Tipping Point

Columnist Willy Esposo wrote yesterday that Lozada could be the tipping point that would lead to the ouster of Arroyo. Basing on the testimony of Lozada before the Senate last Friday, it could be. Yet, the most crucial moments would be the days after today when the prime personalities are expected to testify before the Senate.

Malacanan has allowed its officials to testify before the Senate today, hoping to cast aspersions to the integrity of the star witness. Palace strategists want to neutralize the effects or implications of Lozada's testimony. Obviously, they would try to manage this through the media. How would they do it?

1. They would try to insulate the First Family from any links so to speak, with the ZTE issue. DOTC officials will try to justify the project and refute the overpricing charge of Lozada. It would be a showdown between Lozada and DOTC Undersecretary Formoso. Formoso succeeded in neutralizing Joey de Venecia with his so-called "technical know-how". However, I think, this time, Formoso would be hard pressed in justifying the overprice.

IN their press conference at the palace, Formoso admitted that, indeed, the DOTC jacked up the price because they said, the project should cover the entire country. Bull. This statement admits that DOTC has been remiss in totally studying the project. Imagine, agreeing on a 200 million dollar plus project just to cover a miniscule segment of government? Likewise, the press con attempts to delimit the importance of NEDA in this entire thing by saying that it was the DOTC's function to review the project, not NEDA. It marks the halmark of a spin which I believe, the public would definitely not accept.

Observations

Anti-Arroyo groups should create sub-stories so to speak to expand this issue. Time is not on their side. Malacanang's interest meanwhile, is to end this issue expeditiously by massaging the media. I am very sure that Malacanan has unleashed its "dogs of war" so to speak, which includes former secretary Mike Defensor to take care of the media. They would be successful in some dailies, I know. However, they can't prevent radio stations and TV channels from broadcasting or airing this.

Both would be using time as their ally. Anti-Arroyo groups should unleash their forces in a calibrated manner to cause maximum damage against this administration. This is a make-or-break for them.

Same as Arroyo's. Police would be hard-pressed justifying the "abduction" of Lozada. Malacanang's decision to allow officials to testify could prove deleterious to their interests. Why so? Because this is not the time for them to allow their enemies any room to maneuver against them. Any space given to their detractors in the guise of transparency could spell the start of the end of this administration.