Is it over when the Fat Man sings?

There’s an old American quip about operas – no doubt a swipe at the rather . . er, plump Brunhildes and formidably overweight Valkyries (badly in need of the South Beach Diet) who seem to dominate Wagnerian opuses – which goes: "The opry ain’t over till the Fat Lady sings."

The other day, it was the Fat Man, instead, who sang. I won’t comment on the exposé made by Michael Angelo "Lucio" Zuce, said to be a "technical assistant" of Joey Rufino, who claimed he had witnessed the wife of an alleged jueteng boss Bong Pineda, former Lubao Mayor Lilia Pineda, giving out envelopes containing P30,000 to several Comelec officials in President GMA’s La Vista home, etc. A scant P30,000 per official seems too piddling a sum with which to buy people so they will rig an election, but what the heck. If the Opposition wants to make the allegation stick, they perhaps can file a case in court, or add that accusation to their pending "impeachment" complaint.

Sus, if we all joined hands and pooled our efforts in nation-building with the same fire and fury and energy expended on the move to unseat La Gloria from the Palace, we’d be a country rocketing to success. But I guess political battles and maneuvering are the favorite Filipino pastime. Even the wars against jueteng, drugs and violent crime, not to mention rebellion and terrorism, have been relegated to the back burner, while the war to oust GMA continues to hog the front pages, dominate the television news, and make interesting copy in foreign publications.

This writer was interviewed yesterday by Radio Hongkong (by phone) as one of a group of panelists, and a remark by a foreign commentator struck me as both sad and hilarious. He said, not unkindly, that the political situation in the Philippines continues to boil because, after all, "Filipinos will be Filipinos."

Perhaps he put the finger on what ails us. Let me say it again: if there’s valid reason to oust GMA, and enough evidence to demonstrate she cheated and stole the May 2004 election, let it all come out in the "impeachment" process.

* * *

Thus far, no "people power" has emerged, only a few pathetic though angry rallies. As for military mutiny or coup d’etat, nobody can tell for sure, but there’s nothing stirring at the moment. The Church isn’t meddling this time – in fact the Catholic bishops, while scolding GMA politely and telling her to clarify serious accusations in the table, have given her a breather.

What’s fascinating is that outgoing US Embassy Charges d’Affaires Joseph Mussomeli, just before his departure (I think on August 5) has delivered a parting shot. Naturally the Leftists and Party List Congressmen attacked Joe and the US for sticking their noses into Philippine affairs, but let’s face it: What Washington DC thinks affects our military.

And, when all is said and done, for all our perorating, it’s whether the Armed Forces stay "loyal" to the incumbent Commander-in-Chief and the present government that keeps a President in office – or leads to Presidential downfall. (Witness what happened to former President Joseph "Erap" Estrada. Erap was watching the EDSA DOS demonstrations on TV in the Palace. When he saw his generals mounting the entablado –including Angelo T. Reyes – to declare their "common cause" with the rallyists and indicate they had abandoned their President, Erap was said to have remarked: Patay na ako! (I’m . . well, dead).

Surely Mussomeli must have gotten clearance from Washington DC for what he asserted at a press briefing for the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP). Earlier he had been warned by the State Department to zip his mouth and refrain from further public statements.

Mussomeli, in his farewell appearance, was in typical form, however. He managed, as he often did in the past, to put a number of noses out of joint by remarking that the government’s political woes were largely caused by Filipinos putting loyalty to family and friends above the rule of law. Sanamagan. Joe must have been out of the classroom when tips on diplomacy were handed out, but – since he’s leaving – I guess he felt he could be forthright, even bold in his assertions.

Mussomeli made it plain that the US government is opposed to any extra-constitutional steps – including a coup, a people power revolt or martial law – to resolve the current crisis. In sum, no more aid – and to the military, no more bullets and military toys – if we stray from "the rule of law."

American meddling? You bet. But Musso is in no pain. He’s skipping town, flying back to Washington to be briefed and sworn in as the next US Ambassador to Phnom Penh. As an old Cambodia hand I had cautioned him, the last time I spoke to him (last fourth of July) that the Cambodians (Khmers) get violent whenever they believe themselves insulted. If you’ll recall, not too long ago, they rioted and burned down the Thai Embassy in Phnom Penh – and the allegedly "insulting" remarks had ostensibly been delivered only by a popular Thai movie actress! (Remember, in that seemingly gentle Lotus land, the Khmer Rouge of Pol Pot had massacred more than 1.5 million fellow Cambodians). Mussomeli had replied, he would be more careful in Phnom Penh.

But not in cheerful Manila, quite obviously. Anyway, he’s halfway to the airport by now.

* * *

Last Monday night, this writer and the outgoing Armed Forces Chief of Staff, Gen. Efren L. Abu; Vice-Admiral Ernesto de Leon, Flag Officer in Command of the Philippine Navy; and Philippine Air Force Commanding General Jose Reyes, had an intimate three-on-one dinner at the EDSA Plaza and discussed the situation – as old friends do – until close to midnight. Incoming AFP Chief of Staff, Gen. Generoso Senga was supposed to have joined us, but he had (as he previously told me) to fly off to Bangkok to take part in an Asian commanding generals’ conference there.

Abu, De Leon, and Senga, of course, belong to the "Ruling Class," Philippine Military Academy 1972, to which Philippine National Police Chief, Gen. Arturo C. Lomibao, also belongs. General Reyes, the PAF Chief, comes from PMA 1973.

General Abu confirmed that the turn-over of command from him to Senga will be on August 15. In the meantime, he said, he will personally supervise security during the coming elections of the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao, spending August 8 (this Monday) and August 9 in that area. What I’ve learned is that the very able incumbent ARMM Governor Dr. Parouk Hussin is not running in those elections and reportedly will be named an Ambassador by GMA. (Perhaps Ambassador to the Organization of the Islamic Conference since Hussin speaks fluent Arabic – not to mention Swedish?)

In any event, not only the armed forces but 6,400 personnel of the Philippine National Police (PNP) have been mobilized to "police" the elections in the five ARMM provinces plus a troop augmentation force of 480 RMG personnel from PROs 9, 10, 11 and 12.

This Monday, some 1,159,682 registered voters are expected to go to 8,285 precincts in 1,983 polling centers to cast their ballots. The police have listed 115 "areas of immediate concern" – i.e. where trouble might occur – 53 in Maguindanao, four in Tawi Tawi, and 58 in Lanao del Sur. Another 600 are listed as merely "areas of concern."

There are eight candidates for governor, nine candidates for vice-governor, and 112 candidates for the 24 Assembly seats.

In a report we received from the PNP yesterday, there thus far had been no election-related violent incidents (since the start of the election period last April 22, 2005). The explosions in Cotabato and Koronadal on July 30, the PNP said, were ruled out as not being election-related.

However, I’m not optimistic – given past elections – that the ARMM polls will be as "peaceful" as hoped for and predicted.

I’m not at liberty to reveal everything we talked about last Monday, but Generals Abu and Reyes, and Vice Admiral de Leon, reiterated that the armed forces would strictly adhere to the Constitution, be steadfast in supporting the Commander-in-Chief, and close ranks against any threat.

I asked Abu whether he would be named Ambassador to Indonesia. He replied that he had received no such indication thus far. It had been presumed that owing to his friendship with Indonesia’s President (General) Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono – they had been "classmates" in Fort Leavenworth – Abu would be named to Jakarta. I’ve learned it’s more likely he may be designated "Ambassador-at-Large."

Possibly this will enable the retiring general to remain in Manila (keeping an eye on the situation here) while going to Jakarta only to "visit" his close friend, S.B.Y., who took office in the Istana Merdeka ten months ago.