Philippine Democracy Online

by Atty. Jamil Matalam What I offer here is only a perspective or frame concerning the political issues involving and surrounding the Bangsa Moro. It is no political position, although it is my position that only democratic or political solutions are really possible. I point out here the urgency of peace to deter the outbreak of a possible catastrophic violence or war.

By Jamil Matalam Ateneo de Davao University                                      After asking students to read Plato’s “The Apology of Socrates” Allan Bloom asks his students what are their verdict; do they acquit or convict Socrates? The question is important because in the Dialogue Socrates was talking to his judges and was not talking about philosophical concepts; Socrates wanted to be judged upon. The great philosopher provided us the method to judge him, i.e. by the method of “truth”. The impeachment of Chief Justice Corona gives us a good opportunity to revisit this most enigmatic Dialogue by Plato.

By Jamil Matalam, MA Ateneo de Davao University                            The peace talks concerning the insurgency problem in Mindanao always had the character of a negotiation. It is a matter of offer on the one side, a counter-offer on the other, and then impasse and then armed encounters. This has always been its character and will always be because the parties to the negotiations have their own non-negotiable matters to bring into the negotiations, those that cannot be compromised. No doubt it is doomed to failure, if the goal is peace; for peace, and the current events surrounding the issue tells us so, is not a matter of negotiations. Peace is about the truth and is real; it is not a matter of compromise or simply a result of agreement. Peace is not a matter of give and take but the truth.

By Jamil Matalam Ateneo de Davao University                                      Today, 30 June 2011, the President of the Philippines signed the bill synchronizing the ARMM elections with that of the National Elections, i.e. postponing the August 2011 ARMM elections. From the reading of the President’s speech in signing the bill it would give us the impression that the primary intention for the bill is to pave way for reforms in the ARMM. I think reforming the ARMM is good and is a must. I take issue, however, with how the President, by passing, mentions how the undemocratic practice is happening in the region. He says:

By Atty. Jamil Matalam Ateneo de Davao University The ideal of a civil society—a society of rational exchanges of thoughts about social welfare and a government under the rule of law— is thought by many to have much of its origins in the Western civilization. It presupposes two intrinsically related things: “free citizens”, those that are not in bondage of slavery; and a democratic regime. They have to be citizens because the idea of a right is involved, i.e., as a member of the society they have loyalty and have concern about the life of the community and society. They have to be free because they do not represent the interests of their “masters” but the welfare of all, a sense of neutrality and retreat.

by Jamil Matalam Ateneo de Davao University                                   P-Noy’s first Executive Order has no other aim but to make the former President accountable for suspected corrupt practices—the hello Garci, fertilizer scam, NBN-ZTE controversy and the Ampatuan massacre. The new administration would want us to believe that it won’t tolerate any misdeeds. It shall make things straight in the government dealings and bring to justice the oppressors. With these matters as motives, P-Noy created his first Knight—the Truth Commission—to investigate on the alleged law infractions of the former President of the past 10 years.

by Jamil Matalam Ateneo de Davao University                                     The Supreme Court of the land is accused of plagiarism by the UP Law professors. It is heartbreaking that a high court, reposed with great respect and fidelity is accused of no less than cheating its way out of a problem. The worst is that this problem is not merely academic but a problem of real justice. If it be true that there was plagiarism, then we may say that the High Court cheated its way out of a problem involving justice, justice demanded by Filipino comfort women.

By Jamil Matalam Ateneo de Davao University                                      Ryan Maboloc, in his recent political article, mentions as problems of Philippine politics the lack of human dignity in Philippine society and the lack of the principle of subsidiarity in the government. The former, he means that lack of recognition of the dignity of a fellow human person; and as a consequence the lack of care for their welfare. In lieu, he advances what he refers to as a centrist principle, whereby he means that political policies should not simply cater to the interest of the few rich, but above all everybody, especially the poor. The latter, he means the lack of recognition of the capabilities of small governmental units for chartering their welfare; a sort of autonomy. These problems tell us of the totalitarian or imperialistic tendencies of our government. Maboloc is trying to suggest that...

By Jamil Adrian Matalam Ateneo de Davao University                                 The decades-long war in the Bangsa Moro has now reached a point that is probably near its end—thank God. The Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, it seems, would have a final peace agreement with the emergence of the Bangsamoro Juridical Entity (BJE). Yet many Filipino politicians, it would seem, are against it. They oppose it because it would be like surrendering Philippine sovereignty over a portion of Mindanao with the MILF or the Moros. Some of them say it is like carving out a portion of the Philippines. To this I say NONSENSE!

by Jamil Adrian Matalam Ateneo de Davao University                                  I am no advocate of homosexuality. I even hate homosexual acts. But what I hate most are people who disregard the dignity of their fellow human beings, and are unmindful their sufferings. The doctors at the Vicente Sotto hospital, in Cebu , who operated on a suffering homosexual have no right whatsoever to that person’s suffering a laughable matter. It is good to laugh a lot in life, but I do not think it is good if the subject of our laughter is that of a person’s pain. He came there looking for help and remedy and not to be laughed at and be disgraced. What is more outrageous, as if a finishing touch, is that they uploaded it in youtube so that the rest of the world could see the operation.