Goliath Has Fallen: Irony of the Powers-That-be
By bluepanjeet on Sep 12, 2007 in Acid Rub
I was there in 2001 Edsa II. The next day after Cardinal Sin called for another people power, we in the seminary immediately went there. We bought black cloth and painted slogans defying the accused president and his 13 senator minions who did not want to open the envelope. We had a holiday back then which our guardian allowed us to take a break and watch the live telecast of the impeachment. It was during the preventive opening of the envelope that enraged us in the seminary. As most common Filipinos who were hooked in the mid afternoon court soap opera of the impeachment, we were also expecting that the truth should be unveiled. But like the political traditions in our country, the power hungry always succumbed to his delusional power and the leeches suck his most abundant vein to feast on his blood. And when Estrada’s blood dried up from their sucking, these senators left him one by one out on the dark.
All Photos by Macaroni
Armed with only a strip of 4 feet black banner, black arm and head bands, an old amplifier and the fervor of patriotism and conviction to uphold the truth, we marched from our Capuchin St. Francis Church in Manda straight to the Edsa Shrine, with people in the MRT lined up looking at us from above and chanting with us “Erap Resign! Erap Guilty!”
I was also there when the people growled in anger when Miriam and then tourism secretary Gemma Cruz Araneta came to the Edsa Shrine and shifted their gears. It was the most disgusting thing that happened on that night. The lowest of all scum came in order to play goalie. But the people never took their sincerity seriously, after all, there never was any.
Now six years later, the verdict finally arrived. The same battle cry that we used to chant in EDSA six years ago together with all the people of God has just been made into a realization, just an hour after this post was written.
I never regretted the fact that I became an instrument of history’s ousting of a corrupt president. It was a matter of national principle and moral ascendancy even though I myself and the rest of the Filipinos have our share of moral transgressions. What I regret is the fact that the person who replaced the former president is more corrupt and deceiving.
It is like an evolution: the more time flies, the more corrupt they become. No wonder many Filipinos these days are Atheist because Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution has proven true of these self-evolved supposed leaders of the Orient Pearl. In some point of my catholic perspective, I agree with some of my Atheist blog friends’ belief in Darwin’s Theory because they have proven correct in terms of our leader’s political evolution. Look at Gloria now… This is the only time that my catholic view of Darwin’s theory will fully reconcile on the atheist’s perspective of evolution.
In a recent SWS survey, Erap was found to be trustworthy than Arroyo and believed that the former is far better than the latter (Read the full SWS report). But the bottom-line is, justice is not dictated by public opinion. He committed acts of unbecoming of a president, which only deserve such penal discipline. Of course the sympathy outpours on the convicted, but be reminded that our acts towards men has consequences that has to be faced. And it is now time that Erap should face his’.
Now the Irony, if Erap’s minions six years ago did open the envelope, would he face this same kind of political “harassment” or dilemma in the first place? This kind of “What-if-question” will just remain as is that will haunt Erap for the rest of his life behind bars.
The other Irony, the situation for Arroyo is a lose-lose situation: Now Erap is convicted, Arroyo will soon face the charges filed against her and her hubby. Now that the court has proven that, no one is above the law even if you are a former president. With this, Erap’s minions will also work hard in trying to charge the president of mistrust. And if for instance, Erap was acquitted, still the same enthusiasm of getting Arroyo and her hubby behind bars will still prove potent for her enemies motivated by such intentions of getting back at her. This is the situation that Arroyo cannot escape. Whichever way her administration treat the case of Erap (which was recently concluded) she will still earn the ire of many Filipinos around the world, both inside and outside the realm of public surveys, just because like her predecessor, she failed to live up to her August’s office name.
Goliath has fallen, and the Estrada Case is only the beginning of a much heated ousting of a leader. Erap was found Guilty as expected and as common sense dictates. The next chapter is Gloria’s turn to caress the cold steel bars with her hubby with much help from most of the Opposition Senators.
This Political Irony is endless. It will still take generations and generations before we finally get the Peaceful and Progressive Philippines that we are always aspiring for. But beyond this litany of political upheavals, as always, let me extract some kernel of lessons.
- No one is above the law.
- Justice precedes mercy
- Power is not forever
- Public opinion does not dictate justice
- Irony is always worsened by voluntary stupidity and acts of corruption
- If one is convicted, then others should also be indicted for the same offense
- There is no need for paranoia if you are not guilty of the same offense as MLQ3 puts it
- Always face the consequence of your acts
- Three years is not enough to repair the damage caused by corruption in our country
- Life is full of Irony, any Goliath will prove futile, and only to be replaced by another Goliath who will soon face her own downfall (a fearless forecast if you will excuse me).
With everything I have written above, surely you are so lost as to wonder what my point is exactly.
“Erap and Gloria are of the same vein, which only differs in the degree of their corrupt practices. The former is proven, the latter is accused. They are both reminiscent of the power hungry Goliath who stumbled and fall at the mercy of the Powerful God personified by the little sling-throwing shepherd. The country does not need a third Goliath; we actually need a new David to put our country back on the road to recovery”.
Ergo, let me close this post of mine with a national anthem, cheaply re-made and satirically re-concocted by RyeBosco, yet full of meaning and struck my patriotic heart with a two edged sword.
MAY GOD BLESS THE PHILIPPINES!!!
BluePanjeet Interactives 2007
This work is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License
A mischievous and playful colossus, bluepanjeet hold a certain conviction in life, that “sometimes” there are no space for absolutes like yes or no, naughty or nice and black or white. 
INFJs are gentle, caring, complex and highly intuitive individuals. Artistic and creative, they live in a world of hidden meanings and possibilities. Only one percent (or less than two percent) of the population has an INFJ Personality Type, making it the most rare of all the types. 
This blog revolves around the psychological phenomenon of every human psyche and the spiritual enlightenment that comes with it. Every human experience is at the depths of the individual’s inner self and somehow it has something to do with the spirit. 
"On The Wings Of My Dream" Official emblem/logo represents the ideals and convictions that the blog stands for. From color, shapes, positions and forms comes the meaning of everything the author adheres to. 
Recognitions, no matter how insignificat and petty to others will always be important and precious to the beneficiary. Here lies in the OTWOMD cyber-shelf the various recognitions from other bloggers. petty and small. but big in the eyes of the giver and the receiver. 
"What an excellent work of art! Taking a good look and ample lots of time reading, i will say you are brilliant . it reaches the people through modern tech in a modern way and what you have done is one way of educating people who spend most of their time in front of there pc." 
LOOKING FOR GOD IN HARRY POTTER Using his knowledge of classic literature, pilosophy, and Christian tradition, John Granger, a devout Catholic, has decoded what he believes is the secret message of the Potter novels --a powerful message that could explain why the books have captivated the imagination of an entire generation. 
Capuchins are brothers, they live in fraternity, pray as individuals and in community, share meals and time together, helping each other to grow, just like in a family. their communities, called friaries, are joyful and hospitable places.
Children are synonymous to trompilyo, trompo and pilyo. They make us laugh, do crazy things, generates problems, tosses everything, knock every fragile figurines and vases from their paths and twirls and spins as if they never run out of energy. 
Francis was walking with a friend in a dark alley coming from a party, until two motorcyle ridden men with bonnets showed up. they were asking for their money and cellphones, in short, they were being hold-upped. But Francis fought back. 
This is a repository of all things Nursing. From the course, the education up to the application to various exams. This section will also post some of the year's current and past Board Exam results.
From the smallest stone to the most absurd of all items, may it be cheap or expensive, this section tries to illustrate the importance of memories which this items brought to the life of the Author. they serve not only as memories but also as inspirations in his journey. 
Brother Sun, Sister Moon is a famous phrase coined by St. Francis of Assisi. In this section, this blog will feature amazing animals that are always taken for granted by us humans. All of God's creations are our brothers and sisters under God's almighty Fatherhood. 
Hues is the photo gallery section of OTWOMD. It features some of the author's amateur photos taken on various year and occasions. Hues will also post from time to time, significant photos from various photographers and sources. 
Aside from featuring OTWOMD reader-fans of their alleged fondness to this blog, this section will also feature their own blog (if any) and their dreams. Bloggers are not just overnight journalists and writers, they are also DREAMERS in their own right. 
Testdrive is a repository of the Author's amateur music videos wherein he squeezes his creative juices to create his own work of broadcast media in his private and idle time. 
This a special service that features rare, classic movies and specials uploaded from various video hosting sites which offer viewers a one-time chance to watch a rarely broad casted film and documentaries. 
Himig Noypi showcases music videos from the hottest bands and artists of the Philippines. Catered for the Pinoys abroad, viewers would definitely enjoy watching the music videos done by the finest MV directors of the country. From here you will see and hear the diversity and artistry of the Filipino Music Industry 
Comedy Zone exhibits the regular updates of funny video finds from movies, TV shows, sports, news makers, interesting commercials, to classic tv series from the 80’s. 
CoCoJam features the MP3 files of the author from his original collection of albums. from Pinoy Rock of OPM to the most uplifting chorus of religious songs, bluepanjeet uploads this song to promote the awareness of this existent albums and their respective artists. 
This is a satellite category where the author’s personal preferences are showcased. Watch and witness the tip of the author’s iceberg from the different videos he marked as his personal favorites. 
Bluepanjeet Presents showcases original video episodes from different channels from YouTube which he often watch and is subscribed to. From Catholic shows, to behind the scenes of Rock bands, to the most ostentatious of comedy clips and sketches of Youtubers. 
Did you like most of the contents of "On The Wings Of My Dream? Make your presence felt by expressing everything that you heard, saw, felt and touched you on the various features of this blog. 
Do you have any questions, suggestion, inquiries, important matters to discuss, prayer request or just want to disturb the peace of the Author? Contact bluepanjeet anytime and he will gladly reply to your correspondence, as fast as the eagle flies. 
22 Comment(s)
By sasha on Sep 12, 2007 | Reply
Ang bilis ng mga bloggers mag-post about this. Alam mo tama ka when you say na pareho lang si Erap and GMA. In fact, lahat ng politicians are the same. Yun lang level of corruptness nila ang naiiba.
Kaya naman nasimulan na rin naman natin yang kay Erap, ituloy na sa iba.
[Reply]
By bluepanjeet on Sep 12, 2007 | Reply
@ it would be unfair for Erap if Ramos and Gloria will not be indicted also. After Cory, kaya lumaki ang kuryente at gasolina gawa ni Ramos sa PPA scam, at yung oil deregulation law na ipinasa nya, tapos kinokorrupt ni erap ang kaban ng bayan, na dapat iniaayos ni gloria, eh isa pa namang corrupt na mag asawa. ano na mangyayari dito sa bansa natin? puro de bulsa. They are all the same. If I will analogize it, in hell they will all be placed there but on different levels of temperature depending on the gravity of their corrupt ways. if ever, si gloria ang pinakatutong at sunog among the three presidents sa dami ng namatay at dinukot sa administration nya at sa dami ng mga overprized computers, bridges, roads, highways pati na fertilizer funds at ma-anomalyang kontrata sa Macapagal Highway at ZTE. The heat of the sun will not even suffice the punishment that hell will set upon her (analogy po). LOL
[Reply]
By reyna elena on Sep 12, 2007 | Reply
bluep,
I ADORE YOU for the post that you made! He He He! Later, I gotta go to work, and I agree preprehas lang ang mga kapa nila! Be back later for my royal insights!
*bow*
[Reply]
By bluepanjeet on Sep 12, 2007 | Reply
@ Reynz - oo nga inang, starstruck ako dun sa trackback na dumating from MLQ3. I was caught by a big and wonderful surprise.
[Reply]
By reyna elena on Sep 12, 2007 | Reply
You write EXCELLENT content bluep! And the way your organize them are exquisitely organized kaya naman delighful ever to read and understand which is why i believe Wall Street or the New York Times will feature you one day (not Barrio Siete Weekly). I could read it from palad of my hands (palm reader an lola mo eh). Great job! *bow uli ang reyna*
Am still here! laughing like a crack addik dun sa “The ORDER OF THE PISSED SENATOR” hahaha! Yan ba ang tipo na magiging neks president?
Oops Sori OFF TOPIC! (Late na ako! Sasapakin na naman ako ni Doreennn!!)
[Reply]
By bluepanjeet on Sep 12, 2007 | Reply
@ Reynz - I dont deserve this honor from the queen… pupil mo lang ako hehe. If that pissed senator ever become prez, all hell will break lose in the blogosphere. I dare make a forecast: If Loren ever becomes president:
1. dadami ang arinola sa bansa
2. dadami ang pacute sa tabi ng mga tree seedlings
3. and she will be the first ever President to be ousted by bloggers!
Pinoy Bloggers should be all for one, one for all!
[Reply]
By jerome_cheater on Sep 12, 2007 | Reply
heellloooo…^_^
mmm… ang mssbeh q lng keh erap….
NO COMMENT>…
bwahahaah
[Reply]
By iRonnie on Sep 12, 2007 | Reply
i actually feel sorry for erap but you are right, justice before mercy. i just wish that every corrupt official in our government will receive an equal share of erap’s serving.
my pity for the ex-president is probably rooted from my extreme detest on the $200M+ overpriced national broadband deal that will be shouldered by us tax payers. may God kill them all. pardon me.
[Reply]
By bluepanjeet on Sep 12, 2007 | Reply
@ Jerome - hehe no comment ka jan insan! welcome sa blog ko butig!
@ Ronnie - haha… my seminary mentor told me via text last 2001 during the 9/11 incident, “may God render them (the terrorist) all sterile so that they can never ever propagate this earth with their kind”, same for this corrupt leaders of ours.
you are so true about the ZTE deal. and why the heck did China get the contract? no offense to all chinese but isn’t the recall of almost 4 million toys from china enough to say that they blew every deal they closed? kung nagawa nga nila sa US yun how much more sa atin. Di ko talaga makuha ang “hasang” ng mga yan. wala na ba talagang konsensya yang mga yan. eto namang si madame harbat ng harbat ng kung ano ano sa kaban ng bayan. She is the numbest person I know in the whole planet. Isinusuka na halos sya ng lahat ng Pinoy and yet she still can’t afford to at least straighten her acts. 3 years is not enough to redeem her shame. even a lifetime would not suffice P’re. I’m willing to accompany her to a neurologist. baka may naipit na nerve kaya parang walang pakiramdam sa nararamdaman nating mga pinoy.
[Reply]
By reyna elena on Sep 12, 2007 | Reply
Classic Bluep! Classic! I must say that you’re one great political scientist with no match. What you’ve written belongs to the pages of the New York Times for all the world to read and understand.
“And when Estrada’s blood dried up from their sucking, these senators left him one by one out on the dark.”
Isn’t it that Philippine Politics has always been defined like this? None of these so-called political leaders have a for the people – by the people – of the people agenda. I have a few in mind that I would like to put on the column of exceptions, but I always ran into something – why’d he/she did that? So my exceptions are still questionable!
But for the most part, their agenda has always been personal and has always been out of some subtle self-serving objectives which is why you see all of them are all balimbings. To each his own if I could suck something for my own. Compadre system, brothers-in-the-fraternity system, relative-system – just look at the make-up of the Senate and the Congress! Their session looks more like a family’s dinner table!
“It is like an evolution: the more time flies, the more corrupt they become.”
Indeed, I agree. Estrada’s corruption was garapalan-in-your-face-you-can’t-touch-me-because-am-the-president mentality! Gloria and her dwarves are the same. Should we remind everyone about her threat on the SONA? Except that Gloria, her husband and their minions seem to be perfecting them in a very subtle way. I am sitting tight and expect another Sandiganbayan presentation and I do pray that it happens.
And as all of these unfold, another chapter has closed and it looks like another chapter just can’t wait to get in. We should all be forward looking as to who is on the presidential waiting shed. Who do you see? It’s another bully who seemed to be enjoying her new found powers whose got some misplaced priorities.
[Reply]
By bluepanjeet on Sep 12, 2007 | Reply
@ Reynz - That is so true. I can’t afford to find any handful of dedicated senators or leaders today that could match the great political cavaliers of yester years like Jovito Salonga, MLQ, CM Recto and the rest of the guys whose names are now affixed with our main streets. If someone in the senate is sane enough to make ammendments, I want to knock on the door of Senator Miriam to push thru a law that prohibits any first to second degree of consanguinity to occupy a seat in the same office or same level of office for that matter. Why you can almost place a candelabra on the senate desks and call for a family reunion dinner for crying out loud. Another one that irks me is the way they campaign. TV ads and other media ads should be prohibited. let them travel from places to places during election so that the 300+ millions of PHP would not be spent on TV and Radio ads alone. Dun nagsisimula corruption eh. tapos pag natalo, kahit magkasama sa ticket laglagan na. such dirty politics indeed.
The other chapter of my forecast will surely happen now that the sympathy is with Erap. They thought that Erap’s conviction will actually silence the oppositin, this is just a start of another melodrama. this is what Gandalf of the LOTR called “the deep breath before the great plunge”. And I am truly saddened by our political situation. Vicious cycle and never ending.
I know who you are pertaining to. She’s another madame in the making. The mere fact that she jumped on FPJ’s fence just means that she can’t wait to have her power wielded. Napakadami nya dapat asikasuhin, sabi nga ni C5, ang daming bold DVDs sa kahabaan ng aurora blvd at recto na mas hayagan kesa kay Boybastos na blog, pero she still knocked the site down and cracked Mark’s identity only because she was dared. Pag ganyan mentality ng leader, no point of argument… very unreasonable.
[Reply]
By Manila Bay Watch on Sep 13, 2007 | Reply
I don’t believe that politics didn’t play a major role in the conviction of Estrada. As pundits and various commenters in the various blogs have been pointing out even before the verdict was rendered today, if the justices of the Sandiganbayan acquitted him, the decision would invalidate the presidency of Gloria Macapagal in 2001 and the succeeding power machinery that she has put in place, would put the entire Constitution on the firing line and worse, it would be like putting a stake in the hearts of the entire Supreme Court that was once led by SC Chief Justice Hilario Davide, the man under whose reign, SC pronounced Estrada “constructively” resigned, so, Erap must be declared guilty. In other words, Acquittal in ‘unusual’ case is trouble for Arroyo.
The conviction of an erring leader by a justice system that has not been perverted by a nation’s people in power is always a welcome news - should have been a great day for all - but the conviction of the former president is no welcome news because there is no justice in the Philippines and will never be under Gloria Macapagal Arroyo for under her rule (or misrule) there is veritably no more Rule of Law. We will have to go back to the impeachment trial of Estrada up to the time he was toppled by a bunch of Constitution rapists, and turn back the hands of the clock to even begin to claim that we have rule of law in the Philippines.
But the Erap is a close book now or for the moment at least; people should now unite their efforts to bring Gloria and her bunch of hooligans, her organized crime syndicate to the same halls of justice that tried and convicted Erap.
Let the sword of Lady Justice now fall on whoever it must fall. Enough of corruption - time for reckoning, time the Filipinos stopped this organized crime syndicate!”
[Reply]
By bluepanjeet on Sep 13, 2007 | Reply
@ MBW - I totally agree with what you laid here. Such a very enlightening and refreshing perspective. Gloria has monay things to pay for including those ZTE deal. Let’s hope the sword do struck her. Not now… but time will always come… Thanks for gracing my blog, its always a pleasure
[Reply]
By benj on Sep 13, 2007 | Reply
At syempre naisingit mo parin ang link ko kahit Erap issue to. :p
Congrats pala sa domain mo, dude.
[Reply]
By chuvaness on Sep 15, 2007 | Reply
anshooray-shooray talaga gumawa ng blog ni bluep! wala akong masabi. para akong nagbasa ng EDITORIAL. nadala ako sa national anthem mo - BAYANG MAGILIW - e di ba LUPANG HINIRANG yun?
[Reply]
By chuvaness on Sep 15, 2007 | Reply
antagal ng update ah!
[Reply]
By thess on Sep 15, 2007 | Reply
Unlike IRonnie, I will never feel sorry for erap, because his corruption did not start when he sat in malacanang but way back when he was the mayor of san juan, where i came from. many people do not even know the suffering of the city people because of erap and his family’s greed for power and money.
one down. i hope the rest of the ejercito will follow s.o.o.n.
[Reply]
By alexander balbarosa on Sep 17, 2007 | Reply
whew, this is the very first time i checked out this page and i was very much amused. tol, you are very talented and should keep up this kind of extraordinary work.
contents was amazing and your mind blowing ideas should spread and reach out more.
pero erap parin ako, hehehe. kung meron man dapat ikulong -SI GLORIA YUN. ousting erap just gave GMA to steal 10x what erap got. if erap should be punished by reclusion perpetua, so be it, he deserve it. but GLORIA MUST DIE for her crimes…..
hehehe harsh ba??? ingats at musta sa lahat!!!
[Reply]
By bluepanjeet on Sep 18, 2007 | Reply
@Benj - thanks bro. im glad my domain na ako hehe
[Reply]
By bluepanjeet on Sep 18, 2007 | Reply
@Chuvaness - hehehe nagkamali siguro ang author sa title. ang alam ko nga ang title nyan ay mamatay ng dahil sayo LOL
[Reply]
By bluepanjeet on Sep 18, 2007 | Reply
@thess - uy talaga kahit sa san juan Kukurap-kurap pa rin sila? tsk. tsk… sana soon!!!
[Reply]
By bluepanjeet on Sep 18, 2007 | Reply
@Alexanderrrrrrrrr!!!! Musta na bro? buti napadpad ka dito sa bahay ko hehe. Tagal na kita pinapapunta dito ngayon ka lang dumaan. tsk tsk. anyhow Nice to have you here hehe. Start ka na rin blog mo para may ktsokaran ako sa blogosphere. hehe
“Gloria must die for her crimes”
hahaha. hold your horses, di yan si Sr. Claudette o si Bonesa, si Madame Gloria yan hahaha. Naintindihan kita. di lang naman ikaw ang galit dyan. kahit aso namain galit dyan hehe. Uy dalaw ka uli ha.. balik ka… Godbless!
[Reply]