Last night’s prayer rally at La Salle Greenhills should make President Gloria nervous–although I dobut if her smugness would allow it. It was the first time the fragmented anti-Arroyo groups and personalities came together: Cory Aquino, Susan Roces and the pro-Erap forces, Bro. Eddie Villanueva, the divided Left (Satur Ocampo and Etta Rosales), the NGOs, and other People Power people. Even former Vice President Teofisto Guingona, who just resigned as ambassador to China, was there.
This happened after the pro-administration solons in the House of Representathieves killed the impeachment complaints against their boss. Are we seeing the beginning of a united resign-impeach-oust Arroyo movement similar to the one that almost dragged Estrada out of Malacanan?
It seems that Arroyo did not learn the lessons of People Power 2. The revolt became possible after pro-Estrada senators ostensibly used the institution and the Constitution to defend their corrupt patron. We now see the same tactic employed by Arroyo’s people to save her presidency.
We shouldn’t wonder why we are witnessing such events again. The sitting Trapo Queen, who benefitted the most from People Power 2, failed to fulfill her EDSA 2 promises. It is now apparent that she joined the revolt not because she believed in its cause, but because she would personally gain from it. She saw People Power from that point of view, from her own perspective. She never really knew the true People Power–the one that pushes for truth and justice and aims to transform an ailing society. And since she is clueless about it, she probably will never recognize People Power when it hits and unseats her.