Who's calling the shots now?

Whom do we believe? Yesterday, an explosive statement came from Comelec Commissioner Resurrecion Borra. Without mincing words, Borra, who is one of the most senior of the officials of the Commission on Election, and a career one, at that, having risen from the ranks, declared that there were "actual and empirical evidences that there was cheating in the 2004 election".

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Borra apparently came to the conclusion after the presentation of reports on studies made by analyst Hermengildo Estrella which supported that also done by Roberto Verzola. The Estrella report hinted that one-half of the one million votes that made up the lead of the winner in the presidential election had come "courtesy of Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano". It was rather amusing, though, to see pages of the report being exhibited while clipped to what looked like a clothes hanger.

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But the President's men were far from amused. Her lawyer, Romulo Macalintal, angrily dismissed the report as without basis, reiterating that the president had won "fair and square" and that her 1,123,576 lead made it "unassailable and unquestionable". He also berated the "self-serving analysts" for excluding Cebu from their study. The Palace spokesman, Ignacio Bunye, truly looking both harassed and sad, said it was sad that people kept on concentrating on that issue when there were more "pressing national issues" to attend to.

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Meanwhile, Borra also said that the cheating had been massive in some areas, but minimal in others. Well, that was what protestors in the 2004 election had long been pointing out. Anyway, what will all these discoveries avail those who believe they had gotten the short end during that election count? As far as the Justice Secretary is concerned, it's all "futile". It could be seen, though, that he, like Bunye, looked not only exasperated, but also tired. Wait until his kababayan, Senator Miriam S., starts a debate with him.

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These are all probably the reasons why some young people who may have the inclination and the capacity to serve their country, are distancing themselves from politics. It does seem to be a thankless job, or calling, if you want to call it that. One of those who are having second thoughts is said to be the son of Manila Mayor Lito Atienza, who is now a councilor, and believed to be a shoo-in for his daddy's post when the latter comes to the last of the three terms he is allowed under the unchanged Constitution.

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Young Kim Atienza was reported to have told friends that he is now considering giving up politics. In fact, he supposedly told his media friends, he envies them because their work is more interesting. Are we going to see a reversal here? Many media and showbiz people want to end up in politics, public service, if you wish to call it that. Kim Atienza wants to go the opposite way. But wait till he has been lectured by his daddy. We'll see.

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Speaking of showbiz, the name rang a bell when I saw the news item announcing that the winner of the Pinoy Big Brother celebrity edition was a certain Keanna Reeves (no relation to Keanu?). Wasn't she the girl who roiled the House of Representatives when she showed up there, saying she knew all about the escort services patronized by the honorable members? A whistle-blower of sorts, she was. How did they shut her up?

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Now what's this? The Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines are saying that they do not want their appointments to go through the Commission on Appointments. Calling the shots now, are they? But maybe they have reason to be cocky. Look around you and you will see so many of their former masters in the bureaucracy. The cabinet, the foreign service, the top government agencies, even power corporations, the environment and natural resources - they are now headed by generals formerly of the military and police. This is not an ominous sign, is it?*

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