Watching and waiting

ALL eyes are on Vice President Noli de Castro, with talk going around that he is considering distancing himself from President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo whose fate is now being decided by the House of  Representatives.

De Castro remains mum,  "closely watching" the impeachment proceedings, say his staff.  What kept him busy today were the affairs of the housing sector,  more specifically the concerns of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council which he chairs.

De Castro, however, has also been listening to his advisers, the so-called Wednesday group composed of his former Senate buddies Joker Arroyo, Manny Villar, Ralph Recto and Francis Pangilinan.  One piece of advice the group reportedly offered de Castro was that he was supposed to be "serving the country and not the president."

Whether that would mean eventually breaking away from the administration is something that only the next few days will tell. While things continue to simmer at the House of Representatives, de Castro is continually gathering information and weighing his options. The vice president is expected to issue a statement within the week.

Five years ago, the statements and actions of another vice president were closely watched by the public. Then Vice President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, after hemming and hawing for months, finally broke away from the administration of then President Joseph Estrada, providing the anti-Estrada movement a way out of the crisis.  Whether  de Castro will do the same remains a mystery.

In an interview with newsmen last Saturday, he was asked whether he had anything to do with the Black & White movement, a grouping which included resigned cabinet members who are leading efforts to impeach President Arroyo.

De Castro denied having anything to that with Black-and-White. He would only say that he was on the side of the "white" which meant sticking by the side of honesty and purity.