Aug 2, 2005

 

Joseph Mussomeli loves Gloria Arroyo

Joseph Mussomeli, the top US diplomat in the Philippines, spoke about his love for Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. He said that Arroyo will survive the crisis and criticized moves towards a People Power uprising that will oust her from the presidency. (Mike Arroyo would have had a heart attack listening to Mussomeli at the FOCAP press forum.)

It is but natural for the US Embassy to articulate such views, considering the neocolonial status of the Philippines. As imperious chief representative of US imperialism in the Philippines, Mussomeli has the sworn duty to declare its best interests in the country inspite of the trappings of a so-called Republic of the Philippines.

Mussomeli has several reasons to fear the burgeoning anti-Arroyo movement.

First, Mussomeli and his government know full well of the big probability of Arroyo's removal either through People Power or through impeachment. Public sentiment is strongly against the US puppet Arroyo. It would be a threat to US interests if the US puppet would be given the boot quite abruptly or merely a bit over year since assuming the presidency through the most fraudulent means. Mussomeli likes Arroyo's obeisance to US interests, her abiding loyalty to George W. Bush's war of terror and for following to the letter all the prescriptions of US-led agencies WTO, WB and the IMF (Read: Taxes and more taxes, high prices, low wages, foreign debt payments, etc.).

Secondly, the US Embassy fears not the weakening of political institutions per so but the failure of pro-US institutions dominated by the pro-imperialist elite. Another People Power uprising may be healthy for the Filipino people in so far as punishing Arroyo's cheating, lying and oppressive rule. But for the US, that is already going overboard because the long-term hold of the US, made through embeded pro-US trapos, would be obviously threatened. The US abhors the idea of a politically-mature and independent-minded Filipinos.

Third, Mussomeli would love Arroyo to undertake the Charter Change. It is an initiative full of quid pro quos among the local elite: 1) bayaran at suhulan between Arroyo and the legislators; 2) creation of new opportunities for more corruption and more intense exploitation of people and more perverse corruption under a parliamentary-federal setup that may silence opposition to Chacha from among trapos; 3) lifting of whatever protectionist provisions left in the Chacha to favor, yes oh yes, the interests of the very country Mussomeli represents.

Lest we forget, the US has long wanted Chacha principally to remove all restrictions to the sellout by neocolonial trapos of our most vital public utilities, companies and industries. It wants to gobble up our forests and mines that, under the current Constitution's provisions, may only be exploited by Filipinos. It also seeks to water down the Bill of Rights so that the neocolonial state would be able to rein in on critics of US domination, be they armed or unarmed, legal or illegal.

Mussomeli is being transparent in his statements of love for Arroyo. US interests are first and last; Philippine interests are relegated to the garbage bin.

Simply put, the US wants to keep Arroyo in power and obtain a more pro-imperialist Constitution -- inspite of our people's strong objections.

Be that as it may, Mussomeli may have the surprise of his life. He may reap for the US the same level of disgust for Arroyo and help expand the anti-imperialist movement in the Philippines. His love for Arroyo may be what activists need in punctuating the need for a truly independent and democratic Philippines.





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