The lying and the cover-up

By Ermin F. Garcia Jr.

More lies continue to be weaved around the conspiracy to keep Mrs. Gloria Arroyo in power.

And as I listened over the past weeks to the array of cabinet officials pitching in to the effort to earn their keep, I had prayed that none of the Pangasinenses in the cabinet, namely Health Sec. Pingkoy Duque, Trade Sec. Peter Favila and Agri Sec. Arthur Yap would never have to be harnessed for a “lying” mission. But even before I could say “Amen”, there loomed before me Peter’s image on national TV. (I guess it was inevitable for Peter to join the “lying chorus” sooner or later, after all, it was his office that crafted the “memorandum of agreement”).

I could only shake my head when I saw and heard Peter delivering his own spiel to cover up for his boss woman’s recent tall tale – that she only knew of the anomaly that accompanied the NBN-ZTE deal on  the eve of  her departure to China. There he was belaboring the circumstances that brought him and GMA to Boao, China to witness the signing of the NBN-ZTE deal last April 7, 2007.

I have no doubt that he was speaking the truth detailing what  he did with GMA but these had nothing to do with GMA’s presence in the contract signing.

If Peter finally decides to go out on a limb for GMA (and her husband Mike) on this,  then he will only have himself  to blame when he sinks with everyone in the cabal in the stinking quagmire of lies where there is no redemption or vindication.

Sayang siya.

I can only say the same thing to our elected officials who can’t see beyond the bags of monies being offered them to declare their loyalty to the rapacious Arroyo government. 

Kababaing kayo! Sayang!

***

I surely hope Peter would never be made to belie and dispute the following situations because doing so would make his possible redemption in the future a lost cause:

1. That Romy Neri  told the senate under oath that he informed GMA about the P200 M bribe offered him by then Comelec  chair Ben Abalos as early as January 2007. (This makes GMA’s claim that she only knew about it on the eve of her April 2007 departure to China a barefaced lie).

2. That GMA’s presence at the signing of NBN-ZTE deal was not expected by the Chinese government since neither its prime minister nor the president was present as protocol would have required it. In other words, only ZTE expected her presence lending credence to the claim of new senate witness Dante Madriaga that $30 M  was promised in exchange for her presence. (Is it possible that witness Madriaga is related to our late Bishop  Mariano Madriaga?).  

3. That assuming GMA only learned of the illegal “commissions” before she flew  to China, she did not  order an  investigation of  officials involved in the packaging of the project upon her return. Worse, she made Peter and DOTC Sec. Larry Mendoza defend the contract when senate first investigated the project.

4. That GMA initially directed Neri to go into hiding, then to subsequently invoke E.O. 464  and executive privilege to prevent him from saying more to the senate about what he knows about the anomalies, further indicating that she knew of the anomalies much earlier. 

***

THE CATHOLIC BISHOPS’ PLOY.  The CBCP February 26 statement that stopped short of calling for GMA’s resignation was, in fact, sufficient in substance in condemning Mrs. Arroyo and her government. Proof of this is seeing Archbishop Oscar Cruz lead religious groups in Metro Manila asking for the President’s resignation with no threat of excommunication in sight.

Listening to Auxiliary Bishop Renato Mayugba’s homily at the pre-rally mass at the St. John’s Cathedral, it became evident that the CBCP’s statement was crafted to allow both allies and detractors of GMA among the country’s bishops to have the freedom to act as they see fit.

Mayugba explained that the bishops can only go as far as guiding the flock in moral discernment in order that the flock would be in a position to eventually translate the discernment into action, and the bishops would support.

And that’s exactly what happened in Dagupan, Makati and other major cities. The dioceses in Pangasinan, after some serious discernment decided to march, and the parish priests, following the bishops’ beacon, banded together to help organize the march for their flock.

Another proof of the bishops’ desire to allow each one enough elbow room to decide what’s best for each one is Butuan Bishop Juan de Dios Pueblos’ quick defense of GMA. He not only threatened to oust Archbishop Angel Lagdameo as CBCP president but went on to describe Archbishop Cruz as “bad influence.”

In case you have not noticed, the good and the bad angels have descended on earth to humanize the eternal fight between the good and evil.  But you must make sure you have this in the right context.

Who was it that Romy Neri called “evil”? (My very reliable source informed me that Neri in fact didn’t simply say “evil but “incorrigibly evil”).

***

The only confusing “clarification” by some bishops was the contention that they don’t have the competence to decide on political matters, ergo, they could not possibly demand for GMA’S resignation. That’s fine with me and they are probably right.

So I wonder then, by what competence did the bishops have to ask for the lifting of E.O. 464, and to charge the Arroyo government of massive corruption? Finally, by what competence do the bishops have to ask Mrs. Arroyo to lead the fight against corruption?  (One radio caller in Manila described the bishops’ call as akin to asking Abu Sayyaf to lead the fight against kidnapping. I  say “Amen” to that).

Political competence, what else?

***

THE NEW JOE DE V! Finally, the new and our desired legacy for Joe de V is finally unfolding before our eyes.

What was thought unimaginable until a year ago, Joe de V did precisely that last week. He finally saw the light, walked in the light, clearly saw who lurked in the darkness and stood up to the one he mistakenly thought could be the right person to lead a true moral revolution.

Joe de V now wants his ingrate erstwhile political partner GMA banished! This time, not for himself as to become her successor or as prime minister, but for the nation’s sake!

And my radar screen shows, he just began to fight! I could almost hear him say to her Kumare Gloria – “You ain’t seen nothin yet!”

I just hope he stays focused and will slowly metamorphose into a decisive, no-nonsense political leader, no longer a compromising “win-win” politician. With Gina by his side, Joe de V might just earn back the people’s full respect yet with a great legacy to boot.

(Readers may reach columnist at punch.sunday@gmail.com. For past columns, click http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/category/opinion/punchline/
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