Is it full speed ahead, FPJ?

Last week’s top text message went: "Frm concernd UCPB employees: DANDING JST DEPOSITD P500M 2 FPJ’s ACCT. FPJ 2 ANNOUNCE CANDIDACY ON SUNDAY! Pls pass so people will know." Our political ear-spies reveal that FPJ agreed to run as of Nov.11. It will be announced this week if it hasn’t been already within his camp’s inner circle. Juan Ponce Enrile was reportedly designated as the campaign manager to handle all logistical requirements.

With such an experienced backroom, it’s apparently full speed ahead for FPJ. One unsolicited advice, though: FPJ may be good in dodging bullets in the movies, but in Philippine politics, they use torpedoes. Just keep your head down.

In The Wake Of A Tragedy

One of our reliable ear-spies, who was at the wake of former Air Transportation Office (ATO) Chief Panfilo Villaruel last Tuesday, overheard what could be the truth on what caused the late Air Force Captain to act desperately. It seemed he was very frustrated to get appointed to a government position that took so long in coming. He had hoped to be re-appointed as ATO chief after Bert Yap was moved to Clark. Jatico’s taking over was said to have compounded matters. For the past few weeks, Presidential Chief of Staff Rigoberto Tiglao had been allegedly asking board directors of government corporations if they were running or just supporting GMA’s 2004 campaign. Apparently, a number would be running because there would be close to a hundred board vacancies by December. If Villaruel had only waited a few more weeks, he would have been given a good post in government and the NAIA 2 Tower incident would not have transpired.

The irony is that Villaruel could have been the main reason why Jatico would be sacked soon. But then again, for many who aspire for government positions in this country, that’s how the cookie crumbles.

Cadaver Politics

Who’s this person who was seen in the Villaruel wake and was overheard as trying to convince Villaruel’s widow to allow her husband’s body to be paraded down Ayala Avenue together with a planned rally that was to end up as Oakwood 2? Fortunately, and wisely, a friend allegedly advised the widow against it so a prayer vigil was organized along Ayala instead last Wednesday. When asked by the rally organizers if the Villaruel group wanted to join the main rally, this person allegedly recounted to friends in government that he declined the offer. If only authorities only knew what this guy reportedly had in mind the night before. He was even quoted last Monday describing Villaruel as "one who would never allow himself to get dragged into a destabilization plot." And yet, the would-be grandstanding demagogue was the first to allegedly drag the death of the late Captain Villaruel into a kind of "cadaver politics" that can only destabilize and divide the country further.

Saying Goodbye

An ear-spy recounted a supposedly spectral story from Navy Lt. (sg) Ricardo Catchillar’s legal mother-in-law. According to our ear-spy, just after Catchillar was shot dead early Saturday morning, Catchillar’s wife, three girls, and his mother-in-law were on their way back to Manila from a visit to Bulacan. They were still unaware of the tragedy. While cruising in their jeep, the eldest girl, aged 12, reportedly told her kin that her father was gazing at her from a distance. The uniformed apparition vanished soon after without a word. When they were called by relatives, they headed straight for Camp Crame sensing that it was Ricardo’s way of saying goodbye to them.

Advice From The Big Guys

While waiting to get his face made-up for a TV guesting, Senate President Drilon was allegedly watching the news with fellow guests last Thursday.

They saw a footage of GMA downplaying the Oakwood 2 incident. "That’s why she gets all the flack," Drilon was overheard as saying. "She should just allow her subordinates to handle those matters. In fact, the President should have Secretary Lina or Spokesman Bunye handle everything on the NAIA Tower 2 and Oakwood 2 incidents because most of the issues raised are tactical and full of details," he concluded. GMA would have good mind to take heed. At the same place, a police general admitted that the SWAT team that raided the NAIA 2 tower could have been disoriented by the bomb that they used to break open the tower door. Now what does that tell you?

Spybiz Humor

You know the political season has started in the country when you hear jokes like this:

BUSH: What are the pollutants in your country?

FPJ: We have a lot of pollutants! We have sisig, kilawin, chicharon, and mani!

ERAP: Mali ka dyan pare! Nakalimutan mo yung kuhol sa gata!

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