Is Fidel Ramos now the de facto president?

- Burgos: Si FVR ang de facto president

Bagsak na sana si Pangulong Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo noong nakaraang Biyernes kundi dahil sa maagap na pagsaklolo ng psy-war expert na si dating Pangulong Fidel Valdez Ramos.

Sa loob ng Palasyo noong Biyernes ay parang "presidente" muli ng bansa si FVR na nagbibigay ng pahayag sa mga miyembro ng Malacañang Press Corps na animo’y "knight in shining armor" na sumagip sa "damsel in distress" na si GMA.

Mismong si Executive Secretary at retired general Eduardo Ermita ay nakalimutang si GMA ang presidente ng bansa nang sumunod siya kay FVR pagkatapos ng press conference at iniwan si GMA sa kanyang kinauupuan.

May nagbulong sa atin na kahapon ay nasa Malacañang na naman si FVR para pangunahan ang pagpupulong ng "executive committee" na siyang nangangasiwa ngayon sa krisis na kinakaharap ni GMA. Kasama sa pulong sina Ermita, National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales at Speaker Jose de Venecia.

Mistulang "puppet president" na lang si GMA dahil hindi na siya ang nagpapatakbo ng gobyerno ngayon kundi si FVR sa pakikipagsabwatan sa kanyang mga heneral gaya nina Ermita at Thelmo Cunanan at political lieutenants gaya nina Gonzales at De Venecia.

- Tatad questions Ramos’ right to hold presscon at Palace

The United Opposition (UNO) yesterday called on President Arroyo to tell the Filipino people whether she is now sharing power with former President Fidel Ramos after she allowed him to hold a news conference in Malacañang to offer a plan that would give her “a graceful exit” following the string of calls made by her former allies for her to step down from the presidency last Friday.

Former Sen. Francisco Tatad sought the clarification from Mrs. Arroyo over what he labeled as an “unusual situation” where Ramos called the press conference by himself - and without the Chief Executive - in the Palace, while members of the Cabinet who had just resigned sat in another table.

Tatad said the President needs to explain the strange scenario because it appeared that Ramos had equal authority with her and that they shared the highest office of the country.

“Failing to see Mrs. Arroyo hosting Ramos, after failing to see her live on television when she asked her entire Cabinet to resign in a radio message on Thursday evening, we (in the UNO party) had begun to wonder if anything had happened to her,” Tatad said.

“We were completely surprised that former President Ramos was conducting his news conference, solo, as though he was still the official tenant of Malacañang.

“We just want to know whether Mrs. Arroyo is still able to perform her duties, or whether she has, in fact, already relinquished some of her powers to the former President,” Tatad said.

- Tordesillas: Pumapapel si FVR

Kahabag-habag na talaga itong si Gloria Arroyo at kumakapit kay dating Pangulong Fidel V. Ramos para lang tumagal sa pwesto.

Pagkatapos lumabas ang walong cabinet member at dalawang commissioner noong Biyernes na nag-resign at hiningi pa ang resignation din ni Arroyo, sumunod ang marami pa na panawagan sa kanyang pagbitiw. Si dating Pangulong Cory Aquino, ang Makati Business Club, ang Drilon wing ng Liberal Party, at iba pang grupo ng civil society na dating sumuporta kay Arroyo.

Ngunit tapat ba sa kanya si Ramos? Bakit ang kanyang mga bata na katulad ni dating Budget Secretary Salvador Enriquez at retired Gen. Fortunato Abat ay nanawagan ng pagbitiw ni Arroyo para mapalitan ng Council of Leaders na kasama si Ramos.

Nagkaroon na ng pagkakataon si Ramos na makabalik sa kapangyarihan at ‘yan ay sa pamamagitan ng pagiging desperada ni Arroyo.