Here we go again
The little stunt that the senator-in-detention pulled the other week did the anti-administration ranks a disservice. That fiasco of a coup pointed out yet again how bereft we are of credible, capable leadership alternatives to the one we now have in Malacañang. It reinforced the “let’s just stick with this one because the other choices are even worse” attitude that has been responsible to some significant extent for keeping the incumbent president in office.
This came sharply into focus the other night after a long telephone chat with a professor from the University of the
His first reaction, he admitted, was, “Ano na naman ito?” And when he found out who the principals involved were, his reaction was, “Ano? Si Trillanes? Hindi na bali.” That reaction was shared by many, and not just in the university community.
I cannot imagine that they could be so deluded to think that they would be able to rally enough support for another people power revolt. Perhaps he thought that all the people who voted for him would automatically rally behind him; well, as the saying goes, he “thoughted” wrong. I think a good chunk of those who voted for him did so as a form of protest against the administration coalition, rather than real support for him – and, in fact, believing that he wouldn’t win anyway. And among those who genuinely supported him, I think he lost a few of them with that five-star stunt.
The powers that be should however not be too smug with the failure of this latest challenge; just because this stunt failed miserably does not mean there is no dissention or dissatisfaction among the people. Scandal after scandal, incidences of greed upon greed, blatant, shame-faced corruption perpetrated in utter disregard of the welfare of the populace….it’s all there, seething, and, unless things change for the better, one of these days there will come on the scene a leader, perhaps even just slightly acceptable as an alternative, and things might end very differently. Or, heaven forbid, people get fed up enough to be willing to accept any alternative, good or bad. I made it a point to be at The Peninsula Manila last Monday for their reopening (at exactly 3 p.m., since they closed at 3 p.m. on that infamous day), just to show my support for the valiant effort of the hotel staff to rise above that…what do you call it?… “incident.”
I found the lobby festive, the imposing Christmas tree in place (fortunately the APCs that charged into the lobby missed the tree by about four inches!), the bronze and brass sunburst sculpture on the lobby’s ceiling by National Artist Billy Abueva intact, one glass door (the one through which the APCs entered) boarded up but decorated with boughs and wreaths, the other door a make-shift one of wood but functioning, and, happily, there were a number of guests checking in at the front desk and quite a number of guests sitting at the tables in the lobby enjoying merienda.
The indefatigable Isabel Caro Wilson and a number of friends were celebrating; they had broken out the bubbly earlier. Mila Magsaysay-Valenzuela and Rosary Ysmael, formerly with The Pen PR staff, were with friends too at a table near the door. Later, Peninsula Manila principal PL Lim could be seen walking around the lobby, probably checking things out, while his wife Madeleine and her friends were having a late merienda (or an early dinner), having just come from a bazaar.
I sat at a table in the middle of the lobby with Pen public relations director Garch (Mariano Garchitorena), the public face – and voice – of the hotel, familiar now to everyone (he’s a bit uncomfortable being stared at). He called out a greeting to a long-staying guest as the latter walked in; all 25 of the hotel’s LSGs had moved back in. I insisted on having my halo-halo at the lobby, and I am happy to report it is as rich and calorific as it has always been – and, I hope, as it will always be.
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