Just how powerful and popular is President Aquino? Well, he can make someone a viable candidate for senator even if that someone has no experience. He can appoint anyone to any position even if that anyone has a very questionable past. And he can jail and impeach the individuals he chooses to.
To be more specific, Bam Aquino has no real business yet to run for a Senate seat but somehow, someway, just because of the support of his cousin P-Noy, he is running for senator. And wouldn’t you know it, he is actually one of the front-runners.
Now, when it comes to appointments, P-Noy had Macabangkit Lanto to the Commission on Elections despite the fact that Lanto was unseated as a congressman allegedly for having “won” his seat through electoral fraud. Lanto eventually declined the appointment following the vehement public criticism. But again showing PPP, P-Noy barely got any negative criticism for the Lanto appointment although he was the appointing authority.
As for jailing and impeaching individuals, do I really need to explain that in detail? Because of PPP, the entire Philippines knows who I am referring to. Everyone in the Philippines who watches TV news, reads newspapers or explores the Internet for news, or engages in serious political conversations, is aware of the people P-Noy caused to be jailed and the man P-Noy caused to be impeached.
Sadly, however, it does look like the PPP is being used for the wrong motives and ends.
—TONY BOTWIN
anthonybotwin@yahoo.com