If Arroyo resigns, pardon her

UPDATE: After thinking this over again, I've changed my mind about the idea of pardoning Arroyo. Kasi at least kay Nixon, nung nabuking na siya sa Watergate at mai-impeach na siya, he decided to do the only honorable thing and resign instead of clinging to his post and dragging the country down with him.

Si Arroyo naman, nahuli na siya. Buking na siya. She has zero credibility left with the population. Nobody really believes she's the real president.

But instead of doing the right thing and resign from her position to spare the country from further division and instability, she instead decided to wage war against her critics and had the impeachment complaint killed by her allies in Congress.

The fact that hanggang ngayon, tuloy tuloy pa rin ang obstruction of justice at stonewalling ng admin, to the point na pati ang free speech, free press at free assembly rights natin ay unti-unting binabawasan at ang mga critics ni arroyo ay isa-isang pinapakulong... wala na talaga... it's tough to pardon somebody as unrepentant as you after all the things you've done.

You do this only if she voluntarily resigns. Kasama na rin si Mr. Pidal sa pardon.

But if she refuses to resign and instead gets impeached or thrown out of Malacanang via People power, then she should be punished for her crimes.

Of course, this is just my personal opinion. I don't know how the opposition would handle a possible Arroyo resignation.

As for the other Arroyo officials who were responsible for GLORIAGATE (garci, bolante, other COMELEC officials) and other obstruction of justice attempts (Ignacio Bunye, Mike defensor) -- dapat silang maparusahan at makulong, IMO.

Katulad ng nangyari kay Nixon when Ford pardoned him for any crimes he might have done, I personally believe it's in the best interest of our country that arroyo gets a full and unconditional pardon (if she resigns) from the newly elected president... to heal the wounds of GLORIAGATE and to end our national trauma and agony over it.

OTOH, yung mga taong responsable sa GLORIAGATE, from the low-ranking COMELEC official who participated in dagdag bawas, to the highest ranking Arroyo official who obstructed justice ay dapat makasuhan at makulong dahil sa krimen at coverup na ginawa nila -- just like WATERGATE.

UPDATE: Ford honored with Profiles in Courage award for pardoning Nixon:

Ford honored for decision to pardon Nixon
BOSTON (CNN) -- More than a quarter-century after he pardoned former President Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford was honored Monday as a man who put "love of country ahead of his own political future."

Calling Ford a man who demonstrated that "politics can be a noble profession," Caroline Kennedy presented the 2001 Profiles in Courage award to the nation's 38th president during a ceremony at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library.

"I would be less than candid, indeed less than human, if I didn't tell you how grateful -- how profoundly grateful -- Betty and I are for this recognition," said Ford, 87. "Indeed, the award committee has displayed some of its own brand of courage."

Ford pardoned Nixon Sept. 8, 1974 -- a month after he took office -- a move many political analysts believe contributed to his loss two years later to Jimmy Carter.

At the time, Ford said the pardon would allow the nation to heal after the Nixon presidency was crippled by the Watergate scandal and the president was forced to resign in disgrace.

Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Massachusetts, hailed Ford as an outstanding leader and acknowledged that he had criticized Ford at the time of the pardon. History, he said, had proven Ford right.

In an interview with CNN's Wolf Blitzer -- to be broadcast Monday evening -- Ford said he did not regret his pardon decision, but added that it generated more of a political backfire than he expected.

"I knew it would be controversial," he said. "It turned out to be much more unpopular at the time than I anticipated, but that made no difference whatsoever. I never backed off because it was the right thing to do."

2001 Profile in Courage Award Ceremonies