As predicted...

From the Malaya:

Palace, House junk ‘no el’
Bunye: Gloria to serve full term

MALACAÑANG yesterday junked proposals to scrap the elections in 2007.

At the House, the committee working on a proposed new Constitution also rejected "no el" which was recommended by the Consultative Committee formed by President Arroyo.

Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said the mid-term elections will be held as scheduled.

But he said Arroyo will serve her full term unless it is cut short by a constitutional process.

Tama ang prediction ko three weeks ago... where she will back down fron NO-EL, but will insist on staying till 2010.

(actually, I made that prediction last year pa on Dec 19, 2005.)

Sabi ni Ellen Tordesillas:

This is a departure from earlier statements emanating from Malacañang invoking Arroyo’s “mandate” up to 2010. Is Arroyo saying that she is amenable to a snap election and step down if she loses?

I don't think she's referring to snap elections, Ellen. I think she is saying na she will step down if impeached, which we know she will not allow to happen since her admin and her COMELEC will make sure her allies will "win" the elections para hindi siya ma-impeach.

Amb. Cruz comments:

The fact that GMA gave in and gave up the NO-el scenario
leaves an opening to oust her from power peacefully without resorting to our discredit military to set our house in order.

I'm not really impressed with Arroyo backing out of NO-El. Nung december ko pa na-predict yung pag-atras nila sa NO-El. That was a crazy (and unnecessary) proposal to begin with, just like their proposal to raise the number of votes required to impeach a president to 2/3s of the House Members (akala ko ba magpa-parliamentary na tayo?), or allowing only "responsible" speech, "responsible" press, and "responsible" free assembly in the new constitution, or inserting a requirement that only college degree holders can become prime ministers (pero kung parliamentary tayo, may pag-asa bang maging PM ang mga artistang Parliamentary members na kinatatakutan nila? I don't think so. more likely si JDV o FVR ang PM natin.)

Eto pa ang sinabi ni Ellen:

We are not about to applaud Malacañang for allowing the 2007 elections to proceed. In the first place, why was its cancellation ever raised?

Here's why. Eto ang post ko dati about this No-El ek ek, after jarius bondoc "complained" re No El:

As for me naman, I believe "trial balloon" yang "No El" proposal na yan. I don't believe it's serious, and it is meant to make some of the Cha-cha appointees of Arroyo "less stooge-like".

Meaning, they get to "dissent" and show their "independence" from Mrs. Arroyo, and the administration and it's allies will eventually "back down" from their "NO EL" proposal. I believe this is what will happen because nobody (and certainly not the public) is dumb enough to accept that "No El" ek ek ni GMA at Jose Abueva.

At since yan ang isa sa mga main complaints ng opposition, by removing that "no el" proposal (which they were never seriously considering in the first place), sasabihin ng administration na "O yan, may election na sa 2007. O timigil na kayo."

Rizalist comments:

I’m almost tempted to SUPPORT Noel...

Hah, me too, but not because I love the idea of No Elections. I like No El because it makes the ARroyo admin and her allies look bad.

It is the gift that keeps on giving, ika nga.

The longer Noel stays an issue, the more it exposes the arroyo admin for what they really are--corrupt and power-hungry fools.

It was a stupid enough proposal to begin with, but the fact that it took this long before they decided to pull the plug on this stinker is equally amazing.

Tiago comments:

But before all of this takes place, we should petition for the resignation of all the Comelec members. New Election with old commisioners just doesn’t ring a fair bell.

half-correct, tiago. I’ll add this. credible elections will never happen as long as the arroyo admin and all those responsible for GLORIAGATE remains in power and intact (that includes lower ranking COMELEC officials and military officials who did the grunt work for GLORIAGATE.)

In summary, the solution is to remove arroyo by "constructive resignation" or by ousting her. Cha-cha is just a diversion to cover up her GLORIAGATE crimes. You remove Gloria, and the biggest source of our political problem will be excised.