Damn if you do, damn if you don't

Blurb: 'The unenviable situation where President Gloria M. Arroyo finds herself precariously perched, is a classic example of damn if you do, damn if you don't.'

The unenviable situation where President Gloria M. Arroyo finds herself precariously perched, is a classic example of damn if you do, damn if you don't.

With the way public perception has been fired up from various quarters - the media, the opposition, and the militants - PGMA can not afford to stonewall indefinitely. In short, sticking to silence ala the Mafia code of omerta on pain of death, may no longer be a wise option.

Some political allies of hers, like Senator Biazon and Rep. Roilo Golez, have joined the insistent clamor to clear the air off the hot political potato on the telephone chats perceived to be between GMA and a Comelec commissioner. This line has long been the stand of opposition Congressman Francis Escudero for GMA to say her piece.

It has come to a point that it's no longer very important whether or not the tapes brandished separately by once Erap counsel, Atty. Paguia, or by Edgar Hoover disciple, Atty. Samuel Ong, who keeps explosive dossier on the boss, or by erstwhile disowned Palace spokesman, Atty. Bunye, are the authentic ones, or the spliced and/or doctored versions.

The beleaguered lady prexy has lately been thrust to a no-win proposition. Should she own the voice clips as hers with "phone pal" Gary or Garci - never mind the voice ID of her pesky FG - that will be her fatal political Waterloo. It don't matter no more, to ape an American ghetto slang, that the subject tapes are inadmissible in evidence, or that both the contents and context of her "message to Gary" do not constitute hard evidence of election fraud.

What matters most, should GMA own it and, even signifying a claim of nothing wrong done by her except to express her concerns then, is the incriminating innuendo at the back of the unspoken "message to Gary", obviously the Comelec commissioner. This, definitely, will be the people's conclusion that GMA did attempt to rig the election results.

On the other hand, should she disown outright the telephone caper with all the tapes being bogus or "manufactured" to slay GMA, will public perception be otherwise?

That's the question… The way things are shaping up - with GMA's hitherto clamming up stoking it further - the people's pulse appears to be getting less volatile in favor of GMA. In fact, despite threats of legal sanctions against possessors, reproducers, or the airing of the tapes, enterprising operators and the so-called destabilizers themselves have openly reproduced and sold copies at the give-away price of P5 in the streets of Metro Manila.

It appears that many of the disinterested public have already heard the errant tapes and made their own comparisons of the voice patches, as well as, their own conclusions. And GMA isn't spared from adverse public pulse on the voice clips ID.

And now, the lower house of Congress is taking cognizance of the "tapegate". This is going to be an interesting development. Basically, they will summon the whistleblowers - Sgt. Vidal Doble, Jr., Atty. Alan Paguia, Atty. Samuel Ong, and even Palace spokesman, Atty. Bunye - and the bottomline of the probe is to determine the authenticity of the tapes.

And the clamor for GMA to come up with her own comment becomes more strident and more demanding. It never dies down.

Meanwhile, the dilemma GMA is in now, is like the Shakespearian soliloquy - to be or not to be - to speak up now or to speak up later. GMA's dalliance only bespeaks her enigma whether or not hanging or holding on in silence, and buying time without letting go with a word, would prevent the dam from breaking and bursting out amidst the pressure of public perception.