Shortest lived government ever....

Approximately 35 hours after declaring himself the president of a revolutionary transitional government (see previous post here), retired general and former defense secretary Fortunato Abat, along with his lieutenants former budget secretary Salvador Enriquez, former Ambassador and National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) chair Roy Señeres and lawyer Carlos Serapio where whisked away by plainclothes operatives of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and and brought to Camp Crame where they were detained.

So goes the end of Abat's "administration".

However, upon reflection, even if his methods may seem a bit "unorthodox", the old geezer may just have a point.

Here are some excerpts from his two page statement issued after his arrest:

"I dared to heed the longing cry of 85 million Filipinos for a man who would lead them out of the tyranny of corruption and incompetence of the present administration."

"Indeed, I find it a shame that given the ills and misrule that bedevil our beloved country, none of our young generation of leaders would stand up and take the lead to do something."

"Where are our youthful leaders? Many who are expected to respond to the plea of our people for a change are instead in the sidelines jeering and ridiculing the effort of those who, out of a sense of patriotism, choose to act."

Makes you stop and think, doesn't it? Why have most of our leaders turned a blind eye towards the wrongdoings of this administration? As citizens, why do we tolerate lying and electoral fraud (the Gloriagate scandal)? Why do we tolerate representation by people who want to suppress the truth (failed impeachment)? Why do we tolerate violence towards those exercising their right to freedom of expression and assembly (the calibrated preemptive response, or CPR)? Why do we tolerate anomalous contracts (Venable-LLP)? Why do we tolerate misuse of government funds (fertilizer scam)? Why do we tolerate the violation of criminal rights (Ortigas shootout)? Why do we tolerate illegal gambling (jueteng)? Why do we tolerate additional taxation (EVAT law) when a significant portion of our national budget ends up in the pockets of corrupt public officials?

Why, why, why?

I could go on and on.

Suffice it to say that maybe we do need more men like Fortunato Abat. Well, maybe not as eccentric as him, but definitely as idealistic and as patriotic as him.

That's what this country needs. More patriots. And less of those hypocritical pretenders who are only after money and power.

Some may accuse Abat of being mad. But somehow, I believe that there is method to his madness. And future developments may very well prove that.

"I'd rather lose in a cause that will one day win than win in a cause that will someday lose."

- Woodrow Wilson

Links:

Abat invited but detained
Abat and 'cabinet' detained in Crame

Comments

TK said…
once upon a time, there was a knight errant sent to the castle to slay the greedy ogre who was enslaving the whole village. with a swift thrust of his broadsword, the ogre lay dead at his feet... then he turned into the ogre himself.

read it somewhere. I hope it makes sense.
December 16, 2005 10:09 PM
Ronald Allan said…
More than you know. :-)
December 16, 2005 11:04 PM
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