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Breaking Free

The neo-feudal traditional politics that have characterized Filipino politics are fading fast,according to Prof. Randy David in his latest Inquirer op ed column. David places the context of Lozada's testimony in the Senate with last week's Joe De Venecia dethronement from the House speakership.

Here greed is shorn off of its moral consequences. In the old politics loyalty once counted as David writes. But it is not the professionalism of modern politics that replaced it by sheer greed and it seems that someone in the Macapagal-Arroyo ruling cabal has managed to dredge out a modicum of conscience when he advised to "moderate their greed".

The medieval idea likened the conscience as a castle keep. Consciences are never easily destroyed and perhaps Jun Lozada in waging what should be a private battle with the Devil, broke free with a barrage of arrows. It is just fortunate that other people now see how this battle is run as to fortify their own stands.

And David cites the "rule of law" as a means to guarantee the property and political hegemony of the oligarchy. In our private battles with the Devil, we may have in the words of Thomas More "cut down every law" and when the laws are down flat, man's laws not God's laws, just have the prayer that God will defend us from the Devil and win. That Catholic Church in the Philippines despite its flaws, still remains as the best witness we have of that truth.

Lozada has been brought to that point. It is not just himself that brought him to that point but someone much greater In that he breaks free. All for conscience. When will we as a people do the same?

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