Badawi visit: Boost for peace talks

The low-key visit of Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to the Philippines set the proper tone in advancing the Min-danao peace process, and significantly manifested the genuine interest and support of Malaysia for the attainment of peace and progress in Mindanao.

The Prime Minister’s enthusiasm over the resumption of peace talks between the Philippine Government (GRP) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) was evident at the lunch given by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in his honor in Malacanang. As state reception conversations generally go, the talk was congenial, and adding flourish to the fine lunch was the conversation about the move for parliamentary change initiated by Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. The speaker, one of the staunchest supporters of charter change, said that the Philippine government is pursuing vigorously the possibility of its shifting from the presidential to the parliamentary system, "based upon the successful parliamentary system of Malaysia". President GMA confirmed that by saying if she is elected in the May election, she would pursue the change to the parliamentary system. Prime Minister Badawi was reportedly pleased about those remarks. He in turn expressed the wish that the peace talks be resumed; as we know, the Malaysian government is acting as facilitator in the talks that will be held starting next month.

That Speaker De Venecia would bring up the matter of shifting to the parliamentary system is interesting, considering the presence of other guests at the presidential table who have yet to be convinced that the presidential system needs changing. I am referring to Vice President Teofisto Guingona, Jr., and Senate President Franklin Drilon. On another occasion, they might have contributed their two-cents’ worth to the conversation. The other dignitaries at the table, by the way, were Executive Secretary Alberto Romulo, Peace Secretary Teresita "Ging" Deles, and Foreign Affairs Secretary Delia Albert.

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Could it be possible that Senator Ping Lacson knew all along that actor Fernando Poe Jr. is not a Filipino? Or is he really determined to thwart the possible election of Fernando Poe Jr. because he, Ping, is a true nationalist who follows the cultural values of Caviteños and does not believe that Mr. Poe possesses the competence and ability to govern the country, if and when elected?

At the Palace along the Pasig River, incumbent President GMA watched on the wings very calmly the parade of other presidential hopefuls to the Commission on Elections. True to her words, she is maintaining her resolve to govern while at the same time methodically unveiling to the public her tangible accomplishments as chief executive of the land and demonstrating why she deserves a mandate to continue her program of government during the next six years.

Last year, I disagreed with Cavite Congressman Gilbert Remulla about his support of the ouster of Supreme Court Justice Hilario Davide, Jr. Such a view was shared by many of his close friends and admirers as a lawmaker who consider him as a budding politician who may someday become ripe to run for a higher position of governance.

This time, I agree with him that Senator Lacson, will present a good fight as a looming dark horse in the coming elections – especially now that he has been given the mandate by the COMELEC as the official LDP wing candidate of the opposition.

After all those grave accusations against him (Lacson) – which nearly placed him on the brink of incarceration or oblivion – in addition to the abandonment by stalwarts of his own political party, he is still able to "leap frog‚ and coast his way as a viable candidate for president – a nightmare that will haunt the opposition as the campaign progresses because he will cancel out whatever opposition gains that the candidacy of Mr. Fernando Poe, Jr. might have presented. And if Mr. Poe is indeed disqualified, the political dynamics will swing favorably to Ping Lacson.

For one thing, as many have observed, Ping Lacson is "a thinking fighter", who does not allow himself to be caught napping or sitting down on his laurels as evidenced by his ability to defend himself and win a Senate seat in spite of "political carpet bombing operations" that were focused and launched against him during the last elections – not to mention the traumatic legal battles he has faced – and is still facing. His faithful hordes of followers and supporters on the streets (drivers and vendors across the country, and of course intellectuals) are saying that the FPJ fans’ love affair with the movie star is only temporary and a mere product of "infatuation" that will dissipate as time goes by. Ping’s followers will stick to their man, Ping – because they know he will not blink or change his mind about running for president because he is a proven crime fighter and protector of the poor – and not only that, he knows that his election will mean his vindication from all criminal charges lodged against him.

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