OFFBEAT MAIL

Failure of election is the name of the game. This early, the minds of the people are being conditioned to a scenario that there would be a failure of election in the Philippines. Already, bomb blasts had taken place in Basilan province where scores of people were killed. The military pointed to the Abu Sayyaf as the likely suspects in the series of bombings that killed innocent people, including some soldiers. With the national elections past approaching, the administration can only hope for another hold on power by declaring a state of emergency or failure of elections. Consequently, those who are in power would still be in control of the government. And who wouldn't cling to power? The likes of top government honchos in Malacanang Palace who don't want to relinguish their posts, believing that once they do and back into civilian life, the new administration will run after them for their misdeeds. In short, the fear of being deluded with a lot of criminal cases in courts i...

With the May 10 national elections closing in, the Philippine political arena is in total chaos. Latest reports said administration stalwarts are bolting the ruling party and defecting to the Liberal Party, whose presidential bet Noynoy Aguino, son of the former President Cory Aquino who died of cancer a couple of months back, represents. Perhaps, some of these politicians, who were former close allies of President Gloria Arroyo, had lost their confidence in the administration's bet and saw a sure victory in Aquino, who is now leading in the Metro Manila survey as one of the presidentiables that is likely to win the seat in Malacanang Palace. If I were a former ally of the current president, why should I stick to her, if only to free my conscience and the wrath of the voters, most of whom belong to the more than 70 percent of the impoverished population. These are the same people who had banked on false political promises that whatever economic developments during Presiden...