Battle of the Exes
It’s the Widow versus the General, both ex-presidents.
A few hours after former President Cory Aquino’s press conference asking PGMA to step down voluntarily, former President Fidel Ramos went on-camera in support of PGMA. This is going to be very interesting indeed.
Lines are already being drawn. 10 ex-Cabinet members, Drillon and company, the Makati businessmen and Aquino have called on Gloria to resign. The rest of the faithful Cabinet members, Atienza and company, and Ramos are in support of PGMA.
What’s more, the Catholic Bishops have stated that they are not calling on Gloria to resign. After praying for the country for guidance in the Jesuit’s Church of the Gesu in Ateneo, Cory has now gone to the De La Salle brothers to pray and to react to the Catholic Bishops’ seemingly major snub against the late Cardinal Sin’s bosom buddy. Talk about being a turn-coat. What will her Atenean daughter Kris say?
Reading the papers over the weekend, I’m beginning to suspect the motives of those calling on Gloria to resign, with the exception of Cory. It looks suspiciously like they’re hungry for her to vacate—why, I cannot tell. But the speed and urgency in which they are asking her to resign, well, they’re just like the groups aligned with another former president, Estrada. Is this a naked power grab I see before me? Lend me a dagger and let me stab them right through their greedy hearts.
With “Saint” Cory, things are a little different. It seems that she’s motivated out of a genuine desire for what’s good for the country. Maybe Cory knows something of Gloria’s evil plans for the Philippines. Maybe the late Cardinal Sin appeared to her under her bed—in a dream, of course—to tell her that Gloria spelled backwards is “evil”. Maybe the late Louie Beltran was beside the Cardinal in the dream. Who knows?
Whatever Cory’s motives are, I disagree with her reasoning. She’s calling on Gloria to step down as that is the easiest, most peaceful way for the country to get out of this political turmoil. At the same time she upholds the rule of law, saying that she will resist any extra-constitutional means of taking Gloria down. But why ask Gloria to step down when, in the eyes of the law, she is innocent until proven guilty? Yes, all of these turmoil and dirty politics are taking a toll on Gloria’s capability to govern, but do expect all our presidents to fold at the first sign of difficulty? I gave Cory a chance when, after seven or so coup attempts against her government, she was in a very precarious position and it looked like the late President Marcos was right in calling her “just a mere housewife.” But did I give up on her? Are we now a country reduced to what’s easiest and most peaceful?
If people want to impeach her for her “lapse in judgment” then they should do so in the proper forum. Also, they are asking Gloria to step down because she is accused of cheating in the last elections; they cite the need to have “higher standards” for our elected officials. Heck, if that’s the case then does this mean anybody can just accuse the president with any grievous crime—real or imagined—and he or she will have to step down out of propriety?
At least Erap Estrada had the benefit of an impeachment trial. Gloria’s is a trial by publicity, and it’s getting out of hand.
It’s funny but while I personally like Cory more, I looked back more fondly at the Ramos presidency. He was able to turn our wobbly country around. There are those who say his hands aren’t exactly untainted, but on the whole things ran more smoothly during his time.
Maybe our country really needs tough leaders. Like a classroom of bullies, cheaters and wiseasses, we’re too unruly a country to be left alone without a proctor. Argh, no wonder we fail our tests.
A few hours after former President Cory Aquino’s press conference asking PGMA to step down voluntarily, former President Fidel Ramos went on-camera in support of PGMA. This is going to be very interesting indeed.
Lines are already being drawn. 10 ex-Cabinet members, Drillon and company, the Makati businessmen and Aquino have called on Gloria to resign. The rest of the faithful Cabinet members, Atienza and company, and Ramos are in support of PGMA.
What’s more, the Catholic Bishops have stated that they are not calling on Gloria to resign. After praying for the country for guidance in the Jesuit’s Church of the Gesu in Ateneo, Cory has now gone to the De La Salle brothers to pray and to react to the Catholic Bishops’ seemingly major snub against the late Cardinal Sin’s bosom buddy. Talk about being a turn-coat. What will her Atenean daughter Kris say?
Reading the papers over the weekend, I’m beginning to suspect the motives of those calling on Gloria to resign, with the exception of Cory. It looks suspiciously like they’re hungry for her to vacate—why, I cannot tell. But the speed and urgency in which they are asking her to resign, well, they’re just like the groups aligned with another former president, Estrada. Is this a naked power grab I see before me? Lend me a dagger and let me stab them right through their greedy hearts.
With “Saint” Cory, things are a little different. It seems that she’s motivated out of a genuine desire for what’s good for the country. Maybe Cory knows something of Gloria’s evil plans for the Philippines. Maybe the late Cardinal Sin appeared to her under her bed—in a dream, of course—to tell her that Gloria spelled backwards is “evil”. Maybe the late Louie Beltran was beside the Cardinal in the dream. Who knows?
Whatever Cory’s motives are, I disagree with her reasoning. She’s calling on Gloria to step down as that is the easiest, most peaceful way for the country to get out of this political turmoil. At the same time she upholds the rule of law, saying that she will resist any extra-constitutional means of taking Gloria down. But why ask Gloria to step down when, in the eyes of the law, she is innocent until proven guilty? Yes, all of these turmoil and dirty politics are taking a toll on Gloria’s capability to govern, but do expect all our presidents to fold at the first sign of difficulty? I gave Cory a chance when, after seven or so coup attempts against her government, she was in a very precarious position and it looked like the late President Marcos was right in calling her “just a mere housewife.” But did I give up on her? Are we now a country reduced to what’s easiest and most peaceful?
If people want to impeach her for her “lapse in judgment” then they should do so in the proper forum. Also, they are asking Gloria to step down because she is accused of cheating in the last elections; they cite the need to have “higher standards” for our elected officials. Heck, if that’s the case then does this mean anybody can just accuse the president with any grievous crime—real or imagined—and he or she will have to step down out of propriety?
At least Erap Estrada had the benefit of an impeachment trial. Gloria’s is a trial by publicity, and it’s getting out of hand.
It’s funny but while I personally like Cory more, I looked back more fondly at the Ramos presidency. He was able to turn our wobbly country around. There are those who say his hands aren’t exactly untainted, but on the whole things ran more smoothly during his time.
Maybe our country really needs tough leaders. Like a classroom of bullies, cheaters and wiseasses, we’re too unruly a country to be left alone without a proctor. Argh, no wonder we fail our tests.
posted by joelmcvie at 2:48 PM
4 Comments:
may nabasa ako sa philippine star kaninang umaga (it was the sunday issue).
reportedly, there were raised voices in some parts of the telephone conversation between gma and tita cory.
acording to the article, tita cory was afraid that the growing chaos will give people from the left end of the political spectrum the chance to seize power. this does not bode well for her because of her govt's dismal human rights record + the tragic events of her family's hacienda.
basically, the article concludes, she's looking out for her interests, just like everybody else.
xanderKhan!
Hmmm, I've difficulty with this "conspiracy theory" because I sincerely doubt if the left is capable of grabbing, much less staying, in power. The military, the small but influential business sector, the mostly quiet middle class, the powerful Churches (Catholic, INC, and El Shaddi) and most importantly, Uncle Sam will not allow that to happen. That Cory would fear such a scenario sounds a wee too far-fetched.
My God I had to go to philippine news sites to back track what happened.
The problem with Philippine politics is that politicians often clamor for a person to step down, bypassing proper forums [kaya nga circus], and not offering alternate solutions.
Angal ng angal, walang solusyon.
Sometimes I think if it would be better for the Philippines to be a state or dominion of the U.S. for economic and political purposes. The only thing stopping me from embracing that is we lose our own identity and our capabilities to govern on our own.
Anyway, will go back to reading Philippine news. I hardly know what's happening na.
P.S. hey McVie! Will try to call you sometime next week. Cell or landline? Let me know. ;-)
NELZ: Tell me what day and time you'll most likely call. :-)
By the way, if you wanna see Eddie & Ipe in Malate (killing three birds with one stone!) then your coming home again might just convince them to go back to Malate. They swore afterwards that it'll take them years to get the energy to do Malate again, hahaha. Iba na ang domesticated couples... something you and Norm will surely understand, hihihi!
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