Friday, October 14, 2005
Hortaleza: Salceda's gambit on Iglesia role
By Behn Fer. Hortaleza Jr.
WE'VE always believed manipulators are a dime-a dozen in this world. No, Representative Joey Salceda, the Bicol congressman, who has practically dragged the Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) into President Arroyo's impeachment by claiming that the religious sect had convinced some would-be pro-impeachment congressmen either to vote No or just stay away from the exercise during the House justice committee vote may not be that manipulator. In all probability, somebody else fed him the dope that the INC indeed used its influence to "save" the President from her tormentors. Either that, or he's engaging in wishful thoughts and nothing more.
That Executive Minister Erano G. Manalo of the INC would take the trouble and stoop so low as to be personally calling up congressmen just to convince them to vote whatever way already taxes credulity; only a non-INC member like Salceda would believe a tall tale like that. In fact, we daresay, even the real manipulator wouldn't think of even buying that crap, granting that the manipulator really knew the character of Ka Erdie. What's this, a new "Hello, Congressman..." version of that controversial wiretap?
The more plausible reason why such a crap was ever foisted on the public is that someone had wanted to pit the INC against the Catholic church by so timing the congressman's "news" with another expose on the bishops' receiving Pagcor "sin money" for their projects. Good guy-bad guy gambit, a favorite investigative tactic of the police to make a suspect talk. The INC becomes a savior, a "good guy" while the Catholic church is made to look like a "bad guy" - all in the dirty name of politics.
The truth is, and many Filipinos believe this, something much more convincing than any church leader's persuasive appeal, swayed many congressmen's votes for the saving of the president. The party line, and whatever unspoken but vicarious benefit that goes with it, was of course the main reason for the "overwhelming rejection" in the House of the doomed impeachment move. No one can deny that the House is one big, political den and everyone who watched the House justice committee proceedings on TV and saw the strident defense of the President by the administration coalition allies instantly knew where the wind would blow, come the nominal voting.
Until and unless the INC, thru its duly authorized spokesmen, decides to dignify Salceda's news on the sect's alleged role in the thrashing of the impeachment complaint - which we honestly don't think is forthcoming, going by the INC's reclusive attitude on such mundane issues - we can all just treat the Bicol lawmaker's foray into crystal ball-gazing as just that: amusement.
source:
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/pan/2005/10/14/oped/behn.fer..hortaleza.jr..html