In an article, “In Philippines, killing of journalists growing problem” Dana Dillon, senior policy analyst in the Asian Studies Center at the conservative U.S. think-tank, Heritage Foundation, advises Pres. Bush to lean harder on Arroyo.
Dillon’s article:
Philippines President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is in trouble.
The political situation in her island nation is in crisis. Her popularity ratings have dropped into the low teens. “People power” demonstrations break out regularly in Manila. She recently survived an alleged coup attempt.
Arroyo appears to have given up on convincing her constituents of her competence. Instead, she has resorted to the methods many dictators use to silence criticism.
The Reporters Without Borders Web site says that 52 reporters who covered the Philippines have been murdered since 1986, and 42 of the cases remain unsolved. The Committee for the Protection of Journalists says that 22 have been murdered since 2000, making the Philippines the most murderous country in the world for journalists over that period.
The April 5 edition of The New York Times carried a story that alleges intimidation of the press by security forces in the Philippines. Members of the Philippines press corps in Washington confirmed a campaign of oppression and said at least one of them had been directly intimidated and had property confiscated by the Philippines military.
Elsewhere, Philippines troops surrounded a TV station on the islands for more than a week recently to punish negative reporting.
No one claims that President Arroyo ordered or knew of any of the killings of reporters. But government foot-dragging when it comes to apprehending the killers is unacceptable for a country that receives such large amounts of American aid.
Meanwhile, the United States continues to prop up the Arroyo regime. Indeed, it bestowed more aid on the Philippines in 2006 than the year before.
But as a close observer of foreign policy on Capitol Hill said recently, there is a “growing awareness in Congress about the deterioration of the rule of law in the Philippines.” That awareness extends to the White House, where debate continues over whether President Bush should meet with President Arroyo.
In a stunning display of Orwellian “doublethink,” Arroyo wants to convince policymakers that her illegal and unconstitutional suppression of journalists actually serves to preserve the constitution and rule of law.
Congress and President Bush must show her that this “logic” doesn’t fly here, and that this goes for all allies in the global war on terror.
Instead, Congress and President Bush should review the security assistance provided to the Philippines and ensure that accountability procedures are followed and American-provided equipment and aid is used properly.
We have a carrot to offer. Arroyo desperately wants a visit with President Bush to shore up her shaky political situation at home. We should tell her to get serious about apprehending those who kill journalists and about preventing intimidation of the press. If she does, we can discuss a presidential visit. But not before.
First appeared in FOXNews.com
April 17, 2006 | |
The article is also posted in PCIJ and John Marzan’s blogs.
Ellen,
Heritage Foundation should advise Pres Bush to get rid of Gloria Arroyo altogether.
Overall, this thick-skinned person cannot be trusted because she propagates bad governance and has no iota of respect for the rule of law.
There is no other fitting description of her but this: a wantonly shameless corrupt persona.
There are only three sectors left that Gloria Arroyo is deathly scared of.
First is the Military. This is clear in the way she incessantly courts and bribes the PMA, the AFP and the PNP and now even the veterans. It’s clear as day how she has avoided clamping down on generals and other high ranking officials involved in anomalies or election rigging or the so-called rebels supposedly trying to oust her.
The second sector she’s afraid of is the Church. God, how she tries to woo the Church in every which way. How reverential and humble she and her Malacanang Muppets become when reacting to the Church’s critical statements. So opposite of how she treats the opposition and the left with such disdain and venom. Note how she backtracks a bit whenever the Church takes a stronger and clearer stand against her policies and actions. You can actually hear little knees rattling in the Palace.
The Supreme Court, you say? For her, they’re only worth a token glance or two.
The third sector she fears most is, of course, the US government. No President can ignore this monolith on the other side of this planet. Look at how Gloria and the Palace Gang scrambled and tripped all over themselves to control the bad press Gloria got from the New York Times. The NYT is a breakfast menu of the White House and Capitol Hill.
But Gloria and her Men In Black have schemes up their sleeves to deal with all of these three sectors. Watch them do it.
Sooner or later Washington will drop gloria. The militar will follow with the blessings of the church. The “commander in thief” can’t run to the people. Her minions can no longer protect her. Her family neither can’t do something to salvage their destroyed honor. The justices will have their days in people’s court. What is then left to gloria? Nothing!!! nothing at all. but she has 3 options and she is free to get one: resign, be ousted, or do a suicide!!!
@ Phil: I don’t think that Gloria’s still afraid of the Church. Her administration has largely brushed aside the CBCP’s criticism of the fake people’s initiative. The Church may have marginalized itself with its previous hemming and hawing.
pinoy_gising,
Yes, it does look like she’s not afraid of the Church, doesn’t it?
But I think it’s only because the Church has still been playing wishy-washy games. It still likes to clothe its pronouncements in gray cloth. They’re still holding their punches, unfortunately. But Gloria knows how to play the game.
Look what she did right after coming down from a retreat from the Mount of Baguio. She announced that all death sentences would be commuted. Definitely a ploy to appease and kowtow to the bishops. Appeasing and kowtowing is an indication of fear, don’t you think?
Never underestimate the wiles and wisdom of Gloria. She feigns fright with the instinct of the wild… for survival for another day. She did not get to where she is now by being thin skinned contrary to Anna de Brux’s expectations. GMA is pandering to the whims of the church and the military, not in fear, but rather to cool down temperatures rising, and earn another day of lease in power. Expectations of her to step down is not part of any of her plans. Unless the people dare to stand up and unite in force to stop the chahcha express, GMA will rule you and your grandchildren too. It is the unbending law of social structure: tyrants love slaves. Without slaves, tyrants won’t exist.
Truth is not on Gloria Arroyo’s side.