Ominous clouds over 2010 Philippine Daily Inquirer
November 08, 2009
FIRST there was local government Secretary Ronaldo “Ronnie” Puno withdrawing from the vice presidential race. Then Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero resigned from the Nationalist People’s Coalition. Next came Malacañang trumpeting a “clamor” for Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to run for Congress. These seemingly unrelated political tidbits portend ominous possibilities for the 2010 elections.
Despite Vilma Santos, Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia and Sen. Loren Legarda being whispered about as possible running mates of Lakas-Kampi’s presidential bet Gilbert Teodoro, Puno had a fairly firm lock on the administration party’s nomination. That he so gallantly gave way is not typically Puno. Something more compelling forced him out.
Was he told to spend his own money for the campaign? Does he feel that a VP run might leave him defenseless once the campaign begins? Are his chances to survive the “tsunami” that now threatens to engulf GMA and her criminal syndicate better if he remains head of the Department of the Interior and Local Government? Or is he facing some health problems?
Escudero’s bombshell, detonated on the premise that political parties don’t necessarily mean good and honest governance initially looked like political hara-kiri driven by “financial frustrations.” But succeeding endorsements from principled quarters, including Magdalo, hinted of warnings that rival political parties can only dismiss at their own peril. Indeed, significant parts of the left, the youth, the Bicol vote and even some of the elite are all feeling the same need for societal change and political relevance, which Escudero is asking from presidential aspirants. And it seems that Chiz has preempted the Estrada masa’s threat of a revolution should the 2010 elections end in failure: Magdalo’s ad (Inquirer, 11/4/09) reminds us of too real possibilities.
Against this backdrop, GMA’s spinmeisters say that voters and leaders in a Pampanga congressional district want her to run for Congress. Is this the same clamor that Among Ed Panlilio, Randy David and most of the people in Pampanga and the rest of the country seem not to hear, given GMA’s less than flattering ratings?
Put these three developments together. Then take note of the disarray in the registration of new voters and the Commission on Election’s lack of transparency in its automation efforts. These should cause everyone involved—and hoping to get involved—in the 2010 exercise some pause.
Puno and Escudero know there’s something rotten about the 2010 polls and have served notice about this in very different ways. The “clamor” for a GMA congressional candidacy is one more confirmation that there would be a circus instead of elections in 2010. And this could provide the tipping point for bloody confrontations which need to be provoked so that GMA can use force to gain legal immunity and stay in power beyond June 2010.
