CORE ISSUE: Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was not a candidate for president, but the opposition succeeded in setting her up as the core issue in the bruising campaign that saw the drubbing of candidates perceived, rightly or wrongly, to be her chosen ones.

The emerging results of the May 10 elections confirm this marketing success of anti-Arroyo forces in selling Sen. Noynoy Aquino of the Liberal Party as the answer to what they claimed was the runaway corruption in her administration.

Rekindling nostalgia over the People Power phenomenon that toppled the Marcos dictatorship in 1986, opposition strategists developed the line that the people are again longing to be liberated from the impoverishing effects of massive corruption.

The line adds that Filipinos can liberate themselves by installing the only son of Cory Aquino, the saintly icon who brought down Marcos just by being her pure uncorrupted self. The mass mechanism is the May 10 elections, with People Power as fallback if victory is stolen from the people at the polls.

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ASSOCIATION: The plot would become reality only by the mind-conditioning of the public that Arroyo is the epitome of evil, by revving up a campaign of hate and vengeance, and then identifying Arroyo with whoever has to be destroyed by association.

It was easier to highlight corruption in the Arroyo administration, because it has been magnified and kicked around by media foraging for bad news, than finding serious fault in the half-dozen rivals of Noynoy Aquino for the presidency.

So alleged corruption of President Arroyo was made the core issue. As is done in the artillery, after zeroing in on the target, “fire for effect” is ordered and destruction rains on the victim.

Subjected to unrelenting accusations and ridicule, the President is unable to fend off attacks whatever she does or says.

The next step is to associate her battered, hated figure to the presidential candidate posing the biggest threat to Noynoy.

May 10 was like EDSA-1 repeating itself. But instead of Marcos, Arroyo was the target. And instead of Cory, it was her son Noynoy toppling the despised figure represented by her anointed candidate.

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FOR SHOW ONLY?: Was the politics of hate that marked the Liberal Party campaign then only for show? No outsider knows.

The Aquinos and the Arroyos belong to the same elite who just pass the reins of power in round-robin fashion. The ruling class is known to be inclined to protect the status quo and its own kind.

But the voters who were simple enough to believe the exaggerated rhetoric of the campaign expect fireworks soon after the Aquinos march into the Palace that the family once occupied after the Marcoses were driven into exile after EDSA-1.

Corazon “Dinky” Soliman, of “Hyatt 10” (former Arroyo Cabinet officials now awaiting posting by Aquino), who is expected to return as social welfare secretary, has served notice that the incoming president will make good his threat to go after the Arroyos.

She said: “Senator Noy has said that it is important that Ms Arroyo be made to account for all the issues that have been raised against her, specifically issues on corruption, stealing and even… killing because I know there are groups that are ready (to file) cases in our courts, and even in international courts, on those three issues.”

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FAIT ACCOMPLI: Aquino has said he would form a body to rake up the “Hello Garci” poll fraud scandal and the P728-million fertilizer fund scam related to the 2004 elections.

He said he intended to undo the Arroyo “midnight” appointments, including that of the successor of Chief Justice Reynato Puno who retires on May 17, as well as deals that Ms Arroyo made in the last months of her term.

Arroyo will have his first major political and legal tests when he is confronted with the fait accompli of the appointment of Senior Associate Justice Renato Corona as Chief Justice.

He warned during the campaign that he would not recognize any CJ appointment to be made by Ms Arroyo.

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FORCING THE ISSUE: Yesterday, President Arroyo forced the issue and appointed Corona, to take effect upon the exit of Puno. The only way Aquino can undo this is to go to the Supreme Court to question the constitutionality of the appointment.

That will be a difficult bid since at least nine of the 15 justices (to be reduced to 14 with Puno’s retirement) of the Court have said twice in a row on the same issue that the sitting president (Arroyo) may validly appoint Puno’s successor.

There is no way in sight for the SC majority to change its mind, unless Aquino can present new, convincing arguments.

Vouching for the qualifications and integrity of Corona, Malacañang scoffed at insinuations he was beholden to President Arroyo.

Executive Secretary Leandro Mendoza said: “He (Corona) is the most senior among recommendees. He worked under many administrations, but he had been at SC for quite some time. He has all the qualifications.”

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HOORAY!: In my Postscript of April 27 (titled “Comelec insists it can do its job, so let it be”), I said:

“Let us leave the Comelec alone so it can concentrate on its difficult task of managing the country’s first semi-automatic elections. Kibitzers, including politicians, may want to minimize their presence and lower their noise level to zero so Jose Melo & Co. can work in peace.

“If they succeed in moderating the usual cheating and killing, and averting the predicted failure of election, hooray!

“But if they bungle the multibillion-peso operation, impeach the whole Comelec caboodle and burn the commissioners at the stake with those expensive voting machines chained to their legs.”

Hooray!