- More on Fidel Ramos' unofficial takeover:
HELLO, hello, Balong? Si Eddie ito."
The last time we heard of the ever-loyal Maj. Alexander Arevalo, he had chucked off his military career to continue to be on the side of Eddie Ramos, whom he had served as executive assistant when the latter was in the Palace. We had no idea that Balong had joined customs as a deputy commissioner. So it came as a surprise when he was named by Gloria Arroyo as acting customs commissioner yesterday.
Our mistake. Sen. Panfilo Lacson has accused Ramos of virtually pulling off a coup and is now running the government. He has said Ramos would be tipping off his hand when replacements to the resigned Cabinet men and key officials would be named. We believed Lacson, but we had no idea Ramos would be that brazen.
What’s next? For Ramos to name his boys as replacements for Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla and Napocor president Cyril del Cullar? There’s a looming power shortage. More independent power producers?
But these are just the opening moves of Crafty Eddie’s insider’s coup. The more insidious is the coup against the 1987 Charter itself through what he and his cabal claim to be a constitutionally sanctioned process of reforming the political system.
We refer to Ramos’ plan to set up a "high commission" which would exercise executive and legislative powers in the interim. Under the watchful eyes of the unelected "high commission," Congress, sitting as a constituent assembly, would adopt the parliamentary form of government. After the ratification of the proposed amendments, elections would be held. A year from now, a new set of leaders would take office
Guess who would be the prime minister under the new set-up? No unlighted cigar for the correct answer. And who would get the symbolic post of president? Of course, Gloria, who has already been shunted aside by Ramos and is only serving as figurehead.
Heh. Read it all.
- Dean Jorge Bocobo:
"It has taken the aristocracy of the mind in the Philippines a long time to get to this point, but I think the true outlines of the bizarre Constitutional crisis created by that mutant abortion called ‘Edsa Dos’ have come into enough clarity in a critical mass of its best minds that the following steps are now ponderable and reasonable:
"(1) It is time to reconsider the impeachment of Chief Justice Hilario Davide, not on the grounds of an ill-fated last attempt, but for violations of the judicial code of conduct, dereliction of duty, and other culpable violations of the Constitution starting on Jan. 20, 2001.
"(2) It is time for the Philippine Senate to resume the suspended impeachment trial of one Joseph Ejercito Estrada;
"(3) And to prepare, if the President is really cruising for a bruising, for the impeachment trial of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
"It becomes more and more likely, with each passing day and hearing, that despite an absolute and notable majority in the Lower House, an impeachment complaint could prosper there. We must believe that men are just. But if they are not, it is not our fault.
"Besides, the quintessential cowardice of unjust men could produce a reasonably good approximation. Count on their pusillanimity!"
Also read Ducky Paredes' response to Mr. Bocobo in the same article. And Dean used the word "pussillanimity." I remember one anonymous commenter on my blog using that word too. Is that you Dean? ;)
- Even Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago, and ally of Arroyo, is worried re FVR's new role in the GMA administration.
Bagama’t nanatiling suportado si Mrs. Arroyo, hindi itinago ni Santiago ang nararamdamang pagkadismaya sa pagpapel ni Ramos sa palasyo, kaakibat ang buweltang gusto lamang nitong maging ‘hari’ sa gobyerno.
"He is advocating charter change as a solution to the problem. That is pathetic. In times of national crisis, the Constitution should be the solution. The Constitution should not be part of the problem which is what will happen if we follow the Ramos scenario," ani Santiago.
- Lito Banayo on the conflict between Ramos' boys and Cory's group within the Arroyo administration.
- Hudas raw si Drilon kay GMA, sabi ni Jake Macasaet.
- Cory binira ng GMA admin
Pinatid na kahapon ng kampo ni Pangulong Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ang magandang relasyon nito kay dating Pangulong Corazon Aquino nang birahin ng una ang huli sa pagsasabing wala itong 'monopolyo' sa katotohanan.
Sa kauna-unahang pagkakataon, kinaringgan ng maaanghang na salita ang kampo ni Arroyo sa pamamagitan ni Presidential Management Staff (PMS) chief Rigoberto Tiglao laban kay Aquino makaraang panindigan at ulitin ng huli ang kanyang panawagan sa nakaupong Pangulo na mag-resign.
"Nobody I think would have the monopoly of truth at this moment...There are some elements of intellectual dishonesty here in their very request, demand for the President to resign. It's really an attempt to move other political forces to force the President to resign," ani Tiglao sa panayam ng TV station na ABS-CBN News Cable (ANC).
- Cory, priests, nuns repeat quit calls
Despite the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines' (CBCP) rejection in calling for the resignation of President Arroyo, former President Corazon Aquino, along with the La Salle brothers, reiterated their call for the Chief Executive to resign, stressing that the CBCP, in its collective decision, has also also made it clear that resignation calls from sectors should not be dismissed.
Bishops yesterday over the media also confirmed this, clarifying that their position is that while the bishops cannot demand her resignation, they do not in any way, prevent others from demanding the President's resignation.
Mrs. Aquino made the call after a special Mass for “enlightenment” called by De La Salle University, which has also been pressing for Mrs. Arroyo's resignation on moral grounds.
She was joined by Mrs. Arroyo's former aides, including former Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, to applause from students who packed the university chapel.
La Salle officials said they would invite members of the political opposition in coming days for a dialog.
- AFP: Abat sounding like a broken record in wooing soldiers. LMAO!
- FVR ‘boy’ heads Customs
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