UPON HIS return to the Philippines, Intengan proceeded to conduct training sessions for cadres of the now-legal PDSP. He rejoiced at the "restoration of democratic space, where groups which were within the democratic-political spectrum… could now operate freely." He also appreciated the dismantling of the communications and transport monopolies, which allowed the economy to flourish. But he did have a few regrets.

	ROMEO INTENGAN, SJ Photo by Lilen Uy

Recalls Intengan, who eventually became the provincial superior of the Jesuits in the Philippines from 1998 to 2004: "There was this relapse to reliance on traditional politics... I (did) not like it on the level of heart or gut, but I understood the reason." Intengan allows that President Corazon Aquino needed the support of the military and politicians to survive. But it was unfortunate, he says, that the social revolution he was hoping for — "where the livelihood of the poor would have been uplifted, where basic equality would have been established, where the political system would have matured to a politics of ideas, of worldview, of real societal models… where culture in the high sense would have been available to all the people" — did not take place.

And while Intengan agrees that there was no one who could have taken the place of Jaime Cardinal Sin in 1986, he observes, "It might also be a mistake to adulate Cardinal Sin." He believes Sin may have erred in endorsing the candidacies of Ramon Mitra and Alfredo Lim in the presidential elections held in 1992 and 1998, respectively, because, he argues, it wasn't made clear to the people why there was a need for such "drastic Church intervention." Intengan also says, "Cardinal Sin's way of doing things was extraordinary in… at least many senses." Filipinos, however, have come to expect the kind of leadership the late Sin provided. That may be why many were surprised when, in July 2005, the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines did not ask for Arroyo's resignation and instead called for discernment.

The 63-year-old Intengan says neither Arroyo nor Gonzales had asked him to "influence" the bishops. "The more you try to influence (the bishops), the more resentment you will get," he says. "That might have been part of the reason why they decided not to call for resignation." He also doesn't believe Pope Benedict XVI had anything to do with the bishops' pronouncement. The present pontiff, he says, is actually "much more tolerant of dissent and pluralism than the previous pope." Besides, Intengan believes the Church should not get into "a habit of making very detailed and specific and peremptory political orders to Her people. That's the role of the lay people to discern."

The difficulty at this point, according to Intengan, is that in 1986, "the immediate problem was clear: to restore democracy and respect for human rights… Now the problematic is much different. The lines are not clearly drawn."

"Ethics has at least two aspects," he explains. "You have the ethics of principle and the ethics of responsibility, which considers consequences. And that's where people are divided now. We all know how flawed our ruling class is. But what do you do after? Who will take over?"

He says the Church hierarchy is right in not advocating a position for Catholics to follow in the current political impasse. Yet he doubts the Church's ability to shepherd its flock in the future, noting that the proliferation of Catholic and non-Catholic groups such as El Shaddai and Iglesia ni Kristo is proof that "the Catholic Church has not been effective in handling or responding to very concrete needs of Her flock."

The Church, he says, has failed to communicate effectively with the faithful. As for the government, Intengan cannot help but be amused by charges that the current administration has all but imposed martial law. He says that under Marcos, "running priest" Fr. Robert Reyes would have been arrested and detained a long time ago.

Intengan, though, doesn't believe people power is a viable means for change at this point. "People power practiced too often sends a message abroad that you're a very unstable country," he says. He prefers that institutions are strengthened, "so that even in an emergency they can take care of transitions more effectively than in the past." — Vernon R. Totanes