Sr. Mercedes Nicolas, 84 years old, listened intently to speakers who aired their dismay over the NBN-ZTE deal. Upon seeing her, I remembered the movie Sister Stella L., which is about a nun who struggled with the oppressed masses for truth and justice during the 20-year Marcos dictatorial rule.

BY ARTHUR L. ALLAD-IW
Northern Dispatch
Posted by Bulatlat
Vol. VIII, No. 6, March 9-15, 2008

It was raining on the 29th of February, but the rains did not drench the spirit of rally participants, who drowned the bad weather with calls for the resignation of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

With umbrella on one hand, a nun peacefully sat on a corner of the Igorot Park in Baguio City where the interfaith gathering for truth and accountability on the government’s anomaly-tainted $329-million National Broadband Network (NBN) deal with China’s ZTE Corp.

Sr. Mercedes Nicolas, 84 years old, listened intently to speakers who aired their dismay over the NBN-ZTE deal. Upon seeing her, I remembered the movie Sister Stella L., which is about a nun who struggled with the oppressed masses for truth and justice during the 20-year Marcos dictatorial rule.

Sr. Mercedes, a nun under the Franciscan Sisters of Immaculate Conception has been in the city for 21 years. In 1987, she was detailed at the Little Flower Convent here. A nun since she was 27, she said she has been through many graft ridden administrations and had been a part of the mass movement that replaced these corrupt administrators.

In 2001, she was with the city’s Erap Resign Movement: a tactical alliance of various groups and individuals who called for the resignation of then President Joseph “Erap” Estrada.

“Naalala ko pa ang mga isyu laban kay President Estrada. Malawak ang kamalian ng presidente – jueteng money, imoralidad” (I still remember the issues against Pres. Estrada…The president committed several mistakes – Jueteng money, immorality) she recalled.

“We were active in the coordinating committee of the local Erap Resign Movement,” she explained in Tagalog. The demand for good government was then very strong, she added.

Comparing today’s administration with that of Estrada, she said there is not much difference. Massive graft and corruption remain, she said.

“Masyado na ang pangungurakot” (Graft and corruption is too much) she told this writer. “Marami nang kasinungalingan ang lumalabas pero di mapagtakpan ang pangungarakot ng administrasyon” (So many lies but they still cannot cover up the anomalies of this administration), she pointed out.

Sr. Mercedes said her participation is an expression of the church calls for truth.

“The truth behind the NBN-ZTE deal will reflect this administration’s level of sincerity,” said Sr. Mercedes.

Like those involved in calling for the resignation or ouster of Erap in 2001, Sr. Mercedes believes a corrupt president should not be replaced by another corrupt leader. She said People Power II should be a learning experience.

Sr. Mercedes wants to leave this message particularly to the youth: struggle to live for truth because it is only truth that will set you free.

As long as long as graft and corruption practices are not eradicated, there will always be Sr. Mercedeses in our midst. Northern Dispatch /

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