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doms must still be constrained by
the exigencies of natural secur'ity.
At the present time, the only
alternative to strong government
is revolutionary violence.
Mr. Marcos himself readily
agrees that his ..constitutional
authoritarianism" is not the
ideal
formula, but he defends it as the
best political system for the Phil–
ippines' development under the
present circumstances.
In an hour-long conversation
with
Plain Truth
writers in July,
1977, Teodoro Valencia warned
that if full civil liberties were
returned prematurely-before
the public was sufficiently edu–
cated to its responsibilities in a
democracy-the old vices and the
chaos of the free-for-all days
might return . Constitutional au–
thoritarianism, he insisted, was
not an
abandonment
of democra–
cy, but a
pr:eparation
to enjoy full
democracy.
Thoughtful analysts see the
Philippines moving in the right
direction. The Philippines needs
time-time
to return to democra–
cy at its own pace, free from the
meddling of outside powers.
Pope John Paul 11 appealed
during his trip to the Philippines
in February that reforms be
achieved "without hatred, class
struggle or fratricida! strife, re–
sisting all temptations to materi–
alistic or violent ideologies." And
he praised the lifting of martial
Iaw, noting that "recent initia–
tives augur well for the future."
Gatherlng Storms?
Sorne opposition leaders, howev–
er, are declaring that
civil war
may be the only way to restore
full democratic government to
the Philippines.
" Ninoy" Aquino--an ex-sena–
tor and former Liberal Party sec–
retary-general-warns of "gath–
ering storms" and massive urban
guerrilla warfare and peasant
uprisings if Mr. Marcos refuses
to give up his powers.
The Marcos government, how–
ever, is more stable than is usual–
ly portrayed. Even Mr. Marcos'
critics privately concede that his
May 1981
government is not in immediate
danger of crumbling.
Part of the reason is that the
opposition stands in disarray.
Opposition leaders cannot agree
on much of anything. No mass
revolutionary movement has co–
alesced against the government.
Mr.- Marcos and his beautiful
wife lmelda-usually referred to
as the .. First Lady"-remain
popular among broad segments of
the population.
Ex-senator Aquino is generally
viewed by the Westero press as
the chief opposition spokesman.
Though found guihy of subver–
sion, arms possession and murder,
and jailed in 1972, Senator Aqui–
no was released by Mr. Marcos in
May, 1980, to travel to the
United States for heart surgery.
Befare leaving the Philippines,
Mr. Aquino stated that he would
refrain from talking politics and
wou!d return when he had recov–
ered from his operation. Failing
to honor either pledge, Mr. Aqui–
no--now a Teaching Fellow at
Harvard University-has lost
credibility in the eyes of many
Fili.pinos. His present influence is
generally overrated. Because of
his alleged involvement in acts of
terrorism, he has been banned
from running in any future presi–
dential election.
Strateglc
Ally
Of all Western nations, the
United States has a special inter–
est in the continued stability of
the Philippines . The United
States and the Philippines have
longstanding mutual security and
foreign policy interests.
For nearly halfacentury-from
1898 to 1946-the Philippines was
a U.S. possession. In World War 11
the country was one of America's
most loyal allies.
Today, Sqviet strength grows
in the Indian Ocean and ' the
Pacific. The strategic American
military facilities in the Philip–
pines-Ciark Air Force Base and
Subic Naval Base- have now
assumed greater importance than
ever before. In 1979, the Philip·
pines approved the continued
American use of the two bases in
return for half a billion dollars in
military and economic aid over a
five-year period.
In contrast to the Carter
Administration's accusatory hu–
man rights rhetoric, the Reagan
Administration apparently in–
tends to cultivate friendlier rela–
tions with the Philippines and to
deal with that country as a major
ally. For their part, Filipinos
remain overwhelmingly pro–
American.
Communist Pressure
The threat of terrorism and insur–
gency at home and of Soviet
expansionism in the region will
continue to occupy the concern of
the Philippine government for
sorne time to come.
Bible prophecy foretells the
future emergence of a great Ei.lr–
asian alliance, a communist-domi–
nated confederacy encompassing
nearly one half of the earth's popu–
lation!
Included in this great Soviet–
led alliance will be the peoples of
South Asia- from the Persian
Gulf eastward to the South China
Sea. (See "South Asia in Proph–
ecy" in the May 1980
Plaln
Truth,
U.S. edition.)
Communism has already over–
run mu.ch of Southeast Asia. The
remainder of Southeast Asia–
including the Philippines-will
undoubtedly find it difficult to
withstand ever-increasing commu–
nist pressure. For the people of the
Philippines to allow themselves to
fall once again into a state of inter–
na! chaos and anarchy
could
this
time spell total disaster.
Filipinos seek a better future.
That better tomorrow, to be
brought by the intervention of the
Hand of God and not by man, is
coming-for the Philippines and
for the world as a whole. But
before that u topian "world
tomorrow" is realized, possibly
forces beyond their control may
sweep the Philippines headlong
into national calamity-if they do
not remain vigilant of their duties
and responsibilities as citizens of
their island republic. o
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