All presidentiables, no el?

There are at least 12 players in the coming presidential derby who have declared or hinted at their intention to run in 2010. A handful are serious contenders with a clear trajectory to the Palace. But the others are typically described as desperate, irrational, negotiable, God-told-him-to, his-wife-told-him-to, “YGK” (you got to be kidding!) candidates who should see the light and fall by the wayside sooner than later. Only in the Philippines do we have a convicted ex-president who wants to run again and an incumbent president who acts and spends on advertising as if she were campaigning again (is she?).

As always, the nuisance list is far longer than those who have a shot at the top job of the land, not taking into account whether their competence and/or motive for running are right. This roll call does not yet include the Racuyals and Eddie Gils who will surely crop up like the magic mushrooms of Sagada, bewitched by the siren call of power when the period for the filing of candidacy begins.

I would like to share with all candidates and voters a riveting piece as blogged in “Sinosirizal.” In the midst of the early election shindig, this will serve as a party pooper. But better sure than sorry. Reflect on it as a cautionary tale, a conspiracy theory, and a danger signal just in case. Unedited and in toto:

Arroyo Forever: Those Who Don’t Remember The Mistakes Of History Are Bound To Repeat Them

“The election fever is going to get hotter as the rainy season begins, paradoxical but true — fueled by the ongoing Comelec Automation zarzuela, which is going to be won not by the company with the best technology nor with the most advantageous price, but because everyone else has been disqualified. Another factor fueling the fever is the ‘leave no prisoner’ attitude of potential presidential combatants in destroying each other before the starting gun is even fired for the presidential race. Each candidate wants to be the only ‘opposition’ candidate left standing because each one believes that due to the people’s disgust over Gloria Arroyo, Malacañang is theirs for the taking. Each one is throwing all he/she’s got into the contest thinking that taking Malacañang will be a walk in the park.

“Well, they better watch out! Because the usurper doesn’t seem to be leaving.

“Having heard enough palace talk of not leaving the palace vertically, only horizontally, is not amazed to hear that malacañang is being renovated, which is very unnatural for someone who is leaving in a few months to do. And there are other telltale signs of seemingly unconnected events to the innocent eyes but very alarming to someone who has worked with them. Here are some of the unfolding events and their possible repercussions on us Filipinos.

“GMA’s PMA Class ’78 generals are all being put in place — Army, Navy, Air Force commanding generals, NCR Commander, NCRPO, MPD director, ISAFP. Soon the Marines commandant will be a PMA ’78 general who was AWOL for more than 700 days before Gloria resurrected his career for betraying his Mistah, Ariel Querubin, to her. Non-PMA Class ’78 generals are either being retired early, offered an inducement for vacating their command earlier than regulations, or being moved to non-critical positions. GMA’s sons and relatives have complete control of the House of Representatives through their lapdogs Nograles, Villafuerte, Defensor, Ortega, et al. The Senate is currently in self-destruct mode with some sly prodding from GMA allies. Once an Emergency Rule is declared over some phantom National Security threats, it will be game over in favor of Military Commander-in-Chief Arroyo.

“Cha-cha will be pushed even without term extension. Its primary aim is to reverse money laundering and bring back to safety all their stolen loot deposited in foreign banks that are crumbling due to the ongoing financial meltdown. Once these monies are brought in, disguised as FDIs or Foreign Direct Investments, it’s game over in favor of mega-tycoon Arroyo.

“Another Cha-cha aim is to submit the constitutionality issue to the Arroyo Supreme Court to pave the way for either a Cha-cha, Con-con, Con-ass right after a messed up 2010 election, again it’s game over in favor of Prime Minister Arroyo.

“One typical military tactic employed by the Carthaginian Hannibal is to allow the middle column to collapse in retreat when frontally attacked by its Roman enemies and once the pursuing Romans are within their range of fire. The flanks will then close in from both sides and seal the rear of the Romans, encircling the Romans for a systematic destruction. Many of the PMAers in Arroyo’s cabinet are familiar with this battle tactic. A tactical maneuver that can be employed is to allow all the opposition candidates to charge with all the political might and machinery money can buy into the 2010 election, deceived by their own self-ambition that the enemy is so despised by the people that it is ready for slaughter at the voting stations. All GMA has to do is to wait for the opposition forces to be completely committed to their election battle plans and to spend most of their precious resources in pursuit of such a plan. Once this situation is at hand, which is inevitable, then it will be so easy to close in from the flanks and seal the rear by declaring a failure of election. With a very much weakened opposition resource-wise and personnel-wise, subjugating such opposition will be a walk in the park. Again it’s game over in favor of Arroyo forever!

“I am not an alarmist, but I am in a situation that I’d rather err on the side of being prepared rather than not being prepared. The last time warnings like these were ignored was in 1972 and the people came under the heels of a dictator for more than 20 years. Those who won’t remember are bound to make the same mistake.” (“Sinosirizal,” May 27, 2009)

The fact is, Filipinos hanker for elections, especially presidential ones. It’s Christmas, the Grand Lotto and Wowowee combined. It’s their favorite fiesta, the biggest show on earth, and possibly the lucky jackpot event that could make them some money. The presidential contest is the most awaited blockbuster entertainment. But more than all that, it is also the gift of hope, a fresh start, a new dream. May 10, 2010 might mean we will finally choose the right public servant who will actually lead and govern for all Filipinos, instead of a few cronies with vested interests. For the masses, it is possibly a ticket out of poverty, a long-term job, education for their children. Orison Morden wrote, “There is no medicine like hope, no incentive so great, and no tonic so powerful as the expectation of something better tomorrow.”

How any No-El conspirator can ever imagine taking away hope from the Filipino demonstrates how completely out of touch they are. I guess clinging to power dulls the edge of empathy so much, greed not only corrupts the spirit, it also deadens the brain. The No-El scenario is predicated on the apathy and lethargy of a people so numbed by the constant betrayal of their leaders. The ruling cabal is counting on this indifference and lack of concern to prevail. That has allowed them to get away with murder for the past eight years and counting. But if they take away hope, the Filipinos might just bare their well-hidden fangs.

As of this writing the President has declared that there will be a presidential election. Of course, coming from someone who vowed she would not run for another term in 2004, we all know what happened next. So we really should take all Palace pronouncements with two grains of salt and a lot of suspicion.

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E-mail your thoughts to the author: mscom@campaignsandgrey.net or ms.com@gmail.com