MANILA —The current president of the Philippines, Gloria Arroyo, whose election in 2004 was deeply flawed, but probably not fraudulent, is currently beset by a sea of troubles that threaten to overwhelm her regime.
The economy is faltering, an energy crisis looms and investor confidence drains away as political uncertainty rises. At the end of November there was a coup attempt led by Sen. Antonio Trillanes who only got elected to the Upper House because of his notoriety after leading a previous attempt to overthrow Arroyo in 2003. He was elected from jail with 11 million, mainly military, votes to become one of the 12 senators voted in last May.
November's coup attempt was more farce than threat with the police and military swiftly arresting the plotters who had barricaded themselves into Manila's five-star Peninsula Hotel. Yet it was all too symbolic of Arroyo's and the country's situation.