‘SONA a perilous flashpoint for GMA’

The State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 25 will be a "perilous flashpoint" for President Arroyo, if she is still in office by then, Parañaque Rep. Roilo Golez said yesterday.

"Expect the following scenario: massive, angry demonstrations much bigger than those in previous years, not only in the Batasan area (in Quezon City) but also near Malacañang," he said.

He said in the past, the President had resigned social welfare secretary Dinky Soliman and peace process adviser Teresita Deles to dissuade the urban poor from participating in anti-administration protests.

Golez, who was the President’s national security adviser for three years, said he had worked closely with the Soliman and Deles when he was in the Arroyo Cabinet.

"They were my seatmates. We worked closely in many crisis situations, including the May 1, 2001 assault on Malacañang (by urban poor supporters of ousted President Joseph Estrada)," he said.

He said at that time, Soliman and Deles "used their irreplaceable networks in such places as Parola and Baseco (in Tondo, Manila) and Payatas (in Quezon City) to neutralize Erap’s bailiwicks as sources of mass support in rallies."

He added that his two former Cabinet colleagues succeeded in erasing "Malacañang’s mortal fear of a revolt by the masses" which the Palace started to entertain since the Labor Day assault of Estrada’s supporters. — Jess Diaz