FROM THE BARREL OF MY PEN
By Gonzalo “Jun” Policarpio

PARDON COMES AFTER RESIGNATION

Despite reports of massive cheating in the May 14th mid-term elections particularly in Southern Phllippines that was marked with filling out blank election returns with names of Gloria Arroyo's senatorial candidates for a 12-0 results, the Filipino people have spoken through the clear victory of rabid anti-administration senatorial candidates that they want the present tenant of Malacanang out of office as soon as possible. Appearances of looking presidential such as having bilateral talks with foreign governments and painting an improvised Philippine economic growth that smack of a Fidel Ramos' hand as the puppeteer can not dispel the naked truth of an illegitimate Arroyo presidency.

Philippine politics has a history of politicians switching party loyalties to whoever is popular. When Gloria Arroyo's executive secretary, Eduardo Ermita, gleefully told the press that another planned impeachment would be futile because “her allies won most of the seats in the House of Representatives,” the numbers are now subject to change with Arroyo's humiliating political defeat as symbolized by poor Father Ed Panlilio's gubernatorial victory over her super-rich allies in her home province of Pampanga.

There is still a saving grace for Gloria Arroyo to escape political damnation and criminal punishment as a result of her “one million vote margin of victory, Garci style” in the 2004 presidential elections. She can resign with grace and whoever would succeed her most likely would pardon her in the same manner American president Gerald Ford pardoned Richard Nixon. No true-blooded Filipino likes political instability, economic crises, and social unrest. For Filipinos are peace-loving people.

Let a new administration take over the reins of the government and start overhauling the faulty electoral system and revamping the corrupt Commission on Elections. Let's all hope that a true and dedicated leader emerge in the coming 2010 presidential elections under an atmosphere of a real “vibrant Philippine democracy.”

End
junpolicarpio@yahoo.com
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