By Erik Espina
A BRIEF background evaluation on the 1987 Charter:
1) Cory Aquino had no prior dispensation from the Filipino people that once elected president, she could summarily transgress her sworn oath to defend and protect the 1973 Charter and author a mock replacement;
2) Cory had no mandate to unilaterally convene a Constitutional Commission recommended by relatives, friends, and allies appointed by Malacañang;
3) Infirmities and weaknesses are identifiable in the 1987 Charter. The anti-dynasty provision, influenced by “Leftist thinking/inclination.”
The same voices who introduced resultant dysfunctions in a multi-party system and an abused party-list regime in a presidential form of government. Recall, aforementioned items, were resisted by Vice President Salvador Laurel and the Unido party tragically blindsided by the sweeping “yellow fever.” Conveniently the plebiscite set the motion for restoring Constitutional democracy, but with “Damocles Sword” hanging over the head of our nation threatened with reversion to a “Freedom Constitution,” plus removal of sitting officer-in-charge in a reprise of appointed allies for local governments.
Correctly contextualizing ADL (anti-dynasty law) provision, this was particle of the knee-jerk reaction to the experience of familial/crony martial law e.g.
1) Palace-controlled Comelec, example 1978 Laban defeat and Pusyon-Bisaya results;
2) Perennial Southern Mindanao chattel for national votes and absence of actual elections;
3) warlords/corrupt politicians who could not be removed from public office elected by intimidation, force of arms, illegal monies for vote-buying and cheating.
Contemporary shrill for ADL is myopic. Prohibiting family members simultaneously seeking public office is to dunce the ethos of a democratic process. In a real democracy, candidates are pre-qualified, campaign, and are voted or rejected by the sovereign people. They are not crowned as Napoleon in a self-proclaimed ceremony in a kingdom of “first born.” Nor totalitarian states similar North Korea. (To be continued next Saturday)
