The Speaker is in deep sh*t. But is he?
Lakas-CMD and KAMPI are two of the major coalitions in the Senate; Lakas is JDV’s and the other is PGMA’s. JDV and Lakas have sustained PGMA’s insatiable bid for power since impeachment and corruption charges have been filed against her since I think 2004. And now this brouhaha in Senate.
I’m not sure what this means exactly, if this ‘reform’ in the speakership is indeed for the people and not for the trapos who thrive restlessly in the upper spheres of power. Rep. Nograles isn’t any better than JDV, in fact, he’s been JDV’s No.2 man for a long time: both have been shielding PGMA and both have been showered by favorable positions.
JDV knows too much of the current administration’s dirt and that I think is one of the reasons why PGMA’s camp isn’t in full swing yet. Just like Joey, would JDV tell on PGMA and her cohorts’ malpractices and corruptions if he gets the boot? But then again, even if the Speaker would expose every bad thing he knows about his former friends, I don’t think any of those revelations would surprise us. Maybe we’ll be saying, “Sabi na nga ba eh!” instead of having our eyes pop out in utter disbelief.
The Speaker doesn’t want to step down (yet) but promises that he will when he is sure that Nograles’ support is above 121 congressmen. From the news, JDV’s opponent has 138 signatures and counting. PGMA’s sons and her husband are hard work. They should be, I mean, after losing face in the ZTE scandal like that. They must be fuming with revenge.
I agree with the Speaker when he says he wants to have a plenary vote. In this way, their voting is indeed transparent and honest. Plus it will show who the turncoats are once and for all. Besides, if the administration wants to overwhelm JDV with their force, their secret voting is but a stupid ploy to prove their might.
In another angle, would this change in the speakership permanently cripple PGMA’s support group? If that happens, the opposition might just get the upper hand they so badly need. The Liberal Party has probably sensed that this commotion will give them an opening or something so they declare support for Nograles. Erap’s team, on the other hand, is still calculating their next logical step. I don’t know what they’re up to, if they’ll support the Speaker or not, but they have to do something now or be quashed and labeled non-responsive.
Don’t you just hate it when these politicians do self-preserving tactics?
I am not in the Philippines and just following some news on this showdown in Congress. These conflicts of those in power is not new in the Philippines. This politicians have there own “vested interest”. The conflicts against each other are just a preservation of their “interest”. If they win its good if not then they politically dead.
What we are watching is the start of conflicts withing the ruling power or coalition . The move to oust JDV is a move for the preservation of the allies of GMA and a preparation for 2010. What would happen to the showdown will have a bearing for the 2010.
I agree with Rodaflip on that call. Everyone is starting to move their chess-pieces, so to speak.
BTW, thanks for the heads-up with the Strangebrew DVDs. I’ll be flying to Manila for family stuff (and a break from the relentless freezing weather) in about 2 1/2 weeks, so I may be searching for that when I get there.
rodaflip:
i just hope their moves would somehow benefit us in the 2010 elections. i wont expect them to give us a 100% though.
johanns:
listen to 99.5 rt (hit995.fm) at 9pm from mon-thurs. tado and ramon bautista are hosts in that slot. tado always advertises the dvd there.
thanks for dropping by!