Last SONA of Gloria–12,000 cops and 1 million lies?
21 Jul
Ops, baka mahulog
People here in the Philippines are anxious about the future. A few days from now, Mrs. Arroyo will be giving her last State of the Nation Address (SONA). Many people say, her speech would not be the last. In fact, that would be the start of formal political hostilities among various groups here. Former speaker Joe de Venecia Jr. thinks she’ll still do some nasty and machiavellian tactics to stay in power. Others hint she may be using even the anti-drugs issue to force militarization in the Philippines.
Three days after her SONA, Mrs. Arroyo would be preparing for her visit in the States, which is neither a state nor a working visit. What it is, is well, the White House is wont to say. Surely, Mrs. Arroyo would use the SONA to present a rosy picture of what’s happening here. If she thinks she can fool Barack Obama, she may be in for a surprise. Recently, CIA Chief Leon Panetta had a briefing with his counterparts here and his colleagues at the US embassy.
Opposition groups are preparing for their biggest showing in Philippine history. Since yesterday, countless rallies and demonstrations have been waged. That’s why, authorities are worried. National Capital Region Police Chief Director Roberto Rosales, who is being groomed to replace PNP Chief Jesus Verzosa, is fielding 12,000 cops to “repulse” anti-Arroyo groups. Overkill right? People really don’t know why cops would secure such a place as Congress against the people. And what it is about Arroyo’s speech that is so incendiary or so sensitive that Arroyo needs almost half of the entire NCRPO police force to secure? Takot ba sila that people might rise in revolt because Mrs. Arroyo would again be lying about the state of affairs here in the Philippines.
