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

TALE OF THE TWO DEPARTED

It has been observed that more and more Filipinos believe in the supernatural, particularly in ghosts stories or souls of the departed who refused to proceed to the world beyond if they died mysteriously or untimely. Americans and almost all other nationalities even tell more of their experiences with the supernatural.

In case of a departed whose death came as a result of evil circumstances such as being victimized by a cheat or a swindler, the culprit generally confessed or caused themselves to be exposed because of a sickening sense of guilt unless they are of the devil.
In the Philippines, recent press reports tell of the renewal of the “GARCI TAPES” congressional inquiry that heard charges of election cheating during the 2004 presidential elections against Gloria Arroyo who currently serves as Philippine president and Virgilio Garcillano, then an election commissioner as revealed in a series of tapes reportedly collected by the Philippine military. This investigation is most feared by the Arroyo administration for it's like the Sword of Damocles about to fall on in due time. But Gloria's cronies failed to intimidate the opposition Senators, particularly Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, who recently delivered a privileged speech in the Senate where he presented a videotaped of former Sgt. Vidal Doble, former member of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, who admitted the taping of the “Hello Garci” conversations.

Gloria Arroyo has proven to be a really tough cookie and refused to resign despite insurmountable evidence of election fraud and use of government funds for her election campaign. She succeeded in avoiding any impeachment hearings to happen where she would be confronted with the evidence. Perhaps she can hold on to power indefinitely until the ghost of Fernando Poe, Jr, the presumed winner in the 2004 presidential elections, would appear to her one dreary night and tell her: Please return to the Filipino people the thing that you have stolen from me. Only then, I think, would she leave Malacanang Palace or else be hounded by the ghost of the person she cheated.

Well, here in our country, the ghost of Vincent Foster, former Clinton friend and White House crony whose dead body was mysteriously found in a Virginia Park not too far from Hillary's apartment in 1993, may already be acting restlessly and may be appearing to some people concerned saying: I did not commit suicide. Somebody murdered me! Please get the culprit before he or she could be more powerful and dangerous.

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