***

Malacañang said that the Melo commission report cannot be released because it is "incomplete". If it was incomplete, why did the Melo Commission submit it? What does Malacañang mean by "incomplete?"; That the report is inconclusive and a review is needed? How can Malacañang say that the report is incomplete or inconclusive when it took the Melo Commission plenty of time and effort in making the investigation. The Commission talked to all parties concerned on the killings. Or it is possible that the administration is trying to hide something or some personalities involved in the killings.

***

The critics of PGMA should better change their strategy in attacking the President. Note that despite their efforts to keep on calling her a cheater, a liar or an illegitimate President, PGMA is still the sitting president. It is almost impossible for the congressional candidates of the opposition to gain enough seats in the House of Representatives to be able to impeach the President. The opposition may win the senatorial contest. But I see a status quo in the House. It looks like we will have more political turbulence among Malacañang, the Senate and the House of Representatives.

***

Don’t be surprised if we have more Party-list congressmen in the House of Representative after the May election this year. The Comelec approved the application of 44 out of 153 organizations to participate on May elections.

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No matter how Malacañang denies it, President Arroyo is the main issue in the May 14 elections. The opposition will focus its attack against the President’s governance. But the opposition cannot be too sure of this formula. They still have to contend with the huge and mighty political machine of the administration.

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Email from Ms. Aurora N. Riel (aurora_riel@yahoo.com) 503 East High St., Murfreesboro, NC USA: "Dirty as the politics in the Philippines has become, maybe if the GMA Comelec does not declare the impostor Pepito Peter Cayetano a Peter Piper Nuisance, people who will vote for Rep. Allan Peter Cayetano should be encouraged to write in: Rep. Cayetano or just Allan Peter."

***

On the other hand, Malacañang and the Unity Team candidates are saying that the issue of May 14 elections is a Gloria-Erap contest. This could be more effective because Erap Estrada is a deposed president while PGMA supporters can always claim that she was never impeached. Former President Estrada was impeached by the House of Representatives. He was forced to leave the Palace by the Edsa II People Power revolution.

***

The war of campaign materials is on. Supporters of both the administration and opposition camps have put up posters and streamers in urban centers – walls, posts, foot-bridges, the MRT-LRT pillars, etc. This has prompted Chairman Benjamin Abalos to warn candidates to follow Comelec guidelines to use plazas and open spaces determined by the agency. But candidates are asking: Where are these Comelec ad spaces?

***

Senate re-electionist Ralph Recto and Joker Arroyo have turned apologists of the administration. How can they justify this? During their Senate stint, they opposed President Arroyo on major issues including her order placing under a state of emergency, railroading Constitutional change that would abolish the Senate and committing "grave blunders" on big-time deals and contracts. But defending their move to join the Senate administration ticket, they now say "No one can deny that the country is moving forward. The political choice in the coming election is trip up the country or help it along." It’s election time and not surprisingly, we shall find politicians speaking in different tongues.

***

It cannot be denied that Recto and Arroyo outstanding senators. Their joining the Team Unity is therefore a plus factor for the administration slate. But the question is whether it is a minus factor for them. As former oppositionists joining avid loyalists, Recto and Arroyo appear to be with strange bedfellows in Team Unity.

***

Meanwhile the addition of Ms. Sonia Roco and Navy Lt. (s.g.) Antonio Trillanes in the UNO lineup is a plus factor for the UNO. The positive feeling for the late Raul Roco is still there; Trillanes is expected to win the votes of his comrades in the AFP. Roco and Trillanes push the prospects of UNO to win the majority of the senatorial positions.

***

Re-electionist Francis Pangilinan revealed that he had not spoken to anyone in the United Opposition about moves to adopt him in the opposition ticket. And while he is "surprised" by the inclusion, he is nevertheless thankful for the trust shown him by UNO. But apparently, Pangilinan won’t join the UNO campaign band. An independent UNO, that’s Sen. Pangilinan.

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The 19th Teodoro F. Valencia lectures on journalism is now on its 3rd week. The lectures are held every Friday from 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the T.F. Valencia Media Study Center, T.M. Kalaw St., Rizal Park. Thousands of journalism and mass communications students and teachers have attended the lecture series. Many are now working in media outlets, including advertising firms. The lectures which would last until March 23, are under the auspices of the Teodoro F. Valencia Foundation Inc. and sponsored by the Philippine Trust Co., Ayala Foundation Inc., Manila Electric Co., Rizal Commercial Banking Corp., GMA-7 Network Inc., Philippine . National Bank, Landbank of the Philippines, San Miguel Corp. and Manila Mayor Jose "Lito" Atienza Jr.

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It was North Korea that blinked after all. Last Tuesday the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea signed an agreement to shut down and seal its main nuclear reactor in Yongbyon, list all other nuclear facilities in exchange for energy, economic, and humanitarian assistance. The six-countries involved in the negotiation were China, Japan, Russia, United States, South Korea and North Korea. Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo hailed the agreement as a leeway towards a more stable and secure Asia.