President Rodrigo Duterte and new Speaker of the House of
Representatives, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Photo: Robinson Niñal Jr.
t
was not that long ago that disgraced former president Gloria Macapagal
Arroyo was busy cooling her heels at the Philippine Veterans Memorial
Medical Center (VMMC). She had been ordered confined at the VMMC on
plunder charges in connection with the alleged misuse of Philippine
Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) intelligence funds during her
presidency.
Although that plunder case was dismissed by the Supreme Court in 2016,
Arroyo still has a second case pending with the ombudsman’s office. That
case also involves the misuse of PCSO Intelligence funds, but covers an
earlier time period. According to Arroyo’s counsel, this pending case
should have been dismissed together with the first.
Since
her 2016 acquittal, the former president has endeavored to rehabilitate
her tarnished public image. As an elected member of the Philippine House
of Representatives, she has reconnected with Congress members and, some
say, with the blessing of presidential daughter and Davao City Mayor
Sara Duterte-Carpio, clandestinely orchestrated a power-grab for the
speakership just before President Duterte’s State of the Nation Address
(SONA) on Monday, July 23. Characteristic of Arroyo’s unbridled
ambition, the entire event played out on nationwide television, with TV
cameras, that were already set in place to broadcast the president’s address.
Arroyo and her supporters wanted to make sure she sat at the rostrum
next to the president and the Senate president throughout the SONA.
Unfortunately, the current Speaker, Pantalion Alvares refused to
acknowledge her underhanded maneuver and retained the Speakership until
after the president’s speech, thus depriving Arroyo the TV visual she
sought.
Though she is now officially, the Speaker of the House, outgoing
ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales noted that her pending plunder case
will still go forward regardless of her position. In a Philippine Star
interview, Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) chairman emeritus
Rafael Mariano reminded Filipinos of Arroyo’s numerous shortcomings when
she was president: “Let us not forget the ‘Hello, Garci’ scandal, the
fertilizer fund and Malampaya fund scams, the massive corruption in the
government and political killings that happened under Arroyo’s term.”
Filipinos should also not forget the tainted NBN-ZTE Broadband deal that
almost pushed through had whistleblower Jun Lozada, Jr. not exposed the
kickback-laden deal to the public. Chinese firm ZTE would have set up the country’s
entire government broadband infrastructure, and would likely have
provided the Chinese government with the ability to listen in on any and all
Philippine government communications.
Last
but not least, Filipinos should not forget Gloria Arroyo’s secret
agreement with China called the Joint Marine Seismic Undertaking (JMSU)
in 2004. The details of that agreement were kept so secret that even
Philippine senators and congressmen had no idea what was actually taking
place. It was only when the foreign press got hold of leaked details,
that the extent of Arroyo's shamelessly lopsided deal was revealed … which
she quietly ended to avoid further embarrassment and possible
impeachment. (Read our past
editorial here).
This
is the country’s new Speaker of the House, an individual whose
detractors complain has no moral compass. Arroyo’s opponents point out
that she never won an election for the office of president. As vice president,
she first assumed the presidency after EDSA Dos removed then President
Joseph Estrada from office.
Initially promising to just complete Estrada’s unfinished term, Arroyo
instead ran for president in 2004 and won by allegedly rigging that
election.
Arroyo thus managed to hold the office for 9 long years—3
years longer than the 6-year term limit stated in the Constitution.
Aside from the fact that she stepped down after her term ended--which
was good, she has
little to show for accomplishments. Instead, during her administration,
the level of cynicism and disgust in government was sky-high compared to
that of her successor.
First
the Marcoses, now the Arroyo’s are being rehabilitated with what might
be the tacit blessing of the current administration. Whether these
rehabilitations actually take hold, or are eventually rejected by the
population, remains to be seen.
Published 7/27/2018 |