Goodbye, Mike
SHORTLY before noon today, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo announced in a speech before businessmen at the Manila Polo Club that her husband, First Gentleman Mike Arroyo, would be leaving the country to “remove himself from any situation that has cast doubt on my presidency.” The First Gentleman has been embroiled in scandal after scandal, the latest of which was the allegation he took money from jueteng operations. In banishing her controversial spouse, the President said her family “is once again called to sacrifice my personal happiness.” This leaves the President alone to face public opinion in the aftermath of her admission Monday that hers was indeed the voice on the “Hello, Garci” tapes.
PCIJ sought the reaction of political activists to the latest damage-control measure by Malacañang. Several of them had gathered this morning at the U.P. Bahay ng Alumni to launch a movement called Laban ng Masa aimed at ridding the country not just of President Arroyo but also of the elite as well. Here are some of the comments.
Joel Rocamora, Institute for Popular Democracy Good step pero dapat sarhan na rin ni Gloria yung mga gripo. Dapat patalsikin na rin ni Gloria ang mga tauhan ni Mike sa Pagcor, sa NAIA, sa DPWH kasi yun yung mga gripo ni Mike. Dapat sarhan na rin nya yun. Whether that will staunch the political bleeding of the administration, it’s hard to say. But it will not appease this group (democratic left). No way. Because what this group is after is not anymore si Gloria, sa totoo lang. It’s not anymore sinong papalit kay Gloria at sa anong paraan. Ang habol na ng grupong ito at sang-ayon naman talaga ako is baguhin na ang systema. Kasi yun na ang hinihiling ng tao eh.
Millet Morante, Secretary-General, Kilusan para sa Pambansang Demokrasya That signals something, yung pag-alis ni Mike. I think they anticipate something from the people. Sa palagay ko, yun ay pag-secure ng first family ng kanilang mga sarili pagkat alam nilang guilty sila. So sa palagay ko dapat sundan ng mamamayan yung mga signal na nakikita tulad ng pamilyang ito, laluna rehimeng ito para tuluy tuloy ang moral high ground. Nasa moral high ground kasi ang mamamayan. So I think pag-amin din yun na itong klase ng bistuhang nangyari ay katotohanan at takot na takot na si GMA sa galit ng mamamayan. But I think ang talagang kailangan umalis ay si GMA. Sundan na niya yung mga pamilya nya dun. Habang ganyan siya wala siyang puwang sa Pilipinas.
Fr. Robert Reyes, parish priest, UP Diliman If it means that she’s trying to lessen the steam from her, she cannot do anything already. That steam is already reaching boiling point. And number two, the impression of people is that it’s the first step toward an exit so she sends Mike to America for Mike to look after their deposits and their transfer of accounts, transfer of funds. And I think you know in many ways she’s already in a state of panic. Can the situation be salvageable for her? I think if she failed to convince us with her put-on repentance last Monday evening, she’s also now failing to convince us that the exit of her husband is for the good of the people. It’s really for her own good because she obviously realizes that the end is coming very soon.
Maitet Diokno-Pascual, Chairperson, Foundation for a Sustainable Society Inc. He’s not going into exile. He’s going home to his other wife Vicky Toh. It might appease those who like to think that the problem is Mike. But from the tapes it’s very clear. She was giving orders to her commissioner to fix the election results. She has to deport herself.
