AFTER dropping the idea because of American pressure, Malacañang is again thinking of declaring Martial law as if it were sure that it could get the nod of Congress as required by the Constitution.
Highly placed Malacañang sources yesterday told this writer that Norberto Gonzales, national security adviser, has taken up the idea of Martial law in a few occasions with President Arroyo. The source, however, declined to say whether or not President Arroyo is biting the idea.
It will be recalled that Gonzales wanted Martial law declared about the middle of January. Washington discreetly told Malacañang that if the idea was pursued, the United States would withdraw military and economic assistance.
But it seems that old ideas die hard. Rebuffed, President Arroyo issued Proclamation No. 1017 in February.
Again yielding to American pressure, the President withdrew the proclamation after only one week.
Yung US gov't raw ang pumigil kay arroyo from implementing Martial Law earlier. But from my understanding of the US motives, it is not so much because they support our democracy here, as it is more about them finding the philippines an indispensable base of operations to conduct the War on Terror against radical Islam, and they can't afford any embarassment from their "ally" Mrs. Arroyo while they support and prop up her regime.
Kasi mabubuking lang sila, at mahahalata ang hypocrisy nila. The Bush admin likes to talk about "freedom" and "democracy over stability" in the middle east, pero they're willing to work pala with illegitimate and corrupt rulers/dictators in other parts of the world when nobody is looking. Inconsistent sila.
And they're willing to look the other way over Arroyo's illegitimacy problems, pero they're finding it more difficult to ignore the abusive and dictatorial tendencies of her administration.
Having said that, I don't think the Bush admin really like or trust Arroyo much (Remember her premature surrender/pullout of the troops in iraq to appease the terrorists?), but it seems that they can't afford to lose the philippines as a military base and can't afford to anger Arroyo... kasi baka mag-decide si GMA na i-pullout rin ang mga 4,000 OFW workers sa Green Zone ng Iraq, at delikado yan sa Operation Iraqi Freedom ng US. So in a way, hawak ni Arroyo sa bayag ang US gov't. LOL.
Anyway, I can't wait for next dumb article coming from Asia/Philippine expert Dana Dillon.
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