Justice Cruz's Column

Separate Opinion : President Arroyo's Sona

Isagani Cruz
Inquirer News Service

THE State of the Nation Address (Sona) last Monday was a non-event. As drama, it was droll. As a political statement, it said nothing. As a confrontation with the issues of the day, it was a dud. I expected President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to say something significant, even challenging, but she was as tame as a kitten and no more presidential than a bureau director.

The affair was more of a fashion show, with the ladies resplendent in their colorful gowns and the gentlemen in their expensive barongs. Only former President Fidel V. Ramos came in coat and tie, as if to strike a different, superior mood. The military came in droves and in uniforms as austere as their faces. They were there to show that the Armed Forces were solidly behind their commander-in-chief.

The President had a well-orchestrated claque under the direction of Speaker Jose de Venecia. When he applauded, the members of his Rainbow Coalition also applauded. Where he was particularly pleased with what the President said, he did not merely applaud but rose to applaud. His obedient followers imitated him like so many robots because Big Sister was speaking and everybody had to cheer.

Well, not everybody because there was Senate President Franklin Drilon sitting glumly in his chair with not a sign of approval. He was a striking contrast to his co-presiding officer in the joint session who was beside himself with satisfaction. The two represented the opposite sides of the present political spectrum where several weeks ago they were an amiable twosome supporting President Arroyo.

The foreign guests, from the diplomatic corps and the business community who had come unavoidably to honor official invitation, courteously watched the charade of members of Congress, especially the House of Representatives, exhibiting their vassalage to Malacañang and their Speaker. The senators were more dignified and conceivably would not have followed their leader if Drilon had also risen to applaud.

There were those, of course, who sincerely admired the President and believed that what she was saying deserved their accolade. However, not many shared the sentiment of the small but valiant group that enthusiastically supported their idol.

How about the diehard opponents of President Arroyo who were even then already finalizing the machinery of impeachment against her? I suppose that they kept silent out of respect for the speaker where otherwise they would have responded with dismissive boos. I did not hear their disapproval as they sat peevishly like a captive audience. They were probably already preparing in their minds their adverse comments for delivery to the media.

There were reports that they had planned to boycott the Sona but except for a few stalwart oppositionists, they dutifully attended the unwelcome ordeal, also in fashionable attire like their majority colleagues but without their festive disposition. And they grimly stayed, like unwilling masochists until the President had finished her speech, without causing the threatened disturbance.

I imagine that there must have been a secret agreement among them to walk out as they had promised once President Arroyo mentioned some issue that would incite their displeasure.

Perhaps they had agreed to do this on signal from their leader for their dramatic withdrawal that would rate headlines the following day. But this expected move did not happen because it was not provoked but in fact tactically avoided by the cautious President.

They, and in fact the general public, expected Ms Arroyo to speak about such problems of her administration as corruption and election irregularities. She prudently chose not to discuss them. People wanted her to defend herself from the Garci tape charges and her alleged involvement in the "jueteng" illegal lottery scandal. She wisely declined to do so and correctly decided that these were not proper subjects in the Sona.

Instead she spoke with high praise of the accomplishments of her administration, which many did not believe. She pointed to our economic progress and even hopefully mentioned the peso-dollar exchange rate, which on that date was 55.89 pesos to one dollar. She cited 30,000 schoolrooms established under her rule, but not the lack of chairs and textbooks for the students. She also said that peace and order had improved and insurgency in the south had "abated."

The Sona was the shortest in presidential history. It was long in praise of the President's claimed accomplishments but short in the discussion of current problems and her recommendations for their solution. It was as if President Arroyo was simply making the motions to comply with tradition and the constitutional requirement. She looked quite relieved when she concluded her speech.

The true state of the nation was narrated more truthfully in the rallies outside Congress for and against President Arroyo. These were the citizens speaking without the pomp of power and the habiliments of authority in the bold exercise of their freedom of expression. They were celebrating, with placards and platitudes, their "liberty to utter and to argue freely, according to conscience, above all liberties."