Credibility problem

Questions of legitimacy continue to hound the administration, but Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is always made stronger by the political opposition’s own credibility problems.

Any attempt to summon people power collapses at the sight of persons identified with Ferdinand Marcos and Joseph Estrada, and has-beens with the look of desperation to return to power.

The communists and their leftist sympathizers – mainstays at every protest rally – aren’t faring much better. With the continuing government crackdown against a supposed communist-rightist coup attempt, the reds should be getting a lot of public sympathy.

Instead they are coming off as freeloaders courtesy of Juan de la Cruz, free from arrest courtesy of the quintessential traditional politician, Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr.

They insult gays by deriding the alleged homosexuality of a witness against five leftist party-list representatives – as if sexual proclivity affects credibility.

Some militants easily identify a hooded prosecution witness and accuse the government of using "Makapili tactics" – a reference to Filipinos who rat on comrades — while Gregorio Rosal of the New People’s Army insists he does not know the witness.

Over in the Netherlands, Communist Party of the Philippines founding chairman Jose Ma. Sison joins the military coup plotters in doubletalk by insisting that the withdrawal of military support from the Arroyo administration is not tantamount to a coup.

This is just as bad as the Philippine National Police claiming that party-list Rep. Risa Baraquel was not apprehended during a rally but merely taken out of harm’s way before dispersal operations started.

You insult the intelligence of the public at the risk of your credibility.

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Looking around at the other personalities implicated in the latest drama, you can only shake your head. With the public yawn that greeted calls for people power last month, several characters implicated in the effort are now frantically, pathetically trying to distance themselves from the attempt. Truly, defeat is an orphan.

Meanwhile, former senator Gregorio Honasan is enjoying his revived notoriety. With mid-term elections just a year away, a prospective candidate can use all the publicity he can get.

This is not to say that the story about his purported role in organizing the "Magdalo" officers for the Oakwood mutiny in July 2003 is incredible.

The success of the first people power revolt was bad for Honasan. Public fascination with him and his Reform the Armed Forces Movement (RAM) in those euphoric months after EDSA I must have been intoxicating; Honasan never got rid of his messianic complex. He has the earnest stare and soft-spoken, exaggerated politeness of a shell-shocked psychopath, always raring to rescue a nation in distress. He was a ho-hum senator and has always attracted national attention only when creating mischief.

The quaint handshake that the witness against him recounted, the Magdalo manifesto signed with blood drawn from the signatory’s upper left arm – these are so Greg Honasan. Some RAMboys never grow up.

Now, after a long absence from the national limelight, he is being implicated in yet another coup plot. Did he pay Malacañang to do this?

The nation saw how the coup attempts Honasan had led during the administration of Corazon Aquino had derailed every effort to recover quickly from the economic ruin left behind by the Marcos regime. Is he still at it? Having him as a mentor can only diminish the credibility of the supposedly idealistic military officers disgruntled with the Arroyo administration.

It is interesting to note how certain AFP officers are now blabbing to the press, almost with pride, details of the coup – or withdrawal of support, or whatever it is that they want to call their attempt to topple President Arroyo – obviously unconcerned about implicating comrades who could be locked up for life for rebellion.

Some portions of the stories appear self-serving; others are hokey. But the stories give you an idea of the disarray that marked the effort to exploit the 20th anniversary of the people power revolt for a make-or-break attempt to topple President Arroyo.

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When the opposition is not imploding from disorganization and disunity, it is descending into comedy.

Just consider that sideshow at the Senate the other day, courtesy of the new crying lady, Jamby Madrigal. Months after treating us to a close-up of her legs and offering to marry her bodyguard at the risk of being charged with adultery, Madrigal wilted under a blistering counterattack by her colleague Juan Ponce Enrile.

Crying is good during moments of grievous loss or great joy. But crying is also what brats and dimwits do when they run out of arguments in an intelligent debate. You don’t pick a fight with the acid-tongued Enrile unless you’re prepared for a bruising battle. The senator refused to be a gentleman and join his colleagues in comforting Madrigal. Was Miriam Defensor-Santiago (who will eat Enrile alive in a debate) comforting Madrigal or having fun? Santiago looked thoroughly amused, and so were many people who saw the weeping episode live on cable news. Television is a cruel medium.

Marcos’ eldest daughter, Ilocos Norte Rep. Imee Marcos, chimed in by reminding Madrigal that her mom was one of the "Blue Ladies" – the women who were the constant companions of Imelda Marcos at the height of her power.

Yesterday Enrile remained unrepentant – and on the offensive, accusing Madrigal of cheating her way to victory, talking to someone in what seemed like an attempt to rig her votes. Was she chatting with someone who looks like Virgilio Garcillano? No details yet from Enrile. And everyone seems to have lost interest in questioning the man of "Hello, Garci" notoriety, who talked too much when he finally faced a congressional inquiry.

Mercifully, the fresh accusations have not triggered a fresh bout of public weeping.

Enrile’s reference to vote-rigging at least reminded us of where all this turbulence started.

Until the opposition can get its act together, however, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will ride out this storm.