The problem that is Abalos

Former Congressman and now Iloilo vice governor Rolex Suplico filed an impeachment complaint against Abalos. His complaint was endorsed by two Congressmen, all belonging to the minority block of the House. Talks are flying that both the minority and the majority will support the complaint. It will be a collaborative effort, says Makati Congresswoman Abby Binay. Eighty is the magic number and if they get it, the complaint will automatically be endorsed straight to the Senate.

I think that the complainants will get the requisite number for this effort. However, Abalos will still get off the hook. Why? Because of a technicality.

Should this complaint prosper and goes to the Senate, Abalos can still save his hide by demanding that those Senators who grilled him and made a joker out of him, inhibit themselves from voting for his impeachment. Remember that this happened during the impeachment of former president Joseph Estrada and it could be Abalos way out of this mess. A considerable number of Senators could be forced to inhibit themselves. And who'll be left to decide on his fate? Majority of the administration senators who did not attend the blue ribbon committee hearings. GMA and her ilk would still have the last laugh so to speak in this parody of errors.

ZTE's appeal to the Supreme Court

I've read most of the stories by the ZTE, especially their appeal to the Supreme Court to lift the TRO on the project. Obviously, someone, possibly a PR crisis man, made that story. Its ludicrous. It's wrong timing and wrong angles. ZTE's statements still smack of being proud. The statement suggests ZTE as an arm-twister.

You know why the people still believe that there really was payment of payola in this issue? Because of the stupidity of ZTE's publicists. The PR positioning of ZTE is wrong. First, it should not be made at this time. The issue is still very, very hot. ZTE could have made the appeal in a silent manner. Second, ZTE should refrain from sounding like a goon. Look, the tone of their statement is very wrong. They sound like they want to get their "investment". It reinforces the belief in the public that ZTE did, indeed gave millions of dollars worth of payoffs to some high officials in government. Their statement sounds like they expect Philippine officials to give in to their demand.

What shitholes.

ZTE should instead, keep silent. Anyway, they have been silent for a long time, since this issue exploded in their faces. What would it do to them if they issue statements like this? None. It would only add salt to their wounds.

No PR effort could repair the damage wrought to their reputation caused by this issue. This is the time for them to just sit back, relax, wait for the dust to settle, then, cautiously and silently work for the restoration of their project. Maybe, just maybe, they could still get this project possibly in the future.