The Politics of Man-made Poverty

(republishing, copying, no restrictions)
By: Father Shay Cullen

Pampanga Governor Ed Panlilio, who is also a priest on leave, declared his intention to drop out of the 2010 Presidential race at a press conference in Club Filipino, Greenhills.

When Perla Santos, a Filipina professional working in Barcelona
heard that the Philippine Commission on Elections (COMELEC) had
overturned the 2007 election of Ed Panlilio, former Catholic priest
and governor of Pampanga province together with two other opposition
governors, she snorted in disgust, "What!, they were the few
uncorrupted leaders and now they are thrown out?!". Many people in
Spain that I talked to here during a lecture tour and some in the
Filipino community are bewildered by the intertwined maneuvering and
relationships that allow dynastic political families remain
indefinitely in power and determine the outcome of the so-called
democratic elections.

Indeed the recent decision by the Commission on Elections to
overturn the election victories of the acclaimed three most
uncorrupted and progressive governors, incumbent Isabela Governor
Grace Padaca and Bulacan Gov. Joselito Mendoza, and Ed Panlilio, all
of the opposition Liberal Party (LP) has created a very skeptical
impression among many Filipinos here. "Its just too, oh so
convenient, right before the elections in May that this happened, it
gives the politicos (dynastic politicians) a big power to cheat and
steal", declared Margie, another Filipino who had to migrate to
escape dire poverty, to find a decent salary and security for her
family in Manila. She has high hopes that Sen. Benigno Simeon "Noynoy"
Aquino III, leader of the LP and the son of the late President Cory
Aquino will win and bring about the miracle of a clean government.

That would be, as the dictionary says - "a highly improbable or
extraordinary event, development, or accomplishment that brings very
welcome consequences". Indeed corruption has reached an all-time
high according to the government itself where many of its highest
officials are accused of wrongdoing. The allegations of higher
public officials transferring billions of pesos to favored political
allies in certain provinces and allegedly getting a pre-agreed
percentage returned to private accounts is a widespread perception.
The recent discovery of massive hoards of money in the private homes
of the president's allies in Maguindanao, who have been arrested and
charged with the massacre of 57 people including 30 journalists
gives weight to the unproven allegations.

The Philippines, according to some political analysts, is ruled
by some 200, or less powerful families who own or control 70% of the
wealth. They use it to elect their relatives to the Congress, staff
government departments and the police and army with favored sons and
rule as an oligarchy-cum-dictatorship through the all powerful
office of the president.

The "election" contest is not between political parties but
between the families striving to put down each other, sometimes with
violence, to occupy that highest post from which they can then
manipulate the Congress by releasing or withholding billions of
public funds to the members through the pork barrel system.

The few uncorrupted independents who get elected like the three
governors are considered audacious mavericks defying the system by
refusing to play along and take bribes. They are ousted one way or
the other. Governor Ed Panlilio is now to be replaced by the
powerful matriarch who lost to him and happens to be a close friend
of the president.

The system survives with the support of the Philippine military.
Some top generals have been promoted on the basis of political
loyalty, rather than merit. When they withdrew support from
beleaguered President Erap Estrada, he fell.

Some patriotic military officers have mounted attempted coups in
recent years by way of protest at this state of affairs. Antonio
Trillanes IV who is in custody for leading a 2003 mutiny was so
popular that he was elected to the Senate while still in prison. An
indication of how desperate the people were for a change of
government. The reliance of the US on Philippine army officers to
exercise political power is best seen in the example of US West
Point graduate former President Fidel Ramos. He implemented the
Marcos martial law regime but drifted away when the US withdrew
support from Marcos and the regime was about to fall. Years later,
he was elected president. A crude form of regime change some say but
effective.  www.preda.org; shaycullen@gmail.com

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Contact Fr. Shay Cullen at the Preda Center, Upper Kalaklan, Olongapo City, Philippines.
e-mail: preda@info.com.ph
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PREDA Information Office
PREDA Foundation, Inc.
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www.preda.org