Erap’s pardon - why mom?
“Gago! tanga! buwisit!” – these were the first words I uttered when I heard the late night newscast yesterday that president Arroyo has granted clemency to Joseph Estrada. I rarely say bad words. Perhaps, if I’d count the times I said these bad words to date, it would even be less than my age-to-be next month. As a mom, the more I’ve been cautious about saying these bad words. It was good that I was alone in the office watching the news then. I was shocked and dismayed at the president’s move; I can’t believe she did it.
This is not an open protest because honestly, I have never been fond of politics. I even shunned discussions about political issues (although I have been an “activist” in my UP days). This is not a moral piece either since I am not religious nor absolutely good and upright: there are lies I can understand and even live with and some twisted realities I can tolerate. I just feel I need to vent out my disgust and hence, this blog piece.
I am an ordinary Pinoy mom with a lot of whys, whats, and maybes.
- Why pardon one man — who plundered the nation’s wealth and stole from millions of poor Filipinos — for humanitarian grounds (his age, his ailing mother)?
- Why allow a proven corrupt ex-president to evade punishment for his wrongdoings?
- Why pardon him so soon? Why the hurry to grant clemency when she has a string of corruption scandals and accusations currently in the lime lights and needing urgent resolution as well?
- What kind of national peace, reconciliation and advancement could we expect from the pardon of Erap and how would these lofty goals be achieved in concrete terms, in ways which can have impact in our day-to-day lives?
- What do you think of Pinoys? Why free Erap for the benefit of the masses identifying with him and disgruntle the rationale, intelligent and democratic Pinoys which are the Philippine society’s prime movers?
- Maybe, Erap’s pardon is a political maneuver, a public image gimmick, a show biz act or a script for Gloria.
As a mom, how can you clearly explain Erap’s pardon, especially to very young kids when they ask,
“Isn’t Erap bad? So, why did GMA free him?”
Be ready with the right answer lest you give your child the wrong signals that he/she can do wrong and misbehave since he/she will be forgiven and can evade punishment with the right connections with influential and powerful people. Would it be enough to reply with GMA’s trite statement that Erap’s pardon is “a powerful force for righteousness, compassion, healing, national stability, and advancement…” I don’t think so. Even if we try to translate this rationale in child-friendly words, I think a child can remain confused as we are about the true motives behind Erap’s pardon. I, myself, still ask mom GMA: why?.
As I journey as a mom, even without knowing why, I hope and pray that if Erap’s pardon is scripted, may the audience (we, the Filipino people) get their share of the food and party (loot) bags in the end.
Erap’s pardon is definitely a maneuver for Gloria’s personal interests and that’s that. Hers above an entire nation’s interest. I would rather pardon Desperate Housewives, but not Gloria, and not Erap.
Disgusted, i emailed my parents and told them that Gloria opened the gates of hell and let lucifer out, so that he can protect her. AND HE WON’T.
Jeannie,
Yes, it’s disgusting, especially since she was supposed to be the model mother of all Filipinos under her constituency. I guess it was really a selfish move, a self-preservation tactic which she rationalized as reconciliation, healing and unity.