Saturday, March 4, 2006

2001 'Leftist-Rightist' Coup d'etat -- in Mike Arroyo's Own Words


(via Political Junkie and Ellen Tordesillas)

In its March 5, 2001 issue, Graphic Magazine (one of the oldest in the Philippines) published the following account given by newly-ascended First Gentleman Mike Arroyo, of the "Edsa II People Power" events that culminated in the 20 January 2001 swearing in as President of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo by then Chief Justice Hilario G. Davide Jr. This interview is undeniable proof and testimony, from the mouth of one of the conspiracy's principal architects, that Edsa II is quite well described by the words used in the 2006 Proclamation 1017: "as elements in the political opposition have conspired with authoritarians of the extreme Left represented by the NDF-CPP-NPA and the extreme Right, represented by military adventurists...who are now in tactical alliance and engaged in a concerted and systematic conspiracy, over a broad front, to bring down the duly constituted Government..."

But here is First Gentleman Mike Arroyo describing his own 2001 Leftist Rightist Coup d'etat, in which, if you skip to the last paragraphs, he was prepared to use violent and riotous force in a march on Malacanang Palace to overthrow Joseph Estrada! --
FIRST GENT MIKE ARROYO (Graphic Magazine 5 Mar 2001):
"She had really left the Cabinet at the right moment: the timing was perfect. If she had tarried a moment longer, she would have been too late for EDSA: she would have made it there as an opportunist. And as for the ill-feeling in Metro Manila, we tackled that by going back to the door-to-door campaign: she went from barangay to barangay explaining her motives, outlining her program. And it worked. Then came the impeachment trial, and from there, tuloy-tuloy na.

"There was a time honestly, when I felt I erred in advising her to resign from the Cabinet. The masa in Manila apparently wanted her to stick it out with Erap. And when she started attacking him, everything fell on us - grabe!- everything! But I told myself: it's now or never; if we lose here we're totally destroyed and it's goodbye to her political career - but if we win here, she becomes President! So we really fought.

"We got all those Erap tapes from Ramon Jacinto and distributed them all over. We bought one million and a half million copies of Pinoy Times to give away so the public could read about the Erap mansions and bank accounts.

"And when EDSA happened, we texted everybody to go running there. EDSA, EDSA: everybody converge on EDSA! Panalo kung panalo. Patay kung patay! Jinggoy had already announced what they would do to us if they won.

"Chavit Singson had Plan B involving elements of the military to strike the first blow. They would kindle the spark by withdrawing from the government, and one by one others would follow: Class '71 would also withdraw, then Class '72, and so forth. But General de Villa warned that the timing had to be precise because one untimely move against the government and the military would automatically defend it. The move must be made at what De Villa called a 'defining moment.'

"You see, General De Villa had his Plan A, which was better than ours, because his was focused on the Chief of Staff and the Service Commanders. At past one o'clock p.m. January 19, Chief of Staff Angelo Reyes defected but we knew that already the night before, when negotiations had lasted until the small hours. By past 2 a.m. we knew Reyes had been convinced to join. His only condition was: Show us a million people on EDSA so it will b easier to bring in the service commanders.

"And they asked when the crowd was thickest; we told them: from three to five in the afternoon. So they agreed to come to EDSA at around that time. But while hiding in their safehouse, they got reports that General Calimlim could not be located and their first thought was: "He's out looking for us!" So they decided to rush to EDSA right away. When they got there, why there too at the Shrine was Calimlim! He had been looking for them all right, but to join them, not to arrest them!

"Our group there was a back-up strike force. In fact, it was our group that won over to our side the PNP first. If Panfilo Lacson had resisted, he and his men would have been repelled: there would have been bloodshed, but not on EDSA. In every place where Erap loyalists had a force, we had a counter-force to face it, with orders to shoot. And not only in Metro Manila. Carillo had already been sent to the provinces; and in Nueva Ecija, for instance, we had Rabosa. This was a fight to the finish. That's why those five days that Erap was demanding were so important. He was counting on counter-coups and baliktaran.

"I was negotiating with Pardo up to three o'clock in the morning: niloloko lang pala kami. But I told him point-blank: "If by six o'clock this morning you haven't given us the resignation letter, we will storm the gates of Malacañang!' But they insisted on more talk: with De Villa up front, and my back channel debate with Pardo, which even became a three-way contest, with Buboy Virata pitching in.

"But the threat to march to Malacañang was for real. And so was the danger of bloodshed. I wasn't telling Gloria everything: I didn't want her alarmed. So she didn't know about the orders to shoot."
THIS REALLY SOUNDS LIKE MIKE ARROYO WAS PREPARED TO KILL PRESIDENT JOSEPH ESTRADA!

The Left-Right tactical alliance was there in full force with Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, though the Leftist component was in the audience watching the scene on stage, probably already knowing they would soon be out of the picture, along with a lot more non-leftist, non-rightist patriotic people like me in the watching crowd. One important player of these events, in which Left and Right are tragically mixed, as they are in Gloria Macapagal Arroyo herself, was then Colonel, later General Victor Corpus, whom many tag as the go-between between the Vice President, the First Gentleman and the Chief of Staff Angelo Reyes (shown to GMA's left in the picture). Corpus would go on to become GMA's chief of the Intelligence Services of the Armed Forces (ISAFP), until he resigned on July 28, 2003 the day after the Oakwood Mutiny and the most disastrous turn at the intelligence post. Together with Mike Defensor, Corpus and other close GMA allies worked closely with and coordinate the actions of radical left groups that could provide lots of warm bodies for the anti-Erap demonstrations, rallies and mass actions that had been going on for many months before the picture shown at top. These include mass organizations suspected to be allied with the CPP-NPA-NDF, though there were many, many more organizations and individuals who were not. In 2004, it is alleged that Isafp conducted the illegal wiretapping operation during the elections that has led to Gloriagate and the current impasse. General Reyes has been amply rewarded with three successive Cabinet posts: Defense, Local Government and currently Environment Secretary.

Gloria's absurdity grows
in irony's revealing throes.

RELATED POSTS:
On Proclamation 1017, read all about it here:
As the Sun Sets and Darkness Falls Over My Sad Archipelago
The events of 19 January 2001, including a Chronology of Events by Philippine Daily Inquirer columnist Amando Doronila from his book The Fall of Joseph Estrada is here:
When Last the Military Withdrew Support
And those of the climactic 20 January 2001, with many links to other related posts, here:
The Real Coup d'etat
On a more philosophical vein is:
The Citizen Soldier's Moral Dilemma
Many of the individual dramatis personae -- good and evil and in between -- are getting in for some old-fashioned blogging at:
Ye Olde Philippine Commentary

Have fun everyone...No Sunday Commentary tomorrow...Saddle up the mountain bikes, Rizalist!

14 comments:

the bystander said...

I agree. The only difference between the coup d' etat in Edsa 2 and the Leftist-Rightist-mainstream opposition alliance that sought to topple Arroyo last February 24 (if this propaganda is to be believed) was that the former succeeded while the latter failed.

Had Erap not allowed the crowd to mass up at Edsa, the 1 million that Angelo Reyes imposed as a condition for the AFP's withdrawal of support would not have materialized. Erap was only too trusting of his generals that he was caught totally unaware of the treachery undertaken by Reyes and company.

Unknown said...

Yep...the only major service commander who challenged Angie until the last minute was LtGeneral Benjamin P Defensor, Commanding General Philippine Air Force.

He decided to climb the stage when he saw the crowd and knew that his tiny air force (18 000) didn't have the firepower to fight an army-navy combined forces; there would also have been civilian casulaties if he had decided to defend Estrada from the planned attack by MajGen Espinoza (Gloria's famous "Espi"), who was leading a marine brigade from Quezon and determined to lead the armed assault (coup d'état) against Estrada.

Bagong UNIDA said...

EDSA Dos was a contrived and manufactured People Power that was in reality a Coup d'tat. But the irony is that the people who did it and installed Gloria as President are also the very same people who now wants to do it again but this time against Gloria.
But if they think that they can pull the wool over the eyes of the Pilipino masses and join them, they are mistaken.

The Millions of Pilipino masses felt so abandoned during EDSA Tres from Edsa to Mendiola. There was no Channel 2, no Channel 7, no soldiers, no police, no church and as expected no civil society and n0 nilitant and communists groups. They were all with Gloria.

I am sorry, DJB, but the Pilipino masses, me included, will never forget the bludgeoning of the EDSA TRes people at Mendiola and also vividly remember that the groups of people I mentioned above were on the side of Gloria. Not all the mea culpas in the world will make us forget. We will never go out in the streets again for them to ram down our throats one of them as President of the Republic.

Unknown said...

Here's a letter from Sen Nene Pimentel in reply to my letter about the fact that SOE's basis was a "coup" of some sort... he says,

"You bet! There was no coup, foiled or otherwise. Only in the deranged mind of the president. There are many groups in the country that would spend their time analyzing or investigating the falsity of the presidential (and military) announcements. In my case, I’d rather devote my time galvanizing people in my own little way to demand that Gloria should resign – and noli too - to pave the way to snap elections.

Incidentally, the Americans know that there was no basis for 1017. that is why a certain undersecretary of state, Hill, talked to Gloria in malacanang to withdraw it. And she did in a matter of days. That is why too the American chamber of commerce echoed the call for its lifting."

God speed.

Fraternally,

Nene


Office of Senator Aquilino Q. Pimentel Jr.
Senate of the Philippines
Pasay City
website: www.nenepimentel.org
email: nenepimentel@pldtdsl.net

Unknown said...

djb,

Did you notice that only Benjie Defensor, (second from right) who's not smiling in the picture while the other major service commanders and AFP CSAFP Angie Reyes (seated so contedly) all smile?

Benjie wasn't happy about the mutiny. Do you know that for months after Gloria grabbed power, everytime there were "rumors" involving the military, Gloria would call Benjie to the Palace and make his sit there, speaking to him for hours and sort of doing a close-in security check on him while the "rumors" have not subsided? Gloria NEVER trusted Benjie. She knew he was the only real threat to her among her generals.

Even Admiral Wong, a gallant, brave, very honest, incredibly honorable man surrendered the Navy to Angie Reyes' mutiny!

Unknown said...

That eternal drunk and crook (yep crook, corrupt, inept) ex-Senator and Erap's DND chief (he brought his all wife's doctor friends to DND to lord it over there during his stint - hahahah!) Orly Mercado was ecstatic in that picture!

Unknown said...

DJB,

Mbuencamino & MLQ3 have good suggestions “to strike back peacefully”:

1. manuelbuencamino wrote on March 5th, 2006 at 1:19 pm

use the name Jose Pidal or Garci or JocJoc Bolante at any place where your name has to be announced. I’ve used Pidal in several crowded Starbucks and it’s fun. You can also use those names in places where a public address system is used. Ex. “Paging driver of Jose Pidal” just make sure ou inform your driver before hand. What if you don’t have a driver? Better yet because the paging will go on forever. Just stand there looking pissed.

2. mlq3 wrote on March 5th, 2006 at 1:42 pm

and sign into security guard log books as Jose Pidal when you visit offices!

My own suggestions: everybody wears a pin saying “I’m looking for Joc-Joc Bolante” or “I’m looking for Jose Pidal”

Unknown said...

By the way Atty at work, DND Chief Cruz spoke recently about the AFP investigation report (made by then APF Inspector General and current Navy Chief Mayuga) on the BGen Gudani and Col Balutan's allegations of election irregularities in Mindanao and on elements in the wiretapping controversy. He said he had avised Gloria to submit a copy to Congress to make the document but so far she has not done so.

One could safely assume that the contents of the report contain some damning evidences against her.

Mayuga vowed to release it after the investigation but obviously the chain of command rule makes it difficult for him (or for any AFP general for that matter) to do so. Anyway, as I said to a commenter over at Ricky's blog, Vice-Admiral Mayuga and General Senga are both patriotic and that there's no doubt about that.

However, besides military rules that confine them to follow the chain in command, they are too politicised. Both owe their positions to the Palace. Mayuga who was Inspector General at the time has all the reports but I doubt he will release them - too damning!

Mayuga himself is an Angie boy through and through. The previous Flag Officer in Command whom he succeeded was made to retire a year early (should be retiring only in Sept 2006 at age 56) to give Temmy Mayuga a crack at the Navy leadership.

Even when Mayuga (Class 73) was batting for 1-star rank sometime in 2000, Angie Reyes who was DND chief then froze all the promotion papers of other officers in 2000 (sacrificing even the promotion of then Rear Admiral Aris de los Reyes of Clas 71 whose promotion papers were tied with Mayuga’s predecessor) just to allow Mayuga to have a headstart over the previous FOIC of Class 72 who should have been promoted ahead of him.

Fortunately, someone brought the promotion papers to Erap and insisted that Erap sign the papers bypassing Angie Reyes, otherwise, Mayuga would have been FOIC a lot earlier and his predecessor would have had no chance at all to obtain the post.

That’s how poliicised the military is.

As to Senga, he is a decorated fighter, a Mindanao veteran and well-respected but as Chief of Staff AFP he is completely a Gloria general. I doubt very much he would do anything to embarass Gloria. If he decides to do otherwise, he will have to hand in his resignation. Don’t count on Senga at all. Don’t count on Mayuga either because he is not going to jeopardize his pension (he’s retiring at the end of the year after only a year in servied as Navy chief. Personally I don’t trust Mayuga but one never knows!).

Unknown said...

DJB, from Yuko of Tokyo:

"The song is made to the tune of the "Battle Hymn of the Republic."

Pilipino:

Bayan kong sawi
ay labis na ang hirap mo
Walang malasakit ang pekeng nasa puwesto
Nakaw walang humpay kurakot walang puknat
Makapal ang lambat.

(Refrain)

Gloria Gloria umalis ka na
Taong bayan sa iyo’y ayaw na
Sinungaling na’t magnanakaw pa?
Walang 'ba kundi ikaw.

Gloria, Gloria Mandaraya
Gloria, Gloria Mandaraya
Gloria, Gloria Mandaraya
Mandaraya si Gloria.

Japanese:

Kuroshiteru Kokumin no seimeiwa
Nise daitoryo no jininsuru koto
Aisuru firipin no tame ni
Ikkoku mo hayaku
Sassa to dete ike

(Refrain)
Gloria, Gloria Mandaraya
Gloria, Gloria Mandaraya
Gloria, Gloria Mandaraya
Ikkoku mo hayaku
Sassa to dete ike


"Tuloy ang laban! Igiit ang karapatang batikosin ang mga kurakot sa pamahalaan.

"HUWAG MATAKOT SA MGA KURAKOT"
DiYumu Yuko

Anonymous said...

EDSA2 was not a coup plot. It was a “political orgasm” (Adaza-Abenina)

...................
An exerpt from the Manila Times Article circa 2001
entitled 'Coup Rente"

By Commo Plaridel C. Garcia(Ret)


http://garciakarl.blogspot.com/2006/03/coup-rente.html

Deany Bocobo said...

I should thank you Ellen!

john marzan said...

here it is, ellen.

btw, is "Col. C.B. Garcia" the bolded part below the Gen. Carlos Garcia?

Here's the link:

GMA ADMITS PART IN MILITARY COUP VS. ERAP

Manila, Feb. 23, 2001 - Administration officials came to the defense of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's revelation before members of the Council on Philippine Affairs (Copa) that she, along with Copa members, was in constant communication with five military groups, including Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Gen. Angelo Reyes, in a plot to oust now deposed President Joseph Estrada.

Mrs. Arroyo publicly stated that aside from the five military groups who offered their support as early as January 2000, there were others such as some activists, some priests and their friends who were "working for the eventual withdrawal of support (from Estrada)."

Copa is a group that is led by former President Corazon Aquino's brother, Jose "Peping" Cojuangco. Members of Copa are Gen. Edgardo Espinosa, Jose Pastor Zaycon and Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis "Chavit" Singson, among others. "That (military) group that I was meeting with since January was made up of Gen. Larry Mendoza and Col. C.B. Garcia" and a retired general.

Mrs. Arroyo recounted that she met with a group close to Reyes.

Reyes' chief of staff, Col. Victor Corpus, began talking with Mrs. Arroyo's senior aide Col. Charlie Braganza.

"Later (Braganza) was transferred to Nolcom...and that's when he became a...plotter in the crime together with Gen. Art Cerillo, and that 'the problem' was the time for the 'moment of truth' which was supposed to have been on Nov. 4.

"And then later on President (Fidel) Ramos introduced me to another group...and this was the group of Gen. (Hermogenes) "Jun" Ebdane and also special operations commander Gen. Jonep Santiago and I said `Wow!' this is because the special operations commander is the head of the Special Forces and the Scout Rangers," the President recalled.

Finally, Mrs. Arroyo said Singson introduced her to a group of officers headed by Espinosa and Col. Reynaldo Berroya in a hotel.

National Security Adviser Roilo Golez ruled out security and constitutional conflict because of the revelations made by the President.

"The President is being transparent. In her speech, she is showing how the military officers are demonstrating their love of country. What could be more honest than acting on your mandate given by the Filipino people?" Golez said. Instead of criticizing her and the military officers' group for abandoning Estrada at the height of his leadership crisis, those who helped the opposition groups in catapulting Mrs. Arroyo into power, should instead have the respect of the Filipino people, he claimed.

Acting Defense Secretary Eduardo Ermita in another interview with the Tribune also downplayed the observation that a coup plot was indeed hatched by the military with the knowledge, support and consent of Mrs. Arroyo, who was clearly the beneficiary of an Estrada ouster.

Instead of losing the trust and confidence of the Filipino people, members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, according to Ermita, were transformed into a more disciplined and more dedicated officers, whose main objective is to always protect the Constitution and its citizens.

"It's a matter of opinion. Let's go back to Edsa I, when we severed our ties (with the Marcos government), did it placed the military in bad light?" he said, adding "people now believe that members of the AFP are always thinking and making things always for the good of the people," Ermita, a retired military general said.

While speaking at the Copa People's Heroes Awards last Wednesday night, Mrs. Arroyo segued by revealing the names of those who helped her from the military and police side. (By She Caguimbal-Torres and Jun del Rio)

Deany Bocobo said...

Many thanks for this John. Valuable. Val-u-ABLE!

john marzan said...

thanks, dean.

Mrs. Arroyo publicly stated that aside from the five military groups who offered their support as early as January 2000, there were others such as some activists, some priests and their friends who were "working for the eventual withdrawal of support (from Estrada)."

====

as early as january 2000... hmmm...