Eye Opener
By Rodolfo P. Gumabong

Look who's talking

Who are the politicians who can honestly say that they are not cheating during election time? Let him throw the first stone to Pres. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. In the Bible, Jesus Christ confronted an adulterous woman who was accused of having many husbands. Later, Jesus asked the woman, where are your accusers? “They are gone my Lord.” “Neither do I condemn you. But go and sin no more,” Jesus said to the woman.

Today, there are many accusers of Pres. GMA that she cheated in the May 2004 presidential election. They demanded the resignation of PGMA. And who will replace PGMA? Another election cheater! Another corrupt man!

PGMA should not be spared if she really influenced a high ranking Comelec official to cheat in her favor. If so, the provision of impeachment in the Philippine Constitution be followed. This is the legal way of dismissing a head of the state in a democratic form of government. Let not the opposition or other vested-interest personality resort to people power or mob power grab.

According to a radio announcer in Metro Manila who heard the “Gloriagate” tape, there was nothing in the said conversation that expressly says that PGMA pressured the Comelec official to give her a million plus votes. Cong. Prospero Pichay of Surigao on the one hand said that there was nothing wrong with the president talking to a Comelec official. Rep. Pichay said though that Congress will still play the tape as there were other politicians who had conversation with Comelec officials during the May 2004 election. This is interesting as the names of the opposition politicians migh surface on this “mother of all tapes.”

Changing PGMA with another corrupt and over ambitious politician may further cause instability and chaos in our country. Senate Pres. Franklin Drilon is a good politician and seems to be liked by the Filipino people as his name has not been dented with an iota of anomaly or corruption. Drilon can be the best alternative to govern the Philippines in time like this. Noli De Castro is also good and honest. Mar Roxas is another politician who can stand the test of corrupt politicians. Gloria can win the hearts of the people by dismissing all corrupt and dishonest officials and personnel in the BIR, Customs, DPWH, DepEd, LTO, LTFRB, DA, Ninoy Aquino International Airport, GSIS, etc. and replace them with born again Christians and after this revamp, PGMA can take a leave of absence and join her exiled husband and children abroad.