What happened to the legacy?

If anything, a Pandora’s box of disagreement has been opened over the President’s pronouncements that he is mulling the idea of Charter change to lessen the “judicial reach” of the Supreme Court, complaining that the SC “uses too often its powers to check on the other branches of government,” and that “the balance between the three branches of government seems to be vanishing.” P-Noy has also indicated his openness to the idea of seeking a second term, eliciting a flood of protests especially from those who strongly feel he has tarnished — if not desecrated — the legacy of his parents, both considered to be the icons of democracy in this country.

The Fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Aquino delivered last July 28 is still fresh in the minds of the people, and many remember how he got teary eyed as he invoked the memory of his parents, telling the people that he could not turn his back on his father and mother and all the sacrifices they made for Filipinos.

He ended his SONA by saying, “After everything we’ve achieved, I can say that I am content… sure that when I’m gone, many will take my place and continue what we have started. Maybe this is what I am meant to do: to start this… I fully believe that whether I am here or not, the Filipino is headed towards the rightful destination. And so, I will leave it here.”

In the past, the president has consistently refused the idea of Charter change, even if only to amend the tight economic restrictions as Speaker Sonny Belmonte has been pushing — which is why the sudden turnaround is obviously because he is still furious at the Supreme Court for having ruled the Disbursement Acceleration Program as unconstitutional. He has practically declared war against the Supreme Court.

LP officials and presidential allies argue that they need to ensure the continuity of the reforms started under this administration. On the other hand, Mar Roxas says P-Noy must seek a second term “to preserve democracy.” What? Am I hearing this right? This second term push has now widened the crack between the Samar and Balay factions even more, with the latter allegedly concocting the clamor for P-Noy to run again. But the reality according to the inner circle is that there is no other winnable LP candidate for 2016.

Students of history however say it is dangerous for a man to believe that he alone has the good intention or ability to do what is right or needed — especially when he is in a position of power. So let’s go back to history and review what his parents specifically said.

The late President Cory Aquino warned: “Power intoxicates; too much power is addictive. And there will always be power drug dealers who will feed your habit as president. They will say you are right, when you are wrong. They will say you are successful, when you fail, and will insist that you are indispensable although you are just one of 70 million Filipinos who gave you the rare privilege to be their servant but only for your elected term. They will say that nobody can take your place, when what they mean is that they do not want to give up their places.”

Ninoy Aquino, during a speaking engagement in Los Angeles in February 1981, said, “I believe that no man, (no matter) how brilliant this man, can dictate the welfare or the direction of 48 million Filipinos.” In the same speech, he recalled repeatedly writing to Ferdinand Marcos, telling him not to forget the lessons of history so he won’t end up a tragedy. In fact, Ninoy wrote a “Dear Brod” letter to his fraternity brother Marcos that was sent through business tycoon Enrique Zobel, a mutual friend, offering to help restore democracy in the country before it was too late.

In her third SONA in July 1989, Cory talked about good government — saying this can be achieved by cooperation as well as by adversarial relations — meaning dissent is par for the course. Even as she expressed her wish for the work she started to continue, she was also realistic enough to know that her decisions or actions were not infallible. “This is what I wish for most — that after me, the continuity of our work is not broken. So that things well done shall be completed, and the same mistakes avoided by succeeding administrations… I am not asking that all my programs be blindly followed by my successor. God knows, we have made mistakes,” she said in her 1991 SONA.

With regard to the Supreme Court, the late president was also eloquent: “I might have spared myself deep embarrassments by interfering with the judgments of the courts. But I uphold the independence of these bodies. I am convinced it is in all our best interest to respect an independence that may thwart the government’s will from time to time — but is yet our best assurance of justice when we will need justice most.”

“The honor of the presidency is so great, no one needs to have it more than once. The honor sticks to you. A president is never forgotten…” Cory had said. But perhaps the strongest statement that underscores this legacy is captured best in Mrs. Aquino’s conclusion of her 1991 SONA: “This is the glory of democracy: That its solemn moment should be the peaceful transfer of power.”

In floating the idea of a second term, P-Noy says he will only listen to his bosses. We will soon find out what they have to say.

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