Tuesday, May 04, 2004
Opposition Senator Wows Crowd With Balancing Act
As chair of the Philippine Guardians Brotherhood Inc. (PGBI), Honasan signed a covenant binding the group "to promote within the Brotherhood and among the Filipino people support for the vigorous implementation of programs for peace, unification, reconciliation, and development being undertaken by the present administration of President Macapagal-Arroyo and the platform of good governance, political, economic, social and constitutional reform of Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats." ... Lakas-CMD executive director Jose Maria Rufino, who was present, agreed with the observation that Honasan's signing of the covenant was a de facto defection to the administration.
"It could be read that way," said Rufino, who is also Ms Macapagal's political liaison officer. "A lot of mysteries are going on," he playfully added.
But Honasan came up a step short of switching allegiance to Ms Macapagal from actor Fernando Poe Jr., standard-bearer of the Koalisyon ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino (KNP/Coalition of United Filipinos). The former Army colonel is overall head of the KNP's security and anti-poll fraud operations.
"I will continue to campaign for the united opposition in the same way that Speaker De Venecia will campaign for the administration," he said, when asked whether he was crossing over to the camp of Ms Macapagal.
Can you say "opportunist"? Very good!
@ 12:49 PM ---> 
