Prophetic, aren't I?

I once spoke to a British journalist, a co-worker of a friend, who came here to report on the Muslim extremist sects in Mindanao and the state of Philippine politics. Time frame: around one of those “failed” GMA impeachment filings.

He asked me why GMA was so weak, always thinking about people’s reactions and then backing down, with whatever it is she’s trying to implement, whenever people react.

I told him, well, all these people would, without a doubt, go ahead and rally for her resignation if she makes any wrong move. As it is, she has been asked to resign multiple times, and in fact, the impeachment shenanigans are being held so that she can reach the limit of impeachment filed for that year (and therefore can never actually be impeached).

He then tells me that he is about to interview the president of the Liberal party, Mar Roxas, and that he is so excited because he was told that Mar was set to be the next president of the country.

I told him, hmm, don’t be (too excited). These politicians shift alliances left and right. And, Mar really (at that time) has not done anything to distinguish himself (then again, maybe he has but as we know now his PR team isn’t exactly brilliant). I told him, don’t be too thrilled about interviewing the future president, don't count on anything yet.

Then he said, there seems to be hope for the Philippines just yet when everyday people (like me) have all these opinions about the state of the nation.

I told him, um no, don't count on it. I am, seriously, not the norm.

A few years after:

• I read in Ricky Carandang’s Blog – that GMA’s strategy is to keep on pushing her (dastardly) plans and subsequently abandoning her last move when the people begin to protest.
  

“It has always been Arroyo’s style to push the limits of public tolerance and back off when it has been reached. She tried to revise the constitution and got as far as convening the Abueva Commission and having it draft a new charter. It was only when public anger rose that the Supreme Court stopped the charter change effort.”

Hmm? What a brilliant strategy. You’d think it wouldn’t work… but it has. And, while she’s at it, why not try to hold everyone else by the neck, through favors, through monetary benefits… And, while she’s at it, why not appoint 13 out of the 15 SC judges. Well, why not? It works.

• As we now know, Mar was not the presidential bet of the LP party and at this very moment, he’s in 2nd place, next to “dark horse” Binay, with rumors of factions (of the NoyBi movement) surrounding the results for the VP spot.

• As for the youth and the people having all these (high minded) opinions on the state of the nation? Bong Revilla, with his otso otso ads, got the #1 senate spot. Enough said.
  

• As for the British reporter? During his brief stint in Mindanao, he had an encounter with some militant group, shortly after (he seemed to have freaked out), he left.