Sun Tzu says, "If the enemy is strong, take something important from him and he will do as you please."
The opposition might not have intended it, but the resignation of the eight cabinet members and two senior finance officials took away a lot from GMA. The renegades, as it were, lent a lot of credibility to the GMA administration.They helped managed the economy through the hard times, although the hard times are still around. Without them, GMA's government is left mostly with operators who will take GMA's warrior agenda to the top of the list of every government office in this country. Of course, GMA is still strong, but the renegades were important to her. And if the opposition consolidates and use the renegades against her, she will have to do as they please.
What do the renegades have? They have answers -- answers to questions that GMA has since managed to sweep under the rug, as it were. How much did the government spend in the last few months leading to election for projects that were intended to boost the President's candidacy? How much of these expenditures would have been recouped by the VAT Law? How could they have thought of spending all that money for the President's re-election bid and taking it back in the form of taxes right after? Was that the reason why former Finance Secretary Camacho resigned in the months before the election?
Did the President really suggest that the implementation of the VAT law be suspended because of the current political crisis? Did her nonchalant reaction to the issuance of a temporary restraining order (TRO) mean that she got what she wanted? How could she have wanted to have the TRO against her own centerpiece finance program?
Who recommended Garcellano to the Comelec? Why was he appointed to the Comelec in spite of his reputation in the past elections? Why was the President calling Garcellano during the peak of the canvassing of votes from Mindanao? What other sins of the President were discussed in their cabinet meetings for which the Filipino people deserve an apology?
The order of the day is to woo the renegades back into the fold. It would not help to call them traitors and ostracize them further by maligning their integrity. Instead, they should be convinced and persuaded that it is their best interest to go back to the side of the President or at the very least stay away from the opposition. If the President is unable to win them back, it would spell her doom.
Ma'am, they have the goods on you. Watch out for the renegades.
No comments:
Post a Comment