Enteng Mandirigma's Letter

Last July 8, 2005, we started an internet-based initiative asking GMA to resign now, based on a moral conviction that the revelations in the "Garci" tapes are much more than just a lapse in judgment, and that GMA's voluntary resignation will decisively and immediately abate our present political crisis.

Many of you not only responded, but also reacted. While most of you concurred with our premise, you did not necessarily agree with our course of action, preferring instead other modes of resolving this issue - like impeachment, snap elections, or setting up of a truth commission, among others.

Looking at the ensuing debates in egroups and live forums, we can only conclude that our nation is not only divided. we have become a people hopelessly fragmented. Calls for unity from both sides of the fence are hollow, and no one is responding; because at its core, they are really just asking: "join us and condemn the others". People have taken up positions on the issue, and no amount of logic or cajoling will make them cross over to another position.

So. rather than trying to convince you that "GMA resign" is the one and only correct solution to the present crisis, we decided to ask you instead, "What do you think should be done to resolve the issue?" Rather than arguing on the merits or lack of it of other positions, we thought we can harness your views and positions as inputs towards consensus building.

We have redesigned the website (now called www.SaveTheRepublic.net) to allow you to enter your preferred course of action. The options are:

1.. Voluntary resignation of GMA

2.. Impeachment

3.. Truth Commission

4.. Snap Election

5.. Interim Caretaker government

6.. Others

We assume that all of these can be accomplished within our existing constitutional framework. We will submit the results of this poll to our political, church, and civic leaders who are actively involved in the resolution of this issue. Hopefully, this will make them come together and work towards a consensus on how to best address the crisis.

I think it's time that the voice of those of us who have internet access - the middle class, the working professionals, and the OFW community, should be heard. After all, we are the backbone of the economy. And we played a pivotal role during EDSA 1 and 2.

If you want to be counted, visit www.SaveTheRepublic.net now.

And if you want to participate in discussions, you can send a blank e-mail to

elagda-forum-subscribe@yahoogroups.com or

moral-majority-forum-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.

Now. for my personal commentary:

I believe we are where we are today because we are looking for a political solution to a moral crisis. Thus, we tend to ask the wrong questions which lead to faulty conclusions which, in turn, lead to intransigent positions that do not address the core issue.

Many people ask the questions:

1.. What happens if GMA steps down, either by resignation or through impeachment?

2.. Who will replace her?

3.. Is Noli qualified to lead the country? If not Noli, then who?

4.. Are we not just recycling the same old faces from the opposition and allowing them to grab power at this time?

5.. What alternatives are being offered by those asking GMA to step down?

6.. Will we be better or worse off if GMA steps down?

And this leads to the following conclusions:

1.. Noli is the most probable successor, but he is unmistakably unqualified

2.. Making GMA step down will only benefit the Erap-led opposition and bring them back to power

3.. GMA is still the lesser evil

4.. The constitutional process of succession is deficient; we need something more revolutionary

Which leads us to take positions to defend our conclusions:

1.. GMA is still our best option; let's forgive her and give her a chance. This time, she will be more "principled" knowing that we are watching over her

2.. All anti-GMA positions are, in effect, pro-Erap; it's bad for the country

3.. GMA is not the only one who cheated. Everybody cheats anyway. At least, GMA has good credentials in governance. We're still better off with her as president.

4.. Let's stick to the rule of law (and most advocates narrowly limit it to the impeachment process). If Congress or the Senate exonerates GMA, then it's a good excuse to continue supporting her. She is, after all, the lesser evil. If she is impeached, then it compels us to swallow the bitter pill of a Noli presidency.

5.. It's not GMA that's the problem; it's the system. Let's change the form of government.

6.. This is a good opportunity to correct fundamental flaws of the system. Let's look beyond what the constitution provides in replacing GMA.

Do you still wonder why we are hopelessly gridlocked at this time? Meanwhile, the economy continues to suffer and I'm afraid will not hold up for long if this unstable condition continues.

I believe we should start with a moral question when faced with a moral issue.

GMA admitted to a lapse in judgment in talking to Garcillano. Given the circumstances of her admission, we need to ask: "Was it indeed a mere lapse of judgment or did she actually cheat?"

Each one of us can and should make a moral judgment based on the information we already know. You start with the tapes. If you have not heard it, or read the transcript, download a copy from http://pcij.org/blog/wp-docs/hellogarci-transcript-final.pdf.

Now some might argue that the authenticity of the tape has not been established. Well. with all the powers vested in her office, she could easily declare and produce proof that the tapes are spurious. But she has not. To the contrary, her confession tacitly lent credence to the tapes. Until she changes her mind and declares otherwise, you can assume the tapes are authentic.

But which version? The most commonly available is the one at the PCIJ website. If GMA really cares to quash all speculations, she can single out this version and declare it as false, even malicious. But she has not.

Next, you look at the context - the series of developments that led to our present situation and how the Arroyo government has handled the whole issue. You ask the following questions:

1.. Why did GMA insist on appointing Garcillano as COMELEC Commissioner even after the Commission on Appointments repeatedly by-passed him because of his reputation as an "operator" (one who engineers massive electoral fraud)?

2.. Why did Bunye preemptively release to media "authentic" and "tampered" versions of the tapes (in effect, admitting the conversations did happen) but only to retract it later?

3.. Why did it take so long for GMA to admit to a lapse in judgment, and only after efforts at downplaying and covering it up have failed?

4.. Why did the 10 key Cabinet members resign? Do you honestly believe they conspired with the opposition for personal gain?

5.. To this date, why has GMA not categorically denied that it was her voice on the tape, and not exerted any effort at refuting the authenticity of the tape? Is it not in her best interest to clear any cloud of suspicion over her possible cheating?

Even if you consider that the tapes came from the opposition and could have possibly been tampered for their own purpose, I am convinced you will come to the same conclusion that the majority of our people has reached: 59% of the entire population (SWS Survey) and 80% of Metro Manila residents (Pulse Asia Survey) believe GMA cheated.

If you have reached this conclusion, then there is only one appropriate moral response: GMA must leave her office. It's only a question of when and how.

As you now ask "What happens next?" it should necessarily exclude any conclusion or position that will make her stay in power.

Finally, let me give a commentary on the belief shared by some that "GMA is the lesser evil".

GMA has effectively used this in her election campaign, sowing fear upon a nation with the prospect of a bumbling FPJ presidency. It made us turn a blind eye to the blatant misuse of government funds for her campaign. It was a minor sin (not really that evil, we reasoned) we were willing to gloss over to save us from the certainty of economic perdition that an FPJ presidency would surely bring.

Today, GMA terrorizes us with the same fear - this time of the prospect of a blundering Noli presidency, or worse - the return of Erap and his cabals. She begrudgingly admits that this is all just a lapse in judgment, and tells us "Let's put this behind us, and let's move forward. Either that, or face the prospect of economic reversal." Sadly, there are many who buy this deceitful lie, and who are all too willing to condone such a grievous crime as cheating her way into office, for the sake of the economy. or so they believe.

But if we allow this, where do you draw the line? Next thing we see, she declares martial law, and we begin to cheer her because now she can decisively deal with those trying to destabilize her regime. They would sell this, too, as the lesser evil.

It's time to say "Tama na. Sobra na."

The worst kind of evil is one that surreptitiously makes people condone it while making them believe they do so for a higher good. That is the kind of evil that GMA is. No. she is definitely not the lesser evil.

It's time to speak up and be counted. The worst thing we can do in times like this is to wait on the sidelines and do nothing. Visit www.SaveTheRepublic.net now.

God bless and God save our republic.

enteng

e-Mandirigma

Arangkada for July 19, 2005

 

MAS SUNGAYAN

 

Kinsa man karoy namakak? Ang nang-resign nga mga sakop sa gabinete nga nipahibawo sa niaging semana nga dunay ubang mga sakop sa gabinete nga mosunod nila? O ang mga nagpabilin sa gabinete nga niinsistir nga usa sa nang-resign mobalik sa pagsuporta ni Presidente Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo?

Sa akong pagsuwat ini, wa pay bisan sa nang-resign nga nibalik sa gabinete, samtang dugang tulo ka sakop sa gabinete ang nibiya sa ilang mga puwesto:

• Victoria Garchitorena, senior adviser on good governance and poverty alleviation;
• Cora Guidote, consultant for investor relations; ug
• Silvestre Afable, communications director.

-o0o-

Lain ning ebidensiya nga ang nahibiling mga sakop sa gabinete gigamit nang Presidente Arroyo sa pagsangyaw og bakak nga kasayuran ngadto sa katawhan. Nakadugang ni sa kaligdong sa pasangil sa nang-resign nga mga sakop sa gabinete nga ang tanang panahon karon sa Malakanyang gisentro na sa paghaw-as sa presidente gikan sa politikanhong krisis nga iyang nalubngan, hinikalimtan ang mas importante ug mas dinaliang panginahanglan sa nasud ug sa katawhan.

Mangiyugpos ba lang ta atubangan sa abundang ebidensiya nga gigamit nang Presidente Arroyo di lang ang iyang gabinete kon dili hastang lokal nga mga opisyal, kinatibuk-ang makinarya sa gobyerno ug bisan ang pribadong media organizations aron paglubag sa sentimento sa kinabag-an sa katawhan sa tibuok nasud, di lang sa Metro Manila, nga wa nay pagsalig sa kaligdong ug katakos sa iyang liderato?

-o0o-

Para sa mga kumbinsidong si Presidente Arroyo ang "lesser evil," niay tubag si Vicente Romano III sa elagda.com: "The worst kind of evil is one that surreptitiously makes people condone it while making them believe they do so for a higher good. That is the kind of evil that GMA is. No. She is definitely not the lesser evil."

Nipasidaan si Romano nga kon pasagdan ang maniobra ni Presidente Arroyo moabot ang adlaw nga ideklarar niyang martial law ug awhagon ang katawhan pagpakpak sa iyang kaisog pagsukol sa iyang mga kaatbang. Ang martial law, matod ni Romano, segurong ibaligya na sab sa administrasyon nga "lesser evil."

-o0o-

Nisiwil ang sidsid sa sayal sa Malakanyang. Human gipagawas ni Ilocos Sur Governor Luis "Chavit' Singson ang "X-Tape" sa giingong plano ni kanhi presidente Joseph Estrada pag-ilog sa liderato gikan ni Presidente Arroyo, nanudya dayon si Presidential Management Staff Chief Rigoberto Tiglao nga tungod sa pagpagawas sa oposisyon sa "Garci tapes," di kapugngan ang pagtumaw sa ubang audio recording nga ilegal sang nakuha.

Ang "X-Tape" nga klarong peke nakapasamot pagpalig-on sa kaso batok sa administrasyon. Klarong ISAFP maoy responsable sa duha ka recordings. Nganong gitugotan mang Presidente Arroyo ang wiretapping nga klarong way pagtugot sa korte? Gawas nilang Erap ug kanhi Comelec Commissioner Garcillano, kinsa pa may ubang ilegal niyang gipapanid-an? [30]  leo_lastimosa@abs-cbn.com

X-Tapes Spliced

Posted by Alecks Pabico 
PCIJ

THANKS to digital technology, one is able to preserve the audio characteristics of any sound clip from the source for purposes of making a detailed analysis even if they are copied/downloaded several times.

A concerned audiophile, who wishes to remain anonymous, made his own analysis of the audio characteristics of the "Chavit X-Tapes" and sent it to us. He examined in particular the third and sixth tracks, in an attempt to compare the portion where former Pres. Joseph Estrada mentioned the word "Hello."

His conclusions confirm our own suspicions about the Chavit-released tapes earlier in this blog:

• The "Hello" audio of Track 06 is identical to the "Hello" audio of Track 03.

  It is scientifically impossible to have two identical audio wave transitions between two separate instances of any conversation even if the audio information is coming from a single individual. Having such identical characteristics could only happen if the audio transitions are "digitally" copied to another clip.

  The analysis also found that Track 06 conversation transitions are not "natural" as compared to Track 03 which shows common ambient background characteristics.

• The "Hello" audio of Track 03 was "copied" to Track 06 and Track 06 is "heavily" spliced.

Below are the plate images of the analysis of the two tracks (Track 03 and Track 06) comparing the wave properties of Erap's "Hello":

• PLATE 1: Upper portion is a graphical wave display of Track 03 (left channel). Lower portion is Track 06's wave display (right channel) combined in one audio file.

• PLATE 2: Zooming in on Erap's "Hello" portion already shows identical wave properties between the two tracks.

• PLATE 3: Zooming in at head portion of the "Hello" audio, you could easily see radical wave transitions that are 100% identical on both tracks.

• PLATE 4: The same case at the end of the "Hello" audio — wave transitions are 100% identical.

• PLATE 5: Overall view of the "Hello" portion of the clip showing identical wave transitions.

• PLATE 6: Plate showing 60HZ buzz noise on "Man2" (unidentified male) background. In a telephone conversation, usually both parties' background noise is shared but in this case, each party has its own background audio characteristics which is usually apparent on "spliced" clips.

Neal Cruz

As I See It : Happy days here again for solons, local officials

Neal Cruz opinion@inquirer.com.ph
Inquirer News Service

WHY are there so many governors and mayors in Metro Manila? Somebody asked this question at a gathering last Saturday. Shouldn't they be in their hometowns and provinces attending to the needs of their constituents?

"They were summoned here to pledge support to President Macapagal-Arroyo," was the answer.

"Why are they so eager to go to Malacañang?" was the next question.

"Because of the pabaon that each of them gets."

Indeed, proceeds from the expanded VAT have not yet been collected but they are already being spent and distributed by Malacañang. And because of the impending impeachment complaint against GMA (Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo), happy days are here again for the congressmen and, soon, for the senators. Administration congressmen were seen trooping to the Palace to pledge support for GMA and when they went out, they were seen to be very happy.

Suddenly, the budget department has also been ordered to release pork barrel allocations to congressmen. Not so long ago, it was very hard to get fund releases for projects because the budget secretary had a hard time scraping up enough funds. Now that Emilia Boncodin is no longer the budget secretary, the department is very generous.

"If the stalemate over the presidency continues some more, the government will go bankrupt," somebody quipped.

Indeed, as some of the Hyatt 10 Cabinet members who resigned and asked GMA to do the same said, all the priorities of government are to ensure her political survival; governance takes the back seat.

* * *

Speaking of the Hyatt 10, Senate President Franklin Drilon told newsmen that there were originally 17 Cabinet members who had decided to resign but seven balked at asking the President to step down. So they did not join the first 10. But they have submitted or are about to submit resignations.

This account of Drilon confirmed the statement of former presidential adviser on the peace process Teresita Deles that more resignations of Cabinet members will follow.

Drilon also denied that he went to Hong Kong to talk to Vice President Noli de Castro. "I went there to talk to the President," he said.

What did they talk about?

"Briefly, what reforms she has to do to save her administration. I told her, 'Mrs. President, the perception of the public is that your husband is involved in governance, not only in appointments, [but] also in government contracts. This is not good. Do something about it because this erodes your ability to govern.'"

Drilon also said that the President is making too many compromises. "When you want to act in order to survive," he said, "you are liable to make too many compromises. Precisely, because of these compromises that you do in order to survive, that makes it difficult for you to govern. In fact, look at what is happening now. Former President Ramos is there. The projection is that he is the one running this government."

Drilon denied that he wanted to be vice president and executive secretary in a Noli de Castro presidency. "I have been there." He said he has been in the Cabinet for eight years and has been through all the positions. "I am not interested in going back to the Cabinet. Mas maganda ang buhay namin dito sa Senado." (Life is better in the Senate.)

* * *

Tomorrow will be the moment of truth for the Equitable-PCI Bank when its stockholders meet to elect its new board of directors. The fight for control of the bank between the Go family, founders of Equitable and the SSS-GSIS group is very bitter and has reached the courts, the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Bangko Sentral, which finally disqualified Roberto R. Romulo, a Go ally, from being one of the independent directors of the bank.

Romulo blamed "the continuing effort of Banco de Oro and its owners (the family of Henry Sy) to gain control of EPCIB." BDO officials have admitted that they are keen on merging with EPCIB. And that's where the trouble starts.

The EPCIB has an anti-competitor provision in its by-laws that prevents the entry of BDO officials into its board. It is now a settled rule in the private sector that a private corporation can reject the nomination to its board of persons representing the interests of competitors. "BDO now wants to enter the board through the back door," with the help of the Social Security System and the Government Service Insurance System, said Romulo. The SSS and GSIS have a combined 40 percent of EPCIB shares (SSS 29 percent, GSIS 11 percent) which entitle them to occupy a sufficient number of board seats to control the bank. The Go family has only 25 percent, but it controls the bank's management.

However, the investment guidelines of our investment funds (SSS and GSIS) expressly prohibit them from taking over companies they invest in. Moreover, SSS and GSIS officials are just temporary trustees of their members, who are the true owners of the funds, Romulo said.

In December 2003, BDO tried to buy the SSS-GSIS shares but it was foiled. This triggered a Senate investigation because there was no bidding conducted for the sale of the shareholdings, contrary to the rules on equity divestment of government-owned assets.

Worse, the transaction would have meant a loss of P8.067 billion to SSS members. The SSS and GSIS acquired the EPCIB shares at P94 per share during the incumbency of President Estrada. The SSS agreed to sell its shares to BDO at only P43.5 per share during the incumbency of President Macapagal-Arroyo.

The possibility of this deal being consummated will depend on the outcome of the EPCIB stockholders' meeting tomorrow.

De Quiros Column

There's The Rub : Roads

Conrado de Quiros dequiros@info.com.ph
Inquirer News Service

WATCHING GMA (Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo) last week tell the world with a straight face that it wasn't a matter of popularity, she had the vision, her enemies could only lead the country down the road to nowhere, I saw Marcos. That is one of the many things they have in common. Marcos could lie with conviction. It wasn't just that he was a good liar, it was that he actually believed his lie. He had internalized it to a point that it took on the aspect of truth etched in tablet-or in his mind. GMA is like that, too.

While saying it wasn't a popularity contest, GMA, of course, was preparing for a rally that would make her look popular. I would learn later that all the owners of the establishments in Baywalk were required to attend the rally, an order that probably came from Lito Atienza. All of which reminded me of Marcos' attempts at "hakot power" during the "snap elections" of 1986.

"This fight isn't about me," GMA told an audience of Fil-Ams, "it's about working within the rule of law and the virtue of democracy that we share with many countries, especially with the United States."

I don't know why the US Embassy didn't list the Fil-Ams who graced the event under the category of undesirable aliens. To be told by GMA that she shared a passion for democracy with Americans and not protest it is to not be an American. Can you imagine how Americans would react to knowing that their president talked to one of their election officials during the counting of votes? Can you imagine how Americans would react to their president admitting so but telling them to put it behind them and move on? Can you imagine how Americans would react to being told to not protest it violently out of respect for the law?

You'd have a revolution in America. Yet here all we saw were those Fil-Ams grinning from ear to ear and making the thumbs-up sign. Thumbs up to what?

What took the cake, of course, was GMA saying only she could lead the country to salvation, her enemies could lead it only on the road to nowhere. My cell phone was deluged by text messages that are not fit to print. I myself have always wanted to propose that TV carry a warning that says, "GMA causes hypertension, emphysema and cancer." I've had to tell friends to take life, including GMA-though they would protest the association-with a little more humor or end up drawing heavily on their health insurance. I'm not being entirely facetious when I say that GMA has not only caused more corruption, poverty and natural disasters, she has also caused more patients in hospitals.

At the very least, of course, better a road that leads nowhere rather than one that leads to perdition. The candidates the Comelec routinely weed out as "nuisance candidates" clearly have better programs than GMA for the simple reason that they do not include her. Their idea of love, peace and music may at least be argued to be possible, GMA's idea of democracy, decency and prosperity may not.

But that is nothing. Because the real question is not who has the better program, it is who has the right to offer any program. A thief may not scoff at the owner of a cell phone he has stolen and say he has a right to keep it because he has a better use for it while all the owner does is make tsismis with it. GMA may not scoff at the voters whose votes she has stolen and say she has a better use for the presidency, all the voters do is waste their votes on people like FPJ.

But we may not go without comment on the road GMA proffers. A year ago, shortly before the elections, I wrote a couple of columns, the first titled "Scary" and the other "More than ever, scary," both about GMA. In the first one, I said I had not seen such a scale of ambition and ruthlessness in anyone since Marcos. Not from Cory (Aquino), not from (Fidel) Ramos, not from Erap (Joseph Estrada).

Marcos won a second term by unleashing guns, goons and gold to an unprecedented level. GMA looked headed to a second term because she was unleashing gold, goons and guns to an unprecedented level. Marcos dreamt of ruling forever. GMA dreams of ruling forever.

A GMA supporter wrote angrily to say surely I knew in my heart that wasn't true, GMA was no Marcos. I replied in the second column that, on the contrary, I not only knew it to be true, I felt it to the very marrow of my bones. Was it possible, I asked, that people could not actually see how this person's compulsive drive to power resembled Marcos'? I look at our situation today and I am astounded at how we are reliving the nightmare all over again.

But there is one very fundamental difference between Marcos and GMA. That was that Marcos at least won the right to be president twice. He won the elections against Diosdado Macapagal in 1965 and against Sergio Osmeña in 1969. The irony in the latter was that he cheated when he never needed to. That isn't the case at all with GMA.

I look at our situation today and I am astounded even more by the fact that the one person who has wrought the worst crisis in this country since Marcos is one who never won the right to lead it. One who became President in 2001 without earning the moral right to, hiding under the bed while the battle was raging, and later thanking not Cory or Cardinal Sin, who took her by the hand when it was safe, but a Pope who was too dead to contradict her. And one who became President in 2004 without having the legal right to, conniving with Hello Garci to defraud the voters but refusing to step down upon being found out, clinging to her position with a tenacity beyond the powers of Epoxy or Mighty Bond to effect. Talk of tragedy repeating itself as farce.

But the consequence is bound to be the same: martial law, official or de facto. That is the road GMA offers.

Walking down that road has the same sensation as being flushed down the drain.

Inquirer Editorial

MALACA?ANG seems to have settled on a new strategy for dealing with the political crisis that is rooted in allegations of election fraud: Run last year's campaign all over again.

This is a gross error, because it mistakes mere motion for actual movement. It confuses the requirements of public relations with the requisites of governance. Not least, it hardens public perception that political survival is indeed President Macapagal-Arroyo's only objective, as the Hyatt 10 had warned.

It is a serious mistake, but one that's easy to understand. It worked the first time around. Last year, the make-work initiative gave a considerable number of out-of-work adults and out-of-school youth simple short-term but high-visibility jobs; the T-shirts they wore were walking advertisements for the President. PhilHealth cards were also issued to at least 5 million Filipinos during last year's campaign, with the President's face on the health insurance cards and the administration footing the bill for the first year's premiums. Both programs were controversial; the alleged diversion of the road-users' tax to finance the temporary employment program, in particular, was attacked as unconstitutional.

But they did what they were supposed to do; together with a tsunami of advertising and a series of effective town-hall open forums moderated by her running mate, then-Sen. Noli De Castro, the campaign's centerpiece programs helped the President raise her survey numbers and create an aura of inevitability.

Now the President proposes to do it all over again.

On the PhilHealth cards: "The Philippine national government gave the first year's premium with the hope that the local government will give the second year's premiums for indigents. But because these programs have become valuable for the local governments that are not able to provide the premium for another year, the national government will help to renew that insurance," she said. First estimate of total cost: P4 billion.

On the emergency employment program: "I have a budget of P2 billion for that. One part of it will go to the pavement [rehabilitation] which has to be done more professionally by the companies but the other part [involves] things that can be done manually. We hope that after it worked so well last year, it will also work this year to help reduce the unemployment problem," she said.

In making the announcement, Ms Arroyo also sought to soothe funding concerns. "With the increased tax collection from our phase one reforms [the increase in taxes on beer and cigarettes], we can now focus more money on things that will hopefully affect the poor more directly."

The two initiatives will certainly impact on the poor "more directly." But that doesn't necessarily mean that the administration should proceed with them, or even that the time is ripe for proceeding.

In the first place, it is premature to declare that "phase one" of the reform agenda has been completed. The expanded Value Added Tax law, to point only to the most prominent exception, continues to hang fire at the Supreme Court. To begin new spending programs before the new law is upheld is fiscally irresponsible.

Secondly, the proposed spending is itself suspect. The administration has the burden of explaining to the business community, the constituency that is tracking the reform agenda most closely, that these billion-peso programs were already on the drawing boards before the political crisis struck. (That will take some doing; the PhilHealth second-year premiums fell due last February and March.) To spend new money without the support of the business community is therefore politically risky.

Thirdly, the twin programs will reinforce public perception about last year's elections: That the President may have bribed, stolen, cheated or forced her way to the winning column. Palace advisers may have recommended that the President take a leaf from the political handbook of her Georgetown classmate Bill Clinton. But a perpetual campaign will only rub an already over-patient public the wrong way. The Arroyo administration needs a new controversy over warmed-over election gimmicks like a large hole in a very small head.