Jun Lozada has quoted former NEDA Executive Director and CHED Chair Romulo Neri as characterizing President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as “evil”. Strong words from a Cabinet Secretary. The problem with evil as a concept is that its devilishly (sorry, couldn’t resist that one) hard to pin down. Evil is so subtle, so insidious and wears such a common face, we may not even be aware of it.
Consider a government official. She doesn’t look evil. She doesn’t sound evil, at least most of the time. But she may indeed be evil and thus capable of evil deeds. But because of evil’s subtlety, she might not even be aware she’s bad. “Bad” not in the hip sense but bad as in evil.
Such people are unquestionably dangerous.
As psychiatrist M. Scott Peck has said:
“It is no accident that people who commit the most evil in this world see no power higher than themselves. The evil are very strong- willed men and women. ”
Dr. Scott goes on to explain that since they narcissistic, self-absorbed and their will is supreme, they are capable of the most inappropriate and destructive acts.
So is GMA evil ? She might very well be. Certain consistent indicators seem to establish this. That’s why its so important for Romulo Neri to testify. Congressman Teddy Boy Locsin said on Tina Monzon-Palma’s program “Talkback” that its critical to establish the context in which Neri’s statement of the evil in Gloria Arroyo was made. If a crime was imputed, then the legal process should take over. But evil per se would require an exorcism.
Should Romulo Neri play the role of exorcist ? He can very well do so, if he ever gets the balls to step up.
Meanwhile, former U.P. law school Dean Raul Pangalangan warns of recent Palace moves to shift the focus of the ZTE investigation from the Senate to the legal sphere in order to muddle the issues in the public eye. Parallel investigations are now being conducted before the Office of the Ombudsman and the Department of Justice, discredited institutions whose findings will almost surely create more confusion. This will draw attention away from the explosive Senate testimonies while giving the impression that GMA is doing something about corruption in high places. But it may be too late.
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Manuel L. Quezon III: The Daily Dose » Blog Archive » The Mandate of Heaven (concluded the next day)
[...] In the rest of the blogosphere, the Ateneo Mass last Monday was covered by Don’t fight darkness. Bring the light, and darkness will disappear and by Mahal ko Pilipinas!!!!! and …strawberry-filled donuts… (Lozada’s nephew) and with photos by Blahg, Standing in Motion, neo saicon, sj while thatniceboy gives an insight into the minds of those who remain detached. There were other activities, too: it’s a yummy world recounts attending a Mass at the Redemptorist Church. highwayse7en8 doesn’t like Masses with political aims. Neither does priest-blogger Bangor to Bobbio. On the other hand, Postcard Headlines in Cebu describes the first glimmerings of people bucking the view that the city is “GMA Country”. As for Lozada, lifelong learning compares what he’s doing to debriding dead tissue; pine for pine compares folksy Lozada and Abalos stories; as for views, there are the pro: there’s lecheplan, and four-eyed joie’s thoughts as well as Verities of a Writer’s heart; con: you can’t be more straightforward in expressing skepticism than under deconstruction; and neutral: preMEDitated wants to believe, but doesn’t yet. dino! dedicates poetry to the man. rl_829 thinks he’s a dead man. My Mirror to Reality undertakes an interesting experiment: what if Lozada is 100% good, or what if he’s 100% evil?Law and ICT and mga kababalaghan sa buhay ko take opposing views on whether Lozada’s phone being hacked is believable or not. Vincula points out we should give thanks for the demolition team assembled by the Palace. There are, of course, continuing views on what’s going on. Katataspulong some time ago, wondered if people really want decent officials, or whether the tangled web of corruption makes for a comfortable pigsty for everyone. jmtaylor has a bone to pick with politicians in general. Romwald’s Realm tackles the dynamics of corruption: subtle rebel runs down a list of the ironies of life (politics-wise). Lawyer notes of marichu c. lambino points out that the government keeps corroborating the testimony of Lozada (tart comments on Gaite’s admitting he gave Lozada half a million in Alleba Politics and Bong Montesa’s weblog ). The Mount Balatucan Monitor is certain of the outcome of government efforts at damage control. The Warrior Lawyer takes a similarly skeptical look at the Ombudsman, etc. And yet… there are those who prefer to stick it out with the administration because they continue to loath those who oppose her more. In a sense, the “same-same” message track of the Palace continues to work, as Walk This Way echoes: I mean, yes, the First Gentleman is a little piglet. No doubt about that. But please don’t tell me that all the politicians pursuing this issue aren’t little piglets either (below). Getting little greasy slices of pork from projects like the NBN is modus operandi in ANY administration - it’s no secret to us and it’s no secret to the senators doing the grilling. It’s been the modus operandi for decades! Where else would ANY administration get money to do things like, oh, give to senators and congressmen for their election campaigns? Senators and Congressmen don’t come for free, ya know. Tip: instead of looking at the noisy ones, let’s try and count who are the quiet ones in Senate and Congress. Perhaps they are quiet because they already were given their pieces of the pork. And it’s only the squealing ones that are upset because they didn’t get theirs. Hence, if it’s all just piggies fighting piggies over pieces of pork that they just pass on to other piggies, then it’s just politics in the end. Period. Philippine politics and governance is sick, that is as obvious as obvious can be. But will this Jun Lozada scandal be the catalyst for the great changes that need to be made? Ha! Great changes will be done in this society through small ways and on a person to person basis. Paradigm shifts don’t happen through Senate hearings. Trust me, this “moral revolution” WILL NOT be televised. Do I think corruption should be addressed? Yes. Do I think getting rid of Gloria will solve this issue? No. Do I agree with JDV that a moral revolution in government should be pursued? Yes. But will that revolution come from Senate and from Congress or from JDV himself. Hell no. Parehong baboy silang lahat. So that’s why I’m ignoring the politics and protests. And judging by their sad rally last week (Please. Makati Business Club, Black and White Movement, Cory Aquino et al. More people attended the Beyonce concert than your rally), I think others are too. [...]
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