Sellout

A lot has already been said about the reported alliance between the supposedly Genuine Opposition(GO) Senators Villar, Cayetano, Escudero, Jinggoy Estrada with their pro-Administration counterparts in the battle for the Senate Presidency. The Black and White Movement has issued its Urgent Appeal. Other bloggers (here and here) have done so as well. Manolo Quezon while gallantly trying to put things into context, likewise criticized the actions of the Senators as the wrong kind of addition. Ellen Tordesillas who has supported the GO candidates through thick and thin likewise expressed her disappointment especially with Alan Peter Cayetano. In a series of comments, i believe blogger (and Ellenville regular) Yuko Takei, best reflects the sentiment of the majority who voted for the opposition:

"...Villar, et al should not forget that the reason why the Filipinos voted for them was to oppose the creeps from succeeding in abolishing the Senate with the creeps bent on establishing a unicameral legislative under a monarchy with the criminal promising her supporters most probably this and that title if they help her fulfill her ambition to be queen...

...Let’s face it. Malacanang had Plan B, and it has succeeded with its plan to break up the Opposition because Binay had not been wiser NOT to include the likes of Villar, with or wiithout the consent of Erap. I had a feeling something like this would happen and why I was reluctant to accept Villar, Pangilinan and even Legarda as a matter of fact, but pakikisama, I promoted GO in Japan with emphasis on Trillanes.

Doon lang nga nakatimbog si Binay kay Trillanes, who has proven to be the only genuine opposition. Thanks to the 11M enlightened Filipinos who voted for him and proved what they could in fact do and achieve. They will surely remember that. By 2010, their number will not just double but triple, etc...

...I felt betrayed especially regarding Cayetano, but it’s OK. Maaga mas mabuti! You should not feel confused and defeated, too. We can fight as a matter of fact to avenge ourselves!!!"

By failing to demonstrate purity of intent, the crisis of representation continues. The actions of our newly elected Opposition Senators' is one more blow to representative democracy in the Philippines, another failure of the principal-agent relationship between the voters and the elected. Starting at least with Erap's election in 1998, the faith of the people in our restored democracy has taken a beating and the recent shortsighted actions of these young and once promising new breed of Senators is one more step in this continuing loss of credibility.

Update 6:40PM: Over at Ellen's, commenter Sampot voices out a sentiment that i believe will be increasingly popular in the wake of this fiasco:

"The last election is my last.

In fact i was hesitant then to participate because politics in this country seems like a roller coaster ride.

Yesterday, it’s the Filipino Voter who doesn’t seem to know how to choose a candidate. Today, it’s the winning candidate who doesn’t seem to know how to choose between the interests of the people against his own.

These people are not only offered Committee Chairmanships but Cabinet Positions.

I can hardly remember who once said this, “My loyalty to the party ends, where my loyalty to the people begins.”

Why can’t we accept the fact that the solution is beyond routine flock to the precincts? We need to dismantle the whole system and establish a Caretaker Government.

The only reason why i did participate in the last elections was Trillanes."

It's interesting that the credibility of our democracy is now in the hands of an alleged coup plotter. Personally, i don't believe a 'caretaker' government is a step in the right direction since Filipino leaders get too easily drunk with power, but such desperation is understandable.