The Late Corazon Cojuangco-Aquino Should've Remained a National Symbol of Unity Even After EDSA 1986

Well, it's time for another today in history entry, right? I was trying to set up a WordPress site (which might be experimental at best, for now) and it's in. WordPress is that hard to use for someone like me. Back on topic, I was tagged to a post on Facebook on ABS-CBN News Facebook page. It's no surprise that I read people's comments can be very stupid. Some keep talking like, "The 1987 Constitution is the best in the world." or "Change the people. Not the constitution." Please, if that were true why was it that the defective 1973 pseudo-parliamentary government of the late Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr. (and I wrote a rebuttal why it isn't) had to be replaced with another constitution. Sadly, the 1987 Constitution was written almost in such a hurry which created a lot of mistakes.

The events of EDSA reveal this detail about the late Maria Corazon Cojuangco-Aquino. It was that Mrs. Aquino was hiding in a convent in Cebu at that time. In short, Mrs. Aquino herself wasn't the one who led the EDSA revolution. Instead, she was the national symbol of unity at that time. She became the national symbol of unity to unite the nation against the dictatorship of Marcos Sr. However, when she sat down, she practically had no idea how to run a nation. Unlike Atty. Maria Leonor Gerona-Robredo aka Leni, Mrs. Aquino had no experience with political office whatsoever. Mrs. Aquino herself should've stayed as what she was even during the revolution--a national symbol of unity.

Yes, Mrs. Aquino was fit to be a president but only as a Head of State with a completely different Head of Government. I looked at the Singapore Legal Advice for advice on what role she should've had on March 25, 1986:

What are the role and powers of the Singapore President?

As stated on the Istana’s official website, the President plays 3 crucial roles:

Ceremonial role: As the Head of State, the President officiates at state events, and represents Singapore on the global stage in cultivating and enhancing relationships with other countries.

Community role: The President may lend weight to and promote social and charitable causes, as well as attend community events.

Constitutional role: The President has powers provided for under the Constitution which he or she may exercise. These powers can be classified into 3 categories, namely, financial powers, powers concerning the appointment of key office holders, and miscellaneous powers.

Liputan6.com

Mrs. Aquino could've accommodated the role as a ceremonial Head of State like Halimah Yacob is to Lee Hsien Loong today. It's because, she, like the late Elizabeth II, was fitter to be the people's representative. She was fondly called "Tita Cory". Instead, letting her make executive decisions only created more problems after the 20-year rule of Marcos Sr. It would've been better if she was relegated to both a ceremonial role and a community role. All that could be done while forming the Philippine Parliament. Yes, that's why I even wrote why EDSA 1986 should've been a parliamentary system.

This would mean people will have Mrs. Aquino to look up to while the Philippine Parliament is being formed. That would also mean that by February 2, 1987, she would need to fulfill this role similar to that as stated by the Prime Minister Office of Singapore:

The Judiciary's function is to independently administer justice. The Judiciary is safeguarded by the Constitution.
The Prime Minister of Singapore is appointed by the President of Singapore under Article 25 of the Constitution. The President, acting on the advice of the Prime Minister, also appoints other Ministers from among the Members of Parliament.
The Prime Minister is the effective head of the executive branch of government. The Prime Minister chairs the Cabinet, which is constituted under Article 24 of the Constitution. The Cabinet is the central decision-making body of the executive government. It is an organ of state and central to Singapore's system of government. In practice, all significant decisions or actions taken by the Executive are first discussed and collectively agreed by Cabinet.

Mrs. Aquino would now pick the prime minister. True, Marcos Sr. picked up Cesar Virata as his prime minister. However, as the late Benigno Simeon A. Aquino Jr. aka Ninoy pointed out, the kind of parliamentary set up by Marcos Sr. was no real parliament. Virata was described by the late Lee Kuan Yew to be a non-starter and no political leader. Virata was nothing more than an over-glorified state assistant and a puppet. In this case, Mrs. Aquino under a parliamentary constitution, would be required to pick up the prime minister from the winning party who she believes can uphold the confidence of the Philippine Parliament. Maybe, it would be the late Fidel V. Ramos, if ever it was his party that won. Maybe, she could've appointed the late Miriam Defensor-Santiago as prime minister if her party won.

Along the way, the new constitution should evolve from its first implementation. It would be necessary to set up rules on who is qualified to be a prime minister. In the article "How to Become Singapore's Prime Minister, Explained in 7 Steps", we can find these rules that will make it harder for people to simply step in because of family relations or popularity. Again, political dynasties aren't bad only if family members get into power through meritocracy.

Study and specialize
Wait for the call
Tea sessions and panels
Take a test
Perform well as an MP
Win the trust of your peers
Prepare for office

Making it harder to become a prime minister will promote better leaders. Can you imagine if Philippine legislators had to do all the requirements given? You can imagine that they have to study, wait for a call, have interviews, take a test, perform well as a legislator, win the trust of peers, and prepare for office? That's really not so much in the Philippine constitution. Instead, we ended up having actors and athletes getting voted because it's legal. What's the use of criticizing Senator Robin Padilla of his ex-convict and celebrity status if the constitution kept allowing know-nothing celebrities to win because they were, well, celebrities?

Under a parliament, Mrs. Aquino could've continued serving the role of uniting and representing the Filipino people. She could've been sent to other countries to represent the Philippines in daily affairs. She would be in that ceremonial role, opening the door, receiving credentials, representing the Philippines, and maintaining the role as a national symbol of unity. Instead, she was given a role as an executive, something that wasn't meant for anybody without political experience.

That's why I'm pretty much in for a shift to the parliamentary system. A parliamentary system would be made it sure with a balance of powers. A head of state and a head of government. Presidentalism only ended up complicating things with band-aid solutions instead of looking at the root cause of why there are more incompetent people getting into power than competent ones.

The Foolishness of Complaining About Stupid Voters and Stupid Candidates, While Insisting the 1987 Constitution of the Philippines is "So Perfect"

I was looking into the Facebook page of Butthurt Philippines . Honestly, it's easy to complain but what's the use of complaining if you reject the solutions? The art produced by its administrator shows some problems. However, if the administrator here believes that the 1987 Constitution of the Philippines is "perfect as it is" (and he seems to be throwing a "saving face" by saying it was just sarcasm, and I failed to detect it) then it's really something. It's one thing to keep complaining. Complaining can be good. However, what's the use of complaining if you reject the solutions. Even worse, complaining about the quality of candidates for the upcoming 2025 midterm elections, while still saying, "It's not the system it's the people!" Please, that kind of thinking has been refuted even by basic psychology and political science! It's really good to point out the three problems. Distractions? Check. Keeping people hopeless? Ch...

The Curious Case of Dayang Dayang, Not Dayang Daya

I remembered the song "Dayang Dayang" which had a parody cover called "Dayang Daya". Some people wondered if it was from India. Some say it was a Muslim song which makes more sense. It's because the beats almost sound like one from Filipino Muslim dances. Granted, a lot of Filipinos descended from either Malaysian or Indonesian settlers then it would make sense if Dayang Dayang is danced to the Pakiring. The song I just share comes from an Indonesian singer who probably popularized the song. Many words from the Filipino language match up with Malaysian language or Indonesian language. The Filipino word for help (tulong) is tolong in Indonesian and Malaysian. The Malaysian (or Indonesian) term Dayang is said to mean a noble lady. It would make sense of the song "Dayang Dayang" would've come from Indonesia, Malaysia, or from Mindanao in the Philippines. This was the most common version heard. I think the video maker wrongly attributed it to Bollywo...

The Hypocrisy of the #JusticeForFlor Movement

It may already be past the late Flor Contemplacion's death anniversary. However, I felt like writing this piece because of two severely miscarried cases . The first case was the Vizconde Massacre (read here ). The second case is that of the Chiong Sisters (read here ). The cry has stayed the same since 1995 up to 2024. It's still #JusticeForFlor and it'll be 40 years by 2025. As far as concerned, a movie was made about the Vizconde Massacre while the trial was going on. A film about Flor's life was made in the same year she was executed. A movie about the Chiong Sisters Case was only made in 2018. Some people insist that Flor was innocent. However, we need to compare the justice system of the two countries. I used to believe that Hubert Jeffry P. Webb and Francisco Juan "Paco" G. Larrañaga were guilty. I was shocked to find out that a friend of mine was with Paco in Quezon City , on that same night of the crime. There were several witnesses. Why didn't t...

Are Political Dynasties, Not Presidential's Name Recall System, the Real Problem?

As a person fighting for constitutional reform, I looked at this video by Orion Perez Dumdum. Some people are still relying on the allegations made by a certain fat lady on Facebook. I even got blocked by a certain fat man with glasses. I feel victorious after that fat guy blocked me. I watched this video and thought, "Are political dynasties the problem?" People fuzz over political dynasties. Some people even go as far as to blame political dynasties, not the ridiculous 60-40 equity restriction, as to why FDIs have chosen Vietnam. Yes, Communist Vietnam which is a one-party state . The "next best solution" is what? Ban political dynasties altogether. Whether we like to admit it or not, every family has bad eggs and good eggs . A good king can sire bad sons. A bad king can sire good sons. It's all about upbringing that determines the direction of one's offspring. This would also play a double stnadard. Why did people clamor the late Benigno Simeon "Noy...

A Critical Review of "The Flor Contemplacion Story"

VIVA Films uploaded The Flor Contemplacion Story on YouTube last February 13, 2024, at 9:00 A.M.. Yes, I didn't notice it since I saw it before, and it was one incredibly awful film. The film has been remastered into HD to fit with the times. However, in the age of social media and the like, any old piece of truthful information can be later revealed. It's not about the age of the information but the truthfulness of it. In this information age, one can easily upload any undiscovered truth in the past. That also includes that one of Cebu's bad boys in the past, Francisco Juan "Paco" G. Larrañaga, was innocent of the crime involving the Chiong sisters. In 2018, VIVA Films also released a movie called Jacqueline Comes Home which I may watch and review. Though I've already seen Give Up Tomorrow, which has been more objective since there was evidence that Paco was indeed in Manila and that real perpetrators haven't been found. Normally, the best way to rev...

The Fate of the Late Flor Contemplacion's Family

PEH.ph Some time ago, I wrote a critical review of the movie called The Flor Contemplacion Story . I rewatched it because it was uploaded on YouTube by VIVA Films themselves. The fate of the family of the late Flor just got worse. After the rightful execution --I'll share whatever data I got from the Internet. Take note that I'm just another writer, not a big-time historian. So what really happened? One "sequel" to the movie was given in Magpakailanman (Whenever) on GMA-7. It was when Flor's only daughter, Russell Contemplacion, who got pregnant at 17 years old with her estranged irresponsible partner, gave the details of what happened. Unlike the "hit movie", the episode showed that her father Efren, her brothers Xandrex and the twins Jonjon and Joel (who starred as themselves in the film) got into shady dealings. Xandrex even died in jail on September 1, 2012, though the cause may have not yet been revealed, until this very day. The details given by ...

Real Talk: If the Constitution Wasn't the Problem, Why Was It EVEN NECESSARY to Write a NEW Constitution AFTER EDSA 1986?!

EDSA people's power should never be downplayed. It was the downfall of an illegitimate government. Both Benigno Simeon "Ninoy" Aquino Jr. and Salvador "Doy" Laurel had their rare interviews in Japan (read here ), addressing the Marcos Years' lack of legitimacy. Doy even mentioned Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr.'s 16-year rule as lacking legitimacy. In short, the claim that the Philippines already tried having a parliamentary system at that time is false. Ninoy highlighted the problems behind Marcos' "new constitution". In fact, it's still worth laughing at the details that reveal the crooked methods used, and why the Philippines never had a parliamentary system: And so my friends, we started with an American-type constitution, we move to a British-type constitution. We had a parliamentary form of government without a parliament. Until 1978, we did not have a parliament. And yet, we were supposed to be a parliamentary form of government. And...

"Give Up Tomorrow" Deleted Scene: The Safehouse Where the Crime Supposedly Took Place

Give Up Tomorrow has been an interesting documentary. Why I was fascinated by it because of how it shook my mind. It turned out that it was a trial by publicity . It was also at that time when The Calvento Files aired a dramatization of Davidson Rusia's testimony. As Cebu City Vice Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia said, it was a very unpopular move. People already thought Juan Francisco G. Larrañaga aka Paco (and the seven others) were guilty. People thought Davidson's story was worth believing. Some deleted scenes never made it into the final cut This deleted scene talks about the owner of the place where the crime allegedly happened. David Gurkan now recalls his experience. According to Davidson, this was the story as recorded by the Supreme Court of the Philippines: From the evidence of the prosecution, there is no doubt that all the appellants conspired in the commission of the crimes charged. Their concerted actions point to their joint purpose and community of intent. Well s...

The Case of Helle Crafts Murder Would Show Why DNA Testing is VERY IMPORTANT

I wrote an essay discussing if both Jacqueline Jimenea Chiong and Marijoy Jimenea Chiong were victims of a body never found murder case . Let me be clear that I still believe that I still believe the body found in Tan-awan, Carcar, was really Marijoy's and Jacqueline's really dead but her body was never found. The claim made by Enrique Uy of this first-degree cousin of the Chiong mother should be put into question . I once reasoned out, "The other body was never found." I was told to try looking into Helle Craft's case. It makes me think, "What if this is what happened to Jacqueline?" I even remember the speculation that Jacqueline may have been woodchipped?" I can't prove my speculation but if her body was, that may explain why the other body was never found. In other cases, the body would be too decomposed by now . The body found in Carcar was later moved out of its burial site to be cremated. In the case of Helle, this information from Histo...

REAL TALK: You're Going to LOSE MORE MONEY Than You Win Money, Betting People Will Vote Wisely Under the 1987 Constitution of the Philippines

Is it me or are many Filipinos addicted to betting? It's a common problem that Filipinos would rather gamble than invest. Gambling often offers that feeling of faster gratification than investing money in the stock market. Some people prefer day trading over investing in an individual stock or an index fund. Whether we want to admit it or not, gambling always sends this sense of a thrill . Along with the release of dopamine to the brain, gambling comes with other potential rewards, including money, social participation and enjoyment . While most of us are able to walk away when we lose and practice safer play habits, others may continue gambling to win back the money they have lost in a phenomenon known as chasing losses. These individuals may begin to develop problems with gambling. Research conducted by Brain Connections explores how gambling can spiral from an enjoyable pastime into an addiction. When the brain’s rewards system becomes altered by problem gambling, new habits f...

A Business Graduate's Random Blog on History and Gossip

Search This Blog