HELLO, MANNY

No, it’s not part of the famous “Hello, Garci” tapes which became Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s biggest headache for the most part of 2005. The conversation I’m alluding to is the one between Mrs. Arroyo and Manny Pacquiao — fresh from his resounding victory over Mexican boxer Erik Morales. Have you seen the video footage showing Mike Arroyo handing over the cell phone to Manny so he could talk to a person whose voice sounded so similar to the voice in the “Hello, Garci” controversy? Yes, you guessed it right folks. It was the voice of the President having a short conversation with the Filipino boxer. Under ordinary circumstances, a President calling a boxing champ is no big deal — especially so if the intent is merely to congratulate him for the success and honor he has given the country. However, the same cannot be said for Mrs. Arroyo. Call me cynical if you want but I cannot give her even the slightest benefit of the doubt. Pacquiao’s shining moment would have shown more radiance had he been left alone by the obstructing shadows of administration politicians.

EEEEE

Obviously seeking publicity at every possible opportunity, she wasted no time requesting an audience with Manny before a throng of local and international journalists. The poor guy was still talking to Quinito Henson and had barely warmed his chair when his attention was hastily called by Mike Arroyo. I mean, was it really necessary for the President to make her presence felt at that point in time? I’m asking this question because, to my mind, such actuations smacked of hypocrisy and opportunism. Besides, the whole world saw how the First Gentleman and Chavit Singson hurriedly went up the stage when the results were announced, and according to a veteran sportscaster who contented himself to watching Manny’s fight in one of the malls in Metro Manila, he heard loud “boos” from the crowd when they saw Mike Arroyo hugging and embracing the visibly elated boxer. Truth is, Chavit was there obviously to bet for a few hundred thousand dollars while Bayani Fernando and his loyal mayors scheduled their “educational” trip to Canada to coincide with the January 22 bout. Of course, they will always dispute such unflattering accusations, but a lot of eyebrows were raised and numerous faces turned sour upon hearing the justification of one politician that he used his own money in his sojourn to Las Vegas. Unfortunately for these politicians, convincing the doubting public is close to impossible because of the perception that a government official no longer distinguishes between public and private funds.

Raul Gonzalez was then quick to shield his boss, saying that everything the President does, no matter how trivial, is always painted with ulterior motives. He argues that the opposition should not impute politics to a purely non-partisan activity. Well, that’s what his boss deserves for trampling upon the people’s will and playing deaf to the overwhelming clamor for her ouster or resignation. The strong suspicion then that pro-Arroyo solons will only use Manny’s victory to grab a share of the limelight was confirmed when they were virtually heard and seen in all TV and newspaper interviews in the aftermath of the fight. They could have avoided such kind of media encounters if only to dispel lingering doubts on their true intentions. Delicadeza, it seems, is missing in their vocabulary.

Manny’s call for unity may have been motivated by the purest of intentions, but I do not see that taking place under Mrs. Arroyo’s tenure. No unity can be achieved if Mrs. Arroyo continues to defy the law and ignore the real problems. For how can we unite behind a leader who in the eyes of the public has lost the moral authority to govern? How can we move on when the one big stumbling block that prevents us from doing so is Mrs. Arroyo herself? She decries the opposition for engaging in what she labels as destructive politics. Yet, when one takes a closer look at the issues raised by her critics, all they want is a decent, moral government committed to improving the lives of the Filipino people and not just to the interests of a privileged few.

If there’s one lesson to be learned from the Manny spectacle, it showed how a clean, honest and hard-earned victory could unite and inspire a nation and how a dirty, dishonest and manipulated election result could divide and destroy it.