The tough-talking Gloria

The tough-talking Gloria

by Erick San Juan

In her old rose outfit, which is said to be a cross between a Maria Clara and a terno, fire was written all over her face, as President Gloria M. Arroyo pontificated on her decision to unceasingly levy an expanded value-added tax on oil and oil products.

Her fighting words were loud and clear.

They may seem music to the ears of the greedy globalists, but for those whose feet are on earth, her tirades were all for show – nothing but another spin.

No doubt, it is time that President Arroyo starts telling the truth on why she is betting in just a deal, all the chips she’s got if only to keep EVAT on stream.

She should better be more candid in admitting that her government needs EVAT that badly, because she is being hounded and has been getting nasty calls from creditors, including the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the Asian Development Bank, JBIC and the Chinamen, for faults not all of her own doing.

Not only that, she should also start exposing the antiques of those crooks who took undue advantage and made her cover their tracks, only to drop her like a hot potato when they were stopped from having their cakes and eat them too. As in the case of the multi-billion US dollar North Rail rehabilitation project which is supposed to be guaranteed by China.

She must always be prepared to confess about getting all the flak for both the misfeasance and maladministration of all the Presidents before her starting from Ms. Corazon Cojuangco Aquino.

Perhaps, it is about time that Ms. Arroyo orders an immediate and thorough investigation over all contracts entered into by the government not just during her watch, but also those that were perfected in the past, starting in the yellow administration.

Certainly, money changed hands between the buyers and the officials of the seller Philippine government, in the multitude of sweetheart deals involving the gratis turnover of Meralco and the ABS-CBN to the Lopezes; the sale of the Philippine real estate properties in New York and in California; the Pantranco; PLDT; sale of government prime lands; the sale of Petron Philippines, the Philippine National Bank, and all the assets acquired by sequestration from Marcos and his cronies, including those properties turned-over by the US government upon the expiration of the RP-US military bases agreement. In the first place, an investigation on the large scale larceny in Malacanang, by relatives of EDSA’s conquering heroes deserve to be set in motion as well.

Undoubtedly, Ms. Arroyo’s political survival depends much upon the bonanza her government amasses out of the hefty profits being shared not just by Shell, Chevron and Petron, but also by the so-called small players who have effectively assimilated into the Philippines’ age-old oil cartel.

The time has come for the government to enact a law institutionalizing command responsibility, so that even those leaders who were unable to control the crooked ways of their key officials can also be made to do time and learn his lessons the old-fashion way – pay for it.

Malacañang should utilize the expertise of the career officers of the National Security Council in assessing all agreements with hostile groups before the situation in Mindanao gets out of hand. Why the deafening silence of the usually talkative Bert Gonzales?

But retribution is just around the corner. Lately, it is observed that a large sector of Mindanao’s non-Islamic population have started arming themselves in preparation for what could be showdown between ethnic groups with jousting interests. And the sad part of it all is that the Arroyo government stands getting blamed in the event heavy fighting breaks out, due to its failure to heed the call for transparency being aired by the now-majority migrant population of Mindanao.

Whatever would be the fate that might befall the Philippines as a result of whatever joint communiqué that General Esperon will be signing with the Mindanao Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), blame it to the government’s haste at buying peace at any and all cost to mankind.

Are you aware of the fact that one of the most trusted spokesperson of President Arroyo is actually paddling his canoe over two rivers all at the same time? What do I mean? Well, on one hand he speaks for PGMA, but at the same time, he is the husband of the daughter of MILF Vice Chairman Gadzali Jaafar! Oh, what a shame?