Conrad de Quiros: Critical Differences

WITH various groups calling for snap election today, I have to clarify my stand on it, something I have been advocating for some time now. My position is completely different from the ones being bandied about today.

The critical difference between my concept of snap election and theirs is that mine doesn't rely on Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's participation in, much less permission for, it. Indeed, my concept is premised on Arroyo being removed from office in the first place....

My concept of elections is something that takes place after Arroyo is evicted from Malacañang, one that any caretaker government should implement at the soonest possible time. An interim government that lasts for more than a few months is as much a threat to this country as Arroyo.

A snap election, as I see it, serves two basic functions. The first is that it restores order to this much-disordered universe, or nation. It is the complete, perfect, and only answer to the problem. The problem is that we do not have an elected president, the answer is to have an elected president. The problem is that an injustice has been done to the voters, the answer is to give justice to the voters. The problem is that the people have been removed from the equation in this country: Even elections no longer depend on their will but are foreordained in advance. The answer is to bring the people back into the equation: Let us have clean elections and foreordain only the fate of Mr. Hello Garci and ilk in the Commission on Elections.

But the call for snap elections serves one other vital function, which is to remove Arroyo from office. (Clean) elections after Arroyo goes are the only cause that can stir the people up to make sure Arroyo goes. No other alternative has the capacity to stoke action. Why should I risk life and limb just to put a transitional government in place? I will only risk life and limb to make sure that we will replace a usurper with a legitimate ruler. Clean elections are the Good to Arroyo's Evil, which is how People Power happens. You have to have both Good and Evil to have People Power. A story of Evil alone does not hack it, which is why more and more exposés about Arroyo's wrongdoing aren't hurting her anymore. You need to pose a Good against her Evil to get her out. Clean election is that Good, clean elections is that good enough.

But how do you get Arroyo out to have clean elections afterward?

Well, to repeat, you need to pose clean elections as the alternative. That is not an option, that is a necessity.

Read it all.

Conrad seems to be more open to the idea of temporary caretaker/transition gov't, as long as new elections are implemented ASAP.

Should I rethink my earlier opposition to the transition council too?

Ernie Maceda says Cory and Renato de Villa should head the transition council.