(Due to its timeliness, we yield this space to the statement of the ecumenical group “One Faith, One Nation, One Voice” issued during the 124th Philippine Independence Day celebration. – Ed.)
THE PHRASE “speak truth to power” is attributed to Bayard Rustin, a Black Quaker and leader in the American Civil Rights Movement. He advocated non-violent methods in the fight for social justice insisting that the primary social function of a religious society is to “speak truth to power.” In 1942, before the outbreak of World War 2, he confronted the American government: “The truth is that war is wrong.”
But much earlier, during biblical times, the uneasy relationship between truth and power already held center stage. One such instance is the tense exchange between Jesus and Pilate in the Praetorium:
Then Pilate said to Jesus, “So you are a king, are you?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” After saying this, he went back out to the Jews and told them, “I find no guilt in him.” (John 18:37-38).
For the pompous Pilate, truth meant nothing, for him power was everything. To remain in power Pilate conveniently sacrificed Jesus and turned him over to a mob thirsting for blood. He concurred with the worldly-wise High Priest Caiaphas (see Jn 11.49-50). Indeed, why risk his standing with the Caesar to save the life of a scrappy Galilean?
It is ironic that as we commemorate Independence Day we cannot even be assured that our government still guarantees the fundamental freedom of speech and assembly. Nor are we assured our human rights would be respected. This begs the question: are we still truly a democracy?
Real democracy cannot mean supporting blindly leaders whose credibility is severely compromised, particularly leaders corrupted by power.
Freedom is the foundation of our sovereignty, the cornerstone of our democratic system of government. The very foundation of our way of life is now threatened because the majority of our people supposedly opted to dismiss the truth in favor of lies. Falsehood served as the benchmark of success of the purported winners in the recent elections.
Are we still able to bear witness to the truth? Or, like Pilate, have we squirmed our way out by saying: “What is truth anyway?” and have agreed to move on tip-toing our merry way between all varieties of lies, subterfuge and Tiktok versions of alternative facts.
We claim to be a religious society, expressed through Islam or Christianity or other faith traditions. If indeed we are, we must speak truth to power. We must combat lies and falsehood.
Sa Araw ng Kalayaan, huwag isantabi at kalimutan ang tungkuling ipagtanggol at ipaglaban ang katotohanan. Ang tanging sukat ng ating pagmamahal sa bayan ay ang sariling buhay. Kaya’t buong lakas loob na ituloy ang laban upang kamtin ang tunay na kalayaan.
