched last Sunday by Fr. Jett Villarin of the Ateneo. It was to be a sign of solidarity between the most celebrated rivalry in the annals of UAAP history, ADMU and DLSU. The Jesuit invited the attendees of the battle between the blues and the greens to forego their school colors and don black garments. The putative meaning was to make a stand against the possibility of a hero’s burial for the deposed dictator as well as the spate of EJKs. Everyone who had the clarity of mind to see beyond this ploy of yoking anti-Duterte sentiment to school spirit came as they should, in support of their teams, and their schools. The MOA arena was as per always during these events, a sea of blue and green.

These superficial claims and campaigns were doomed to fail as they do not resonate the emotions they are hoping to usurp.

Depth answers only to depth. (Charles Dickens, Hard Times)

Great Expectations for the Philippines

I loved her (the dream of a better Philippines) against reason, against promise, against peace, against hope, against happiness, against all discouragement that could be. (Charles Dickens, Great Expectations)

Our greatest hope happened during the May 2016 presidential election. We saw the voting population divided. Du30 won with 16, 601, 997, 39% from the total of 42,578,614 votes. On the other hand, the senatorial election was a different story since voters can cast 12 votes each unlike with the presidency. Despite this, De5 only received 14, 144, 070 votes (http://ph.rappler.com/elections/2016/results/official). But even this number is suspect to irregularities (http://cnnphilippines.com/…/Survey-Money-offered-to-one-in-…).

What does this show? Du30 has a 2.4 million margin over De5 from a voting population with 97.1% literacy (http://www.comelec.gov.ph/…). This electoral mandate has evolved since then. This pales in comparison to the stratospheric rise in Du30’s approval rating which is currently at 97%. All this despite the mainstream media’s attempt to destabilize his government.

What we are witnessing is the tragic tale of one man who has committed his remaining productive years in the service of every Filipino, whether they be for or against him. He has no supporters in high places who would dispense their largesse on his quest to rebuild a nation, broken and battered by drugs and corruption. He has no media trumpeting his achievements but bloodthirsty professional liars vilifying him for every verbal misstep. He stands solitary yet unfazed by the looming darkness that threatens to engulf our country-illegal drugs, civil war, or a newfangled colonization. President Du30 is alone. THEY have cohorts even in the hallowed halls of our own senate and our own mainstream media, to stroke their egos and plot our president and our country’s demise. In spite of all their hate, he forges on, loving our country and countrymen even them.

Out of my thoughts! You are part of my existence, part of myself. You have been in every line I have ever read, since I first came here, the rough common boy whose poor heart you wounded even then… But, in this separation I associate you only with the good, and I will faithfully hold you to that always, for you must have done me far more good than harm, let me feel now what sharp distress I may. O God bless you, God forgive you! (Charles Dickens, Great Expectations)

So, is Du30>De5? Clearly.

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