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June 27, 2006

Looking a gift horse in the mouth

“Please sign.  Now , please resign.”

That’s what I would have said to Gloria Arroyo at Malacanang last Saturday during the signing of the law repealing the death penalty.

The consummate trapo (contraction for traditional politician;  vernacular for dirty rag—whichever, it fits) that she is, she now brings the law to Pope Benedict XVI as a gift to him from the Filipinos;  never mind that when she was a senator, she voted yes (by default) to the death penalty law as a fence-sitter;  never mind that when she was Vice President, she marched with a hanky-covered “Baby” Echegaray along Ayala with the likes of Jamby Madrigal (another famous chameleon), Loi Estrada clamoring that Leo Echegaray be killed;  never mind that from 2001, when she took over from Erap, she never certified abolition bills as urgent and even went to the extent of saying that she would continue to execute kidnappers and drug dealers;  never mind that she only discovered that she was “pro-life” when she was teetering on being removed and she needed the support of the bishops; never mind that she changes her “principles” as quickly as she loses her temper or Mike Defensor changes his stands on many things.  Never mind all these things, mind only that she has repealed the death penalty law and gotten a pat on the back and a “well done” from the Pope.

People ask me if I’m happy now with Gloria that she has repealed the death penalty in the Philippines.  For my answer, scroll up to the top of this post.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ted,

You have made the sale so now be quiet, sit back and thank God for allowing this much needed law to be signed. Or are we thinking that this is all due to our human work? Not that I'm pro GMA or pro death penalty and I've read what you have experienced through the years fighting for the abolition of the death penalty but enough of the harsh words already.

I'm sorry but I do miss the other Ted's postings.

Anonymous said...

beth,

no disrespect meant, but I believe sir te is referring to another fight. not the fight against the death penalty, but rather the fight against an oppressive, unjust, and some would say undeserving, president. who cannot help but feel anger and disgust, if not at gma, at her actions?

btw, the impeachment circus is in town again...nobody in law school seems to be paying attention though, some students i've spoken to don't even know that a new impeachment case, or should i say cases, has/have been filed, or at least filed and refiled and refiled again.