My first few weeks here, I tried to watch Bandila or Saksi once a week just to keep abreast of what’s happening in our country. But I noticed the news were all the same, puro naholdup, puro mura, puro galit sa America, o kaya naman mga nagnakaw, naaksidente, ginahasa, napatay, nabaril, itinapon sa kalye patay. Nakakadagdag stress lang so I stopped watching beginning on December 15.
But last night, I made the mistake of watching Saksi. Naku, nothing have changed. Wala man lang good news. Meron pang nadagdag. Martial law. They showed a video clip of Presidente Duterte, hindi nga nagmumura kasi mukhang nagpipigil pero mukhang nanggigigil naman, “Wala akong pakialam sa Supreme Court na yan”. (If) He will declare Martial Law daw, no one or nothing can stop him. Naku po, nadagdagan na naman ang worry ko. Nakakalungkot pag ganyan.
With all due respect to President Duterte, I think he should be the very first person in our country to show respect to the Supreme Court. At least in public man lang. Even if he personally has no respect for them, he should not openly say it in public. His actuation and pronouncements of not respecting the SC could set a precedent and people who don’t know any better might act accordingly and treat the SC with disdain. Wala ng susunod sa batas natin. The Supreme Court of every nation, including ours, is an institution and must be regarded with the highest respect. If we humiliate it in public, disparage, despise, push aside, then this could erode the people’s trust, respect and confidence in the judiciary. This will weaken our constitution and thus, weakens our nation.
I didn’t realize how powerful a sitting president is. One single person can make or break the lives of one hundred million Filipinos. One single act can ruin the future of our countrymen. One good deed can spur progress. One ill judgment can ruin us all. One misplaced ego and belief and wrong perspective can spell DOOM for our country.
God bless the Philippines. May the good Lord guide and enlighten the officials of the land so that their thoughts and actions will be for the better of our country and fellowmen. Peace to all.
