‘Abandon ship!’

by Rey O. Arcilla
from MALAYA

AS expected, the ruling coalition of Lakas-Kampi chaired by Ms. Gloria Arroyo picked DND chief Gilberto Teodoro as its standard bearer for the 2010 presidential election – to the consternation and dismay of hapless Bayani Fernando.

Ordinarily, the party leader would have been there to raise Teodoro’s hand in triumph. She wasn’t. His selection was timed when she was out of the country. It was an obvious first attempt at trying to dissociate him from the horrendously unpopular Arroyo.

It won’t work. Anyone who is even remotely associated with Arroyo is doomed from the start, even Teodoro who, for some reason, strikes me as someone who is trying very hard to project himself as a strong leader. But based on his pronouncements and the little that I’ve heard and seen of him on radio, TV and newspapers, he simply falls flat.

What immediately comes to mind is his seeming indifference to determining who was responsible for the recent debacle in Basilan where 23 Marines were ambushed and mutilated by MILF elements.

He also doesn’t give any indication as to where he stands on the accusations of wrongdoing by his boss. I would like to hear his take on the ZTE-NBN deal, the fertilizer scam, the Jose Pidal caper, the NorthRail project, the $15,000 and $20,000 dinners of Arroyo and company, the distribution in Malacañang of shopping bags full of money ranging from P200,000 to P500,000 to some 150 congressmen and local officials, etc.

Let’s hear his take – just his take, not what he would do about them in case he wins the presidency – on the scandals and anomalies that have bedeviled and continue to bedevil the Arroyo regime. Right away, we will know the kind of president he will make.

And what is he going to do with the Marcos’ stolen wealth and the long-standing coconut levy case involving his uncle, Eduardo Cojuangco?

***

I am sure if there were other contenders within the party and he had his druthers, Teodoro would have opted for someone other than DILG chief Ronaldo Puno as his running mate. Surely, he must be aware of Puno’s reputation. If not, all he has to do is ask Senator Miriam Santiago.

Unless, of course, Teodoro has in mind to use to his advantage Puno’s alleged expertise which is to make magical moves that alter election results. Hopefully, such dirty tricks will no longer be possible in a computerized election.

***

Arroyo’s legal counsel Raul Gonzalez said Teodoro has more substance compared to Noynoy. He said Teodoro had nine years’ experience in the lower House. So did Noynoy, with two years in the Senate to boot.

Gonzalez said Teodoro is a bar topnotcher. The last bar topnotcher we had as president was Ferdinand Marcos.

Gonzalez also said “it would be unfair to put Gloria as a baggage on Gilbert.”
Let him disown her then.

But Teodoro has already made clear he won’t do such a thing. He says he wants Arroyo’s endorsement. He claims she has never given him any unlawful order. Maybe so, but doesn’t that mean he had already turned a blind eye on the scams and scandals with which she and members of her own and official families have been linked?

***

I like the way Noynoy handled the comparison made between him and Teodoro. He conceded that his cousin indeed has a two-point edge over him.

“He has more hair than me, that’s one point. He has gotten married also, so that’s two points for him now,” Aquino said in jest.

I have never met Noynoy but he does seem to have a good sense of humor. That’s great!

***

A ruling party stalwart noted the support given to Teodoro by the League of Governors and by some 90 congressmen. In all probability, they are the same characters who walked out of Malacañang with shopping bags full of cash.

As they say, tell me who your friends are and I will tell you who you are.

***

When asked about his stand on the VFA, Teodoro said the presence of foreign troops need not necessarily create discord.

Has he not heard of Lance Cpl. Daniel Smith? Geez! Where has he been?

Teodoro also said he does not believe the presence of foreign troops tramples on a nation’s sovereignty and cited the Singaporean soldiers whose presence in the US does not seem to affect US sovereignty. Huh? Can you imagine a Singaporean soldier or, for that matter, a soldier from any country trampling on US sovereignty. No way!

“Why should it (VFA) be renegotiated? What are the problems under it? They have to show it (sic) to me,” Teodoro said.

I thought he is a hotshot lawyer? Anyway, he can look at the resolution signed by seven senators. There, he will find some of the answers.

“As long as there is a mutual defense treaty, there is no such thing as overstaying. As a matter of fact, they want more foreign troops from other countries to be able to exercise here in this country…..” he further said.

What? He wants more countries to trample on our sovereignty? And further complicate an already complicated situation with just one country?

Suddenly, Teodoro has become a US spokesman after an abbreviated visit to Washington!

***

“DFA Open to VFA Review” – Headline.

Has Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo made the recommendation to his boss? That’s what people would like to know.

Speaking of Romulo, has he begun to hedge his bet?

If Philippine Star columnist William Esposo’s account of his conversation with Romulo is accurate, and I have no reason to doubt it is not, I get the impression that the latter is preparing to abandon a sinking ship.

Esposo wrote: “Romulo said that he will support Noynoy Aquino’s bid for 2010 president. The Foreign Affairs Secretary being one of the most important posts in the executive branch of government, Bert Romulo’s support is a major boost for Noynoy Aquino’s candidacy and a big blow for the administration candidate,”

Wow! Did you hear that, Ms. Arroyo? Mr. Teodoro? It looks like your cabinet colleague has already turned against you.

I agree the DFA is one of the most important posts in government.

However, I totally disagree that Romulo’s support will be a major boost for Noynoy’s bid. Romulo is thoroughly identified with Arroyo, being one of her most rabid and loyal lapdogs for more than eight years.

His lackluster performance in the DFA will be remembered for, among others, his signing the agreement with American Ambassador Kristie Kenney transferring custody of Cpl. Smith to the US, and his role in the near dismemberment of the Republic through the aborted MOA that would have created the Bangsamoro Juridical Entity. Fortunately, both were rejected by the Supreme Court.

He is also responsible, together with Arroyo, for the “prostitution” of the foreign service and the demoralization of its career corps.

Esposo added: “Bert Romulo cautions Noynoy though to carefully select the people seen around him as the wrong ones could provide the ammunition with which to erode his position.

I wholeheartedly agree. But coming from Romulo, that sounds pretty hollow. Pray tell, how come he never gave such advice to his lady boss? And he has the gall, the cheek, the temerity to give it to Noynoy now?! Please naman!

Following are excerpts from a piece I wrote sometime ago about my late mentor and benefactor, General Carlos P. Romulo, Alberto’s uncle:
“In 1984, he irrevocably resigned from the Marcos administration. His failing health was the reason given. But, heartbroken, he believed there was nothing more he could do to save the regime from ultimate demise.

“A year later, about ten days before he joined his Creator on 15 December 1985, I visited him to pay my respects before going to Bangladesh to assume my post as the first Philippine ambassador to that country. One of the things he told me then was that his entire family and many of his friends were urging him to speak out and join the growing outcry against the Marcos regime. He adamantly refused saying: ‘I am not a cad and I am not about to rat on someone who, in his own ways, had been kind to me!’”

There can be no doubt that Ms. Arroyo has been kind to Alberto all these years in more ways than one.

***

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile said the military and the police might take over the government should there be a failure of elections next year.

Not if he is enough of a statesman. He himself could initiate a change in the Senate leadership by stepping down as Senate president before May 2010 and urging his colleagues to elect one of those whose term will not expire on 30 June 2010 to take his place.

***

Sotero Hidalgo Laurel, husband, father, lawyer, educator, senator, patriot and a passionate nationalist, is no more. He joined his Creator last week at the age of 90.

To his immediate family and the entire Laurel clan, our most sincere condolences.

***

There are 281 days left before the end on 30 June 2010 of the stolen presidency of Ms. Arroyo, courtesy of “Garci”, et al.

***

Today is the 140th day of the third year of Jonas Burgos’ disappearance.

Email address: roacrosshairs@yahoo.com