Friday, July 16, 2010

FROM THE BARREL OF MY PEN
By Gonzalo “Jun” Policarpio


CAN YOU FORGIVE AND FORGET THOSE WHO SINNED AGAINST YOU?


The ugly sores of corruption afflicting the Philippine government left by Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is slowly being exposed by the new government of Noynoy Aquino as gleaned from recent Philippine press reports. The OMBUDSMAN, the special government agency created by the Constitution to prosecute corrupt government officials who stole the people’s money, is now being revealed as the “special agency” used by the previous administration NOT to prosecute corrupt government officials who were political allies of the former president.

To any simple political theoretician, it is very hard to reconcile injustice with justice. When President Noynoy Aquino during his inaugural address used the phrase “ reconciliation with justice” as the hallmark of his political policy toward known unjust presidents like Marcos and Arroyo, does he mean forgiveness within the definition of the Christian doctrine?

I believe Noynoy’s mother, former president Cory, did try to experiment with the theory of “reconciliation with justice or through justice.” As a devout Christian, she indeed believed in the Christian doctrine of forgiveness. And God helped her keep democracy intact despite the seven coup attempts launched by rebel soldiers? Still if Jose Maria Sison, founder of the Communist Party of the Philippines chose to continue fighting Philippine democracy by exiling himself in another country after receiving forgiveness, that was his call. Cory Aquino did what her forgiving heart dictated. And God once again blessed her by preserving freedom in the Philippines

God truly loves a forgiving heart. Yet it is still hard for a forgiving heart to forget the sins inflicted. Some sinners do not deserve forgiveness such as the “children of the Devil.“ Only Jesus Christ can forgive and forget the sins of a person.

Anyway, President Noynoy somehow explained in his speech that he forgives those who inflicted harm on his person, but not those who sinned against the Filipino people by stealing what belong to them. In this regard, I am on his side.

The saga of the Filipino people continues.

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

<< Home