Gloria denies ‘communist’ alliance, pledges only a peaceful struggle for change - BY THE WAY By Max V. Soliven

Vice President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo asserted yesterday that she had merely been conducting a necessary "dialogue" with Leftist groups, not making any promises to them much less forming an alliance with them to overthrow the government.

She pointed out that it was her duty to ascertain, as best she could, the problems and injustices suffered by every segment of our society. In the course of the same address, delivered at the breakfast-forum of the Greenhills Walking Corporation, she clarified however, that – while she is engaged in constant "consensus meetings" and dialogues with every group possible – if she becomes President she will be decisive. In short, Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo explained that she wouldn’t forever be seeking "consensus" but would act on her own best judgment, instead of being swayed by every manifestation or demonstration.

If you ask me, those were courageous words to utter, particularly since GMA (as she’s called in popular acronym) has been reaching out to as broad and varied a constituency as possible in her drive to lead the United Opposition (meaning "united" under her flag) into Malacañang.

Speaking before an overflow audience in the Ristorante La Dolce Fontana (there was even a group of Assumption colegialas from her alma mater where she had graduated magna cum laude who came to cheer her on), La Gloria was more forthright and eloquent than usual. The only thing I’d like to say in criticism is that she seemed to rely, for some of the more complicated and technical answers to questions fired at her by her listeners, on resource persons and back-up speakers she had invited along. Somehow, it reminded some of us of the former Cory-style in which ex-President Aquino – perhaps playing the role of recruited housewife to the hilt – always referred the more difficult queries to her advisers and subsequently Cabinet members to answer.

The difference, I believe, is that La Gloria, who went to Georgetown University (with Bill Clinton) and holds a master’s in Economics from the Ateneo de Manila University and a doctorate in Economics from U.P., already had the answers herself – but deferred to her panelists.

If she, indeed, becomes Chief Executive, I hope we’ll have less of that and more of direct, firm, and earnest decision-making. Too much "consensus" building, too much reliance on poll ratings, and too much time spent with one ear cocked to the roar of the mob, only result in a weak and urong-sulong presidency. As for her prospective Cabinet members – as yesterday’s performance provided us an inkling of (pardon the dangling participial conjunctive) – GMA can and must listen to them, but the sign on her desk must read, as it did on Harry Truman’s: "The Buck Stops Here."

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The Vice President was accompanied to the forum by her husband, businessman Mike Arroyo, and there was the usual humorous but probably (by this time) irritating question as to how Mike would be called if Gloria became President.

Mike took it in stride, but I’m told he used to be annoyed with such sallies. Indeed, how is the husband of a Lady President, particularly in a male chauvinist or macho society to be addressed?

I know it seems a silly point to consider, but in a minor sense I was faced with a similar, although not as important dilemma everytime I attended a session of the executive board of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in Paris when my wife was the Philippine representative and member of the executive board. She was referred to as "Madam Board Member" or "Madam Ambassador", but, whenever I entered the UNESCO building I, too, had to have an I.D. card. Finally, I insisted on being given an I.D. worded, "Dependent of Executive Board Member." So there.

Dennis Thatcher, as husband of the redoubtable "Iron Lady" of Britain, Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, cheerfully got used to the idea of being supplied a lower and occasionally distant seat at the banquet table.

I am continually fascinated and intrigued, on the other hand, about how this is handled in Muslim countries where, by tradition and custom, the male is "king" in every household and women are frequently treated not just as inferiors but, in more primitive places, like chattel. Surprisingly, militant Muslim states sometimes elect women Prime Ministers and Presidents, such as Pakistan which twice elected the brilliant, beautiful and mercurial Benazir Bhutto Prime Minister and just as surprisingly and impolitely dethroned her twice. Then there's Indonesia where the late President Sukarno's daughter, Megawati Sukarnoputri, was almost elected "President" and was edged out of top slot, only narrowly, by the Muslim Ulama, Abdurrahman Wahid and had to settle for the Vice Presidency.

Another militantly Muslim country where they have a propensity to choose women as Prime Ministers is Bangladesh, where the current Prime Minister (as was her predecessor, Sheikh Hasina Wajed), is a lady. She is also head of government, defense, planning, science and technology, special affairs, Armed Forces, Cabinet Establishment Division, power, energy and mineral resources. That, I would say, is a woman-sized job!

Okay, Mike. If La Gloria becomes President, choose your own preferred title. I won’t even try to speculate.

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The Vice President brought along her own team of "panelists" to yesterday’s discussion. My own panel of interrogators included Tony Lopez, bureau chief of Asiaweek magazine, and columnist Neal Cruz of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, who are my "perennials" at the Greenhills forum. I like Tony and Neal for their ability to cut to the bone of every controversy with their mischievous questions.

Among GMA’s trusted panelists and back-up men was former presidential chief legal counsel of FVR, Renato C. Corona who has a Master of Laws from Harvard Law (1982) and an M.B.A. (Business Administration) from the Ateneo de Manila University, the same Ateneo where he received his Bachelor of Laws in 1974, graduating with honors as no. 5 in a class of 44 members. Corona, who is the Veep’s chief of staff, was recently in the limelight when agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) started poking around his neighborhood. The NBI explained, lamely I think, a bit later that it was conducting inquiries regarding him in connection with an alleged plan of the President to appoint him as a Justice of the Court of Appeals.

"They’ve been talking about such an appointment," Corona told me yesterday, "but I have no intention of accepting such a post." He did not claim he had been harassed, and quipped, "I’ve already forgiven the NBI fellow involved."

Another adviser was Batangas Rep. Ralph Recto, a son of my friend Raffy and grandson of the great Don Claro M. Recto, one of our outstanding Senators of the Golden Yesterday. Ralph, who is married to star Vilma Santos, was La Gloria’s resource person on economics and finance. Spicing up the forum was another "adviser", admitted Spice Boy and Bukidnon Rep. Miguel Zubiri who was his usual articulate self – and had to pose afterwards for photos with the ladies in the audience who surrounded him after the event. Just goes to show that charm and "matinee idol" looks are not qualities to be ignored in politics. Still another adviser brought along by the Vice President was her political guru, former and "returning" Congressman Hernani Perez, always suave, eloquent and personable. Those are a good team.

I am less enthusiastic, on the other hand, about another of La Gloria’s most-trusted "potential" Cabinet frontliners (if she ever makes it), former Cebu Governor and former Flagship Projects Secretary, under General Tabako, Lito Osmeña. During the Ramos administration, Lito virtually "ran" the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) through his surrogates, former DOTC Secretary Sonny Garcia (now the owner and boss of the Sun-Star), Dodong Kintanar of Telecommunications, and other subalterns. If you will recall, the bus, transportation, and telecom sectors became a confused mess. More could be said, but we’ll save some ammunition for later.

All said, though, GMA put in a creditable performance yesterday. She was direct and forthcoming, and didn’t hem or haw. She didn’t snarl at Erap to "resign" this time, and rightly left it to others – and they are many who are quite eager to shout it out – to say so. After all, La Gloria would be the immediate beneficiary of an Erap resignation or eviction (by impeachment conviction) from the Presidency. It was not lost on anyone at yesterday’s forum that she’s standing in the wings waiting. One heartbeat, one "conviction", and one "wish" away from the Presidency – and the direction of the lives and fortunes of 75 million Filipinos.

I repeat, as I remarked of Bangladesh. That’s a woman-sized job.

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There was a New York Times article reprinted in last Monday’s International Herald Tribune which carried the interesting headline: "In Philippines, Time Favors the Embattled President."

It can be scoffed at since the author is veteran correspondent Seth Mydans, a journalist and seasoned analyst who has been reporting on the Philippines and Asia in general since 1983, particularly during the latter Marcos martial law era and the period of the People Power revolution.

"President Joseph Estrada of the Philippines," Mydans said, "may not be a political scientist, but as a former movie heartthrob he knows his scripts.

" ‘It’s just like in the movies,’ he said recently as his allies turned against him, and protesters shouted in the streets for his resignation. ‘The hero gets beaten up in the beginning but still wins at the end.’

"Right now, Mr. Estrada is at the pummeling part. But his final defeat seems a little less certain now than it did at the start of the month. Two weeks ago, he became the first Philippine president impeached by the House of Representatives, and the Senate is soon to begin a trial that could result in his removal from office."

Mydans then reviews the charges against Estrada, like "corruption", the accusation of accepting nearly $11 million "in illegal gambling profits and provincial tobacco taxes." Continued Mydans: "He denies the charges, but when asked about them in detail at a recent forum he seemed flustered and uncertain. His accusers say they are ready to present the Senate with a mountain of evidence."

The New York Times correspondent points out that Estrada "has been deserted by leading allies in Congress, by members of his Cabinet and by powerful business leaders" and, as it did in 1986, "the Roman Catholic Church has turned against the president, although Mr. Estrada has rallied the support of some of the country’s growing evangelical Christian groups." Seth quotes Columnist Amando Doronila as stating, "He is really losing ground, objectively speaking."

"But Mr. Estrada," Mydans goes on, "has not caved in as his opponents had hoped, and political analysts say the battle over his presidency could last for weeks or even months."

He underscores that "the Senate, with 22 members, needs a two-thirds majority to remove him, and Mr. Estrada appears to have just enough votes to hold on to office."

That’s what Mydans says.

Indeed, he concludes his piece with the words: "Mr. Estrada is widely blamed for the nation’s economic slump at the halfway point of his six-year term. The prospect that he could hang on to office has driven down the stock market and the currency. There are also concerns that if the Senate vote is delayed – or if the vote fails to remove him – the street protests could grow, further hampering Philippine political and economic life."

It’s the tone of the article, however, that’s significant. For weeks, the international press has been bashing Mr. Estrada and categorically calling for, if not predicting, his downfall. The implication by such a respected and experienced journalist as Seth Mydans (a son of the legendary World War II correspondent and photographer Carl Mydans) that Estrada might conceivably weather the storm, even though street protests are inevitably provoked, is an intriguing development.

Mind you, the International Herald Tribune continues to play up an unflattering image of Erap. In the same issue, the front page photo showed a bunch of children jeering as one of them hit at an effigy of the President with a club, in the same way that blindfolded Mexican kids bash a piñata – to insinuate in a stagey manner that even children in the streets are reviling the President.

Such a photo, though, obviously posed for the benefit of press photographers (as usual, the enormous effigy of Estrada’s face and head makes him look villainous), indicates that we are teaching our children to hate. Even if Erap were toppled in the end – and Mydans seems to think he may not be – this legacy of bitterness and hate can only poison the future of our young. When they’re cynical as kids, they’ll be impossible as adults.