He’s ‘erapting’ again

He’s at it again. Former President Joseph Estrada appears to have recovered fully from the effects of his detention. He is now back to cracking his famous “eraptions”, and yesterday, he made his successor, that is, the one who kicked him out of Malacañang, the butt of a new one, when he was making his own unity walk with some of his former cabinet members.

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This was after the media had made much of the revelation of whistleblower Jun Lozada that, during one of their meetings with some senators, the original whistleblower, CHED secretary Romulo Neri, had described President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, as “evil”. In his newest “eruption”, Estrada said that when first gentleman Mike Arroyo came out of the hospital after his serious heart operation, he asked his spiritual advisers what he should do to show that he had changed and would like to go to heaven.

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As Erap told it, the spiritual adviser told the FG that all he has to do is to see no evil, hear no evil, and speak no evil. Erap said the FG told the priest, “That’s impossible because I see my wife everyday”. See what you have started, Mr. Romy Neri? As if that were not enough, another official she relies on so much, also “said bad words” the other day at a gathering of students, school officials and businessmen at the Ateneo. Former congressman, and now Albay Governor Joey Salceda, referring to her, told his audience that “She may be a bitch, but she’s the luckiest bitch around”.

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I really believe that Salceda was only trying to be funny, and had forgotten that TV cameras were on him all the while. He tried to make light of it, and promptly apologized to the President. Yesterday he said on TV that he had texted her three times but she hadn’t answered. But he can relax, Justice Secretary Raul Gonzales has been telling everybody that she has already accepted his apology. He even tried to comfort Salceda, telling the media that Joey was a favorite student of GMA and she always listened to his suggestions. I hope former Senator Ernesto Maceda doesn’t pick this up again. In his column yesterday, his title was “Evil, evil, evil”. He might also try to be funny, like Salceda, and next time have the title “Bitch, bitch, bitch”. Watch your language, boys.

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And the demolition job goes on. Yesterday, a former co-worker of Jun Lozada at the Philippine Forest Corporation, came out on government TV exposing some misdeeds allegedly committed by Lozada in their office. Erwin Santos, also tearfully related all these bad things against his former chief and was quite emotional, too. What’s wrong with the people there at that Philippine Forest Corp.? Why are they so prone to crying? Lozada, who is more often smiling and joking now, must brace himself for more and more broadsides from the administration. I am afraid that when the smoke clears, he may be the only one convicted.

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Vice President Noli de Castro spoke up at last. He has come out denouncing those text messages going around about his having bought his ladybird a P200 million house in Dasmariñas Village. To tell the truth, I also received that same text message, so his detractors must have contacts here, too. De Castro said that is a complete untruth, since he is happily married to his present wife (wasn’t there some trouble with a first one?). Also, he said, the house he bought did not cost P200 million, P56 lang.

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Text messages and plots, these are the things we get a lot of nowadays. Last week, the military said they had uncovered a plot to assassinate President Arroyo. Yesterday, there were talks again that there is a plan to kidnap her husband. This is also tongue-in-check, like Salceda’s joke. But who would dare to kidnap, not abduct, as the lawyers in the Senate insist that now refers only to maidens and children, Mike Arroyo? Not only would he be a hefty load to carry off, he also has a bum ticker that might give up in the excitement. Those who thought that one up had better put on their thinking and scheming caps again. Nobody will believe them.*

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