Unlike Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who took power based on the constitutional provision on automatic succession if a president resigns – a point still being disputed by her predecessor – Guingona assumed the second highest post in the land because he was handpicked by Mrs. Arroyo. In picking Guingona, Mrs. Arroyo bypassed other allies including one who openly regretted holding the microphone for her when she was sworn in.
Her choice was seen partly as a gesture of gratitude for the speech Guin-gona delivered at the Senate that eventually led to Joseph Estrada’s impeachment. But it also helped that Guingona was a top official of Lakas, the President’s party.
Since then Guingona, who has cultivated a nationalist image, has had many public disagreements with the President over policies of her administration and their party. In July last year he gave up his concurrent portfolio as secretary of foreign affairs but remained with the party and did not relinquish the second highest post in the land.
His supporters can argue that as vice president, Guingona has an obligation to the nation, a duty to fulfill. In our system of government, however, what is a vice president except a spare tire? With advances in information techno-logy, the president need not even de-signate the vice president as caretaker whenever she is abroad; she can run the government by cell phone, e-mail, fax or even cable TV.
Guingona made some serious criticisms of the President and her party when he quit Lakas yesterday. He accused her of failing to institute the reforms she promised at EDSA II to fight corruption and institute good governance. He said there are corrupt personalities in Lakas – not that anyone would disagree. He criticized partymates working to amend the Constitution to allow what he described as fo-reign exploitation of national resources. He maintained that the party of Christian and Muslim Democrats has neglected Filipino Muslims.
Perhaps Guingona needed nearly three years to come to these conclusions. Or perhaps he just decided it was time for him to jump ship, amid reports that Mrs. Arroyo would announce today her decision to run for president next year, but not with him as running mate. Whatever the true reason, he will find himself under intense pressure to cut cleanly and give up his post as vice president.