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

DON'T SHAKE HANDS WITH THE DEVIL!

If Gloria Arroyo had her way, there would have been no May 14th elections in the Philippines. . She tried the “cha-cha” movement to quickly adopt a parliamentary form of government and presumably use it to declare herself president for life. Owing to charges of multiple”election sabotage” and numerous violations of law plus a mountain of corrupt practices, she needs to maintain supreme executive power forever in order to avoid the supreme penalty of justice. But the Filipino people asserted its sovereignty through the election process that had the effect of a referendum against Arroyo's national leadership.

There is no other alternative for the Arroyo administration but to pack up and leave. The Filipino people has spoken through the ballot, thank God, and not through the bullet. No amount of calls for reconciliation or promises of amnesty to her “enemies” can wipe out the Filipino blood in her hands and the “blood money” in her pockets. The whole world knows who or what is behind the “extra-judicial killings of militant journalists and human rights leaders in the Philippines making it the “most dangerous country” second to Iraq. The whole world knows that the Philippines is now becoming a kleptocracy making it the most corrupt country in Asia.

A corrupt and dangerous country like the Philippines is a favorite breeding ground and habitat for terrorists of all sorts, particularly Islamic terrorists that burned to ground zero New York's World Trade Center. There is a reason for the United States to offer help in fighting the Philippine-grown terrorist group called the Abu Sayyaf Group. Instead of being decimated, these Filipino terrorists are getting stronger and deadlier. Now, how would a corrupt Philippine military leadership be able to succeed in such a struggle? And how would a corrupt Arroyo administration stop the ongoing extra-judicial killings of civilians critical of her leadership?

I say to the newly elected Senators to be true to their campaign promises to the Filipino people who voted for them: remove an illegitimate president and weed out corruption in government. Don't they ever think for once to “shake hands with the devil” for the devil will kill you..

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junpolicarpio@yahoo.com
junpolicarpio@gmail.com