A blockbuster movie made in the Philippines - JAYWALKER by Art A. Borjal

It is fascinating, watching two macho figures, once the closest of friends, slugging it out, toe to toe, just like in a world boxing match, with no holds barred, and with countless millions at stake. In one corner is President Estrada, trying tirelessly to retain the support of his ardent fans, the masa. And in the other corner is Governor Chavit Singson, daring and unbowed, throwing rights and lefts at his gigantic opponent.

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It is fascinating, too, to watch the spectators, coming from all sectors of Philippine society, cheering deafeningly, or jeering wildly, getting more and more deeply involved as the life-and-death brawl goes on. How long the deafening cheers and jeers will end, no one yet knows, because the exciting match that has caught the attention of the world has no specified rounds.

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The Erap-Chavit brawl seems like a blockbuster movie, just like Gone with the Wind, but bewildering, because it seems to have no ending. Round after round, the match continues – and it looks like it will go on and on, until one of the two protagonists falls to the canvas.

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Mishandled, the impeachment proceedings against President Estrada in the House of Representatives can bring chaos and disaster to our country. If the public perceives that the House proceedings are railroaded or unfair to all parties, whatever decision will be reached at the House level can incite anger, eventually triggering an unending series of mass actions. The ultimate victim will be the economy, our country, and our people.

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The big problem is that many have already arrived at the conclusion that the impeachment proceedings in the House will be a farce. That, through sheer force of numbers, things will be railroaded. This public perception, which is hopefully unfounded, was spawned by what happened during the House public order committee hearing, when Chavit Singson was virtually gagged from saying his piece. He was not even allowed to utter his second sentence, in the prepared statement that he was supposed to read.

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The House leadership, to douse public suspicions, should now divulge its game plan on how the impeachment charges will be heard. On how to make the proceedings fair and just, for all concerned. Unless this is done, the impeachment proceedings in the discerning people’s minds will be like a charade, a farce that can lead to the eruption of a social volcano.

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Another problem is how to arrest the continuing, day-by-day decline of the Philippine peso and of the Philippine stock market, as the impeachment proceedings go on. There are signs that the national economy could collapse, even before the impeachment hearings reach the midway point. And the nation’s dilemma is that it might very well be the impeachment process itself that could be the main factor that will speed up the deterioration of the Philippine economy.

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I took a peep at the Ayala Avenue rally, staged last Wednesday by multisectoral groups opposed to President Estrada to try to find out how different, or how similar, it was from the anti-Marcos "yellow confetti" rallies staged at Ayala Avenue during the anti-Marcos rallies some 15 or 16 years ago. There were similarities, but also differences.

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I noticed the presence of corporate executives, in their ties and Barong Tagalogs, sporting "RESIGN" stick-ons in their arms or chests. Have these uppity execs in the business world, as in the days of old, become daring again, fearless of being spotted by spies of the government? I was struck, too, by the fire and passion that came out from the mouths of veteran street marchers like Sonny Alvarez and Joey Lina, reminding me of those days when Sonny and Joey were among the lead figures in the 1985 and 1986 rallies at Ayala Avenue.

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But one big difference was the presence, his first appearance in a public rally, of Chavit Singson at the stage put up near Ninoy Aquino’s statue in front of the BPI and the Philippine Stock Exchange building. I never saw Chavit before, in the anti-martial law rallies, but I was surprised by the warmth and fervor with which he was received by the multisectoral crowd that marched last Wednesday at Ayala Avenue.

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How can one who, just a few weeks ago was perceived as a warlord and close buddy of President Estrada, become one who looked like a hero in the eyes of the anti-Erap groups? The dramatic and sudden transformation of Chavit, from a heel into a hero is quite stunning. This, political scientists should study and analyze.

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One wonders how long public interest in the jueteng issue and in the impeachment proceedings filed in the House will last. For damage control specialists, the sooner the issue dies down, the better for the Estrada administration. But with the birth of a new issue each day, as jolting as previous issues, we might be in for a long-lasting season of suspended animation, as what looks like a blockbuster movie unreels before the nation, with no ending in sight.

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My apologies to Bokie Hernandez of Brookside Subdivision in Cainta, Rizal, for the intrusion of the word "NOT" in the letter he sent to me, reacting to my observation about the dictatorial bent of the officials of the Brookside Residents Association Inc., which is headed by two Regional Trial Court judges. The word "NOT" should not have been there because, actually, in his letter, Bokie Hernandez agreed with my observation that the actuations of some BRAI officials tend to be dictatorial.

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What is surprising is that some BRAI officials, who must be blind like bats, do not even read the contents of BRAI circulars that they sign. What happened to their God-given coconuts? I wonder if they also realized the implication of what they did, running a teeny-weeny tricycle transportation business, without a duly-authorized franchise from the Cainta local government. And where are those tricycles now, which cost more than P360,000?

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Under existing laws, homeowners association officials are legally responsible for amounts disbursed out of dues collected from residents. One of these days, I am going to list down the names of BRAI officials, who are supposed to be accountable, civilly and criminally, for acts that they do in performance of their duties as association officials. It would be nice to listen to them explain in formal hearings, the reasons behind their dubious actions.

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It would be interesting to file test cases before appropriate government agencies, against village officials who toy around with association funds, or who violate laws and regulations, both municipal and national. Such test cases could, in the end, turn all homeowners' associations into responsible, law-abiding entities that truly serve the interest of all residents.

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Art A. Borjal’s e-mail address: <[email protected]>