Sacrificing the Queen: Bye Bye Gloria?

Things are getting interesting. So interesing that the Philippine Daily Inquirer shifted to low graphic "express version". Last night, GMA (President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo) issued a radio statement last night: The gist of her speech was she was not resigning; she admitted that there was a need to change the present political system and anyone who becomes a part of it will be come tainted, like her; Her admittance that she spoke to a comelec official was not admittance to cheating; she would be focusing her attention to changing the system of government conduct reforms and go for a federal system; and in order to do this she will give the cabinet a free hand to run things while she focused on doing the fundamental changes; and she asked her entire cabinet to submit their resignation in order to start fresh. Today, in a press conference ten of her cabinet secretaries resigned en mass and asked her to resign as well. Cabinet secretaries who resigned: Cesar Purisima, Finance Florencio Abad of Education Teresita Quintos Deles, adviser on peace process Imelda Nicolas of the National Anti-Poverty Commission Juan Santos of Trade and Industry Alberto Lina of the Bureau of Customs Emilia Boncodin of Budget Corazon Juliano Soliman of Social Welfare Rene Villa of Agrarian Reform Guillermo Parayno, commissioner of the BIR. Other developments, US Consul has said that the US will oppose any unconstitutional change. The Liberal Party has also asked Arroyo to resign and I guess we will also see other parties follow suit. And it was reported by Congressman Aquino that his mother former Pres Aquino will speak to Arroyo about resigning. The resignation of Arroyo seems to be looming. And the party in power seems to be at tbe point of saving itself by sacrificing the Queen. And resignation is not an unconstitutional way of removing a president. It would seem that the political parties, the middle forces and other people around Arroyo have found a way to end the stalemate with the Opposition. An Arroyo resignation means a De Castro Presidency. Same people in power. Will they now go for constitutional reform? Most of the people in our office seems to be accepting the Noli De Castro presidency as a given. Some switched the from the news channel to the local noon time quiz show. A few were happy. Some were resigned to it and hoped Noli would not be bad and hoped that the proposal to change the form of government will not prevail. I wonder how the people from the provinces take it? Will they really form a separate republic or is all that hot air? Ilokoslovakia or Mindanao Republic in the air? If this prospers GMA would not have been undone by the opposition, they of course helped with the scandals and rallies, but by her own allies and people.The leftists and the oppositionists will not be happy. Arroyo's removal will be a hollow victory for them. Unless of course she remains stubborn. The problem is what if she decides to do a Hugo Chavez? What if she stays put? And insists that the impeachment push through like Erap? The what ifs of politics. The Makati Business Club and Civil Society has also called on her to resign. And people loyal to GMA were at Malacanang to show their support. End of the day I think I will do what the late Egyptian leader Nasser did watch a movie. The problem is no good movie to watch. And the anti-government forces have just started a rally below our building. Calling for GMA and her heir aparent, the next president if the ten resigned cabinet secretaries had their way, Noli de Castro to resign. Sigh. Cory Aquino just came out and asked GMA to make the supreme sacrifice and resign.