The opposition has become a haven for political hucksterism. Chief Justice Renato Corona’s war with President Aquino marks the triumph of fantasy over reality in Philippine politics. There are more pressing matters to settle, obviously—like job creation, conserving the environment, the recent flooding in Mindanao, education, poverty. The discussion should be more concerned about how the administration and opposition would deal with socio-economic problems. Instead, we are debating “fantasies” and issues that politicians and their followers have concocted.
Corona and his supporters have successfully filled our heads with ideas and issues that are not of critical importance. Instead of worrying about, for example, the quality of health care and education, we are forced to listen to a college-type debate on matters of judicial and executive powers. Instead of arguing over the best ways to deal with our most pressing problems, we are reduced to arguing whether Corona deserves the position or not.
Corona obviously has become a “rhetorical” device of the Arroyos. And he is doing it well. Well, almost.
—ALLAN ESPINOSA,
philosopher and atheist,
Sydney Australia;
aespinosa@y7mail.com