The way I understand our political landscape is through its history, rich and shallow, exemplary and ugly.
The entry into political arena of a catholic priest come 2010 presidential election makes even more our political exercise to be exciting. The recent award to fused Smartmatic and TIM as system provider for an automated election looks brighter to our sublime right of suffrage. At least, for this election, politicians will still grope in the dark to manipulate those machines unlike the antiquated system where most of them got doctoral degrees in Election Manipulation. Shun your ears to those making noises that there will be no election. They are a breed of political carcass that stinks. They fear for their eventual fall. Like butterfly, they are ephemeral. In a year or so, their names will be blown by the east wind.
Among Ed’s intention to vie for the highest office gains a cold reception. Malacañang even considered the priest from Pampanga ‘a dreamer.’ In the church where he had served for 29 years, he receives the bitter pill from some members of the hierarchy. Although suspended, Gov. Ed, is still a priest. That indelible mark imposed on him 29 years ago remains in him. Tu es sacerdos in aeternum as ascribed to Melchizedek of old.
Of the questions for his intent, some quarters pose these presumptions: 1). that by throwing his hat to the presidency, he is diluting the immense efficacy of the church’s sacrament especially that of the sacrament of penance, for how can he hear confession from his civil and political constituents? 2) that he will become the symbol of division within and among the presbyterium.
Shortly, the first question is premature and it remains to be seen until Among Ed is given again his faculties or celebret to hear confession. If the faithful still flock to him for the sacrament, it is not diluted. And we have to admit, priests of shadowy character are still flocked by the faithful for this purpose. The reason could be that Among Ed’s church has faithful fully educated on sacraments or worst they don’t know the escapades of their priests. Second, the history of his church is rich on account of division. The Church first council, the council of Jerusalem , was beset by division, between Jews and Gentiles, between circumcised and those not. Eastern and Western Church finally separated in 1054. That is why we have now the Eastern Orthodox and Latin Rite. Lest we forget, the protestant’s rise in the Middle Ages sowed division. Internally, the inquisition, the crusades caused divisions. And the founder of Among Ed’s church, through the Holy Spirit guiding it, allowed these to happen…
The way I understand Among Ed’s thought for the presidency is through the history of the church where he serves. In this church, he was formed, gained education, served it the best way a zealous priest could do. For more than 2000 years of its existence from the Pentecost in that Upper Room, the Catholic Church stands as it is today, millions and millions of members. Even in its exegetical presentation of creation, the ruah, the breath, the spirit hovers over the creation and changed it.
Change is inevitable as calling is dynamic. The fisherman Simon Peter became the first bishop of Rome and established the community in the year 42/43 AD. Persecution ensued. During the reign of Emperor Constantine, the church was favored. Around 320 he founded the Church of St. Peter over the tomb of Peter on the Vatican Hill. Despite being a secular emperor, Constantine wielded religious-political power and summoned the council of Nicaea and handed to the Catholic Church the Nicene Creed. Politically, the church became powerful but with it the rise of monasticism which criticized the church’s secular-political garb. St. Anthony (not of Padua ) and St. Pachomius, two founders of Monasticism harmonized the ascetic life with the life of the early church.
The great schism of 1054 precipitated from Patriarch Michael Cerularius of Constantinople ’s prevention of Pope Leo IX extension of the latter’s political power into southern Italy . Martin Luther, Calvin and scores of reformers rocked the church. The renaissance period characterized by philosophic- theological advancement is tainted by inquisition, persecution of heretics, and witchcraft. Its founder allowed these to happen…
For 488 years ago, Catholicism found its place in this mystique archipelago. Resistance from siga Lapu-Lapu ensued. To date, so much of dissention rocked this side of the boat of Peter the fisherman. Fr. Gregorio Aglipay, wanting the Filipino secularization of all parishes, established his own church, the Iglesia Filipina Independiente. With it the introduction of protestant thinking into Filipino religious life brought by the influx of foreigners either serving as teachers such as the Thomasites, or those serving in the armies with protestant orientation, or those plain missionaries sent by the Protestant America. Some Filipinos themselves established their own churches.
This is a tidbit of the history of Among Ed’s church. From being the bearer of the personified savior directly touched by the historical Christ it traversed into taking of political power. In between are a dualistic assumption of its mission, church and state. One may never wonder why Rome is an independent state of Italy , a city within a city, an empire within an empire so to speak. In this line the church becomes the church of the saints and the profane, totally different from the idea of the katharoi (the pure ones) of old. The savior himself declared that he did not come for those healthy but for those who are afflicted.
Locally, the same is not observed at least in its modest form. Yet scores of bishops are branded politicking without stripping off their garb. Double standard is aptly applied to those hitting two birds with one stone. And Canon Law provision itself bars its priests from this practice. The Constitution explicitly provides separation between Church and State while upholding the sanctity of civil and political right, and that is to include of running for public office in the case of Among Ed. In fine, by running for the presidency, Among Ed does not violate the fundamental law of the land yet he runs in opposition to the Code of Canon Law. Shelving his cassock may give him a fine answer to his dilemma. And that is what he intends to do as the hierarchy pressures him to forget his plans and return to the ministry.
To run or not to run. If Among Ed will not throw his hat and take his chance, I would probably choose one among the lesser evil. The candidates we have now have their personal stakes over probable winning, cunningly infusing their personal agenda yet transforming them into legitimate political issues with the objective of swaying in most ways the ordinary and non-questioning voter. As to Among Ed’s bid, he is no lesser evil. He is a good political choice. I do not see Among Ed standing on the same mountain Jesus once stood to be tempted by the devil with power, wealth, and sheer need for sustenance. But if I ever see him there, he carries with him the 29 years of fidelity as a priest and his untainted 2 years in service as a public servant. The noise surrounding his government is akin to Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem where soon he would be crucified. The same people will cast a slur on him.
The Philippine political landscape is distinctly defined by prestige, power, wealth, and worldly trappings. It is ruled by oligarchs and dynasties that have long plundered people’s strength and will unto their remaining end. Cory’s constitution which provides for an anti-dynasty provision has long been waiting for an enabling law from an unwilling congress, a bitter pill for it to swallow. Not in their term will this anti-dynasty bill come. Yet I do not underestimate Filipinos’ sensible choice. The people of Isabela elevated the paralytic Gov. Grace Padaca to topple down Dy’s regime of repression and fear. The EDSA I is known to all. The late president Aquino had shown to the world the gift of freedom truly laden in powerlessness but in the end known by its name, ‘the people power.’ St. Paul himself exhorted: “It is in being powerless that I am strong.” Gov. Ed became governor of Pampanga without the worldly-defined power. He assumed the governorship with his Toyota Revo and motor bike purchased while he was still active as a priest and will come out with the same assets. His victory is very much inspiring. Filipinos share a common experience with the downtrodden, with those who have less but nevertheless come out jubilantly victorious. I share the same. But more than that, I wish to continue to rally the goodness of the Filipinos in their search for an edifying leader. In Among Ed’s church, the Holy Spirit continues to play a key role in its upstream and downstream and tapped insignificant personalities to rule a nation. Without waiting for an answer and just as others have witnessed the life of this simple priest from Pampanga, I will support him in his bid to be my president. I will claim to myself Philippine’s nationhood if only to deservedly give it a worthy leader. I know he has no machinery, he has no money, his two years in office as governor will likely pull him down being neophyte for a higher office. But I will not falter. Even with all these his purity of heart to serve will transcend. If Paraguay can have Fr. Fernando Lugo, SVD as president, the Philippines which is more discerning and culturally parochial should consider Among Ed as the next president. Among Ed has no business interest to protect. He has no overly demanding family to maintain. He has nothing to gain but so much to lose, and that includes his beloved priesthood he kept faithfully for 29 years.
I continue to discern that this maybe a stirring and echo of Among Ed’s god working in the history of his church and his nation and in himself as a servant, not necessarily as a priest…
May the God of our ancestors bless his intention.
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