"In war, truth is the first casualty."
The country's political crisis has dragged on for so long now that the issues that gave birth to it have become sufficiently muddled as to be totally unrecognizable. What happened to 'Hello Garci'? Did anyone find Garcillano? What happened to the jueteng exposes? Did anyone find out the truth behind all the issues that exploded a mere 5 months ago? More to the point, was there really any truth to these issues? The people who started it all, the vaunted whistleblowers and tape-makers, seem to have moved on, forgetting the revelations they so passionately dumped on us through press conferences and congressional investigations in aid of legislation. Why, after exploding their bombshells, did these people just disappear? Where is Samuel Ong? What happened to Sandra Cam? In their speeches and in their conferences these people sounded like they knew it all; the crimes, the lies, the deception going on in the hallowed halls of government. Yet now, where are they? They sounded as if they held the truth in their hands, the real truth behind everything that has been going on in our country. But why did they just disappear? If what they told us was the truth, why leave it at just telling us? Where is the evidence? Why, after shocking us with their stories, did they just fade away? Why did they not prove their stories first? It seems as if their job was to do just one thing: shock us.
Did they present substantial evidence that would prove their stories?
No.
Did we even try to verify their claims?
No.
Did we find out the truth?
No.
5 months after 'Hello Garci' hit the airwaves and became the most popular CD in Philippine history we still have not determined its authenticity. 5 months after Sandra Cam et. al. unleashed their 'shock and awe' campaign we still have no conclusive proof of their claims. 5 months after the crisis began, where are they?
It is as if there really was no truth behind it all, that it was all a game, and that we poor, unfortunate souls were just spectators in a struggle for power. For if it was all about the truth, why did they not try to prove it? Why did they not have Samuel Ong's vaunted 'mother of all tapes' authenticated? Why do we have only stories of jueteng payoffs and corruption? Why do have only hearsay as 'proof' of these stories?
Truth, it appears, was the first casualty of this war. Yes, it is a war; a war for power. They did not fight to prove their stories because they didn't have to. They only had to air their allegations, have the media sensationalize their stories, and leave it to Juan dela Cruz to fall into the trap. It's all about perception. We see and hear them on TV crying bloody murder and our sympathy goes out to them, leaving whatever vestige of rationality we have behind. Before long we take what they say as true, blinded by the sensationalism around the stories and caught up in the speed of events that we forget to check if what we are hearing is true. We take their stories at face value, forgetting or not caring about what may be behind the anger and the tears. Now, 5 months after, they are gone, leaving us bitter and confused, divided and nearly at each other's throats.
It was all an exercise in psychology. The barrage of information from these whistleblowers and the firestorm ignited in their wake has destroyed the people’s confidence in the government. That was their mission; to confuse and divide, not to reveal the truth. Relating a story heard from a friend who heard it from another friend who heard it from his friend is not telling the truth, it’s perpetuating gossip. Yet in our country, where showbiz gossip takes up more airtime in news programs than the news itself, the stories promulgated by these people are readily believed by the hungry masses.
Today, the issue is the renewed threat of martial law, as shown by the circulating rumors of an imminent declaration of a 'state of emergency' and the appearance of controversial executive orders, most recently EO 454(?), which puts the National Telecommunications Commission under the Department of Transportation and Communication. Add to that the government's 'calibrated pre-emptive response' policy towards street protests, and you have fertile ground for renewed fear of returning to dictatorial rule. But is there any truth to the rumors, or are we again being taken for a ride? Are we being told the truth, or are we being played like instruments in a grand orchestra?
The recent dispersal of a ‘religious procession’ in Mendiola, where religious and political figures were hosed down by a water cannon brings back images of the martial law years. But is that all there is to it? If it was really just a religious procession why were former communist NPA leaders among the participants? Why, in their program in Plaza Miranda, did they attack the government’s policies? Why did they insist on going to Mendiola, even though the place had been declared as a ‘no rally zone’? They were allowed in Plaza Miranda. They were allowed to go to San Sebastian Church. Yet why did they insist on going to Mendiola? There are many other places where they could air their grievances, the so-called ‘freedom parks’ like Liwasang Bonifacio and Rizal Park. Did they have another agenda? Was it really just a religious procession in the first place?
It looks as if they really had a different agenda, as their ‘procession’ was supposed to end at San Sebastian Church. However, a ‘breakaway group’ proceeded on towards Mendiola, where they were stopped by the police. Were they trying to test Malacanang’s CPR? If they were, the police played into their hands, giving them ammunition against the government. Right now they are screaming “human rights violations” and threatening to take their case to the United Nations. Right now the bishops are starting to sympathize with the militants.
It is, yet again, another exercise in psychology. These people provoke the police and the government, and then when the government strikes back they cry bloody murder and hide behind the shield of human rights, the same human rights protected by the Constitution that they repeatedly trample yet proclaim to promote and protect. The images and videos played and replayed on TV play on the fear of the people that martial rule will return. The facts behind the matter may be that these militants are trying to sow confusion and disorder, but the perception of the public will be that of a government increasingly desperate and authoritarian. That is the hidden agenda of the people trying vainly to break into Mendiola. Their objective is not to protest in Mendiola itself, but to be seen trying to enter Mendiola and being stopped then dispersed by the police.
In the end, were back to where we were 5 months ago. These people are not trying to reveal the truth; they are just trying to get into Malacanang, literally and figuratively. As with Garci et. al., they are now just trying to incite the people to support their cause by playing with their feelings and sympathies through the miracle of mass media. It’s all about perception. It’s all about what they let us see and hear. There is no truth behind it all. That is why the so-called silent majority is so silent. There is nothing to shout about. We all just want to live in a prosperous country. We want our children to have a bright future. So please, all you politicians and militants; shut up and just do your jobs. And if you don’t have jobs, or have nothing else better to do, let those who do have jobs do their work. End all this pointless bickering and mudslinging. Stop playing with our feelings and perceptions. We are not pawns in your silly little game. Your job is to serve us, the Filipino people, not your own selfish interests. There are bigger, more pressing problems to solve, so please, end this mad quest for power, and let those who have work to do do their jobs.
