Gloria: Oh My God! (Buko na kami!)

Was it Freudian slip or meant to ass lick some more? Press secretary Jesus Dureza today reportedly embarrassed his boss when he prayed for Gloria to have the forebearance to survive 2010 and even rule beyond it. Realizing the implications, Gloria asked journalists that they strike off Dureza's dog prayer. But, you know, stories such as these are obviously head line material.

It's plain and simple dog prayer, the one probably uttered by former Justice Secretary Hernando Perez, COMELEC Commissioner Garcillano, former COMELEC Chairman Abalos, former NEDA and now SSS Chief Romulo Neri and now, being prayed by fertilizer scam architect Joc-Joc Bolante. Bolante prays like that each and every time he goes to a forum such as the Senate (and just today, at the Congress) because deep in his heart, he knows he's lying. Of course, he'll evade jail time since it's still Gloria at the top. He pulled so many legs today, fooled so many people, including Congressmen and for that, he even managed to make a smile out of all the bola-bola. Like what Cebu Congressman Tony Cuenco accused him off, he'll probably be a very good poker player.

And you know why they have this dogged and cultist belief for Gloria? Because these people have nowhere to go in a post-Gloria era. If the Opposition wins in 2010, all of them will be history. Bolante would probably go to a neutral country and stay there permanently. But, that's just a dream.

With a messed up Senate, who would dare cross Gloria and her mafia gang's way, except maybe those who want to commit suicide? Enrile may profess independence but he's an avowed and firm believer of charter change. He can maneuver and exploit the tenuous hold of the majority to power at the Upper Chamber and re-configure the composition of the Majority. At this stage, we have an opposition hao-shiao ruling as a majority. The present majority is weak. They are composed of strong willed and independent-minded individuals who never voted as a block and would probably go their own ways based on their individual political ambitions.

When the time comes for this Senate to vote on an important matter such as the proposal to constitute Congress as a constituent assembly (or call for a Constitutional Convention), there is a strong possibility that another configuration would rise, with those in favor equal in number with those opposed. A divided Senate is the consequence of this latest caper.

A weak and divided Senate will not stand a Chinaman's chance against the administration-strong coalition at the House.

The Legacy of Arroyo in the Peace Process

Press secretary Jesus Dureza said it matter-of-factly--Arroyo daw has laid the building blocks for peace. Yeah. Good soundbite of a lie.

For eight years, Arroyo and her peace panel dilly-dallied in their negotiations with the MILF. Under Arroyo, the peace process went nowhere and eventually had gone haywire. Malaysia entered into the picture to protect its territory Sabah and nearly convinced Arroyo to abandon all talk about reclaiming it as Philippine territory (in fact I remember a conversation Arroyo had with one of her department secretaries saying that he should not pursue the Sabah claim) if they continue brokering the talks.

At the twilight of her term, Arroyo's peace panel worked for the ultimate failure of the talks by acceding to an impossible thing. Members of the panel should have known that it is next to impossible to create the BJE. US pressure had lead to this debacle and now sectors are demanding Arroyo to step down or they would file an impeachment complaint for culpable violation of the charter.

Right now, we are back to square one. Foreign donors, including JICA, have decided to abandon peace initiatives and projects in Mindanao. I dont know about the Institute for Peace, but indications point to that direction also. And yes, we have not heard any gunfire nor mortar rounds nor seen shelling or bombing since an informal ceasefire has been established. Yet, many say that after the Ramadhan, fighting would definitely commence albeit with more intensity than before.

So, what is this legacy that Dureza is talking about? Is this the legacy of causing more war? Is this the legacy of turning the peace process back to square one? Yeah, it seems like it.