"IT seems that this people's initiative (PI) was initiated by a few public servants and not truly from the initiative of ordinary citizens," said the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) plenary conference statement on January 31. "If that is the case, it involves deception and disregard for our true and free participation in the democratic process of our country. Is that good?"

As we ponder heaven's view of intensifying national confrontations — with China, between the Marcos and Duterte camps, and pitting Charter change (Cha-cha) proponents against Cha-cha opponents — the CBCP provides a crucial starting point, highlighting two top tenets valued by our Lord and our faith: truth and the will and good of the people.

Is it true, as Cha-cha advocates claim, that some 8 million Filipinos signed the PI proposing a constitutional amendment requiring senators and representatives to vote together if Congress becomes a constituent assembly for Charter revisions?

Did those who signed truly understand the proposed amendment, and was there any financial inducement? The haste of purportedly gathering 8 million signatures in just a month almost surely made the clear understanding of the proposed PI amendment and its pros and cons near-impossible before signing.

And signatories alleging favors received raise concern that the PI reflected the signers' monetary gain, not their true will. There is also talk of public money used to induce signatures, as reported in "P5B govt funds eyed for Pirma signature campaign" by fellow columnist Rigoberto Tiglao (https://rigobertotiglao.com/2024/02/02/p5-b-govt-funds-eyed-for-pirma-signature-campaign/).

Not just Cha-cha, also EDCA

With the Commission on Elections (Comelec) halting PI proceedings last week, Cha-cha looks stalled for now. Though the Senate is deliberating a House bill on economic amendments, it won't back unified voting in the Constituent Assembly, which would render the 24 senators powerless in constitutional revision, outvoted by more than 300 legislators led by House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.

However, an even more perilous scheme fraught with deceptive, undemocratic maneuvering is marching on with no signs of slowing. Stalled under then-president Rodrigo Duterte, the 2014 Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) accelerated after the United States pressed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to reverse his neutrality policy in February 2022 and open nine bases of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to US forces.

While America's generals, think tanks and media openly acknowledge that bases used by its military in Asia would face attack during and even before hostilities, Philippine leaders, officials and media say nil about such threats. Indeed, when the sites were named, former AFP chief Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr., then officer in charge of the Department of National Defense, claimed they were "not a cause for concern."

And when Duterte warned on Pastor Apollo Quiboloy's SMNI channel about "missiles raining on us" due to the nine facilities, the media snubbed him, eschewing their usual practice of headlining any former chief executive commenting on his successor's policies.

Even the strongly anti-American left has clammed up on EDCA after decades of constantly lambasting US forces here. Why? Peace talks announced in November and needed by communist rebels to stanch the AFP's counterinsurgency gains.

Hence, our Aug. 20, 2023, column asked: "Your Excellencies of the CBCP ... is it morally right or wrong for top American and Philippine officials to conceal immense threats facing the following sites and their surrounding communities:

"Lal-lo Airport and Camilo Osias Naval Base in Cagayan; Camp Melchor dela Cruz in Isabela; Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija; Cesar Basa Air Base in Pampanga; Antonio Bautista Air Base near Puerto Princesa, Balabac Island off southern Palawan; Benito Ebuen Air Base near Cebu City; and Lumbia Air Base outside Cagayan de Oro?"

On undemocratic actions, the column said: "But the bigger affront to our democracy is the very opening of EDCA bases to US forces without consulting our people. ... EDCA sites were designated without telling nearby communities about the threats to their lives, limbs and livelihoods if there was war, let alone asking their permission. That is immoral, undemocratic and plain wrong" ("The immoral and undemocratic EDCA deception," http://tinyurl.com/2e7a8zuf).

Will God let us be weaponized?

But maybe God wants US forces to deploy here for our defense and as deterrence against China's threat to Taiwan and actions in disputed waters in surrounding seas. Won't the EDCA bases for America secure the peace heaven wishes for the world?

Not if one reviews past deployments mainly by US forces against rival mega powers. They nearly triggered war and were reversed.

In 1961, Washington put Jupiter nuclear missiles in Italy and Turkey, threatening Moscow. The communist Soviet Union, the predecessor of today's Russian Federation, then sought to install atomic projectiles in Cuba in 1962. That nearly triggered nuclear war. Thankfully, both nations withdrew their nukes.

In the mid-1980s, the US put intermediate-range missiles (IRMs) in Europe to counter the huge Soviet advantage in ground forces. But the IRMs could also hit Moscow with no retaliation. So the Soviets planned to take out the American projectiles, surely triggering war with the US-led North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

Conflict was avoided after explosions on May 13, 1984 — the feast of Our Lady of Fatima — destroyed most Soviet Navy armaments in its main base of Severomorsk. Mikhail Gorbachev's rise helped maintain peace, and on Dec. 8, 1987 — the Solemnity of Mary's Immaculate Conception — Moscow and Washington banned IRMs.

The Soviet collapse in 1991 opened a further opportunity for lasting peace. Western leaders had promised Moscow not to expand NATO after communist East Germany unified with West Germany. But the alliance kept expanding closer and closer to Russia.

The last was Ukraine. When the country mooted NATO membership, possibly putting US nuclear missiles just minutes from Moscow, Russia invaded in 2014. In two subsequent peace deals, Ukraine pledged to stay neutral. But in 2022, the country and NATO maintained its right to join. Moscow again invaded to press for neutrality.

Today, Washington is weaponizing our country against another rival power.

We pray that our Lord leads us to peace and spares us from being turned into a platform for war.