DETAINED President Joseph Estrada topped the list of "best persons to lead the country now" who are not identified with Malacañang in a nationwide Pulse Asia survey conducted in March 2006 with a national rating of 22 percent.
President Arroyo got a rating of 11 percent.
Only Vice President Noli de Castro with 23 percent came ahead of Estrada.
Following Estrada as alternative leader was Sen. Panfilo Lacson with 18 percent. President Corazon Aquino had 16 percent, Susan Roces had 14 percent, President Fidel Ramos had 9 percent and Jesus Is Lord preacher Eddie Villanueva had 6 percent.
More here.
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US mum on drive to oust Gloria
Sign of weakening Washington support?
From Malaya:
US AMBASSADOR Kristie Kenney yesterday sidestepped questions on how her government sees the campaign to force President Arroyo out of office, an apparent departure from the US’ declared policy of steadfast support for one who is considered its strongest ally in the region against global terrorism.
Kenney, at the Araw ng Kagitingan rites on Mt. Samat in Bataan, said it was not proper for her to comment on the country’s internal affairs or on how democracy should work.
"But I think it’s important to remember that democracy is based on strong institutions. You want to have institutions that respect the framework of democracy so that this country can grow, so that there can be prosperity…This is a beautiful country and I’m hoping to see things move forward," she said.
She also declined to comment on the Palace-backed campaign to amend the 1987 Constitution through people’s initiative.
"I’ve been talking to people since I’ve been here but again it’s not for us to say what form the Philippine democracy takes, That’s for the Filipino people to decide, how the democracy goes and I look forward to learning more about it," she said.
The lukewarm remarks of Kenney contrasts with the near-automatic response in the past that the US fully supports Arroyo against "extra-constitutional" moves to force her out of office.
Kenney, who arrived recently after almost two years of absence of a US ambassador, last week drew criticisms from Arroyo allies when she paid a visit to Senate Franklin Drilon, one of the leaders of the Gloria Resign Movement.
Arroyo allies said Kenney’s visit to Drilon might be interpreted as a signal the United States has withdrawn support from Arroyo who is accused of corruption and stealing the 2004 presidential election.
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JB Baylon had a dream meeting with the new US ambassador
I spoke about the joy of writing my column since 1996, and of the fun I have with my radio program on DWWW 774 kHz AM, which allows me to remain in touch directly with ordinary Filipinos like myself.
She stunned me when she asked about my employment with Rene Cayetano and Enrique Zobel – I don’t remember providing her staff a resume – but it gave me a chance to let her know how much I enjoyed working with both of them and how much they opened doors for me.
At that point I was so tempted to say "Enough about me, tell me more about yourself" when she asked me my opinion about the New York Times editorial.
"The New York Times," I said, "is now on the list of Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez and I am sure he is starting to check the backgrounds of its editorial staff in search for leftists." The ambassador broke out in a laugh.
I turned serious, telling the ambassador that more than anything that is written in Malaya or in the Inquirer or in the Tribune, it was the New York Times editorial that surely made many folks in Malacañang nervous. The Palace could easily pressure a local newspaper; it could make phone calls, hold back sponsorship money, it could even have the President visit a rival paper and describe that rival as the epitome of balanced and professional reporting! But the New York Times? Anyone who knows enough of politics in Washington knows that what the New York Times says carries significant weight precisely because the paper has remained a good example of what a newspaper must be in a democracy – always independent, critical when necessary, talking straight, never holding back punches and never fearing government "reprisals".
It will be a newspaper that Secretaries Gonzalez, Bunye and Defensor would hate to have in the Philippines.
I told the ambassador that following the events in Thailand, some of those I spoke to were lamenting that while Thailand had a king, we didn’t’. And then there were those who believed that we did have a king – in the person of George W. Bush; they were implying that if Bush were to find his own Paul Laxalt who would then tell GMA to "cut and cut cleanly" then off she would go into the sunset.
When she told me that she hadn’t heard the Garci tapes – which the New York Times directly identified as tapes of GMA’s conversations with an election official, clearly not believing Ignacio "I have two discs" Bunye’s insistence otherwise – then I offered to give her my copy which I, by sheer coincidence, had with me. Listen intently, I advised Her Excellency, and as you get used to speaking to our President you will be much better than Michael "I have two sound experts" Defensor in making out whether it was indeed the President of the Philippines speaking on tape.
Ours is not a democracy, I ended, but would be what USAID would call a "democratizing" country – ours has made partial or incomplete transition to democracy because our institutions are yet to function effectively!
As a radio listener on one Manila AM station said yesterday, how come Gringo has a price on his head but the government has not lifted a finger to search for Joc Joc Bolante? How come five congressmen need to hole themselves up in the House of Representatives, but Virgilio Garcillano is not being prosecuted for submitting a fake passport at an official hearing? How come those who harbor rebel soldiers face being charged with aiding and abetting a conspiracy, but those who helped Garcillano escape aren’t?
How come Janet Reno ordered the investigation of Bill Clinton, but Raul "I have two systems of justice" Gonzalez only sees legal violations among the opposition?
I must say though JB that Bush doesn't like to read the New York Times.
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Malaya Editorial on the self-serving No-El proposal:
Those pushing for charter change through people’s initiative keep prattling about the need for the opposition to rise above narrow self-interest when all along they are the ones who are demonstrably pursuing an agenda fueled by the crassest of self-interest.
Let’s us start with the local officials who are leading the campaign to solicit signatures on the ground. They want to cling on to their posts without the benefit of an election under the proposed transitory provisions. The most zealous among them are the officials who are barred from seeking a fourth term.
Same goes with the members of the House, with the bonus that they get to exercise broader powers, including those now reserved for the executive department, under a parliamentary system.
And then we have President Arroyo, who wants to cling to power at whatever cost.
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Int’l community seen to shun Palace’s 2nd coup video...
Conrad de Quiros asks: Whom would you rather believe-Thaksin, the New York Times and the ADB-- or Mike ARroyo, Ignacio Bunye and Gabriel Claudio?
Photos from last friday's BnW Pa-Thaksinin na gathering.
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Ninez: Thai opposition in danger of screwing up their victory
The Thai opposition forces are in danger of screwing up their victory — and their concept of democracy which they claim to embrace and for which they claim to fight.
Even when their strength was mainly in Bangkok and the south, Thaksin’s weak spots, the Thai opposition forces had a good strategy in pressuring Thaksin Shinawatra — and through constitutional and democratic means, too, such as holding almost daily protests, which, it should be pointed out, were never dispersed by the Thai military, thus succeeding in bringing to national and international attention the problems of disunity and political instability under the Thaksin regime.
It is also to be noted that, unlike Gloria Arroyo and her police and military goons, Thaksin never referred to the opposition forces as destabilizers out to grab power. He did speak of the need for national unity and political stability, but he never singled them out as coup plotters and power grabbers, nor did he have his Parliament, where he held a majority, come up with such dictatorial laws such as Executive Order 464, or ban rallies, or order her goons to violently disperse them, or muzzle the media and raid newspapers offices and order the arrest of his critics and foes by declaring a bogus emergency rule.
This gave the Thai opposition groups more leeway in pressing their demand for Thaksin to step down, something Gloria won’t do as she fears a people’s revolt.
They also had another good strategy, along constitutional lines, as the Thai rules allow a boycott and protest votes of the elections that would create, as it has created, the vacancy of some 38 seats in Parliament. This effected the impossibility of the establishment of a 500-seat Parliament, and by-elections have to be called, to fill up these seats.
Thaksin’s party won 57 percent of the vote, but as the Thai opposition forces kept up with the struggle, sending the message that there can’t be any national unity or political stability in that country as long as Thaksin remains as the premier, which apparently, the King acknowledged, Thaksin had to go.
So far so good, for the opposition forces — until they started screwing things up, insisting now on Thaksin being out of politics completely, as they fear he would still be in political control as his party has the majority.
That is a bit too much. Thaksin cannot be blamed for having a majority in the Parliament, or still being the kingpin of his Thai Rak Thai party. It was the opposition that chose to boycott the polls, which was a good democratic strategy to get Thaksin out as premier. But to insist that he get out of politics is a tad too much for these groups to demand, and certainly does not carry a democratic flavor.
Why should they fear a Thaksin comeback, or continued control over his party? What the opposition should do, having won their victory through the resignation of Thaksin, is to work for more seats in Parliament, through succeeding elections and work at weakening through democratic means the ruling party.
But to demand his exit from politics, merely on their fear of a Thaksin comeback, or even of his continued control over his party, is certainly not reflective of their avowed embrace of democracy.
If the opposition parties believe that Thaksin has violated the laws, whether through the tax-free telecoms sale, insider trading or authoritarian ways, then do it the right way. Charge him and bring him before the courts of law.
I agree.
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Opposition on NYT editorial: GMA has no one to blame but herself
She has no one to blame but herself.
This was the conclusion of the members of the political opposition in the House of Representatives as they yesterday blasted Press Secretary and concurrent presidential spokesman Bunye for putting the blame on them for the New York Times’ “wrong impression” of the country’s situation.
The lawmakers added the NYT editorial only shows that the Arroyo government’s notoriety is not only confined to the country but has also spread out to the international community.
“Even those who are outside (the Philippines) observing can smell the stench and GMA (President Arroyo’s initials) can no longer hide and disguise the rot of corruption in her government,” party-list Rep. Joel Villanueva of the Citizens Battle Against Corruption said.
He also hit out at Bunye for passing the blame on so-called destabilizers of the Arroyo government, including the legitimate opposition.
Parañaque City Rep. Roilo Golez, for his part, said Bunye’s pronouncement is an admission of gross failure on the press secretary’s part to articulate the Palace’s position on key issues.
“Instead of blaming the opposition, they should heed the NYT editorial. It could be reflective of Washington officialdom’s sentiment. Influential newspapers such as NYT and the Washington Post are known to be at times conduits of the White House or the State’s policy line,” Golez added.
He added Washington could be embarrassed by the observation that while the United States is trying to democratize countries such as Iraq and Afghanistan, the Philippines, a show window of US style democracy is sliding back to Marcos style governance.
For his part, House Minority leader Francis Escudero expressed belief that the NYT had presented an accurate observation of the Philippines’ political situation.
He also said Bunye should not blame this on the opposition but on the President herself and her administration.
“Excuse me. They should blame themselves because if they are spotless, clean and without fault then what can we possibly complain about? I am not surprised with their reaction. True to form, instead of correcting their mistakes and mending their ways, they simply look for someone else to blame,” Escudero pointed out.
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