Ramos moves his deadline - ROSES AND THORNS by Alejandro R. Roces

The word "deadline" is of military origin. It means the final date or time when a given task or assignment must be completed. The word was first used in a notorious Confederate prisoner war camp in Andersonville during the American Civil war where a peripheral wire fence was placed and any prisoner who crossed the line was shot on sight.

Former President Fidel V. Ramos is not a only a former general but a trained psy-war expert. In a meeting of the National Security Council last month, he gave President Estrada a deadline to institute reforms in his way of governance, working habits and life style. The deadline was supposed to have been Dec. 15. When the deadline came, he extended it to Dec. 21. It seems to us as if it is Ramos who should institute a reform on the manner he gives the president a deadline to reform.

To begin with, did he really believe that President Estrada could comply with his original deadline? Secondly, does he now believe that the President will avail of the six-day deadline extension? Lastly, what will happen if the President fails to meet Ramos deadline? Will there be a third deadline? If so, then the word "deadline" has just come to mean "an exercise in futility." Anyway we look at it, it is now President Ramos that has a deadline. He has till Dec. 21 to show the public what his ultimatum to President Estrada was all about.

The way we see it, there was no way that President Estrada could have complied with Ramos’ original deadline and no way that he can fulfill the next deadline. So Ramos is faced with a problem. He will either give President Estrada a third deadline or show the nation the consequences of Estrada’s not complying with his deadline.

The second deadline, Dec. 21, happens to be the day that marks the founding of our Armed Forces. President Estrada cannot change what he is. Ramos must have some plan for Dec. 21. We hope it is something that will uphold the Constitution for when Ilocos Sur Governor Luis "Chavit" Singson first denounced "Juetengate", Ramos said that any anti-constitutional attempts to remove Estrada would result in an "Indonesian scenario."

The impeachment proceedings are going on. We should wait for the result. The only thing better than waiting for the impeachment judgment is for President Estrada to voluntarily resign, the sooner, the better. Empty deadlines are just adding to the confusion.