Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Q. Pimentel, Jr. (PDP-Laban) allayed the fears of fellow senators, particularly those eyeing the presidency or vice presidency, that the adoption of the federal system may cause the scrapping of the 2010 presidential election.

Much-respected Filipino columnist Antonio C. Abaya has been writing about his version of the worst-case and best-case scenarios for the Philippines. But in either case, Mr. Abaya has suggested that no matter what, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (PGMA) would continue to remain in power beyond June 30, 2010, when she is supposed to hand over the government to a newly-elected President. Again, this column says that Mr. Abaya is wrong and in fact, all bets are off on PGMA finishing her term. She could be deposed before Christmas in a peaceful EDSA-type revolution or in a bloody military takeover. If she refuses to emulate her predecessor and give up the presidential palace and seek asylum abroad, PGMA and some of the members of the First Family will end up in body bags, as Washington, DC-based writer Ado Paglinawan has forecast.