AJLPP Update

December 27, 2008

Political Situation Heats Up for Elections May 2010—AJLPP

By Arturo P. Garcia

Manila--The political in-fighting among the reactionary political formations are bound to sharpen as the US-Arroyo ruling clique tries to consolidate its forces and probably rig the May 2010 elections as in 2004.

With the Arroyo ruling clique at the top, three political formations are gearing up for the 2010 Presidential elections. These are the Kabalikat ng Mamamayang Pilipino (KAMPI) of the fake president Arroyo, the Lakas-NUCD of ex-president Ramos and the Nationalist People's Coalition of the old Marcos crony Eduardo Cojuangco.

Ranged against these dominant formations are the far smaller parties which stand to benefit from the discredit of the dominant parties, but which tend to be fractious.

The Disunited Opposition

These include the revived Nacionalista Party of Manuel Villar, the resurrected Liberal Party of Mar Roxas of the Araneta clan , the Partido ng Masang Pilipino of former president Joseph Estrada, the PDP-Laban of Aquilino Pimentel, and the makeshift coalition called United Opposition (UNO) led by Mayor Jojo Binay of Makati City.

The PDP-LABAN is one of the oldest party formed by Senator Pimentel in the early 1980 against the Marcos Dictatorship. Pimentel harbors presidential ambitions but never made a run for it. It is now being managed by Jojo Binay who announced his presidential ambitions late this year.

Former President Joseph Estrada have announced that he might run again as the opposition bet “ if the opposition cannot unite under one candidate”. Despite his conviction, Estrada enjoys some popularity with the people.

Estrada got his must needed boost when former President Cory Aquino apoloized to the former rival " for joining EDSA 2". Cory Aquino got a lot of brick bats from comrades and foes alike for her mea culpa.

GMA's tight political control

The Arroyo ruling clique consolidated the KAMPI party led by DILG Secretary Puno and the sons of GMA –Mikey and Dato are pushing charter change through a constituent assembly in a maneuver to prolong its rule.

PGMA enjoys absolute control in the House as proven by the junking of the four impeachment tries against her and the latest replacement of Joe De Venecia. But the Senate has refused to collaborate with the House of Representatives, especially because of popular opposition to the Arroyo project of charter change.

The Arroyo ruling clique is preparing to rig the 2010 elections in order to protect its loot and secure impunity for its criminal liabilities. It is preparing to employ massive electoral fraud and terrorism in the same proportion of the 2004 schemes to secure the election of its own candidates.

Even the Supreme Court is not insulated from politics. Packed with PGMA appointees, the people are fast losing trutst in the jsutice system with decisions after decisions are stacked at her favor.

Even the Senate is fast becoming a sideshow with scandals being heared but no decisive actions taken. Just look at the Bolante hearings and see how the buck is passed around with not resolution is sight.

Only the parliament of the streets are the only way people can vent their fellings towards the discredited regime. Last Dec. 12, a crowd of 70,000 gave GMA goosebumps for the mass actions to come.

Military- A Factor in Regime Change

Gloria Arroyo has the upperhand for the AFP and the PNP is at her pockets. She enjoys relative support from the US for supporting their "War Against terror" and her all out war against the NPA and the MILF.

Contradictions among the factions in the military and police is sure to sharpen. They have run deep and wide because the Arroyo ruling clique has persecuted those officers and men who have denounced its criminal policies and activities.

Up to now more than 50 senior and junior officers are in jail and have cases filed against them. On the other hand, PGMA has favored those who are not only partisan of the ruling clique but are also flagrantly engaged in corruption and other lucrative criminal activities within and outside the military and police services.

The ongoing war against the MILF and the NPA is again a factor in the years to come. The last two people’s uprising – in 1986 and 2001 was fomented by the terrible wars in Mindanao and rest of the islands.

The AFP was wore down by the NPA and the MILF insurgency in Mindanao in the 1980’s and this cause the military to mount a failed coup in 1986. The US gave the go signal for the formation of the rebel officers- Reform the AFP Movement (RAM) in 1984 that brought down Marcos in 1986.

In 2000, the US-Estrada regime launched an all-out war in Mindanao against the MILF bases that caused disgust in the military. The AFP suffered a lot of casualties and the economy went into a tail spin due to Estrada's rampant corruption.The AFP moved against Estrada in 2001 and change sides during the EDSA 2.

This is a lesson PGMA must take into heart.

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