EDITORIAL – A win by forfeiture is nothing to crow about

It is easy for President Arroyo to belittle accusations by the opposition that she cheated in the 2004 elections. After all, she survived an impeachment attempt at the House of Representatives.

It is useless to point out the fact that the House at the time, and perhaps even now, was dominated by her allies. Regardless of whether they voted down the impeachment attempt on the basis of sentiment and not on proof, the bottomline is that she survived and can crow about it.

But while she can crow about it, it is prudent and best not too. While she can exult in private, any public display of exuberance over a matter that has not been fully controverted by unassailable proof can eventually provoke discomfort, even among supporters.

This is not to say that she cheated. And even if she did, it is impossible to imagine she was absolutely alone in the undertaking. Indeed, a large part of the bone of contention lies with the fact that it is unfair for one to be punished for something that most everyone is doing.

But then again, that is discussing the matter far more deeply than the fact that she managed to wriggle free, regardless of how she did it. She survived and that's it. That should be enough to compel her to move forward.

Yet Arroyo keeps looking back. In her latest visit to Cebu Thursday, the president said the furor over her alleged part in large-scale electoral fraud is something that will " just die a natural death. "

Perhaps it will. And maybe it is good that it should. But she should not have said it, at least not she herself. For that makes her seem very insensitive and cavalier in the eyes of many people, including those who do not believe she cheated.

Her survival in the impeachment attempt at the House dominated by her supporters is like a victory derived from forfeiture, like winning because the opponent did not show up. In other words, the true measure of her innocence or guilt was never put to the test.

And that is not something to crow about. True, the issue may eventually just die a natural death. But you do not advertise it. Instead you keep quiet and pray that it does die a natural death. For one shudders to think what would happen if it does not.