THERE is a new TV series on Netflix.
This one is smart. It is called Occupied. Norway has discovered and developed a clean source of energy called thorium, named after the Norse god Thor.
So Norway has stopped oil production and announced it will share its clean-energy technology with the world. Russia, Sweden and the European Union (EU), all major oil producers and dealers (like Royal Dutch Shell), threaten to invade Norway unless it resumes oil production. To make sure, Russian military units occupy parts of Norway.
The Norwegian government submits to what is effectively a Russian-Swedish-EU occupation of Norway. By this time, the US has withdrawn from Nato. The Norwegian army patriotically plots to overthrow the civilian government. (Remember that Norway was notorious for collaborating with the Nazis under its leader Vidkun Quisling, a name synonymous with traitor.)
This is what can and should happen here: An external threat, a collaborationist government, an Army revolt to prevent a foreign occupation.
Faced with overwhelming military might next door, with the US so far away, how will the Philippine government respond? Will it fight or surrender? Going by our filthy history, it will collaborate. Treason is in the blood of elected governments. There is something loathsome about elected choices in moments of crisis. The Japanese occupation proved that. So what should we do now before any of these transpire?
We can hold a referendum today to decide if we will stand and fight in that eventuality, alone or with the United States. If we vote to fight with the United States, then who should govern the country in place of the elected government that is sure to capitulate because that is what civilian governments do? The referendum can stipulate that in the event of a foreign invasion, the elected government gives way to a military junta that will include combat generals of the United States.
Will such a referendum result be constitutional? Yes, presumptively so; and it cannot even be challenged because there will be no actual case before the Court unless the silly doctrine of transcendental importance or pure speculation is successfully invoked. And so a challenge is beside the point at this time. And even when the attack happens, what the referendum stipulates—that the civilian government must give away to a military junta—will be better than constitutional. It will be factual. And before a fact, no Constitution can stand in the way. In such events, the Constitution dies anyway. The Army will take over; the civilian government will be turned out into the street; and no one will take a challenge to the Court and no Court will accept the challenge. Democracy, nay, all politics, will evaporate and history will take its place.
The last thing we want is the pretense of a false sovereignty and a fake democracy in a foreign-occupied country. Give this thought your most serious consideration because it is correct.