In my column today, I tried my hand at reading public opinion on graft and corruption under GMA — and why more people haven’t taken to the streets. (I actually did the reading last Thursday, before the Rotary Club of Manila, on the same day as the Trillanes caper.)
I sifted through the findings of three surveys, but essentially the attempt is a meditation on the latest (October 2007) Pulse Asia poll. These findings, in particular:
(Please click on the images to enlarge them.)
The conclusion I reached (and of course I am aware I could have gotten things fundamentally wrong) suggests that Ping Lacson’s latest attempt to disclose another corruption scandal still won’t force people out into the streets.
The lesson for regime-changers: Corruption scandals do not prematurely bring down an administration, but proof of something else entirely — brazen fraud, gross impunity, lewd dancing in the halls of the Senate.
This also suggests that suspending the high-profile Senate hearings on the ZTE case, where revelations not only of corruption but of obvious duplicity or gross arrogance were a real possibility, was a strategic mistake on the part of the opposition.
What do you think? More to the point, what kind of brazenness, similar to the “na-onse tayo” vote on the second Velarde envelope, would set the streets on fire?
December 5th, 2007 at 11:37 pm
I was so greatful when I find this site, Because I have a place to post all my frustration out. But, To my dismay. This site is bias! The let the posting, Post to their liking. And delete the post they don’t like.
Aside from that, To my theory, This is where Gloria Arroyo, Goon’s getting their information. Ha Ha. I can’t stop laughing! the taxepayer’s money it just went to the trash bin. samsabida.
December 5th, 2007 at 6:30 pm
[…] The Inquirer Current Blog, John Nery in his entry Dancing in the Senate, refers to his column, The limits of […]
December 5th, 2007 at 6:09 pm
Ngayon pa lang sana magisip na tayong mga botante ng mahusay na lider. Nde naman lahat ng nasa oposisyon ay walang kwenta naniniwala pa rin akong marami tayong mahusay na lider na papalit. Example, si Sonny Belmonte. Bago sya maupo mayor, baon sa utang ang QC ngayon sobra-sobra pa income nila at no.1 city pa sila. Marami tayong option nde lang si Erap nasa atin na yan kung tatanga-tanga pa din tayong boboto.
@Salina
entire corrupt justice system?? Are you also saying Davide is corrupt?? tsk tsk… You are truly hopeless sana wag dumami lahi mo
December 5th, 2007 at 4:27 pm
we deserve this hell because this is the Filipino level of righteousness. Lahat naman naging presidente eh corrupt, So okay lang. As long as we do not hold our leaders in the highest regards of accountability, we will remain in hell.
December 5th, 2007 at 4:04 pm
The Philippines has a senate?