Brittle

A chorus of assorted voices rose to condemn as unconstitutional Alan Peter Cayetano’s casual suggestion for all senior elected officials to resign and for snap elections to be held.

- ALEX MAGNO

That chorus missed the point. There is obviously nothing in the 1987 Constitution that allows for this extraordinary move. The call for resignation is an extraconstitutional proposal. It is ultimately an admission that the present constitutional order cannot heal itself.

We have reached that dreaded point where more and more of our citizens are open to the need for an extraconstitutional process to escape the bankruptcy of the persisting political order.

The gregarious Palace mouthpiece has threatened repressive action against those entertaining the idea of extraconstitutional change. That will not end the nascent conversation. It will be a vain attempt to shut down the vents of public expression. We all know what happens when the vents are shut and public anger is pent up.

In all the gatherings I have been to the past week, this question inevitably pops up: is there still hope for our country?

Itis a question always raised with an earnest gaze. There are many thoughts playing in the minds of our people. Some of those thoughts may be punishable by law and are hardly openly articulated.

Ihave come across many memes that are outrightly seditious. One reads: “We have a criminal syndicate in place of a government.”

Another is more poignant: “How can we love our country if we cannot trust our government?”

The AFP chief admitted that some retired officers are testing the idea of a coup. But they have been rejected by the rank and file - for the moment, at least. This is not a reassuring admission.