It's Enrile calling for sobriety

Blurb: 'In these times of chaotic tension in the life of the nation, it should be a surprise that a member of the opposition is the one calling for sobriety. His name is Senator Juan Ponce Enrile.'

In these times of chaotic tension in the life of the nation, it should be a surprise that a member of the opposition is the one calling for sobriety. His name is Senator Juan Ponce Enrile, a member of the minority in the Senate and an official of the Puwersa ng Masa headed by former President Joseph Estrada.

Normally, he should be helping his partymates in the opposition to fan the flames of confusion, destabilization and chaos that could lead to the resignation of President GMA or the installation of a junta. But JPE has chosen to swim against the tide because the nation cannot bear this pressure on the national fabric.

He proposes that instead of treating the ongoing controversy as a long-running telenovela, the leaders of the country should now negotiate a way out of the present political crisis. To quote the former defense minister and one of the most experienced leaders of the country:

"But beyond waging a propaganda war, we are called upon to use all available avenues to ferret out the truth, especially because the nation can ill-afford to be in an indefinite state of confusion, uncertainty and turmoil," Enrile said over the weekend.

Referring to the tapes that led to the present political crisis, Enrile said that there has to be a way for both parties to come up with an acceptable way of ascertaining the truth. It should be noted that private organizations are now calling on the President to admit or deny that she is the person who talked with Comelec Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano on the tape.

So far, the President has stood by her line that she cannot comment on a tape that was illegally obtained. So far, that line apparently favored by the legalists in her camp has worked. But it is getting to be less effective with every passing day. Time will come when her information consultants will propose that she makes a definitive statement about the tape.

Enrile's call for sobriety is timely, amid the present tension. But I am not sure that the call will be welcomed by the opposition who has found an opening to call for the ouster of the GMA administration. As of the weekend, the opposition continues to fire its guns, the latest of which is the whereabouts of Garcillano.

So far, all the institutions appear to be giving the President the benefit of the doubt. Even Vice President Noli de Castro has issued a statement that he is squarely behind GMA. She is proceeding with her trip to Hong Kong where she will talk with businessmen. She is maintaining a business-as-usual atmosphere.

In the field of propaganda, she is scoring against her opponents. Of late, it is the Estrada camp that is being placed on the defensive, with the charge that the former President is financing the destabilization. We don't know for sure what will happen this week in Manila. But I am sure that developments here will be more intense.

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BRIEF NOTES. The Philippine Star has named former defense secretary Renato de Villa was a member of the planning group of the destabilizers, based on a report released by the Palace on Saturday. De Villa is expected to make a refutation of the report this Sunday, but this column has heard reports that De Villa has indeed been silently meeting with a lot of people…… Comelec chairman Benjamin Abalos refuses to make a categorical stand on whether he likes Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano to return to the Comelec. Garci's term expired last week, and it is not clear whether the President will reappoint him.

Abalos said that he will leave the matter to the President…… The KBP, the organization of broadcasters, has issued a press release, saying that all radio stations can run the tape. There are no legal impediments because the DOJ has not filed a case against anybody….. the local governments continue to support President GMA, saying that GMA won fair and square during the last elections.