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A Headline Story Many Filipinos Dream to Read Someday
By Bishop Jovie Galaraga
It was an incredible spectacle that TV viewers and radio listeners initially thought was just a part of a public affairs program featuring government dignitaries.
But yesterday, June 15, 2014 at 12 noon, there it was –covered by all major TV and radio networks, the whole Congress in Special Joint Session with the Senate President Franklin Drilon and Speaker of the House of Representatives Feliciano Belmonte wearing grave and mournful faces. The Senators and Congressmen were a picture of deep gloom. The Batasang Pambansa Session Hall was eerily solemn, even a little smile can scandalize the somber mood. One can drop the proverbial needle and it can be heard in all corners. Except for some staff attending to their duties and a bunch of media people with their big cameras glued on the podium, the usually jampacked gallery was empty. No Congressional spouses dressed in elegance galore, no Malacañang people in sight. It is as if the funeral atmosphere was in keeping with the gravity of the announcement that was to be made to the expectant nation alerted two hours earlier.
It was the Senate President with Speaker Belmonte standing by his side who announced the news:
“Our dear countrymen: After a long, collective soul-searching, prayer and consultations, I wish to announce the decision of all members of the Senate and the House of Representatives to irrevocably resign our positions effective 12 noon tomorrow. We also hereby heed our people’s cry to close Congress.”
Fighting off tears, Drilon’s anguished voice began to choke as he struggled to finish:
“This is our voluntary, supreme act of genuine repentance and sacrifice to preserve our beloved country from imminent disintegration and to make way for much-clamored righteous governance and the new beginning for a clean slate we all aspire for. Whatever sins, failings, misdeeds and wrongdoings we have committed against you and against God, please forgive us.”
For seven straight weeks now, the country has been wracked and convulsed by violent rallies that have reached multimillions in Metro Manila, cities and towns all over the country demanding the resignation of all members of Congress. The rallies coordinated by the “Movement for a New Philippines” and Multimillion March Against Pork Barrel and All Forms of Corruption” have blocked major streets in all cities of the country forcing public transportation to suspend operations resulting in the temporary shutdown of offices and schools.
In their manifesto, the organizers claim: “The clear involvement of Congress in the multibillion Pork Barrel scams revealed by the Janet Napoles List and attested to by her credible affidavits, the members of Senate and the House have lost all moral authority to continue in their functions. Congress has become a damaged institution beyond any repair. The only choice left is to close it to save our nation and we will not leave the streets until that happens.”
The immediate reaction to the news was electric and ecstatic. The millions of rallyists in the streets erupted into mass hysteria and euphoria. TV networks showed seas of people screaming, dancing, singing, doing high-fives and jumping with abandon. As of press time, millions more have poured out into the streets to join what one organizer called, “celebration of the century.”
The response from Malacañang Palace was more subdued. In a statement read by Presidential Spokesperson Sonny Coloma, President Aquino said: “The members of Congress have made their irrevocable decision. We honor their decision. We will announce actions to be taken as soon as these are finalized.”
In the aftermath of the notorious Napoles List, several Cabinet secretaries whose names appeared in the List and the Affidavits had tendered their irrevocable resignations weeks ago. But reports have it that Malacañang expects more names of trusted President’s men will soon be made public by the Dept. of Justice as beneficiaries of the multibillion peso scam.
The Ecumenical Council of the Philippines, an aggregation of Christian-Evangelical, Roman Catholic, Protestant and independent churches in a media statement said: “We congratulate the members of Congress for their highly admirable decision to resign and close Congress. Their bold response to the cries of our people for righteous governance is surely pleasing to our God who loves the Philippines. We acknowledge the fact that there are some Senators and Congressmen who are clean, honest and diligent, sincerely focused on the welfare of our people but we lament the stark reality that at this time the only way to redeem Congress is to close it.”
In a separate statement the Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches (PCEC) urged the people “to continue praying for our beloved nation until we see the fulfillment of God’s beautiful destiny for us – economic prosperity, social peace, public justice that result when righteousness reigns, as the Bible declares, ‘Righteousness exalts a nation but sin is a disgrace to any people. Proverbs 14:34.’”
Postscript: Ano nga kaya kung ang inyong nabasa ay mangyayari?