A Binay presidency
THE call for President Noynoy Aquino to step down from office that was “inspired” by the prepared statement that retired archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal read during his post-birthday celebration at his home in Banilad, Cebu City last Friday is now a national issue.
I am sorry for the retired cardinal who, without doubt, was used by the National Transformation Council (NTC) for its selfish interest. The cardinal got the flak not only from netizens but from almost all who detest NTC’s move.
Statements by some people who came to the rescue of Cardinal Vidal only further muddled the issue. My friends could not believe the retired prelate, who is now in his 80s, would be so thoughtless. I wasn’t surprised, though, knowing his closeness to the previous administration.
Some personalities deny any active or actual participation in the NTC. But knowing the people behind the group, like Norberto Gonzales, Kit Tatad and the archbishops who are acerbic critics of PNoy, what do we expect from them?
And how assuming could they be? Imagine, they want PNoy, a president duly elected by a huge majority of Filipino voters, and his Cabinet, supposedly including Vice President Jejomar Binay, to step down so they can put in place a council to run this government?
NTC’s proposal is not only unconstitutional but totally absurd. Whoever thought of it or advised the group on how to do it should have their brains examined. These people probably thought we, Filipinos, are a bunch of idiots like them.
This headless NTC has no moral ascendancy over us. That former congress- man Peping Cojuangco, the president’s uncle, is part of NTC only made the situation even uglier and showed a political divide within the Cojuangco clan.
And who would compose the council to replace the Aquino administration? The disgruntled and has-been politicians and those with unholy and grubby political motives? Susmaryosep! We will be going to the dogs.
While we empathize with the grieving families, widows and children of the Fallen 44 who were massacred in Mamasapano, Maguindanao in the operation to arrest international terrorist “Marwan,” but this is not enough reason for a duly elected president to resign.
The big question that hangs in the balance is: Who will benefit from this move urging the president to step down from office? Speculative as it may be, but I would dare say two people would reap the benefit.
The sun will shine on Vice President Binay, even if he openly said he does not want the president to step down, and former president Gloria Arroyo, if and when President Aquino would ultimately leave Malacañang.
It is openly known that former congressman Cojuangco supported Binay in the last presidential polls that caused the defeat of Mar Roxas in the vice presidential race. Mike Arroyo, husband of the former president, is the man behind NTC.
If President Aquino quits and Vice President Binay sits as president, the possible scenario is that Binay would grant former president Arroyo presidential clemency that would totally wipe out all the criminal charges against her.
Under Binay’s administration, former congressman Cojuangco, who was apparently left out by his nephew, would be back in the limelight and walking in the corridors of power in Malacañang.
*** Trouble is brewing at the Mactan Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA). Accident could happen if the demand of the control tower personnel is not meet by the new management, GMR-Megawide.
A reliable source sent me a text message the other day that pilots of arriving aircrafts are left on their own on which bay to park their aircraft because control tower personnel would not provide them proper direction.
This happened after the new airport management refused to give the control tower personnel their allowance, which they used to collect from the MCIAA management.
You may call this a form of coercion by the control tower personnel, but definitely this is an issue that MCIA authorities should attend to immediately to prevent untoward incidents at the tarmac. Lives and limbs are of paramount importance.