The Loyalists, the Oppositionists and the Fence-Sitters – the conclusion

 By all means the GMA Loyalists have all the reasons to protect its leader no matter how unpopular she is as perceived by the oppositionists. May I volunteer some of their arguments: why can’t the oppositionists wait for GMA’s term to end, anyway its only less than two years; hey the economy is improving, the peso is getting stronger against the dollar, the physical infrastructures are being built to further support the economic boom; GMA has the support of the Local Government Units, it is only in Metro Manila that the call for GMA to resign is felt, but not in the countryside.

 On the other hand, the oppositionists have these counter arguments on why they call for GMA’s resignation: under GMA’s term, there is a total dysfunction of government, there is prevalence of corruption and its subsequent cover-up, the violation of human rights is at its highest, freedom of the press as magnified during the Manila Peninsula siege is blatantly suppressed; freedom of movement is curtailed specifically during the Inter Faith Rally last Friday where students from La Salle Dasmarinas in Cavite and from UPLB were blocked at check points and not allowed enter Manila to join the rallies.

The fence-sitters on the other hand have these arguments: “pare-pareho lang naman yang mga politico na iyan. Kahit sino pa ang nakaupo diyan, magnanakaw rin yan” (all politicians are all the same, no matter who would be sitting as President they are all robbers); see what happened when Erap was replaced, GMA was more corrupt;  why should we care, we are busy working hard to earn money for our next meal.

 Another sector wants to have another snap election to resolve the issue. But, to my mind it would be a very costly process. Whenever we have an election, not only the government would be spending millions but also the candidates. Besides, in a remote possibility that the President would resign which is very unlikely, we have Vice President Noli de Castro who is according to him ready to take the place of the President as provided for under our Constitution.

 The oppositionists at this point in time, claim that they are gaining head way in their agenda of ousting GMA. If only for the 80,000 who were able to make it to Makati Inter Faith Rally last Friday after being harassed at check points, it is a show of force which may eventually snow ball into bigger mass actions. You see, their strategy of gaining support from the students is very effective and I would say, it is leading a band wagon effect among the students. The GMA loyalists cannot just ignore the crowd that Jun Lozada is drawing in his campus tour.

 On the other hand, last Monday when GMA was in Calamba City, she was heckled by militant students who were immediately arrested. There are already mass actions that are participated in by children. By all indications, I am afraid the call for GMA to resign will indeed be snowballing.

 Will we have a new President?  Next week? Next month? Two years from now?  

 Let us just pray that going through the process, there will be no bloodshed as we share the fear of Senator Honasan that if ever the military will be drawn in into the scenario this time, bloodshed may no longer be averted.