EDITORIAL: Drawing The Line

“Those who are against the confidential fund are enemies of peace and security, those who are against peace and security are enemies of the state”. Spoken in Filipino language in public, and by a sitting Vice President of the land, it is clearly drawing not only a political stand but clearly drawing a demarcation line of a political battlefield.

The events in the last few days are clearly political demolition job of the Vice President banking on the issue of confidential fund. It is launched by aspiring leaders and their patrons in the coming national elections. They buttressed the persistent stand of the makabayan block about transparency, implying irregularity in the use of the fund by the office of the Vice President.

Unfortunately, the demand is turning out to be a pure personal attack using speculations short of legal facts. The accusers diligently evaded to refer to pertinent official circulars covering the use of government money in promoting peace and internal security. They failed to answer the challenge to file charges in court to back up their case.

The danger of political demolition is when it is focused only on one single official leaving others whom the issue is clearly applicable too. Everybody knows that the members of the legislative branch have also their own huge confidential funds. Furthermore, the attack is coming from persons whose agenda is clearly acknowledged to weaken the government.

The makabayan block in the house of representatives, and the left leaning oppositions in the senate have used their propaganda machinery in getting the supported of the gullible multimedia groups. Obviously, they are winning. They seemed to be successful in getting on their side the speaker of the house and the president of the senate, both aspiring for top political leadership.

But the pronouncement of the Vice President is laden with moral power in itself. The line is clear: either you or me, people will announce in the next few months. When the smoke is clear we will see the light the real party lines. It is not the minority who will decide the future of the country. It is not speculations but legal truth that will prevail.