Portrait of aToddler Dictator

DAILY TRIBUNE

Commentary

Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has made backtracking, flip-flopping, back-pedaling and more as her official government policy. It is no wonder the Philippines under her regime ranks as one of the most non-descript nations in the civilized world.

Mrs. Arroyo, as a leader, has hit rock bottom not only for her lying, cheating and stealing but also for being a non-credible political persona with an instinct for dividing rather than uniting and for inflicting more damage than necessary on an already image-battered nation.

Didn’t she backtrack pathetically from sworn commitment she made to her major ally after she enthusiastically but unilaterally offered to sacrifice a handful of troops to President George Bush’s Coalition of the Willing in Iraq because she feared public opinion over the kidnappers’ attempt to behead kidnap victim Angelo de la Cruz?

Not so long ago, she promised on the death anniversary of the nation’s well-loved hero, Jose Rizal, that she wouldn’t run for president for being the single, biggest cause of divisiveness in the country, only to shamelessly break her word.

She also flip-flopped on the appointment of Adm. Mateo Mayuga to a major military post as flag-officer-in-command a year ago for some reason that remains mysterious to this day, only media criticisms got her back on track.

A week ago, she managed to greatly embarrass the nation on the world stage and to unremorsefully sidetrack the hard work of Cebu’s local officials as well as tourism operators by unilaterally canceling a major international summit even after delegates made the trip to Manila by blaming her back-pedaling on Typhoon “Seniang,” a flimsy excuse that none of the guests believes to be true because they know full well that the Arroyo government was lying, that the sordid truth is that it was in the midst of a brewing political storm of her own making

And today, after moving heaven and earth to get the House to stake its political capital on her pet Charter change project designed at perpetuating herself in power, and taking the nation to the brink of a constitutional crisis, she flip-flops, backtracks and back-pedals once again when faced with a massive public show of indignation.

Mrs. Arroyo has not changed from being a Malacañang spoiled brat as a toddler resident there; growing into adulthood has not taught her the basic niceties of social behavior; she still has not learned to treat people with respect in spite of her age, her so-called pedigree and her much bragged-about education. Actually, typical of a spoiled brat, she backs down only when she is threatened with serious spanking or when she feels she’s in danger of being booted from her favorite playground, Malacañang.

We, the Filipino people should not continue to tolerate her shameless behavior. We should not allow her to make a mockery of the civilized tradition of respect for the people. She should be booted out as soon as possible before she causes any more irreparable damage to the nation and its people.

Filipinos must finally open their eyes to this woman for what she is truly worth: Nothing. She’s greedy, she’s incompetent, she’s unreliable and she’s untrustworthy.

Anna de Brux

Belgium