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


2 DE VENECIAs: PRES.ARROYO IS “NUMB” TO CORRUPTION

Joey De Venecia, son of the Speaker of the Philippine House of Representatives Joe De Venecia and the key Senate witness who testified of the Arroyo Administration's anomalous deal with Chinese businessmen, declared in a recent television interview in the Philippines that de facto Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is already “numb” to corruption. The Speaker also confirmed to Philippine media that he also used the same word to describe Arroyo's behavior towards corruption charges being launched against her administration.

If it's true that Arroyo suffers from numbness when it comes to corruption, then her numbness would suggest a symptom of the more serious disease of administrative “cancer.” If her administrative “cancer” has already metastasized, then her de facto services as leader of the Filipino people need to be terminated urgently.

The Filipino people has long been innocently intimidated by the unknown: What will happen next following Arroyo's sequestration? Who will succeed her? The people are afraid that her successor may be worse. Comparing her administration with that of her predecessor, Joseph Estrada who was convicted of plunder, Arroyo comes out more unsatisfactory.

Life is full of uncertainties and so with the political life of the Philippines. Yet there exists a reality called hope for the better. There's always a time for a change. As a popular song says, “night follows day, day follows night.” As our world revolves around the sun so is our life in this world that moves in cycles. In plain words, the darkness that now surrounds the Arroyo administration would be replaced by a brightness of a succeeding one.

It is improbable that Arroyo's successor would be much worse. People learned from mistakes. It's the responsibility of Philippine lawmakers to institute more safeguards and sanctions to ward off graft and corruption in government. Let the Philippine Congress continue with its hearings and investigations to guide them in formulating appropriate legislations to answer specific governmental problems such as plunder, graft and corruption, and other wrongdoings in government.

If President Arroyo is indeed too “numb” to heed the people's cry to resign because of her inability to govern and her loss of moral authority, let the Filipino people call an ambulance to pick her up and take her to the hospital. DEMOCRACY IN THE PHILIPPINES IS AT STAKE.

FILIPINO BOXING CHAMPION PACQUIAO IGNORES MANILA MAYOR

Manny Pacquiao is a trained fighter in a boxing ring. Just like any trained warrior, he renders total obeisance to his benefactors such as former Manila Mayor Lito Atienza, presidential spouse Mike Arroyo, and Governor Luis”Chavit” Singson who all belong the Arroyo Administration's political party.

Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim belongs to the political opposition and an ardent critic of Pacquiao's benefactors. So Pacquiao opted to skip Mayor Lim's planned victory parade in Manila to celebrate his recent win over a famous Mexican boxer in Las Vegas to make his benefactors happy. Somewhat having the mentality of his fighting cocks, he reacts foolishly at the cue of his benefactor-handlers.

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