‘Sona all …’

Yesterday, all television networks were in a frenzy preparing for their coverage of President Marcos’ second State of the Nation Address (Sona). Their coverage teams were deployed to strategic points in Metro Manila to interview people—from ordinary individuals on the street to pundits in both academe and civil society groups. After hearing the wishes of ordinary citizens on what happens after the second Sona, one television anchor remarked, “sona all,” obviously punning on a common expression, “sana all” (wishing all will get blessings).

Like the television host and many people who need to eke out a living every day, I wish that all the glowing words of our future prosperity in the second Sona will happen in my lifetime. Considering my advanced age, I am not sure how short or how long my worldly presence will be, so I echo the same refrain—“sona all.”

First, I wish that President Marcos will offer a more concrete policy on the contested West Philippine Sea since he has given his newly appointed defense secretary marching orders on “not losing an inch of Philippine territory.” Any further ambiguity in his pronouncements in dealing with this highly crucial issue will just confirm what he is popularly perceived as—someone who only delivers fire and brimstone kinds of speeches, thanks to his cultivated pleasant media presence and thespian skills. Other than that, his clarity and strong resolve on asserting our country’s sovereignty in the midst of this crisis leaves much to be desired.

Then, what about the cases of extrajudicial killings (EJKs) filed and now being investigated by the International Criminal Court (ICC)? So far, Mr. Marcos has been equivocal in what he is saying (or not saying) about his predecessor’s deadly war on drugs. But Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla has been quite firm in his stance that the ICC has no business dipping its fingers in the country’s judicial system. This was echoed by the Tulfo brothers, especially Erwin, who has publicly assailed ICC’s decision to investigate the thousands of EJKs in Duterte’s war on drugs, and repeated Remulla’s stance on dealing with the ICC: Our justice system is working.

But if our justice system is working, Mr. Erwin Tulfo, why is it that the show of your brother Sen. Raffy Tulfo, “Wanted sa Radyo,” is highly popular among victims of several forms of transgressions, from wife battering to financial scams or even abandonment of husbands? Isn’t it because the show delivers justice immediately, in an instant? Senator Tulfo’s show is like a one-stop shop delivering justice to those who have tried to access justice through the government’s usual procedures but failed. His show has hijacked the legitimate justice process, which is a boon to ordinary, penniless victims, but a bane to those who are in the justice department hierarchy. The victims cannot be blamed; they just express their disappointment with the slow grind of our justice system—as expressed in a popular expression: Justice delayed is justice denied.

I wish Mr. Marcos will make clear his stand on the state of affairs of the fledgling Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). Peace in the region, as it has always been, is still quite fragile.

Just recently, in a huge forum in Davao City, I heard Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity Carlito Galvez speak about his apprehensions on the growing tension between the BARMM government and the members of the Family Alliance associated with the Mangudadatus of Maguindanao del Sur. What is Mr. Marcos’ clear stand on this rift? He is publicly known to be good friends of the Family Alliance; and this was confirmed in his appointment of former Sultan Kudarat governor Suharto “Teng” Mangudadatu as the new director general of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority or Tesda.

Will Mr. Marcos promote peace and reconciliation among the parties involved in this high-stakes tension in the region, considering the very short window of less than two years before the regional election takes place in the BARMM? Will Mr. Marcos devote a significant part of his Sona to the status of the region?

Sona all …

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