Renato De Villa
Chairman
Partido ng Demokratikong Reporma
Metro Manila, Philippines
Dear Sir:
Re: Appeal to the Reporma Party to Reconsider its Anti-Administration Stance
I am a former volunteer lawyer of (your) Partido ng Demokratikong Reporma (Reporma), who served during your 1998 presidential campaign. I worked under your former Chief Legal Officer Rene Puno whom I met when I signed up with your party. While I have lost contact with the Reporma officers and staff after the 1998 elections, I continued to monitor and seek guidance from the party’s stance on issues of national interest, especially during the days leading to the EDSA2 People’s Power revolution.
The past few weeks have (been filled with) much anxiety because of a growing political crisis that now threatens to destroy the political, social and economic reforms achieved since the EDSA1 People’s Power revolution. The forces of the legal opposition, the communist front organizations, the rebel military (groups), and the self-righteous (personalities) of the administration, now appear to have forged a tactical alliance to force the early ouster of the incumbent President Glora Macapagal Arroyo (GMA), who has been voted into office for barely a year.
(This) convergence of divergent forces antagonistic to the (broad coalition of) middle forces (comprised of the middle class, the civil society, business, moderate labor, the majority of the military and police forces) is nothing new. What is new and disturbing is the apparent slide of known pillars of the middle forces into the broad alliance of anti-administration forces. I (refer to no other than) the slide and realignment of the Reporma party.
(As your former volunteer lawyer), I find it very disheartening to see and hear the Reporma party, join the loud calls for the abrupt resignation of GMA, simply because she admitted to have telephoned a Comelec official during the elections.
Has Reporma convicted GMA of cheating on the sole basis of her wiretapped conversation? Does Reporma consider the wire-tapped conversation as conclusive evidence of electoral fraud on the part of the military and police forces? Does Reporma have other evidence of cheating that it has not yet shown to the public? Am I supposed to believe that the members of the legal opposition, and the self-righteous (personalities) of the administration, are “whiter than brand new briefs?” Do the members of the legal opposition, and the self-righteous (personalities) of the administration, have the moral right to throw the first stone? Is this the People’s Power way (of running) government, that we make the tenure of elected public officials, dependent upon the intensity of political attacks and the gravity of allegations of wrongdoing?
(C)onsidering that there is now a dark cloud of doubt as to who actually won the 2004 elections, then let there be a recount before an independent electoral commission. Considering that there are now allegations of electoral fraud by GMA, the military, the police and Comelec officials, then let there be an investigation by an independent truth commission. Considering that the election process is the cornerstone of a democracy that holds all the people together regardless of political affiliation, then let the investigation cover all parties, not only the administration but also the opposition.
If and when it is determined that GMA lost, that GMA cheated, and that GMA misused the military and police forces for electoral fraud, then that would be the time that we should all ask for her abrupt and humiliating resignation.
Meanwhile, where no trial has been commenced, no evidence presented, and no judgment rendered, then it is only fair and just for all of us to withhold (any) judgment (of wrongdoing on) GMA. I’m definitely not saying that we defend GMA at all costs. All I’m saying is that we give GMA a fair and reasonable chance to be heard. Did not the Filipino people give former President Estrada a fair and reasonable to be heard by going through the impeachment process? Why should we now deny GMA the same chance to be heard perhaps through another impeachment process, or perhaps through a recount process before an independent electoral commission, or perhaps through a fact-finding investigation before an independent truth commission?
Recalling the presidential elections of 1998, I take honor in saying that I volunteered my legal services for Reporma, immediately after your candidacy was junked by FVR and Cory. To the political pundits, that was obviously a senseless act (of swimming against the tide). I did so nonetheless because I thought (that) was the right thing to do. A few years later, during the EDSA2 People’s Power revolution, I was proven right in my choice of presidential candidate.
Today, I again have to (swim) against the (rising) tide of mob rule, black propaganda (and) intense politicking, by divergent political forces who are bound by their common desire to grab power. In my own non-scientific assessment, I believe that many among the silent majority share my stand. (This) explains why the weekly “ouster” and “resignation” rallies have so far failed to attract the critical mass required to bring down the administration.
(It) is (now) time for the political leaders to start listening to the people, and for the people to stop listening to (their) political leaders.
(In) this light, I appeal to the Reporma party, to rethink and reconsider its anti-administration stance, for whatever this appeal may be worth.
Sincerely,
Atty. Dindo B. Donato
Makati City
09 July 2005
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