Month: January 2007

Since today is the 6th anniversary of Edsa Dos, we are reprinting the interview of Mike Arroyo by the eminent Nick Joaquin which appeared in the March 5,2001 issue of Philippine Graphic. This first appeared in my column in Malaya on March 5, 2001.

She had really left the Cabinet at the right moment: the timing was perfect. If she had tarried a moment longer, she would have been too late for EDSA: she would have made it there as an opportunist. And as for the ill-feeling in Metro Manila, we tackled that by going back to the door-to-door campaign: she went from barangay to barangay explaining her motives, outlining her program. And it worked. Then came the impeachment trial, and from there, tuloy-tuloy na.

There was a time honestly, when I felt I erred in advising her to resign from the Cabinet. The masa in Manila apparently wanted her to stick it out with Erap. And when she started attacking him, everything fell on us – grabe!- everything! But I told myself: it’s now or never; if we lose here we’re totally destroyed and it’s goodbye to her political career – but if we win here, she becomes President! So we really fought.

Continue readingThe power grab that was Edsa Dos, as related by Mike Arroyo

Under the topic, “Swiss trip is the reason” (Jan. 12, 2007), I mentioned about the info I got that in Davos, Switzerland, where Gloria Arroyo will be going on Jan. 25 for the World Economic Forum, she will be a guest in a dinner to be hosted by Maurice Amon, chairman of SIPCA.

SIPCA is Swiss firm whose inks are used in 90 percent of the world’s bank notes.

Anna asked if I had any info about Romela Bengzon going to Davos at the same time that Arroyo would be there. Bengzon is formerly a member of the Consultative Commission that drafted a Constitution shifting to parliamentary system and cancelling the May 2007, and is into consultancy business.

Former Foreign Secretary Roberto Romulo resigned yesterday as presidential adviser on international competitiveness following his joining the international strategic advisory firm, Kissinger McLarty Associates,as a member of its Board of Counselors.

Roberto Romulo, known as “Bobby” or RRR, is the cousin of the current foreign secretary, Alberto Romulo.

In his resignation letter dated Jan. 18, 2007, Romulo said, “In the course of examining our client base and current professional enagements, it came to me that there may be potential for conflict of interest arising from my involvement with KMA.”

“2007 will be like 2006. In my view, we will muddle through. Be happy if you don’t need government, like consumer-based industries. If you need government for your business in 2007, take an extended leave.” -Henry Schumacher, executive vice-president of the European Chamber of Commerce

Foreign and local businessmen in the Philippines on Friday expressed grave concern over alleged electoral fraud and policy reversals under President Arroyo.

These factors risked undermining recent successes in fixing the economic and fiscal front, they said in a forum with the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines.