This President Ferdinand Marcos had successfully accomplished with his declaration of martial law which the people had initially welcomed for its novelty in Philippine politics.

Alas, once the human "termites" and cronies had started their demolition job, since absolute power corrupts absolutely, the Marcos authoritarian regime eventually withered on the vine from corruption and military abuses, and its demise sealed with the brutal murder of Senator Ninoy Aquino.

As they say, the rest is history with one significant lesson.

First, since then, the Filipino people have had a phobia for martial law and coup attempts.

For these reasons, countless coup attempts have been unsuccessful for memories of martial law and the abuses of the military and corruption by the chosen few are still fresh in people’s memory.

Hence, it is in this context that the Filipino people find themselves in a quandary between supporting hardworking President that many quarters may not find endearing and approachable, and under pressure to resign albeit for insufficient reasons, and the possibility of military intervention in the event that unconstitutional regime change degenerateS into civil disorder, anarchy and economic retrogression that could possibly lead to martial law and the inevitable rise of one-man rule and tyranny.

Second, forcing President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to resign for tangential reasons, which incidentally she will not oblige, can only lead to civil disorder and eventual tyranny a la Marcos which the people have so far managed to elude.

It is in this context that the statement of Fr. Ranhilio Callangan Aquino, Dean of the Graduate School of Law, San Beda, has special significant.

Fr. Aquino categorically stated that he could not support calls for the President’s resignation since "pressuring the President into resigning by swaying public opinion away from her and alienating the allegiance of the military is anathema."

According to Dean Callangan Aquino, "the Senators are not the impartial investigators and judges that judicial proceedings call for. Most of the Senators are political adversaries of PGMA."

He adds by asking, "Is it really the truth we seek? I have a sickening feeling that the President’s foes have already decided what the "truth" is — that she is guilty"

Thus, "asking for the President’s resignation now gives the military the signal to shift allegiances: from following the chain of command to breaking it"

"It has been repeatedly argued that the President’s resignation is not unconstitutional. But forcing her to by inviting the military to disavow obedience to the Commander-in-Chief and the civilian population not to submit to authority is certainly unconstitutional."

When all is said and done, the national interest will be better served by allowing President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to finish her constitutional term of office, which is barely two years from now, than plunge the nation into the abyss of the unknown, anarchy, pandemonium, and tyranny for that is the nature of all military takeovers.

There is no such thing as a benevolent tyranny, and it will take a giant of a man to manage a dictatorship.

Let us stay with democracy.

You be the judge. (For comments and views, please email: chaff_fromthegrain@yahoo.com.ph)