12 Days Before the SONA

It's just 12 days before the SONA, and instead of finding huge rallies out there in the streets, there seems to be none or a few. Good. That's a good sign.

It just means that people are giving this government the benefit of the doubt. But, what if all of the rumours all these past few weeks come into play a few days before the SONA and we're caught flat-footed? Those who lived in the seventies know this. They were caught unaware. They were all deceived by Marcos into thinking that he just intended to do some whacking of "rebels" and "terrorists" and talks about martial rule were just that, talks. Literally, all those who oppose Macoy were caught with their pants down. They thought Macoy was just hunting hippies; they did'nt consider that the strongman considered them as hippies.

These days, the public sphere is being peppered with good news, some scandals and some issues, mostly instigated by political candidates. Slowly, news about people protesting against charter change and HR 1109 are beginning to occupy the inside pages. Even the rallies themselves are starting to lose their spunk and their shouts are slowly, slowly, becoming thin and possibly, in the next few days, will be silenced.

And I would not be surprised if June 2 repeats itself on July 27. Credit that to a slowly disintegrating mass movement who seems concerned with the impending elections instead of bonding together and giving Arroyo her just deserts. A lull before the storm? Possibly since this is actually the right strategy to employ against this dying regime. Is that what I think it is? Sirens calling on Mrs. Arroyo?

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