It was a dumbfounding experience. Her critics are calling it an outrage.
It's the first time in Philippine history that a sitting President still ran for public office as her term is ending. Since the Constitution prevents her for re-election, she decided to ran for Congress. Even around the world this is unprecedented. The closest comparison being what President Adams in America did in 1890+++. The comparison was actually quite amusing.
Suffice it to say that such an action is not a trend. Not a trend among respectable individuals who once carried the seal of the Presidency. Probably because since the Presidency is the top position in the land, the next decent status one has to become is to be a Statesperson. Like Cory Aquino, and Fidel Ramos.
But not Gloria Arroyo. She is too power hungry to give up being in a public position. And the reason is nothing like what her lawyers are blabbering about, that being in public service is in her blood.
It doesn't take Gibo's wits to know that we are being deceived right in our face. The reason for her running is not, God save them, serving the people of Lubao, Pampanga. It's her illusory ambition to be a Prime Minister someday. It's a tactical move to keep herself in power to gun for a position higher than the President.
Ted Failon's theory is even more alarming. The move is to keep herself in the House, get as many allies as she can, and blackmail the sitting President with impeachment, especially if that elected President goes after her with post-position graft charges.
Seem to be good moves for a Machiavellian mind. The only problem is, how do you really tell that story to an 8 year old student of Philippine history? A child who knows that Presidents are almost heroes, respectable leaders worthy of emulation. How do you explain to a student of Constitution that it was changed not for the benefit of most, but of one?
That's really a problem if history is corrupted. And a corrupted history is the fruit of a corrupted event happening before our eyes.
