GMA falls out of grace
Not few, however frustrated, would rather think GMA be let to finish her term up until 2010 – the more peace-loving of the pack. But that worldview assumes what is yet to be proved which is, on whether or not, GMA really won in 2004 – had elections been clean, honest, and reflective of the true voice. But against the backdrop of the ‘Hello Garci’ scandal, it is of doubtful validity whether the supposed-to-be president elected by the Filipino voters would have been a GMA. It can only be accepted as a social reality absent any kind of embargo mechanism. Nor will GMA allow herself to be booted out of office knowing she has control over the whole AFP and PNP, that have been largely instrumental in rigging election results. Or what have that LtCol Achilles Segumalian told us in the Fort Bonifacio stand off?
The canvassing of votes alone in that 2004 elections held at the House of Representatives sends tell-tale signs of massive election fraud having been undertaken in nearly all places in the country especially those far-flung barangays where power resides in the barrel of the gun. And everything that the board of canvassers can do – each and every time questions are being raised on the election returns being opened – is for the presiding officers to mark them as “noted” with no final disposition on what action have been truly taken on the accumulated questioned documents. We will never forget these two individuals in the persons of now Secretary Raul Gonzales and Sen. Francis Pangilinan. Their acts then are indicatively bound by instruction than by conscience.
To go down memory lane, Erap got ousted from Malacanang in what may be considered as a conspiracy designed to put GMA into power. Future scholars of law can still argue against what has been decided upon on the legitimacy of the new GMA presidency then basing as it did – in Angara’s diary – as having supplied that so-called ‘authoritative window of the state of mind of Erap’ in that very crucial moment in history. The camp of GMA through then chief of staff, now Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, did possibly bluff of the existence of a resignation letter of Erap when there was none. Without as much as an empirical check, the then Chief Justice proceeded to swear in GMA as the ‘acting’ president until everybody has to forget all about the rigid requirements of the Constitution. It was what Justice Artemio Panganiban calls as a form of judicial activism, if there is such a thing. More copies of his book have been banned due to a not too good a revelation incriminatory of Chief Justice Davide.
And with only 15 months before her last term finishes, GMA is dead set to tinker with the Constitution in the quickest way possible provided it can be justified within the bounds of law. Brother Mike Velarde has not more aptly said that this attempt to “ram through the people’s throats” charter change is immoral. And apparently, they took heed only to resurrect again charter change. What seems to be part of the main menu is the economic provisions that would open the doors for foreign ownership of lands which ought to be violative of our sovereignty. In any case, they are making a last ditch effort to have the constitutional order change so GMA can stay in power and rule over us in perpetuity. And so are his rabid political allies share that grand fatale.
Ranged against the rather long list of involvement of the First Gentleman in alleged corrupt activities, it is not far fetched that this over-fixation with charter change is in fact, a defense mechanism intended to obviate the immediate possibility that GMA and his closest allies will go to jail or be made to account for all their unlawful acts during their watch – that on the assumption that GMA will not be booted out of power before 2010. Some serious observers of trends think that they see it coming, what with President Obama not wanting ever to be seen with GMA in any forum or meeting. Snubbing GMA, if we call it that, is itself a political statement – one of clear rejection of the Arroyo regime of corruption.
It is really funny to hear former Congressman Pichay dismissed the WB report as mere rumor – tsismis daw. And then he wants all the World Bank people to go away from this land. Who can believe that well-meaning senior executives of the World Bank will in-dignify their position and office by resorting to rumor-mongering? Surely, systems are at work in a viable corporate organization as the WB and if they have been rather knowledgeable about the WB report, they will be honest enough to believe that indeed, the data are not arrived at haphazardly. We have heard GMA’s spokesperson tell us that the WB did not give the respondents good enough opportunity to be heard when in fact, Notices of Sanctions have been sent to them detailing their level of participation and their acts themselves that warranted their blacklisting except that they chose to disregard the WB by not giving a reply or response.
That Malacanang spokesperson Golez must be giving public information work – be it in Malacanang or a lowly municipality elsewhere – a bad name. Did he as much as think he is expected to be able to defend a defenseless position by begging the question and a token refusal to acknowledge certain other information that have already the subject of so much public discourse? And that Press Secretary Cerge Remonde also dismissed as black propaganda the alleged cartel in public works projects that are funded from the World Bank. Who can embrace that kind of worldview, pray tell?
GMA’s media bureau are really on their toes as even the other lady spokesperson is trying to say that GMA’s coming to the National Prayer Breakfast in the US is not so much as to meet with Obama for a photo opportunity when the truth is to the contrary. They probably have to do a reality check or survey so as to vet on whether or not the larger public or society writ large ever do believe them. They sound like they have lost track of reality if only to save the face of their president.
Where signs indicate, GMA appears to have fallen out of grace with bosom America disowning an old and close ally in the person of whoever sits as the Philippine president. And with that famous line in Obama’s inaugural speech now turning crystal clear that the reference is to GMA and her regime, that shall serve fair notice that when one finds herself on the wrong side of history, she better takes heed.
Since women presidents are said to be “trophies” of the ruling elites in the military establishment, GMA is rather assured that no part of this rather monolithic organization will defect to the other side of the Great Political Divide and betray her. With that serious allegation of a cartel perpetuated by those in power and close to GMA herself, it should have been expected of her to have broken her silence and clear her husband out of the noose – but none she did as to be uncharacteristically callous.