The Heat Is On!

Rumors of backchannel talks and even dangling juicy offers to the justices of the Supreme Court have been buzzing around. Chief Justice Artemio Panganiban the other day confirmed that certain interest groups were indeed pressuring the SC. With the day of reckoning for ULAP's and SnB's People's Initiative drawing near, parties to this controversial case can only guess which way the decision goes.

With diligent work and focus, legal volunteers of One Voice had uncovered massive flaws in the way the PI was conducted. Countless documents point to irregularities and even personal accounts had put the PI in a very compromising situation. While Lambino tries his best to defend the PI, it clearly shows that the hand which pulled the strings are in Malacanang.

The Senate during one of its budget deliberations was able to extract from Bunye an admission that indeed, funds from his office were used in the information drive for the Cha-Cha. Documents also show that the DILG headed by Puno has a hand in this PI. Now that everything is out in the open, the PI is not emanate from the people but from the squatters of Malacanang.

Reports say that two weeks ago, JDV paid Panganiban a visit. Details of the meeting are not known. We all know that the lower house has two versions of the Cha-Cha, the Jaraulla and Pichay versions. With Panganiban's revelation about the increasing pressure from interrest groups, we not look elsewhere to make our conclusions. JDV also pointed to the anti-Cha-Cha groups as those who have been exerting pressure on the justices.

The ani-Cha-Cha groups have no capability to apply pressure nor give any offers to the justices. They have nothing to gain with the Cha-Cha. The sole beneficiary of Cha-Cha is the bogus president. Panganiban could be sending the people signals. We must be wary of these signs. While he may have professed his independence, we are not sure about the others being courted by administration. The fight will get dirtier as the SC finalizes its decision. The powerbrokers in the palace will increase the pressure. While Malacanang admits that pressure is part and parcel of the occupation, it is highly immoral for the palace to dip its hands in what they say is a people's initiative.

Ermita calls this PI a milestone, a milestone for who? The Cha-Cha is not something we toy around with. The administration's illegal and irresponsible grip on the institutions will be complete with this Cha-Cha. They will have the power only dictators and despots enjoy. This morally bankrupt regime of the Arroyos has no business messing around with the future of our nation. Her evil cohorts have been salivating at the prospect of unending reign are rabidly supporting this PI.

The endgame is nearing, expect the palace to increase the pressure. We can only hope and pray that the justices will be strong. Let's hope that they will side with the people and not be swayed by a power-hungry mob we call the immoral administration.