Still lucky Erap - Sketches

When I consider the fortunes of Joseph Estrada, I can't help believing in luck. As the anti-Erap "silent protest" was formally launched yesterday, the Social Weather Stations released its first quarter survey results. The much anticipated poll results showed that President Erap's net performance rating did not drop to negative 32, but remained unchanged at 5 percent. Nearly half of the respondents still professed satisfaction with the President's performance. No improvement, but at least it's not below zero. Why, it even went up from negative 2 to positive 1 in Metro Manila.

Five is way below the 70 percent net rating garnered by Vice President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, but then President Erap isn't competing with GMA. And GMA still wants to keep her Cabinet post, so she isn't picking a fight with the President by heading a Lakas shadow government.

Several Cabinet members also garnered improved ratings, according to advance information from the snake pit. So don't expect a sweeping Cabinet revamp, unless someone opens his or her big mouth in public and makes an Erap joke.

When this President finds criticisms unbearable, he hies off to his masa for some bonding, from actor to fan. Sure enough, he got mobbed in Cebu over the weekend and in Payatas yesterday.

Manila Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin, for all his vitriolic attacks against President Erap, isn't calling for anyone's resignation (yet). We also confirmed that former President Cory Aquino still supports President Erap.

The buzz in the snake pit is that the President would love to hang his predecessor, Fidel Ramos, upside down over an open fire, believing that FVR's group is behind many of the recent anti-Erap developments, including the exclamation point campaign. I don't know how GMA can convince the President that she's not involved in these protests. All she can do is refuse to head any shadow Cabinet.

Even as coup rumors continue to float, this time with a mid-year target for mischief, the coup plotters still lack a leader. Putschist-turned-senator Greg Honasan even toured military camps and announced yesterday that, contrary to coffee-shop buzz, there's no coup brewing.

Honasan, as we all know, is allied with Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile, who is a supporter of the President. After a weekend red alert in all military camps and newsrooms, the buzz is that there's still mischief afoot. Stay tuned.

President Erap is lucky that as protests against him mount, the political opposition is starting to appear fragmented and incoherent. Who speaks for the Lakas-NUCD? One day some party members announce that a shadow Cabinet will be formed. The next day the story is "clarified" or denied. Lakas members call for the President's resignation, but admit that it could be construed as self-serving since it would install GMA at the nation's helm.

Does former Speaker Jose de Venecia still count in the party? Why are some members grumbling that De Venecia is using GMA to further his political plans?

President Erap has had little success trying to focus national attention on alleged shady deals during the Ramos administration. But his dirty tricks department can take a rest if the opposition goes on like this. Much will depend on GMA, who refuses to be an active member of the opposition.

Until the opposition gets its act together, President Erap can rest easy. His luck is holding. Maybe it's the wrist band. But luck can run out, even for someone as lucky as Joseph Estrada.

ONLY IN RP: The mother of dwWW's Edna Constancia died on Dec. 29, 1996. The death certificate of Salome Constancia was sent to the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office and the AFP Finance Center so her pension would be stopped. Last December, the family was informed that Salome's balance at the Land Bank had reached P349,000. Edna said her mother left only P184 in the bank. A check showed that the money came from the Finance Center. Fortunately for the AFP, the Constancias turned over P371,250 (the balance as of last month) to the AFP last Friday, for which Edna received a commendation. But how many others continue to receive pensions of dead relatives? How much money has the government lost?