The GMA administration has launched its counterplay in the game of its political survival. On top, of course, was the appearance of some top administration officials in the Senate hearing last Monday. In vain, they tried to turn around the story of Jun Lozada’s kidnapping from NAIA, that it was made to prevent his Senate testimony, and that the highest officials of the land were implicated. The reversal of the policy not to appear before Senate hearings was made, I think, to discredit Lozada and prevent further damage from his testimony.
A much more insidious tactic, however, are the current efforts to prevent the congealing of a critical political mass to force GMA to resign. Central to this is the prevention and blunting of more possible exposé. Current efforts are being exerted to woo (and threaten) former Speaker de Venecia to prevent him from spilling the beans he hinted at in his swan song as speaker. Cabinet members are under close watch for possible breaking of ranks.
The Lozada testimony–while damaging–does not yet have the status of a smoking gun in terms of the ZTE-NBN scandal–he simply does not have the insider’s knowledge to pin down the hidden principals. What made his case more politically important is the kidnapping. This, in itself, promises an entire panoply of issues related to Malacañang use of executive power.
The instruction of the president for government to work with private business sector, academe and Church in the anti-corruption work and the sudden interest of the Ombudsman and DOJ in the ZTE-NBN case aim to seize initiative in the issue. The NBI raid on Lozada’s office, on the other hand, is more in the same league as the failed discrediting of Lozada for corruption.
Many top officials in the GMA administration have been put on the spot, had their reputation besmirched, or are in danger of prosecution themselves because of their actions in defense of the Arroyo family. They are under intense pressure from their own families, friends, and peers to stand for truth and decency on the issues confronting the First Family.
The signal role of the Lozada case is in bringing forth these pressures. In turn, the pressure on the president to resign will intensify. Ironically, the effective pressure may come from her own official family and camp rather than from the outside.
The Pandora’s box of Gloria has opened. It seems that the key was Mr Lozada, after all.
Thank you, Mr Lozada.
The “Now what?” syndrome is important to understand. Wishing for another Edsa People Power is to completely misunderstand what happened at Edsa Dos — which was nothing but a Supreme Court coup d’etat. The people have always known that. Only the Edsa Dos Diehards refuse to. That’s why they can’t understand why no one is showing up at the Big Rallies even if we know they all know what we know. Knowing about the present evil is not enough. What alternative is being offered? Trillanes? Joma? Puno? Who and what and how? The Frying Pan or the Fire?
“he signal role of the Lozada case is in bringing forth these pressures. In turn, the pressure on the president to resign will intensify. Ironically, the effective pressure may come from her own official family and camp rather than from the outside.”
Is this related to the Tribune article (by Ninez Olivares) about an exit strategy where the Cabinet will inform Congress that, in their opinion, GMA can no longer rule effectively – or she ‘resigns’ – in which case Noli de Casto steps in?
According to Ninez Olivares, the deal here is that Noli will ‘protect and defend’ GMA and keep her Cabinet status quo; at the same time, since he will have been President for only 2 years, he can run for President in 2010 – and use government resources to win.
As for GMA? She can always build her fortress in Lubao (easy access to Diosdado Macapagal Airport in case she has to skip town from sheriffs or Senate sergeant’s-at-arms) or ‘migrate’ to Spain where (if Lito Banayo is to be believed), a welcome mat is ready for the Castillian-speaking GMA and Big Mike.
And for the rest of us … :shrug:
[…] Mon Casiple muses, The instruction of the president for government to work with private business sector, […]
[…] Mon Casiple says Mr. Lozada’s testimony may not be the smoking gun that will bring down the present administration. […]
As you have said in your earlier post “The Lozada indictment”, dangerous times often beget dangerous decisions, which of course is expected.
For government officials and those who are contemplating to do a Lozada, the Gloria administration’s message is clear, “Your life will be a hell and you will be fucked!”
i so disagree that it was a kidnapping. i think the media have fallen for a palace spin: play up lozada’s kidnapping claim, distract them from the testimony itself implicating the first gentleman.
lozada himself says that when he returned from hongkong he was still asking to be shielded from a senate arrest. the problem is, his protectors behaved more like abductors, which freaked him out and led to his decision to stop hiding, go and testify. that’s all there is to it.
none of it is as important as the testimony itself. yes, it’s not the smoking gun, but it corroborates joey de venecia’s story and that’s priceless. now we need another corroboration or two, not necessarily from big guns like abalos and neri. puwede ring from a small paltik or two like lozada.