AN angry Susan Roces yesterday unleashed a mouthful against President Arroyo after the latter’s admission and apology for her "lapse of judgment" in phoning an election commissioner several times right after the 2004 presidential elections.
Roces, who spoke to her supporters and reporters at the Club Filipino in Greenhills, San Juan, called Arroyo arrogant ("arogante") and insensitive ("manhid").
She said the President is guilty of cheating in the last elections and has shamed and betrayed the trust of the people. The only honorable thing for her to do, she said, is to resign.
"You have embarrassed the Filipino people enough. There is nothing we can find that we can be proud of that you have done for us from your Day 1 to the present. You are full of empty promises. Obviously, you have no love for your country. The greatest thing that you have done is that you have stolen the presidency, not once, but twice," Roces said.
Gloria Allies block vote on playing of GLORIAGATE tapes.
In a move to stop the public playing of the "Hello Garci’ tapes before the five House committees investigating the scandal, President Arroyo’s allies yesterday voted to adjourn the joint inquiry right after the minority moved for the playing of the recordings.
Minority leader Francis Escudero said the administration was trying to "block the truth."
"Kinatatakutan nila ito (playing of the tape)," he said. "Matapos umamin ang Pangulo, paano kami maniniwala sa kanyang sinseridad dahil yung kanyang mga kaalyado at kapartido ay tila pursigido pa rin sa pagkubli sa katotohanan?"
President Arroyo on Monday night admitted it was her voice in the recordings which allegedly show she cheated in the May 2004 elections. She described as a "lapse in judgment" her calling up a "Comelec official" during the canvassing of the results of the polls and apologized for it.
Roilo Golez bolts Arroyo party.
A key ally of embattled President Arroyo yesterday broke away from the ruling coalition and resigned as chairman of the House committee on national defense, one of the five panels investigating the wiretapped conversations between Mrs. Arroyo and a Commission on Elections official reportedly to rig the last May elections.
Parañaque City Rep. Roilo Golez, Mrs. Arroyo's former National Security adviser, rocked the President by turning in his “irrevocable resignation” as member of the Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi), the political party of the Chief Executive.
“My departure from Kampi and my sentiments on the issue at hand make it untenable for me to remain as chairman of the House committee on national defense. I am also hereby resigning from that chairmanship. It's a price that I must pay,” Golez told the joint members of the five committees investigating the controversial tapes.
And Ernesto Maceda fisks Arroyo's speech:
Half truths. GMA admits making a call to a Comelec official. Half true. She did not admit it was Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano.
“I recognize that making any such call was a lapse in judgment. I am sorry,” GMA said. She did not make only “any such call,” she called Commissioner Garcillano 15 times. 1/15th true.
“The election results were already in and the votes have been counted,” GMA claimed. No, Madame, your tape partner Commissioner Garcillano told you seven municipalities in Lanao are still to come and you requested him to make sure your “margin” of victory reached one million. Garcillano answered “Pipilitin namin, Ma'm.” So both of you clearly believed the counting was not yet over. Admission by clear implications.
“I was anxious to protect my votes.” GMA stressed. If the election results were in and the votes have been counted as you said, why are you still anxious to protect your votes? Because you knew that the election returns, the statement of votes and the certificates of canvass can still be changed and substituted. And why did you not call Chairman Benjamin Abalos or Commissioner Noli Barcelona who was in charge of Mindanao? Unacceptable.
“The outcome has been predicted by every major public opinion poll.” Yes, by Social Weather Stations and Pulse Asia, including a 7-8 percent margin for you in Metro Manila. The result in Metro Manila was the reverse, an 8 percent lead for FPJ in spite of questionable Quezon City returns. Gotcha!
“Adjudged free, fair and decisive by our own Namfrel,” GMA declared. Yes, Namfrel is your “own,” with Namfrel Chairman Jose Concepcion seen meeting with Speaker Jose de Venecia and your campaign managers at his Dasmariñas Village residence. Yes, your own Namfrel that stopped counting after reaching only 83 percent of the votes. Seventeen percent not counted, which if they were trending would have been mostly for FPJ. Thanks for confirming.
“I regret taking so long to speak to you on this matter.” Yes, you took 22 days because you tried to preempt and cover up but you miserably failed. Hello Gary...
Yes, it took you so long because your advisers took so long to craft a confession of constructive guilt. You took so long because you panicked and it took you so long to recover your senses. Sign of weakness.
“I take full responsibility for my actions,” GMA concluded. Is that the reason you cannot fire Ignacio Bunye, Raul Gonzalez, Reynaldo Wycoco, Arturo Lomibao, Ronald Solis and company? Why you cannot discipline M1, M2 and JS7? Because everything they did or said was ordered or cleared by you? Gotcha!
GMA promised an “expansion of anti-corruption efforts and lifestyle checks.” How? The new lifestyle of Mike Arroyo, Mikey Arroyo, Iggy Arroyo, Victor Garcillano, Ephraim Genuino and police generals are staring you in the face. Two big mansions have just been built in front of your La Vista home. Hands tied?
“I have redoubled my efforts to serve the nation and earn your trust.” Thank you for admitting that up to this point, you still have to earn the people's trust.
Half-truths are lies in every sense of the word. You're not only constructively guilty, Madame President. You are guilty beyond reasonable doubt and must be meted the maximum penalty because you are not truly sorry for your sins.
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