OPINION: MOBOCRATS
MANILA, APRIL 16, 2008 (STAR) COMMONSENSE By Marichu A. Villanueva - The Supreme Court flatly rejected yesterday two separate petitions that sought to inhibit four associate justices from participating in the review of the March 25 SC decision which upheld the “executive privilege” petition of former economics planning secretary Romulo Neri. The High Tribunal thrashed these petitions that sought to inhibit SC associate justices Conchita Carpio-Morales and Adolf Azcuna, Consuelo Ynares-Santiago, and Antonio Carpio. These petitions stemmed from the respective votes that the four justices cast in the SC 9-6 ruling on the Neri case.
Also yesterday, the SC gave the Office of the Solicitor General (Solgen) 10 days or until April 25 to submit their comments on the motion for reconsideration that the Senate filed with the High Court asking to reverse their ruling in favor of Neri. The MR was initiated by the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee against Neri to compel him to testify before televised public hearing of the Senate on the alleged overpricing and kickbacks that went into the $329 million national broadband network (NBN) project awarded to ZTE Corp. of China but was subsequently cancelled by President Arroyo because of these allegations.
The 15-man High Tribunal headed by Chief Justice Renato Puno reached this en banc ruling at the SC summer resthouse in Baguio City. They were pursued there by the high-profile leaders of the Manila-based left-leaning groups headed by Bayan to dramatize their demands for the three SC justices to inhibit themselves from the review of the Neri case. They were particularly calling for SC justices Renato Corona, Presbiterio Velasco and Arturo Brion to inhibit themselves on the Neri case. Senate majority leader Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan renewed the same call yesterday.
At the rate these SC justices were being asked to inhibit themselves, there might be no one left in our country’s last bulwark of democracy. It is comforting to note, however, that we Filipinos have learned our lessons well from the negative repercussions of “mobocracy,” or the rule of mob. We have seen how these “mobocrats” could create so much chaos that threatened to destroy our democratic way of life.
Also conspicuously present in Baguio City yesterday was Rodolfo Noel “Jun” Lozada Jr., the much celebrated Senate whistleblower on the NBN-ZTE scandal. Lozada, linked up with the militant groups’ Caravan for Truth that staged the picket in front of the SC summer house. He later conducted a press conference in his usual flair for dramatics with the local media there at the CRC Hall of the Bishop’s Residence at the Baguio Cathedral.
Until now, Cebuanos are still fuming at Lozada for his remarks against Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal. This was after Lozada, in a fit of serious disappointment, called Cardinal Vidal’s flock “the archdiocese of Malacañang” when no priest wanted to celebrate mass when they took their “Caravan for Truth” in Cebu. If Lozada’s handlers think his smart-alecky digs versus Cardinal Vidal is now a thing of the past, they should think again. Their wisecracker par excellence Lozada never apologized for taunting the Cardinal. He dismissed the insult as a mere “joke”. However, no one was laughing.
More unfortunately, Lozada appeared to have been too quick with his verbal mauling of the 74-year old Cardinal, thus alienating Cebuanos in the process. Lozada definitely marked a wrong target. The verbal mauling was done to someone highly esteemed and revered by Cebuanos. And perhaps, by many Filipinos.
In fact, one incident that best dramatize the respect that Cebuanos have for their Cardinal was the case involving the Sun-Star newspaper which once came under severe attacks for referring to the prelate simply as “Vidal.” The paper’s readers demanded that the Archbishop’s name be used with the title “Cardinal”. The paper, of course, had to explain its editorial constraints, pointing out that “neither religion nor reverence plays a part in newspaper headline writing”.
Cardinal Vidal is the second Filipino archbishop that Cebu has ever had. He succeeded Julio Cardinal Rosales and has served as the chief shepherd of Cebuanos for 26 years – exactly one-half of the 52 years of his priesthood. Cardinal Vidal was born in Marinduque. But the soft-spoken Cardinal is “officially” a Cebuano, having been declared an adopted son of Cebu City in 1985. Cebuano politicos listen to his counsel. He is known to have refereed conflicts between the province and city’s leaders even as he continues to slam corruption and to lend his voice to the opposition against any form of abuses by people in power.
Even former President Cory Aquino would not agree with Lozada’s taunting of the Cebu Cardinal. She, herself, sought refuge in Cardinal Vidal’s archdiocese at the most crucial time prior to the February 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution. Even President Joseph Estrada goes to Cardinal Vidal for spiritual comfort.
Deputy Speaker and Cebu City Rep. Raul del Mar had demanded that apologies be extended not just to the Cardinal but to the people of Cebu as well. It appears that a slight on Cardinal Vidal is a big insult to Cebuanos who are proud that their spiritual leader took part in the conclave that elected Pope Benedict XVI. Cebu Governor Gwen Garcia branded Lozada’s quip as “a slur against us, Cebuanos,” while her father, Rep. Pablo Garcia said Lozada’s remarks should be condemned.
And Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña, in a style for which he has now become known, said Cebuanos “should not be distracted by these pests” in an apparent reference to the Cardinal’s verbal maulers. “This was a reflection of a Manila-centric attitude,” he added.
Many see Lozada’s remarks as a terrible lapse in the midst of serious disappointment. Others see this as early signs of budding political arrogance typical of a “mobocrat”. Sure, he is now a celebrity. But is he of the stature that would allow him to publicly insult one of the country’s three Cardinals? But the good Cardinal perhaps has already forgiven him. Sure, Lozada may have sacrificed his life and future, but that does not gain him the respect that Cardinal Vidal has.
Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
© Copyright, 2008
by PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE
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