Opposition divided
PRESIDENT Arroyo is extremely lucky. She thinks that she is unpopular for pursuing what she perceived are right decisions but the thing is being detested is not healthy for one's well-being. But luck is with her.The value of the mighty dollar has plummeted and ergo, like a seesaw, the peso appreciated. I will give her some credit for the resurrection of our currency from the virtual graveyard.
The intelligent faction of the opposition has grudgingly conceded that the e-VAT (expanded value added tax) resuscitated our ailing economy and has reduced the budget deficit. Without disbursing a cent from our coffers, our foreign debt consequently depreciated on account of the rally of the peso against the $.
The nitwits in the opposition of course have nothing good to say for the Arroyo government. Given the fact that poverty still pervades despite all the reputed gains in the economy, it's still fashionable to assail and discredit the Arroyo administration until such time when galonggong starts selling at P9 per kilo.
But Arroyo is blessed with a bunch of opposition who are split right in the middle with no sign of reconciliation. Her remaining rabid critics are Jamby Madrigal and Jinggoy Estrada. With this pair of lightweights who landed in the Senate by a fluke, Arroyo can sleep soundly for now.
The rest of her political adversaries had stopped sniffing the trails of Arroyo. Instead, they are now backstabbing each other and by the crescendo of their diatribes reconciliation is remote. Jamby who loves to parley with communists and with foreign activists and militants is shabbily treating her fellow senators citing them with nasty language as if her peers are as good only as her househelps. Jinggoy finally let out his pent-up emotion and in retort to Ping Lacson’s sanctimonious counsel unleashed a fiery response describing Ping as the "spoiler" of the plot to have the late FPJ win by an overwhelming majority had not the senator ran for the presidency too.
I never realized that Jinggoy has kept that burning grudge against Lacson. I'd say that this sentiment must be deeply engrained in Erap too. Jinggoy just knew too well how sly is the foremost spy that his father had trusted in the past. I must admit that I was wrong all along in my perception that Lacson is still regarded highly by the deposed president. It took only a jibe from Lacson to let loose that pent up emotion from Estrada. In hindsight, we cannot fault Jinggoy for indeed if Lacson withdrew from the race, GMA could have landed in the swamp cabbage despite Garci, and his father could have been liberated from the confines of his detention cell by the stroke of the pen of FPJ.
Jinggoy is hitching his stars with Manny Villar. While Villar is as equally detestable in the eyes of the Estradas for practically railroading the impeachment of Erap in Congress while he was still House speaker, the senate president has indubitably the best chance to winning the presidency after GMA. I think for once, Jinggoy is thinking reasonably. I think he knows what is good for his political health and the fate of his father.
As far as Villar is concerned, he plays his card well. He remains cool. Like Arroyo, he is watching and enjoying the political dogfight of his probable opponents in the coming presidential race. He remains unscathed for now. And for as long as Jinggoy and Jamby are not reined in Villar is on his way to becoming the presidential nominee even before the actual skirmish begins.
While this happens, Arroyo can work on her legacy.
