Erap vs Aquinorroyo’s VATmen DIE HARD III Herman Tiu Laurel 04/16/2010

Erap vs Aquinorroyo’s VATmen

DIE HARD III Herman Tiu Laurel 04/16/2010 It’s the same old oligarchic strategy: Field multiple presidential choices representing one and the same economic-political interest. In 1998, their clique, along with Fidel Ramos, positioned eight political personalities ranging from Joe de Venecia to Manoling Morato and the usual religious leaders. But the people, in their wisdom, eventually narrowed down the issues — which candidate would really care for them — and voted overwhelmingly for President Joseph Estrada. The 2010 elections follow the same pattern, with the oligarchs fielding eight candidates to confuse the voters anew. But in the end, the issue will still boil down to the people vs the oligarchs. As more and more people realize this, they will turn to President Estrada once more in droves. In the Magdalos’ latest March-April pre-election survey, Estrada has already begun to tie Aquinorroyo in NCR, and soon in all major regions of the country. The Magdalos, the original Bagong Katipuneros, have been conducting their own surveys since 2007 when then Lt. S/G Antonio Trillanes IV ran for the Senate. Not intended for publicity purposes and strictly for internal guidance, the Magdalo polls, conducted by an AIM management professional, have been very reliable. I initially doubted the group’s capability when it predicted Trillanes to land between number 7 and 11 in the senatorial race, as the SWS and Pulse Asia were still saying that he would only manage number 17 at best. But Trillanes and the Magdalo poll organization proved better than the two. And since the same team is behind this latest survey, I find it more credible and reliable. RMN’s Jake Maderazo first reported on this Magdalo survey late last week and President Erap’s second place standing in the three regions surveyed. I got hold of a copy and was startled to see that in NCR, Erap at 33 percent was only a few points behind Aquinorroyo’s 35.6 percent; hence, a statistical tie. Consolidating Regions 3 and 4, Erap is second to Aquinorroyo while Villarroyo was a close third to Erap. Taking the regions individually, Erap was weakest in Region 3. The Magdalo could not make a nationwide survey because of budgetary constraints but they promised to do a complete one by mid-April. The Magdalo survey confirms what we have reported of other small surveys in Manila and Quezon City done by Atienza and Mathay, where Erap is number 1 and 2, respectively, as in most of the metropolitan cities. We are elated that Lakas-Kampi stalwarts and close advisers to Gloria Arroyo are jumping like the proverbial rats from the old to the new ship — flying the same Jolly Rogers flags of Edsa I and II, with black skulls and crossed bones on the Yellow background of privatization, liberalization, globalization, and the unending expansion of value-added tax (VAT) and other taxes. Vat-man Ralph Recto jumped from Gloria’s ship to the LP; now Gloria’s 17-percent VAT sponsor Joey Salceda joins him. As anticipated, when FVR jumps, the LP will be the latest VAT-party solidified. And this will be a boon to the genuine opposition which has criticized VAT since its inception by Cory Aquino’s Executive Order (intended to fast track onerous indirect taxes by skirting public discussion) to both Fidel Ramos and Gloria Arroyo’s time. This “jump ship” syndrome isn’t new; GMA defense chief Avelino Cruz jumped from GMA to Aquinorroyo earlier. Bert Romulo and Silvestre Bello in January expressed their intention to join Aquinorroyo while still serving Arroyo; and they weren’t even chastised by Gloria. This is the Yellows’ style: Opportunism par excellence, urged on by the oligarchs. They did it to the Marcos Cabinet, and then in Edsa II, Angie Reyes, Orly Mercado, Alfredo Lim and others betrayed the duly-elected president and Commander-in-Chief. But the rats do not get away unscathed as the people condemn opportunism and treason. Mercado, Recto and others lost in subsequent elections; Angie Reyes can’t get confirmation; while Lim had to grovel before Erap to get reelected (only to betray him again). The rats and VATmen’s defections will help in the defeat of Aquinorroyo and the Liberal Party. Finance Secretary Gary Teves, a.k.a. the finance mafia’s Vat-man, at the Makati Shangri-La “called for a higher value-added tax rate, lower corporate and income taxes, and approval of proposed reforms such as the rationalization of fiscal incentives.” What?! More consumer taxes but lowered corporate taxes when, as Joey Salceda says, “the top 1,000 corporations never had it so good,” with P3 trillion in profits the past nine years? This is simply criminal. Worse, Teves was even backed by some UP economists such as Medalla, Diokno, Balisacan and Fabella. I can’t help but note that none of these finance and economics “experts” does anything that employs workers or produce goods and real services; yet their economic impositions burden and cripple both producers and consumers who are the true drivers of economic growth. Estrada must lash out at this new VAT expansion, the VATmen and the VAT party. That’s the last song he must pitch. Then the masa and the people will deliver Erap the mandate for a second time to stop the oligarchs’ continuing oppression and exploitation of the people. (Tune in to 1098AM, Sulo ng Pilipino, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.; Global News Network, Destiny Cable Channel 21, Talk News TV, Tuesday, 8 p.m. to 9 p.m.; also visit http://hermantiulaurel.blogspot.com) (Reprinted with permission from Mr. Herman Tiu Laurel) Source:  The Daily Tribune URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20100416com4.html

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