Pichay Defense

Posted by Luz Rimban 
PCIJ

THE Malacañang PR machines went on the offensive today, and it could indicate a change in the Palace approach to the "Hello, Garci" issue. For one, major dailies ran huge photos of a busy President Gloria Arroyo at work in her office, courtesy, of course, of the Malacañang press office. The Philippine Daily Inquirer had a picture of her hunched over a desk full of papers, while the Star had her typing away on her laptop. Talk of changing the presidential image.

And then there was Congressman Prospero Pichay on Studio 23's Y Speak, where the topic was the President's apology to the nation last June 27, whether it should be  accepted, and what was to be done about it.  

Pichay was the pro-GMA warrior, saying "Elections are like a basketball game. The Comelec officials are the referees." And using this metaphor, he says that like in any basketball game, there's nothing wrong with candidates talking to the Comelec.   "All candidates have talked to a Comelec official. If that is a crime, then all political candidates who won should resign."

When Pichay was asked if he, too, called the Comelec during the 2004 elections, his answer was: "I admit it. All of us including the losing candidates because we considered the Comelec as referees. They won't judge us anyway. It's the people who will."

Pichay also defended President Gloria Arroyo's three-week silence, saying " Silence doesn't mean she's lying."

At any rate, Pichay says the impeachment process already began with the endorsement of the impeachment complaint filed by Atty. Oliver Lozano.

But with influential congressmen like Pichay there to help make up the minds of other congressmen, the public can almost say the outcome of the impeachment process in the House will be a forgone conclusion, especially with a statement like this:  "The President is actually the victim of wiretapping here."  At that point, Y Speak host Ryan Agoncillo cut him off, and he didn't get the chance to expound.