Susan Roces looked radiant.
“The last time I was here, it was concerning the decision of the Presidential Electoral Tribunal regarding the candidacy of my husband. I wanted to know the truth as to how all our votes were treated… This was for all of us, regardless of candidate… They didn’t give us a chance…It was legal but not moral, life must go on…. I tried to go on with life, like any good citizen, I followed the law, even if it went against my feelings…Be that as it may, if all of you could bear it, why not give her a chance. But how did she react? She was arrogant. She disregarded the feelings of the majority. She is callous.”
She discussed the disks -“The opposition didn’t find them, if they did, I could have used used it in my protest. Heaven heard my prayers… Heaven has judged we should be given an opportunity to know the truth… We have the right to pick our leaders, our votes are sacred, our birthright, the heritage of our heroes… To prove we are all equal, rich or poor, we all have one vote, that’s why it’s sacred… The present circumstances are a cause for anger… The oppression is coming from our countrywoman, one of our blood… Mrs. Arroyo, while I was watching you and what you did, I could clearly see in your eyes that your apology didn’t come from the heart. I could clearly see you want to take advantage of us. You’re twisting the law in your own personal interest. We Filipinos have a saying: the liar is brother to the thief. I cannot accept your ‘sorry’, you have wrecked the faith of your countrymen in you. You have no right to lead… Before foreign investors can trust you, you must have the trust of your countrymen. You have embarrassed the country… You are full of empty promises. Obviously, you have no love for your country… You have stolen the presidency.”
Time and again, Susan Roces has proven herself prudent, wise, and with the true interests of the country in both her mind and heart. She has shown her unswerving devotion to peace, order, property and propriety. She has earned the people’s trust in equal measure to the manner in which the President has lost the people’s trust.
The President must resign. Now.
Addendum, 2:04 pm. Susan Roces doesn’t want a snap election, because, as she said, the present Comelec would supervise it. My inclination is that her position is that Loren Legarda should be president, but we’ll see.
She dignified a lot of people’s feelings, mine included. I strongly agree with her sentiment that snap elections are not the answer. And I cannot wait to see what happens next.
Too bad, Gloria doesn’t know the value of being sincere and looking it. Too bad.
I mean, the political value of sincerity vs. being merely statesman-like.
the more dramatic events that will occur, the more the Filipinos would feel the urgency to oust GMA…
Susan delivered her sentiments and said it well…FROM THE HEART;
I won’t say ‘RESIGN’ because it would mean gma is the rightful,legal President, which she isn’t. I’d say ALIS DYAN!!!!….NOW!
…AND PLEASEEE…PUNISHMENT IS IN ORDER: WE HAVE BEEN TOO LAX ON PAST PRESIDENTS [and public officials] WHO HAVE ROBBED [not LOVED] THE COUNTRY. Let the purge begin….
Let’s not be too quick with our decision. If we are to be quick, it should be for the search of the whole truth. We only saw the side of GMA and her supposed debauchery, but we haven’t seen the others’. I’d say we should all listen as objectively as possible to the tapes and study them with utmost fairness. Replacing our leaders do not change anything at all. We have become the laughing stock of the world because we can’t seem to choose the rightful leaders for us. And people power has lost its luster. Let’s go through due process, or constitutional means. To seek freedom is not enough, we must be also be freedom’s rightful holder.
I caught the presscon because you mentioned it on a previous post. Roces could have coached GMA on radiating sincerity and sounding it.
“…those wanting me to state I want her to resign, I’m waiting to see the outcome of several things:
1. Whether the President will identify which tape she stands by;
2. Whether she will actually exile Iggy, Mike and Mikey;
3. Whether her people will try to railroad an end to the hearings on the tape.”
Well, Manolo, it didn’t take for any of those to transpire for you to finally say it: “The President must resign. Now.”
It just took for a Susan Roces to say her piece for you to tell us categorigally where you stand. Thank you.
har:
as for point 1, events overtook her having the chance; point 2, she exiled one, not three, no partial credit for partial answer; the hearings aren’t going anywhere (I’m watching them now); and yes, watching Susan, it was clear: we can trust her.
aa: the President could have called for an independent investigation, which is what presidents do; she didn’t.
taipan: Susan doesn’t want a snap election, since after all, the present Comelec would supervise it.
The president, therefore, must waive her right to privacy in favor of the supreme interest of the public.
Ok I can sense the sincerity of Mrs. Poe, but what about the people around her? I’m just not comfortable with someone who has been associated with the Marcoses and the Estradas. In the event that she takes power (it seems that in her press conference, she is open to be the leader of the nation), would she interfere in the prosecution of these families?
aa: might be too late for that.
rml: yes, I worry too. But she has been careful, even during the funeral, not to hug them too closely, I think. Besides which, if a non-Erap, non-Marcos constituency emerges, too, then that can balance things out.
i say bravo to mrs.susan poe, she was absolutely radiating with sincerity and overwhelming honesty with her statement and replies
her statement clearly and simply said what each of us feels right now.
abangan ang susunod na kabanat
Susan, calm down!
I fear for Susan Roces. She just might be declared by the Opposition as their own version of a guileless Joan of Arc, and, I fear, a clueless one, too (Cory Aquino?). I fear that her sincerity will end up being used just to, what, restore Estrada to the presidency!?! Aaaargh! Walang ganyanan. It will be civil war, and a junta by trustworthy military men if we’re lucky.
Ms. Roces, we don’t want Gloria, but we don’t need no people power this time. And, please, tell us stright up/unequivocally that you’re not doing all these to benefit (read: help exonerate) your late husband’s best friend. You wnat to give us that assurance.
And i was expecting a slow news day.
Golez resigned the house hearings chair.
Very sorry to see him but it was the principled thing to do.
Just came from a investment conference with
some foreigner investment specialists. They are not convinced gma is leaving. Not anytime soon anyway. They just cannot imagine it.
Who is the alternative?
i am asking the same thing myself. but
as popeye would say it: i’ll takes my chances.
If Ms. Susan Roces can do a stern but loving Donya Sisang turn as a legitimate politician then lets turn the kleighlights on in Malakanyang!
Swanee how i love yah how i love yah, my dear old swanee, the folks in Taytay will see you once more, as you get to that swanee shore!
Since when was sincerity the overriding arbiter for truth? We make too much of Gloria’s lack of it; we praise Susan Roces’ abundance of it. But sincerity won’t revive our economy, nor rebuild our country. Look who we elected on the basis of sincerity – Erap and numerous other actors. Look who dug us a deeper grave.
Whether Gloria goes or not, it’s a matter for the law to decide. And as for who’s going to be our country’s next Savior, it sure as hell isn’t going to come down to who’s more effin’ sincere!
“Sincerity itself is bulls–t.” – Harry Frankfurt
I don’t think anybody said sincerity should be the basis of presidency. Don’t be so hot-headed.
I honestly hope some evidence that is more objective than the tapes would come out. The tapes do not arbitrarly point out that cheating has taken place. The statements that sound like they’re pertaining to fraud are unclear and equivocal.
And if GMA does resign, then we have to brace ourselves for the inevitability of Noli De Castro being president.
if gma resigns, and i believe she indeed has to, then it will only mean that we’ll be under a de castro presidency for the next five years.
Unsaid, perhaps, but take a look at how much credence we give Susan for her sincerity. You yourself said it: “I fear that her sincerity will end up being used just to, what, restore Estrada to the presidency!?”
One’s credibility in politics rests far too often on one’s sincerity, not to one’s competence. The pro-Erap/anti-Gloria camp is counting on this to gain political ground. You also made a point about “the value of being sincere”. Sure, nobody’s suggested so far that sincerity should be the basis for the next President. Not out loud anyway. But it appears to me that we are making a headlong rush to judgment on the sheer basis of who’s more sincere!
Mickety, please don’t jump to conclusions. Susan Roces and sincerity are not the point/s. The Glorigate scandal called for forthrightness and GMA decided to play the competence card by saying “Help me work harder.” Duh. Ano, sweep everything under the rug? Business as usual? Lokohan na ito is the point.
Thing is, we would have appreciated sincerity given the circumstances, not that sincerity should be the requirement of the presidency or of any politician for that matter.
What set alarm bells ringing was her side-stepping the question on the ascension of a military junta. She didn’t say she was against it, which would be the politically correct thing to do. She actually left the impression that she was open to it. Coupled with her belief that a snap election is no longer an option, her objection to Noli as successor, and her willingness to lead a resign movement when asked, can we read the following between the lines: a power grab by a military-civilian junta with Mrs Poe as figurehead? Is that where this path is leading us to?
Don’t get me wrong. I want the pygmy to resign. But I’m not sure I want to wake up to a military regime one fine morning.
That’s what’s likely to happen. Geez, you’re right, juntas are so passe!!!! ‘Down the drain, down drain’ is all I can say of all our historic efforts to re-experiment on democracy.
mickeytmoc:
“I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully and conscientiously fulfill my duties as President of the Philippines, preserve and defend its Constitution, execute its laws, do justice to every man, and consecrate myself to the service of the Nation. So help me God.”
Incidentally, had there been anyone sworn into presidency who took the oath by heart (sincerely), I don’t think we would be in this deep shit now.
“The Gloriagate scandal called for forthrightness and GMA decided to play the competence card by saying “Help me work harder.†Duh. Ano, sweep everything under the rug? Business as usual? Lokohan na ito is the point.â€Â
We agree on something, at least. But am not jumping to conclusions: am merely pointing out that we place too much emphasis on sincerity as a basis for credibility. And I’m not just talking about Susan Roces – I’m talking about all the times we’ve been sincerely sweet-talked into allowing the incompetent to take the seat of power.
With Noli waiting in the wings, there’s a chance that we may be repeating history. (And I think the Presidency is far too important to leave to a wild card, or to “sincere†calls for action.)
“Mickety, please don’t jump to conclusions. Susan Roces and sincerity are not the point/s.â€Â
Am making a point of my own. And judging from how much the word “sincere†and its conjugations have cropped up in the past few posts, I feel it’s still very much on topic. Agree? Disagree? Feel free to judge it on its merits. But I encourage you not to judge it on how sincere I sound! 😉
Just to make things clear, I personally shudder at the thought of Susan Roces as president. I agree with you on this pint:
“With Noli waiting in the wings, there’s a chance that we may be repeating history. (And I think the Presidency is far too important to leave to a wild card, or to “sincere†calls for action.)”
I am getting quite used to the decline in the quality of our presidents. I am not afraid of a De Castro presidency, in case Gloria goes. That’s the constitutional alternative. Unless he too is pressured to resign, which leaves us Franklin Drilon, then Joe de Venecia. All of them are scary in their own way. But they are where they are and we better get used to it. (No more of that people power gamble. Otherwise let’s just select our leaders by people power.)
sabi sa interview ni Ms. Susan sa TV PAtrol, she wants a “tatay” as a leader kasi raw puro “nanay” na lang daw.
At the rate things are turning, we are sort of experiencing “option paralysis” because we see vultures anywhere and corruption is not only a deep seated dirt in Philippine politics – it has somehow become a way of life. It all boils down to changing something – like changing electoral process or something. It really is very confusing. And disheartening. I have kids. I don’t know what is left for them in this “Bayang magiliw, perlas ng silanganan…”
you said it mlq3. the President must resign. now. too little, too late. expect more concessions in the next couple of days and you will see how much gma is willing to give just so she can cling to the position she dishonored. ano pa ba ang hinihintay ni Gloria?
somebody here was worried susan would be used to restore erap to the presidency. from what my source told me (and he was right smack in the middle of fpj’s campaign circle) fpj himself didn’t approve of erap’s other associations (the likes of atong ang) that’s why he distanced himself from the estrada presidency.
and during the campaign, fpj reportedly stood his ground against some of erap’s “wishes” and “requests.”
i think it would be fair to assume that mrs. poe shares her husband’s leery attitude towards the estrada’s excesses — without showing it of course.
she might turn out to be not as easy to manipulate.
MLQ3
Finally.
It took susan to prod you into saying RESIGN!
C’mon say it again with panache, with bravura ,with gusto – RESIGN! The way your grandad professed that he’d rather have a country run like hell by the Filipinos…
GMA is a cornered tigress.Let’s see what she’ll do next.It is like a chess game.
We live in very interesting times….
finally read a transcript of her statement and the QandA that followed.
I don’t know. Parang she’s not too clear about what she wants to do or what she wants to happen. I think there are too many people planting crazy ideas in her mind and right now she is so angry she can hardly see straight. The tapes confirm the cheating and the injustice of the SC decision and now she cannot abide gloria staying in Malacanang for another minute. This is what worries me. She might become so impatient Ishe becomes vulnerable to manipulators.
One mistake on Susan’s part, one slip in her credibility and gloria is almost home free. It’s really Susan who is the strongest force against GMA. She can turn the focus from the so-called scary alternatives, the legal technicalities to the content of the tapes themselves and make this an issue about justice, So I hope and pray that she can maintain her balance.
gloria looks like a crippled lioness surrounded by blood hungry hyenas, these creatures can smell a feast in the air, shall this come to pass, what do you readers think
So many comments. Well, in essence, I really don’t see any other option but to ask the President to resign. I don’t know what will happen, I don’t know if Susan Roces has a game plan or what it entails, but I think we have to risk it. There’s a better chance of a good outcome if people stop sitting on the sidelines.
Dr. Blas, the full phrase is, “I prefer a government run like Hell by Filipinos to a government run like Heaven by Americans. Because, however bad a Filipino government might be, we can always change it.” Read my column tommorow.
Did you hear how Sec. Gonzales dismissed Ms. Roces? “She’s just an angry widow,” is how he put it, I think. That’s a stretch coming from someone who once supported Cory Aquino. If he had any sense, he would know how unstoppable a wronged widow can be.
Honestly, I think that’s it for GMA. Susan Roces could have stirred up trouble right after FPJ’s death or right after her visit to Samuel Ong. But she has acted sensibly and with great dignity and that has only bolstered her credibility.
Interestingly, it is such a contrast to GMA’s abrasive, calculating persona: that robotic I…am…sorry just sounded so hollow and yes, extremely arrogant and devoid of remorse. While “sincerity” may not be the only requirement we should demand of politicians, it is a very basic requirement. A president should not just be a policy boffin or an economic manager but a leader of people, capable of inspiring the trust of those she intends to govern. Without trust, there is no leadership.
My only reservations about Ms. Roces are the dodgy people around her. We don’t need Marcos and Erap loyalists back in power. This conjuncture presents a great opportunity for radical reform, something that Marcos-Erap forces are not likely to pursue. Maybe if more reasonable, reform-minded people coalesced around Ms. Roces, a more promising outcome can be expected.
wow.
as for that correction of an oft-quoted quote.
the context is totally changed. During
the heat of the last election Stateside,
I recall that the bloggers coined a term for that: ‘Dowdified’ after Maureen Dowd
the Nytimes columnist.
the shortened quote always sounded not quite right.
the real quote is a whole different thing.
amazing. looking forward to the column.
Realizing that the president/DOJ/NBI/Bunye tried to cover up the whole thing by fabricating another cd and another “GARY” 9chief of staff of Iggy” I believed the honorable thing to do is to RESIGN.
…usap tayo ukol dyan…
its hard to accept that the country we are living sucks… i’m starting to hate this country because of the endless political issues! 🙁 I hope it wil change!
I admire you for making a stand mlq3. Mabuhay ka!
Sana nga bumaba na sya sa pwesto.
Quoting from memory, Justice Secretary Raul Gonzales fumes: “Her husband (FPJ) was never fated to be President because the Lord took him away by natural causes. She’s (Mrs. Poe) just a griping widow.” And when mulling over what charges to file against her, he leers: “Nakapanghihinayang… she’s too pretty to put in jail.”
The man’s a jackass.
from the ideal point of view, the resignation of gloria with noli taking over is the constitutional way. the thing is no.1 she is not budging. no.2 ping lacson says it should be him, susan says she’ll do it, abat said its gotta be a junta. in other words, with your proposal, we’re back to square one. the opposition thinks that the whole election was a fraud and that includes noli’s. so what is the most practical solution? i was at edsa I and participated in demos against marcos during my college days. i didn’t participate in edsa 2 being out of country by then, but i fully support it. i did not risk my life during the marcos years just so this generation who never knew what real oppression is to give back power to the estrada/marcos cliques. no way, if i have to die for it, this is the time. perhaps let there be a civil war…only then can we cleanse our society of misfits who don’t know what they’re talking about.
I do believe that she cheated – but who did not? Even in barangay level there is cheating! It is so embarassing but it’s true. Cheating is embedded in our society because it was nurtured by those who are in a position. Like Lacson said before his turn around “You lost in this (presidential) election because you did not guard your votes!” Let say the president resign because of this – who will replace her? De Castro – I don’t think so!. Any in the ranks of the opposition (my God, look up the line up – Ejercitos – (just kill me now!), Lacson, Pimentel, Dilangalen(?))? – no, no.. Ms. Susan Roces? – She is dignified but I don’t think she can handle the position – surrounding herself with people from the opposition, is just like having a second Erap or Gloria in Malacanang. I can’t think of anybody who can be that person to lead us out of poverty and corruption at the moment – maybe Salonga, but he is too old. So instead of spending money for a snap election (if she resigns), tiis na lang muna as the country cannot afford to have one. And hopefully the opposition shut up their mouth so that investors will have the courage to put their money here. Like people who were at EDSA 1, I put my life in danger to achieve a better place for me and the future generation of Filipinos, but alas, everybody wanted the throne so much that their conduct change once they have the chair. And up to now i don’t see a person who is qualified to lead us! Not in my lifetime! Imagine in 2010 – who will be the candidates – the same old politicians (whether trapo or not they are all the same)!
I must have missed something here. Why should GMA resign? Because Susan Roces said so? With all due respect to Ms. Roces, a lovely lady and a great Philippine actress (one of my favorites) – but…GMA was apologizing to all of us. Ms. Susan Roces does not speak for me. I have to make up my own mind.
The apology doesn’t prove she cheated. She aplogized for the call to a Comelec commissioner. Whether we forgive her or not is up to us as individuals. I have to ask, do the tapes prove categorically that she cheated?
We cannot just ask for the president to resign when all the evidence we have are illegaly taped conversations. I was disappointed myself to hear those tapes, but there was nothing there to prove she cheated. This is not at all like People Power 2 with Erap and his mistresses, extravagant houses and a good friend ratting him out…AND Kissa Ocampo testifying in the Senate. This seems like a well-orchestrated attempt to do a Watergate on the current president.
If we are not careful and this matter not handled delicately by media, columnists, the opposition and the government, it’s Juan dela Cruz eking out his meager living miserable day after miserable day who will be most affected. Enough already with taking the moral highground and securing the satisfaction of a few selfish politicos. This is all this is about – a few selfish politicos with a big crab mentality. We cannot all be leaders – we sometimes have to be little cogs in a wheel. As for what is morally right – “Let those without sin cast the first stone.” Pity our poor country of lost souls, still looking for a leader. We should not rely solely on our leaders and those grandstanding to be the next leader, we all have an individual duty to be responsible citizens too.
If GMA truly cheated, then take it to Congress and prove it there before you ask for her resignation and incite the innocent into another people power revolt. Lead the innocent lambs to the slaughter. The elections are over and it was fair according to Namfrel. That’s why no one has taken to the streets yet – we’re all sick and tired and just want to keep on working for the betterment of our little lives and securing our children’s future and hopefully our country’s. Doesn’t an honest man’s toil count anymore in this country?
I thought I’d never ever in my life say this – but thank goodness for Oliver Lozano taking the right course and filing impeachment raps in Congress. Let’s all stay calm and see how it plays out. Let’s wait for more evidence of election fraud and when there is, we can make our best, informed decisions.
There are so many other evidences you choose to ignore.
If you can remember, sa bilangan pa lang sa Kongreso, the administration congressmen kept denying the request of the opposition to further scrutinize the COCs. “Noted” nang “noted”. they even denied the opposition’s request to open at least 25 ballot boxes to check the validity of the COCs they were counting. They even haggled it down to opening ballot boxes from just three questionable provinces in Mindanao. Pero hindi, that was denied too. That could have been evidence, kaya nga hindi pinabuksan ng GMA camp eh. And we ignored that.
The NAMFREL officer from Lanao, he claims that there was manipulation in the election results from Lanao. He is a witness, his testimony is evidence. But we didn’t give him the attention he deserved.
FPJ, Loren, Lacson and even Bro. Eddie all have papers to prove that there was cheating in last year’s elections. Call them politically motivated, it doesn’t matter. If what they’re holding might prove the truth then it’s worth looking at. But we ignored them.
Cebu Rep. Martinez claims she has proof that there was cheating in Cebu. Newsbreak a couple of months ago, published a story about the Cebu vote and its questionable outcome. The voters’ turn out in remote barrios, where it was even raining during the time of elections were as high as 90%+.
And of course, the audio recordings. Illegally acquired as it is, it is still proof, at least to people who are willing to look at it beyond the legal limitations, beyond the explicit words. listen to the tapes again and look at the context of their conversations.
There are evidences.
I quote a friend of mine, “I don’t understand why you have to margninalize public opinion when apparently, it’s their votes that has been bastardized.” You cannot force people to wait for courts to tell them how to perceive the things they’ve heard and seen.
True enough, Ms. Susan Roces has serve as a good example of a true Filipino. I symphatize with here because a lot had happen to her. The lost of here husband due which I believe is affected by the lost in his candidacy as President. Yet, the truth has always been prevailing. I salute Ms. Roces for her strength. As for you Gloria, you are bugged by your conscience. Don’t let the people kick you out of your place. You should RESIGN because that is the best thing for you to do with all of the unnecessary things you have done for the country and for the filipino community.
Eloquent thoughs Manuel.
I have read many articles in the Filipino blogosphere. I have help my opinion for a while now. But here it goes.
The center of the problem is not GMA and the opposition and vice versa.
The culprit stares us in the face.
Plunder exists throughout our society. From the poorest to the most elite. Active participation in the governance process is non-existant, rather what we have patronage politics.
This has fostered a system that propels the most crooked at the top, and the most honorable at the wayside.
Now you say Susan can be trusted. I disagree, she is a mere pawn.
But I do appreciate our situation as a nation.
We are indeed stuck between a rock and a hard place.
I subscribe to Randy David’s thinking, “we have a crisis of legitimacy for all our institutions.”
All this due to the very face that stares at us in the mirror.
Gloria clearly lost her moral and legitimate right to stay in malacanang. She betrayed and insulted our intellects by just saying sorry. Sorry for what? for talking to an election official when she is still running for president? I thought you are not supposed to talk to an Election official in the midst of canvassing your vote, for it can influence the out come? Protecting her votes? from whom? who have the machinery to cheat? Who holds the power when there was a presidential election?
I tend to disagree about Susan Roces as a pawn. if you are basing her companions as her controller you are maybe wrong. I see a Susan Roces who decides what she want to talk about and what she will do. If other people who seriously wants to take over by using Susan Roces, they would have succeeded.BUt Susan isnt rushing to the street and telling supporters to go to malacanang crying SUGOD!. You wont see her telling her supporters to be violent ( for it is the speedy way for a take over) lastly I doubt if we are going to see her saying ” If you love and admire me, die for me”
She is as her own boss. She maybe is the right leader for our transitional government. maybe she can help reform our rotten institution. maybe she can help us giving our self respect back.
There was a saying that ” if you want to lead, you should inspire people to act what you want them to do “