In a country bereft of good news, Pacquiao’s spectacular victory in the ring provided a shining moment, even for a day. His feat could be savored much longer for there is not much else to brag about.

After the euphoria dies down, it will be business as usual. Cha-cha will again be the soup of the day. For the uninitiated, Cha- cha is not ballroom dancing but a giant leap from the presidential system to a French-style parliament.

But Cha-cha is not likely to happen anytime soon. It’s not only the Senate that’s hellbent against it. There’s no mass support in sight. Therefore, expect President Gloria Arroyo to run the show through 2010.

Since GMA won’t either leave till then or cut her term short, the only way to unseat her is through people power or a military coup. Between the two options, a coup is a more clear and present danger to the Arroyo rule.

There’s ample ground for the government to fear an Oakwood 2 more than Edsa Dos. More and more young officers in active service are flexing their muscle for another power grab.

Nobody believes that the four Oakwood mutineers escaped from their heavily guarded cells without inside help. They were obviously let loose to send a message to the hierarchy that the chain of command is not only broken; it’s in complete disarray.

Others speculate this was a calculated move by the top brass so that the President will be beholden to them for their loyalty and support. In return, the President will dispense promotions to favored officers, as well as appoint retired generals as ambassadors and cabinet members or to juicy government positions.

Sometimes promotions can be carried to ridiculous proportions. For example, there is a major general in the Philippine Air Force who commands an airlift unit which turns out not to have a single plane in its complement.

Across the five major services of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, so many one to two-star generals practically do nothing but swivel in their chairs.

Apparently, to stay in power, the administration needs to keep the generals happy.

Poor country is being “nickeled-and-dimed.”