Season 1 ends

October 2, 2007

 

Finally. Commission on Elections chair Abalos resigned yesterday and if there’s any doubt as to how the public regard him, he only needed to listen to the cheers of the crowd that gatecrashed his press conference. Well, he did listen actually, judging from the way he looked as he paused in mid-sentence everytime the crowd jeered and heckled.

It’s sad really. He could have never envisioned an end like this when he decided to go into public service. He didn’t pull his wife, Cora, aside one night and told her: “I will take the job as Comelec chair so I could mess with it and fuck the Filipino people.”

I guessed he really thought he could make a difference. I wonder what happened from THAT to what has become of him now as the second most hated man in the country, next only to First Gentleman Mike Arroyo.

But this is a good move, if only to deflect the public attention on him now (Besides the fact that he only had four months to go before his tenure ends). A few hours after his resignation, already we hear sympathies for him. Even former president Cory Aquino commiserated. Remember her during the “Hello Garci” row actively asking for Ms. Gloria to step down? The Hello Garci controversy occurred during Abalos’ watch and so did the P1.3 Mega Pacific deal.

What’s next for Abalos? I’m sure everybody wants a piece of him. The administration wants him placated for what seemed to be a betrayal, when Romulo Neri, the president’s alter-ego sided with the younger Joey de Venecia and accused the Comelec chair of giving out bribes like it’s out of stock. On the flip side, the opposition wants to sue him, hoping the pressure will push him to name names. After all, he could no longer hide under the Constitutional protection that his position afforded him, nor could he shout “executive privilege!” when he’s backed into a corner.

The equation here is simple: when Abalos is vulnerable, everybody is vulnerable.

And why shouldn’t he welcome a court trial if he says he’s as innocent as he is? That should be the proper venue for the prosecution to prove his guilt, shouldn’t it? That would be the proper venue for him to be vindicated, if not as a Comelec chair then maybe as an ordinary citizen.

In the next few days, we could expect Palace propaganda advising the public to just move on and feel sorry for a 72-year-old grandfather; Miriam Santiago pontificating; or Alan Cayetano fuming, Escudero rationalizing; and the old reliable, Ermita lying through his teeth. Where’s Justice Secretary Raul Gonzales when we really need him? He could really simplify all this confusion with a few barbs and once he speaks, he leaves little doubt to the public’s mind as to who’s guilty. Just look at who he’s defending.

Meanwhile, I have my finances to attend to, my job to go back to, and my life to pay attention to. In a few months, everybody will forget about this just like Erap would be pardoned eventually. Life does go on, doesn’t it?

Exit: Lights fade out. Curtains fall down. FG laughs.  

Would there be Season 2? Abangan!