GAME OF GENERALS

I have long been wondering what is really behind Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's mind for 2010 election. it seems that this lady has a tack for playing game of generals.

The Game of the Generals, also called Salpakan in Tagalog and simply The Generals, is an educational wargame invented in the Philippines by Sofronio H. Pasola, Jr. in 1970. It can be played within twenty to thirty minutes. It is designed for two players and requires the use of logic. The games simulates armies at war trying to outflank and outmaneuver each other. As in actual warfare, the game allows only one side's plan to succeed. Certain strategies and tactics, however, allow both sides the chances of securing a better idea of the other's plans as the game progresses. Players can also speak with others during matches, hoping to make a false impression on where the flag is.

The objective of the game is to eliminate or capture the flag of one's opponent, or to maneuver one's flag to the other end of the board. winning the game sometime needs to create a decoy, something that would appear to be a flag so that the flag can go through enemy lines unnoticed.

In the case of Ms. Arroyo strategy come 2010 presidential election, everybody is aware that any endorsement made by her is a kiss of death. Gloria Arroyo is also aware of this that she is a lame endorser of candidates. That happened in the 2004 election where had they not cheated, only a handful of senators from the administration could make it to the senate.

We also know that she is really inclined to pursue the charter change, and change the form of government from presidential to parliamentary. Many are speculating that she is eyeing for the prime minister position after her presidency.

Looking in the past, Gloria and her cohorts in congress have attempted several times to pass a law that would allow them to change the charter but to no avail. They would create a scenario that would cause a need to change the charter but the supreme court stopped them. That was the failed Mindanao peace agreement. They would really turn heaven and earth to manipulate the law just to get to their objective and now she is left with few more cards, and one would be the election. We think that she wants to stay in power.

Now Gloria is running for congress. A very unusual humility from a politician who is already at the top of her career to move down the ranks to submit herself for reelection to be a congresswoman.

So, it is said that she wants to change the charter to become a prime minister. Changing the charter did not succeed so therefore she has to circumvent the law by running for congress with the goal of becoming the speaker of the house, change the charter then get appointed to be the prime minister. Very cunning if ever this is true.

As of late, the surveys showed that almost 80% of the people would not vote for Gloria's endorsees, and she endorsed Gilbert Teodoro for president, so therefore basing on the thought that her endorsements are a kiss of death and as what the survey showed, there is a slim chance that Teodoro is going to win the presidency.

If Teodoro, who is Gloria's supposed president, will not win the election and Gloria eventually becomes a congresswoman, then there has got to be somebody that Gloria have in mind to work with her for the charter change otherwise she will be left hanging in the chambers for nothing. I don't believe that she is banking on Teodoro - he must be a decoy.

If Teodoro is a decoy then who could be Gloria's president to hand her the prime minister position? The president of the land usually has a hand in the goings and outs of congress, he gains control of congress and influences it to do wherever he wants to lead them to, therefore it is unlikely that Gloria would be supporting a losing candidate if she intends to end up the prime minister in the final analysis.

The leading candidate in the presidential survey is Noynoy Aquino, Manny villar and Joseph Estrada. Noynoy Aquino is a staunch Gloria critique, Joseph Estrada might just get disqualified so we are left with Manny Villar...do you think Manny Villar is Gloria's man?