The end for GMA is near but…

Today’s chorus was spectacular: Former President Cory Aquino, the Makati Business Club, the Liberal Party and ten members of the Cabinet have joined the growing movement for Mrs. Arroyo’s resignation.

Across the capital, rallies erupted in Welcome Rotunda, Ayala Avenue and elsewhere in order to celebrate the growing national consensus for a GMA-free presidency.

The latest defections give an almost-fatal and nearly-mortal blow to GMA’s intransigence. They represent pillars of the ruling elite who have long supported GMA but now view her as a liability to the stability of the system and to the pursuit of pro-imperialist and elitist “reforms”.

As Bayan Muna rightly put it, the end for GMA is almost here, the countdown has started. But the people should be wary of how the elite would like the end to look and feel like.

Former President Ramos is proposing Charter Change “ASAP”, with GMA remaining as president as the changes are being undertaken. The idea looks like a “honorable exit strategy” while at the same time inserts into the political debate today the long-running attempts to tinker with the Charter and make the latter compliant with the demands of imperialist globalization.

Most of the anti-GMA from the privileged and upper middle classes advocate “constitutional” succession by Noli de Castro. They could not perhaps countenance the probability of either an Opposition takeover or the progressive “council for unity and renewal” as caretaker government. The latter perhaps miffs the elitists because it may catapult to powerful positions representatives of workers, farmers, urban poor, professionals and SMEs. That is distasteful for the elite because it will undercut their hold on political power.