Nicanor Perlas: Beware and Overcome Media Manipulation re May 10, 2010 Election Fraud Reports

READERS beware! If you want to get the truth regarding the recent national elections, go beyond what you get from the mainstream media. Do your own research. Check the facts on the ground. Ask what your friends experienced. Connect the dots yourself. Come to your own conclusion. In this way, you will protect your mind from being manipulated by unseen powers that lurk behind the country’s media establishment.

Immediately after the May 10, 2010 elections, the Filipino public was brainwashed with stories about a stunningly successful election. “ ‘Birth pains’ of poll automation over”. “Fast count stuns nation”. “Stocks surge as markets cheer successful elections”. “ ‘Villar conceding proves Comelec credible’ “. “Take a bow, Filipino voters”. “US, EU praise RP for elections; peso, markets buoyed”. “Comelec proves critics wrong”. “Filipinos carry on love affair with PCOS machines”.

The “Good job” editorial of the Philippine Daily Inquirer (PDI) captures the euphoria over the rapid success of the elections. In its May 12, 2012 editorial, two days after the elections, PDI wrote the following:

“Contrary to the most dismal expectations, . . . the country’s first nationwide automated elections have turned out to be a success. . . . the May 10 vote marked a true rite of passage. Our electoral system has finally caught up with the 21st century. . . . . For now, and while taking into consideration the remaining uncertainties in the election, our civic duty is to commend the many people who helped turn the first computerized polls into a success.”

PDI then thanked the presidential candidates for conceding to apparent winner Benigno Aquino III. PDI had special words for Manny Villar. PDI called his “gracious” concession a “class act”.

Understandably, amidst this sudden euphoria, when I did not concede victory to Aquino due to evidence of massive fraud in the elections, the gatekeepers in media started framing my decision as “sour grapes” or “sour loser”. They also distorted the facts in my press release or media interviews. And, if I did come out in the media, they would often attach “losing” presidential candidate to my name, to implicitly emphasize that I was a “sour loser”. They did not want to bring out that I was questioning the outcome of the elections, not for myself, but because it was the product of a fraudulent process and thereby endangered our democracy. (See my press statement, “I am not conceding”) Oftentimes, they would simply censor my comments and give a one-sided account of subsequent events that followed.

However, no one can suppress the truth. No one can overcome the truth. And indeed the truth regarding massive fraud in the elections started to surface all over, despite media bias against incidents of fraud.

News surfaced about 60 PCOS machines stored illegally at the private house of one Smartmatic technician. Irregular transmission dates were found in one of these PCOS machines. Reports also came out about flash cards found in the garbage dump in Cagayan de Oro City, implying an attempt to remove evidence of fraud. Alert citizens and IT experts also discovered that all election returns (ERs) were transmitted without the required digital signatures, a clear violation of RA9369, the law that authorized the establishment of the automated election system. Canvassing of votes cannot take place because the ERs are not valid. Further research by various groups has also revealed that COMELEC has violated more than 50% of the provisions of RA9369. This meant that the recent national elections were fraudulent, thereby also making the election results illegal. Then recently, several whistle blowers surfaced claiming massive fraud in the recent 2010 elections.

With these developments, media headlines started to slowly change, albeit begrudgingly and reluctantly and even antagonistically. They started carrying stories of fraud. “Erap focuses on ‘hocus PCOS’, an ‘electronic Garci’ system”. “Watchdogs call for probe of ‘poll irregularities’”. “Three losing pres’l bets troop to SC”. And so on.

Until finally, on 18 May 2012, PDI writes an editorial: “Reviewing the polls”. PDI wrote:

“Now, some people are having second thoughts: the automated elections system may have its faults, after all. . . . . The most prominent of the critics is deposed President Joseph Estrada . . . Estrada is refusing to concede saying that he is gathering evidence showing discrepancies in the transmitted results and other alleged irregularities. Three other presidential candidates, Senator Maria Consuelo “Jamby” Madrigal, Nicanor Perlas, and JC de los Reyes, have not conceded either saying that, while they may not win the presidency, they want to know the whole truth about the results of the presidential elections. . . . .

“That the new automated election system is being subjected to a thorough examination and critique by various sectors of society is a healthy sign for our democracy. It shows that voters are not content with just voting and receiving fast results; they want to be assured that the entire process is fair, accurate and credible. Elections are the instrument by which the will of the people is expressed. If the electoral system can be subverted, then we will not know how the people really decided.”

The PDI editorial marked the passage of the country from misinformed and naïve euphoria of a “stunning” “successful” election, to the messy reality that massive fraud may have been perpetuated in the recent national elections.

No matter what happens to the fate of the whistleblowers who have recently surfaced and the increasing number of impossible results being uncovered, one thing is clear. Mainstream media is not neutral. They have their preferences and interests to protect. They wield massive cultural power to convince millions that their interests and preferences are the truth, are the reality.

Do not yield to their mind games, to their mind manipulation. Stand firm. Make your own independent decisions. The emergence of truth about the national elections will depend on our collective deprogramming from the frontal mental attacks of media. And this truth will determine the future of our country.

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Source: 

Perlas, Nicanor. Beware and Overcome Media Manipulation. 21 May 2010. http://www.nicanor-perlas.com/News/beware-and-overcome-media-manipulation.html

Bro. Eddie Villanueva welcomes Comelec decision on ex-Pres. Joseph Estrada's 2010 presidential bid

THOSE who believe that the issue of ex-President Joseph "Erap" Estrada's 2010 candidacy is better left to the Filipino people found support with another presidentiable, Bro. Eddie Villanueva.

In a news report on the day the Commission on Elections threw out disqualification petitions and ruled in favor of Estrada's candidacy, the evangelist-politician differed from other presidentiable aspirants in that he welcomed the decision. He said that amidst the fact that even legal luminaries are split on the issue of whether Erap could seek the presidency anew, "I'm always in favor for the Filipino people to be given a chance to democratically choose their national leader, whoever is the personality involved."

I find Villanueva's welcoming statements a reflection of his fairness and apparently impartiality and pro-people tendency. Compare Villanueva's comments on Comelec's Estrada decision with those made by Liberal Party bet Noynoy Aquino who said he'll consult his lawyers re the development. As Ninez Cacho-Olivarez writes, "Hello? What's he going to do? File a disqualification case against Estrada? The time limit has been up sometime ago."

Does it sound good that Noynoy, whose camp had recently been revealed to have asked former President Joseph "Erap" Estrada to endorse him and, thus, to withdraw from the race in his favor, even considers (or considered) blocking the latter's candidacy during this time? According to the Daily Tribune's January 18, 2010 report:

In the case of Aquino, Enrile said it was his siblings who approached Estrada and tried to convince him to withdraw from the presidential race in favor of Noynoy’s candidacy. “I don’t know how the meeting transpired. All I know that he, along with his sisters went to see Estrada,” he added.

Had EDSA 2 not happened, that undemocratic conspiracy of elites and gullibles (well-intentioned though some may be), I would most likely consider voting for Villanueva. Of course, I do have reservations about his being too religious and how it has crafted his population management views, among others. As well, I'm not forgetting his participation in that EDSA II fiasco, which he seems to have regretted anyhow.

Nevertheless, I see in Bro. Eddie a rather ideal combination of social progressiveness, intelligence, righteousness, and track record of serving the people, masses well included. He is so progressive that despite the fact that he was part of the undemocratic mob that ousted the former President nine years ago, he wants to bring the Estrada issue directly to the Filipino people--in a constitutionally proper manner this time around.

_________

by Jesusa Bernardo

BLOG by Taga-iLog

Fallen Young Red Fighter Kemberly Jul Luna - Within the context of the EDSA 2-Arroyo/Ramos-CPP-NPA connection

THE death of 21-year-old Kemberly Jul Luna caused quite an uproar in the activist and leftist circles. Jul was a popular, charming, merry, and yes, beauteous, true-blue scholar ng bayan with multiple talents and interests from the Mindanao State University (MSU). She died a comrade, a member of the New People's Army (NPA), the military arm of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), during a days-long battle with the military in Sitio Bulacao in Valencia, Bukidnon last December. Her tragic, principled (or ideological?) death made me ponder on the current state of the communist movement in the Philippines.

"Kimay"

Called "Kimay" by friends, she was a high school valedictorian from Tubod, Surigao del Norte who enrolled in AB English at MSU. True to the calling of her age, she initially lived what the Philippine Daily Inquirer described as "bon vivant lifestyle" marked by late-night parties. Despite, she still managed sustained academic performance and a host of campus cultural activities. Intelligent, active, party-goer, yet socially involved, Kimay was once a leader of the Catholic Center Campus Ministry and member of the Kalimulan cultural dance troupe until she embraced the leftist perspective.

In February 2008, she became an active member of the League of the Filipino Students. Supposedly, that was the time Kimay "shed herself off of all the petty-bourgeois individualism." By the first semester of school year 2008-2009, she was chosen as adhoc chairperson of MSU's opposition party, STAND-IIT.

Came second semester and she did not enroll as she completely turned to a very radical path. According to STAND-IIT spokesperson Mark Jason Tan Cesar, "She wanted to serve the poor and she was very resolute. She told us that she wanted to work with the peasants in the countryside. There was no stopping her.”

October of the same year, she bravely took part in uncovering the impact of militarization and indiscriminate aerial bombing of war-torn Tagoranoa village in Poona Piagapo in Lanao. She then engaged in full-time work organizing peasants as she reportedly joined the province-wide KASAMA-Bukidnon organization January of 2009.

Young, Scholar of the Masses, NPA, Dead

In August 2009, she informed friends that she left KASAMA-Bukidnon, saying only that has developed greater love for the peasants with every passing day she lives among them. She became an NPA.

Kemberley was reported missing in mid-December 2009 by human rights group KARAPATAN-Bukidnon Chapter. When her body was found days later, it was already much decomposed and dumped with those of seven other alleged NPAs in the forest of Brgy. Concepcion.

CPP-NPA & 'National Liberation'

Columnist Herman Tiu-Laurel laments and questions Kemberley's death, saying that "She follows a long line of fallen young warriors over the past five decades which include several of my own friends and comrades. Is this still the right way to fight for national liberation?"

For its part, the Communist Party of the Philippines released a press release saying:

Her martyrdom is extolled as well by the peasant masses whom she intimately lived with and served as a Red fighter and medic of the NPA until her last day... Her life of tireless work and selfless sacrifice for the downtrodden will forever be etched in the hearts of those she loved, worked and died for.

Unholy Mix: CPP and EDSA 2

I'm not exactly endorsing the path July chose to take. I do respect her decision because the depth of her patriotism led her to offer and sacrifice her youthful, promising, beautiful life in pursuit of her conception of 'national liberation.'

However, the organization she embraced, the CPP-NPA, the Communist Party of the Philippines of the present time, to my mind, showed itself too flexible principle-wise when it took part in EDSA II--what a foreign media outfit described as "the opportunist coalition of church, business elite and left....". I expected better from Jose Maria Sison's group, as I remember questioning back then why they would even consider joining forces with those of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and former President Fidel Ramos whom then-President Joseph Estrada wanted charged for the Centennial Expo and other corruption scandals.

While I don't subscribe to any form of totalitarianism, whether left or right, or religious, I've harbored respect not only for the personal conviction and sacrifice of its members but, as well, for the underground organization's principles. Back in 1985-86, the Philippine communist movement was chided for its decision not to support or join the EDSA I (original) "People Power" Revolution. The 'culprit' was its strict adherence to its principles such that the movement was unwilling to compromise enough to accommodate the unified opposition led by Corazon "Cojuangco" Aquino and Salvador "Doy" Laurel.

Arguably, the CPP-NPA should not have merely stayed at the sidelines during the historic 1986 Edsa 1. Definitely, to my mind, the Philippine Reds should NOT have shifted to opportunist mode during Edsa 2 which aimed for nothing but oust the not-entirely-clean but, nonetheless, relatively patriotic and nationalist Estrada.

By taking part in the ouster of the pro-masa and genuinely elected Erap by coalescing with unquestionably fascist and elite elements, the local communists have indicated their dangerous adoption of what can be seen as counter-revolutionary strategy and anti-populist mind frame at will.

Gloria Arroyo, Part of Joma’s Foresight?

Then again, is it possible that the CPP-NPA calculated that a Gloria Arroyo presidency would be more conducive to their goals? Way back before Gloria was able to grab the presidency, she was without question already a fascist, even imperialist agent.

Along with then President Ramos, Senator Arroyo was responsible for Philippines' membership in the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade-World Trade Organization (GATT-WTO) in 1995. She was also the principal author of what has been called "the most environmentally-hazardous law of the land," Republic Act 7942 or the 1995 Mining Act, which permits foreigners a hundred percent ownership of the country's mines.

Compare Gloria to Estrada, who, despite the latter's agreement to the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), nonetheless braved neo-imperialist foreign interests by removing sovereign guarantees on government contracts. Did CPP-NPA leader Joma Sison figure that replacing the rather 'uncouth' but popular and pro-masa Estrada with 'fascist' Gloria Arroyo could speed up their brand of national liberation struggle?

2008 Mindanao War: Gloria, Kimay & Joma

It's been speculated that Arroyo virtually cooked up the October 2008 war in Mindanao to present an excuse to declare Martial Law in the country and extend her term scheduled to end in June 2010. Her administration signed the Memorandum of Agreement-Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD) with Muslim rebels while well aware that such dismemberment of the Republic won't be allowed by the Christian community not only in Mindanao but in the capital. According to an October 2008 Malaya editorial, the MOA-AD is an "elaborate charade... [apparently designed] to provoke the MILF into going back to war as what is happening now" after the Supreme Court TROed the agreement.

A few months after seeing first-hand the horrors wrought on Davaoenos by the Mindanao war , Kemberly advanced from full-time peasant organizing to become an NPA. Wonder if Joma Sison foresaw Gloria's Illegitimacy would turn the 2001 power grabber into a devil-may-care megalomaniac, thus inadvertently serving as a hopefully effective NPA recruiting machine?

The last paragraph in the January 8, 2010 CPP press release on Kemberley Jul Luna's death reads:

Let us pay tribute to Kimay by amplifying the call for student, youth and other activists to join the New People's Army. As the people's revolution gears for greater advances, there is a growing need for more youth and students and activists from the other sectors to sign up as Red fighters, combine with the peasants and workers and contribute to carrying out the tasks of people's war with unprecedented vitality.

EDSA II - Part of Joma's Foresight, or Plain Mob Crazy?

It is a fact that the Arroyo administration is credited with the most number of salvagings, desaparecidos, and human rights violations in Philippine history, largely targeting the activists and socialists. Has the Philippine Left been had by Arroyo and Ramos when its members supported the EDSA 2 ouster of Estrada?

Or did Joma, et al. chose to avoid a more progressive administration to advance its “people’s war”? I’ve long harbored the suspicion that why Joma’s group went against Erap and took the side of the clearly fascist (or more fascist) Arroyo and Ramos was because Estrada’s ‘bakya‘ or masa appeal presented a strong competition in winning the masses, whose support they need in order to further their war style towards national liberation.

Of course, I could be wrong. I hope I’m dead wrong.

Then there’s the possibility that neither applies for the 2001 Edsa coup. If I remember accurately, broadcaster Korina Sanchez-Roxas commented back in early 2001 as to what could have possibly brought about Edsa 2, saying something like “It’s as if a cloud of something descended upon the people who took part in it.” It is not entirely impossible that the Edsa II people simply went mob crazy. So crazy they went the side of Centennial-Expo-defensive Eddie, ‘Tabako’ Eddie....

________

by Jesusa Bernardo

References & Images at: SOBRIETY for the PHILIPPINES

Joseph Estrada Vows To Run For President in 2010

Why Did Gloria Pardon Erap?

After JOSEPH "Erap" ESTRADA  was convicted of plunder by a handpicked trio of judges in the Sandiganbayan (which had never before, or since been done) most people were surprised when President Gloria Arroyo swiftly pardoned him. 

At the time, the general concensus was that the President did not think it possible to allow the process to proceed any further, for example, for Erap to actually be jailed in Bilibid Prison. It was said to be simply unthinkable and politically untenable because of the strong support that Erap had and still does have from a very significant fraction of the population, especially but not exclusively amongst the poor.

I never quite bought this justification.  I always believed that Erap would've done what his lawyer, Rene Saguisag was saying he would do and bring the case up for review by the Supreme Court, which would've forced a full threshing out of what really happened at Edsa Dos, and specifically the actions of former Chief Justice Hilario Davide.  Years after the event, the illegal and unconstitutional nature of his acts on 20 January 2001 (swearing in GMA, aborting the impeachment trial that was sure to ACQUIT the accused, and plotting that coup d'etat with Angelo Reyes and GMA) are as clear as day to most careful observers and even supporters of Edsa Dos.  Preventing such a Supreme Court case re-examining all this to affirm the plunder conviction--I was convinced--was GMA's real reason for pardoning Erap.

I now think this was only a small part of her motivation for pardoning Erap because even by then SCoRP could've been relied upon to once more save themselves from self-incrimination.

I now think that the real reason is a more far-reaching vision of her own personal political fortunes.  I believe now that she will step down from the Presidency in 2010, but that she will run for Congress in her home district of Pampanga, and come to dominate the Congress, perhaps as its Speaker, which a former President could manage to do.

Furthermore, she will "allow" SCoRP to decide in favor of Erap and allow him to run for the Presidency in 2010, a ruling that will also automatically make her eligible for the Presidency again in 2016, when she will only be 68 years young and by then a Senior Statesman like Fidel Ramos.  If her candidate(s) don't win in 2010, she would lead the Opposition against whoever does, maybe even Erap.

Then shoot for the Presidency again in six years.   (BTW, I think her real candidate in the election next year is Manny Villar).

Erap Bids For Historical Redemption

DEPOSED Philippine leader JOSEPH "ERAP" ESTRADA today announced his intention to seek the Presidency in May, 2010 in an obvious bid for historical redemption. His survival and present candidacy is testament to the historic failure of Edsa Dos, which would certainly be repudiated if he wins.  He will run along with Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay as vice-presidential running mate, and a nearly full slate of senatorial candidates including Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, Senate Pro Tempore Jose "Jinggoy" Estrada, Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago, Representatives Teodoro "Teddy Boy" Locsin Jr., Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. and Rodolfo Plaza, lawyer Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III, Mary Grace Poe-Llamanzares, Jose "Joey" de Venecia III, Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim and Edu Manzano, former chairman of the Optical Media Board. Running under the United Opposition (UNO) flag, a twelfth senate seat has been left open for a guest candidate.  It appears Erap has put together a pretty strong senatorial lineup, with members of the Senate, Congress, provincial and local government, the military, entertainment, legal and political professions.

Aquino Ally To Run With Estrada-Binay Senatorial Ticket?

But perhaps the most interesting senatorial candidate of Erap is Rep. Teddy Boy Locsin, who is among other things, well known as Cory Aquino's long time speech writer, Press Secretary,  advisor, confidante and friend.  Teddy Boy wrote her famous speech before the US Congress and one of the best eulogies  after she died.  I think it is a political minus for NOYNOY AQUINO who has nonetheless just topped the 3rd Quarter SWS survey.  I recently analyzed this Choose 3 form of the survey here. In this connection check out also the report (via Cesar Purisima and MLQ3) of the existence of a "private rider" question in the above SWS survey, wherein Noynoy and Mar both are preferred over the other candidates in their respective races in a "Pick One" situation (100% total).   

 

BOY YUCHENGO WRITES A LETTER

Thanks to Joe Assad, who posted this letter from Alfonso Yuchengco, Jr. (Boyu) on Facebook this morning.

My name is Boyu, short for Boy Yuchengco, aka Alfonso SyCip Yuchengco, Jr.

A couple of days after Senator Lacson's "privilege" i was contacted by one of our security people who had spoken with a former PAOCTF member. This PAOCTF agent confirmed basically what we knew even then. It was me Estrada had ordered "kidnapped". Yes, kidnapped, not just arrested. And Yes, Me, not my brother, Tito.

Due to their Low INTEL, they mistook my brother for me, primarily due to the fact that my brother, Tito, and i have the same first name - "Alfonso". I, the JR, and he, the Third. The nickname "Boy" is given to the Juniors in the family. My brother, who worked at the Bank at the time, being also named after my father, 'they' simply assumed was the "Boy", the Junior. They could not imagine that there was another 'Alfonso son' lurking around in the vault.

As a result, when these men came to the Bank looking for "Boy Yuchengco", all they got was, "Boy Yuchengco? There's no Boy Yuchengco here." Wish someone in RCBC had also asked them, "You sure you have the right Bank?" Ha!

Media in general, and INQUIRER, in particular, have this thing where they just can't understand why my father never went after Estrada "long after the intimidation factor disappeared following Estrada's ouster from the presidency". (Quote from Inquirer editorial)

Well, why do you think the Chinese are favorite victims of KFR gangs and Government crooks? One, we will do anything for our children, especially when our SONS are threatened, especially when the SON involved is the favorite SON.

Two, even if Estrada had been ousted from the presidency, who says the "intimidation factor had disappeared"? Remember, you guys Set Your Criminals Free! Free to commit more crimes, more intimidation. Free to send their goons after us.

Three, We Chinese are not Ninoy. We have learned, that in the Philippines, "Kami ay laging Nag-iisa!" We cannot expect help or protection from the authorities seeing as to how it is the authorities who tend to come after us.

Can you all not see the Fear Factor involved? If you still cannot, then, i doubt very much you guys will ever be able to reform anything in this country.

The next curiosity noted - "But, they were paid!". Forgetting that this is very much beside the point when the person didn't want to sell to begin with.

I have told some in media that they should look into the history of PLDT. This because once people know the history, know how tied to my father PLDT was from the time the Americans owned it, they might just understand why my father would never have wanted to let go of any of it.

It's as if GSIS paid the Lopezes for MERALCO, even though the Lopezes never want to sell to GSIS and GSIS sent people to threaten the life of one of the Lopez scions to force the sale anyway.

Speaking of the Lopezes, when the TITA took over, they got everything back that Marcos took from them. No questions asked, no red tapes. However, the shares of PLDT taken from my father by Marcos (Yes, this happened once before!) and given to Cojuangco to hold in his (Marcos') name is now even part of what was sold to First (Metro) Pacific by TbC.

"Tita TITA! Bakit kami hindi?" Was it because it involved a Cojuangco? Why the "Kamag-Anak Shuffle"? This is one reason i cannot kowtow to the TITA. Not that i blame her. She definitely was "Good People", no doubt about it. However, she was too naive. And, she allowed a lot of people, relatives and others, to ruin what could have been a real honest-to-goodness bloodless revolution. One that could have finally changed Flip Society for the Better and "for GOOD".

AS for the rest of the "story". I do not have first hand knowledge as to what did or did not happen. I only know of the threat to me because i had been warned by one of my sisters then to lay low. Btw, another thing that showed "their Low INTEL" - Pretending to arrest me on "trumped-up drug charges" - was that it wouldn't have worked. I was in ReHab then, had been for some time. In fact, i was already in the HalfWay House of New Beginnings when all that was happening. So, how does one arrest someone for drugs when the person is already inside the ReHab?

I am passing this information around for no other reason then to draw some of the flak from my father who is now quite old and a bit frail. I also want "them" to leave my brother alone. I also pass this around to remind people that it's easy for Actors to pretend, to fool people, even the Santa Tita. But please don't forget that the guy was, and is, a Gangster. Just look at his friends and "barkada"... You are who you hang out with.
Please pass this around. Are we all going to finally take a stand against the crooks in Government and the Private sector? Or, Nag-iisa lang ba kami ulit?

Btw, this missive in no way defends or sides with Senator Lac. As far as i'm concerned, they're all crooks and should be locked up in the same cell. I-sama na rin ninyo si GrandMA.

BUT, when are the Filipino people ever going to do this? When are we going to start sincerely helping one another rather than claw & rip off one another?

When are we all ever going to learn and live the real meaning of "Maka-Tao" ('Maki-Tao')? When are we ever going to relearn the true sense of "Utang na Loob", wherein we live for, and assist, one another because we care and not because we are being paid for it?

MaBuhay ang Pinoy! MaBuhay rin sana ang Tsinoy!

SOURCE: Philippine Commentary

The Filipino Desaparecidos

TODAY, August 31, is the National Heroes Day for the Philippines. Yesterday was no less significant with the global observance of the International Day of Desaparecidos. Bulatlat produced a video (Philippines: Remembering the Disappeared) for the rather morbid celebration in honor of the "more than 200 Filipinos--mostly activists--[who] have disappeared" under the reign of the EDSA 2 Illegitimate.

The video presented some 40 or so "victims of the regime's brutal policy against critics, particularly the Left." The first human face of the contemporary Filipino desaparecidos under the Gloria Arroyo regime is Honorio Ayroso who disappeared February 2002 in Nueva Ecija. Not even the elderly seems spared, as evidenced by the case of Patricio Abalos, who was 61 years old when he went missing in March 2005 at Catbalogan, Samar.

Even women count among the desaparecidos. A matured face belongs to Gloria Soco who, by newspaper accounts, was not even a member of any left-wing group although she was a sister-in-law of a consultant of the National Democratic Front. Perhaps, most harrowing were the cases of Karen Empeno and Sherlyn Cadapan--promising young lasses from the University of the Philippines and who remain unaccounted for since being abducted in Hagonoy, Bulacan last June 26, 2006.

EDSA 2 Ironies for the Media & the Left

The penultimately featured desaparecido is Jonas Burgos, whose disappearance can be called an indirect case of press freedom irony, given that Burgos is no less the son of Joe Burgos, press freedom icon and founding publisher of the newspaper Malaya. It can be recalled that one of the ludicrous claims made back in January 2001 was the supposed absence or "death of democracy" under former President Joseph Estrada, who was actually too human-rights-conscious to disperse the irreverent mix of EDSA 2 conspirators and gullible mob.

The traditional media organizations went practically all out in support of the swift ouster of the democratically elected Estrada and the installation of Arroyo. As things unfolded, it proved to be an unwise, nay, stupid "People Power" exercise that gave birth to a government that turned out to be not only the most unpopular in Philippine history but one which, as the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines puts it, stands to leave "a legacy of bloodshed and repression, its acts of omission and commission nurturing the impunity with which the enemies of press freedom have operated."

Beautiful but dreadfully poignant Tagalog poetry graced the presentation. The Balagtasan-style ode to the missing stirs the patriotic and compassionate heart:

Hinahanap-hanap ka sa payapang dagat,
Sa bawa't kislot na aking maaninag;
Pinaghahanap ka sa tilamsik ng alat
Sa bula, sa kislap ng bawat lagaslas.


Maging ang buhangin ay pinagtanungan,
Saan aabot ang dalampasigan?
Hapag kainan ba ang paghahandaan,
O kurona't ilaw ang iyong tahanan?


Hahanapin kita sa angil ng punlo,
Sa tinik ng gubat, silahis ng sulo;
Ipagtatanong ka sa libong kamao,
Sa kaway ng bandera't dagundong ng maso.


Hahanapin kita sa luntian bukirin,
Sa ngiti ng sanggol, sa ihip ng hangin;
Kung sa paglaya na ang iyong pagdating
At wala ka roon ay hahanapin pa rin.


Hinahanap hanap ka, hanap ka.


-- Adora Faye de Vera

Apparently, the victims of extra-judicial killings or disappearances under the Arroyo government have mostly been the left-leaning activists. Such is no surprising news because their side of the political spectrum has traditionally been the target of repression by a government who holds "special friendship" with its former colonial master and global nemesis of the communists, socialists and nationalists, the United States of America.

However, in another EDSA 2 irony, it is a fact that the repressive Arroyo government was a product of the 2001 power grab conspiracy that well included the Left. In a way, the Left who came to EDSA 2, or at least the leaders who forged the anti-Estrada coalition with the forces of Arroyo and ex-President Fidel Ramos, are indirectly responsible for the obtaining spate of disappearances and other forms of human rights violations. Arroyo, in a sense, is a big, big stone the leftists hit their own heads with. Still, that's no excuse not to contribute one's voice in the campaign against possible state-enforced disappearances or murders of Filipinos.

Pragmatic in perspective as I am, this article and the independently disseminated video will most probably be heed only by a few. To activate the gentler, just side of human nature of even not many a soul is good enough for me, though. Who knows if it can eventually lead to a government that refuses to be stained by the blood of Filipino desaparecidos, those of the leftist ones, at least.

VIDEO at: SOBRIETY FOR THE PHILIPPINES

SOURCE: Philippine Commentary

Cory Aquino Tributes & the Edsa 2 Denial Syndrome

The necrological services on the fourth day of the wake of former President Corazon "Cory" Aquino struck me as disconcertingly Edsa 2 in composition and sound, no matter that the VIPs who remained in their pews represented all the EDSA revolts--Edsa 1, 2 & 3. Except for Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay, the public figures who took the podium were movers or stalwarts of the 2001 "People Power" power grab.

There were, of course, the touching and insightful anecdotes from Cory's relatives and family or private friends, but the speeches of Congressman Teddy "Boy" Locsin, Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim, the wife of ex-House Speaker Jose de Venecia, Arroyo party-mate lead prosecutor in Estrada's impeachment trial, Mayor Sonny Belmonte--along with the mentioned seated presence of ex-President Fidel Ramos--seemed much too much a reminder of the 2001 Edsa conspiracy. Lim, it should be recalled, was the Secretary of Local Government who deserted his Commander-in-Chief, President Joseph "Erap" Estrada, during the penultimate day of Edsa 2; meanwhile, Locsin was one of those who actively campaigned for the "withdrawal of support" against Estrada. Fidel Ramos, on the other, is the ex-President Estrada wanted investigated for the "Centennial Expo" scandal but who connived with then Vice-President Gloria Arroyo, ex-President Aquino, Jaime Cardinal Sin, and business and military elements in unseating the popularly elected leader.


Add to this were the speeches of Cory's son, Sen. Noynoy Aquino, and Locsin that seemed to suggest that Edsa 2 was not at all a blunder. In no way was the 2001 "People Power" coup d'état "--of which President Aquino was a key advocate--actually mentioned by the politicians and private and religious speakers who paid the late President a tribute on that day, or the entire wake and burial, it seemed. Actually, the Edsa 2 ousting of President Estrada described by foreign news media back then as "'a defeat for due process," as "mob rule," as "a de facto coup,'" but ridiculously hailed by the traditional local media as a triumph of "democracy and "People Power," was most conspicuously a no-mention in the Cory tribute activities, funeral and media coverage thereof. Like a scourge, a leprous part of Cory's and the nation's recent history. The omission of Edsa 2 in all references to the contributions of the female "democracy icon" to Philippine politics was an almost unwritten rule. Recollections and images of the 1986 Edsa 1 "People Power" bombarded the screens, pages, and programs of news/opinion media but there appeared nary a single reference to the divisive and counter-democratic 2001 Edsa coup.

In recounting her mother's uncanny courage, unwavering love, faith in God, and righteous determination in service of patriotic duty even in the face of military artillery, Noynoy mused how he has not yet seen her "make a mistake" ("hindi ko pa ho siya nakitang nagkamali"). In describing how his stint with Cory as one of her advisers (Press Secretary) had led him to a "moral discovery," Locsin described her as "a woman who never did wrong." Of course, the contexts of these descriptions of Cory as perfect in no way referred to Edsa 2. Noynoy's remarks are especially understandable, coming from a son in tribute to his remarkable and beloved mother.

Then again, didn't Noynoy earlier try to present her mother's apology as having been said in 'jest'? The apology was made during ex-Speaker Jose De Venecia's book launching last December 2008. It was Cory's turn to take the stage and at some point in her speech, looked at Estrada and said: "I am one of those who plead guilty in 2001. All of us make mistakes, just please forgive me."

Can something as serious as a matter of an apology over a conspiratorial ouster be possibly turned into a humor by President Aquino? Even in the supposed context of an exchange of humorous quips, it seemed out-of-character for a sincere, truthful and honest Cory to publicly make any such "joke."

I reviewed the news clip on that famous apology and, based from the late President's facial expressions and slight turn of the head away from Estrada's gaze just before she let out the fateful words of apology, it revealed either a hesitancy or a moment of unease that come from a feeling of regret or some shame. Take note that her apology came after she was diagnosed with cancer. It seemed that even for an honest and sincere person like her, it had to take the diagnosis of an often-terminal disease before the admission of guilt to a great blunder could be made. A blogger earlier wrote that people should just "ask Cory" to clarify whether it was a 'joke.' Well, she did clarify it through her spokeswoman who said that it was indeed said in "jest," "But she's not taking it back". Unless the Cory who apologized wasn't at all the Cory we knew, saying it in jest merely served as the vehicle to express what she had long wanted to tell.

Based from the feelings of having been "betrayed," as violently expressed by the few remaining but very loud Edsa 2 forces across the blogosphere and the traditional media, President Aquino's apology has been widely read as real. Puzzlingly, a number of these same people also assert it was all a joke. It appears they're out on a damage control operation of sorts to protect their reputation as "decent" and "intelligent" people who definitely knew better than Erap's "less educated" supporters--and Cory's non-withdrawal of support for Edsa 2 was an important component of it.

Edsa 2 Amnesia or Edsa 2 Sanitizing?

Nonetheless, amidst the eulogies and media's pronounced harping on Cory's contribution in toppling Marcos, her succeeding presidency, and her campaign against the Arroyo presidency--while being almost dead silent on her role in the intervening unseating of Estrada and 2004 presidential campaign for Arroyo--the necrological services sounded not only like a silent approval of Estrada's unconstitutional ouster but also a deliberate and dishonest representation of the late President. Cory, after all, tried her best to undo her grievous and misguided support of Arroyo. Firstly, in 2005, she asked for the latter's resignation following the "Hello Garci" electoral fraud expose, befriended and supported the widow of the "defeated" presidential candidate Fernando Poe, Jr., and later, in December 2008, publicly apologized to Estrada for the 2001 "uprising."

Why are these prominent chapters of Cory's public life conspicuously missing in the tributes offered to her? Obviously, the Edsa 2 no-mention that gradually began a few years ago only means that the 2001 exercise is a discredited "People Power" movement. Still, the question is whether Cory's sustained campaign against the present administration's excesses and greed for power can stand on its own in the chapter on her post-presidency? Why, even her anti-Cha-Cha campaign during Ramos' time was hardly mentioned, if at all.

Is Cory a "democracy icon" only because of her role in ousting Marcos, restoring free elections, bringing back the system of check and balances, and helping ratify the 1987 Constitution? Or is President Aquino the "mother of democracy" because she continuously worked to preserve democracy, including through her sincere efforts to undo the damage she helped inflict on it when, in not trusting the system she herself restored, she chose the Machiavellian path and worked for Erap's ouster?

In the first place, would President Aquino have really wanted a sanitized version of her life in a book dedicated to the Filipino people? The religious, the friends, the politicians--they have all been hailing her for being "honest," "sincere," "clean," "moral," and "transparent"--traits reflected in her presidency and in her post-1992 advocacies. Shouldn't it be proper that such uncanny honesty and truthfulness, to be tempered of course by due respect, also mark the eulogies and tributes to her? Wouldn't Tita Cory have preferred to be remembered for what she truly was--unpretentious in her ways and beliefs?

A sober one may get to wonder--are they merely protecting Cory's memory, or protecting their own "reputation" and interests? A case of collective amnesia, or conspiracy of silence? A 2001 New York Times article should remind them how Edsa 2 operated outside the democratic framework:

The man they overthrew, Joseph Estrada, was a democratically elected president half way through his six-year term. The popular uprising took place when it became clear that due process ? his impeachment trial in the Senate ? would not produce the result many people hoped for: his removal by constitutional means.

Cory a "Saint"?

Unfortunately, the sanitizing, nay, sanctifying, bandwagon seems not confined to the local media. Time magazine will feature Cory Aquino once more as cover article, calling her a "Saint of Democracy." In a precursor article entitled "People Power's Philippine Saint," author Howard Chua-Eoan devoted just one sentence to the now discredited Edsa 2—but even misrepresented Aquino's role in it by claiming that "She joined crowds that led to the overthrow" of Estrada. My, my, since when has "led" become synonymous with "joined"?

A Yellow Celebration of Cory

Of course, the fourth day eventually turned multi-colored as two of the Marcos children came to the wake. The earlier days and nights of the wake also showed the broad spectral range of political forces that "Tita Cory's" death managed to unite--a trend seen from the first day of the wake until the historic funeral on August 5, 2009. Every one of every political color came, the more notable of whom was the primary victim of the 2001 conspiracy of which Cory was a party to--President Estrada who came with his cabinet members in full force, along with his wife ex-Sen. Loi and son Sen. Jinggoy. The half-sister of Arroyo, Cielo Macapagal-Salcedo, also attended the funeral mass. Even Arroyo came to the wake in the wee hours of the funeral day.

I'm proud to have been part of the historic funeral, at least part of it. We were actually late for the requiem mass but we reached Roxas Blvd. just after the cortege left Manila Cathedral. As we approached, a sea of near-yellow was coming to our direction--flocks of people in either yellow tops, ribbons, jackets, or caps emerging from the Anda Circle in Bonifacio Drive. Yellow balloons were flying to the air, as some people held or tied similar balloons to their vehicles. We witnessed the yellow and white confetti showers from a green military helicopter flying rather close to ground. For a moment there, it seemed that the spirit of the genuine and original "People Power" were upon us. Actually, I could swear it was.

From our position, in the center island across one of Metro Manila's fire trucks parked along the Manila Bay side of the boulevard, we saw people who lined the streets wave the "L" for "Laban" ("Fight") sign at each other , to those in the funeral procession, and to the VIP, participants' and media vehicles passing by both lanes. People chanted "Cory" or "Laban." We joined in the act of solidarity that felt like a combination of mourning, revelry, and militancy against the perceived enemy of democracy, Gloria Arroyo's government. I remember the media vehicles, banners representing various groups including some militant organizations, and even some Mar Roxas placards/banners that appeared like a show of irreverent politicking. At any rate, everybody just seemed one that day.

The flat-bed truck passed bedecked with beautiful yellow flowers, and in the middle was President Aquino's casket draped in the Philippine flag. Holding back my tears, I stood in silent reverence and muttered "Goodbye, Cory. You were not perfect but seemed to have always done what you think was best for the people." The honor guards looked both impressive and gallant, as befit a funeral for a well-loved former leader of the land. The Cojuangco Family bus, or one of possibly several, passed by the left lane and the "L" sign continued to be exchanged. Pervading the air was the spirit of solidarity behind Cory, her family, and the ideals she campaigned for, as much as the mixed feelings of mourning and jubilation of a public life well lived. It seemed like Edsa 1 all over again--Filipinos united for the common cause of democracy and marching behind the yellow rays of the sun, the revered color symbol of Cory's "Laban" ("Fight") for democracy.

"Laban," "Cory," "Erap"

The trip to Cory's funeral was rather long and hard, given the bad weather, but I had no intention of missing this historic and meaningful moment. I had decided to offer my humble time and presence to her in honor of our country and in recognition of her fallible but patriotic and lovingly heroic campaigns for democracy. Just a glimpse of her cortege, and being part of the crowd was enough, well enough.

Then, we got our unexpected bonus. President Estrada's vehicle approached, as we were alerted to it by others along the island. Oh, girl! Another imperfect but beloved figure! I grabbed the chance and did as others did--reached through the open window and shook the waving hand of a smiling Erap! As he passed by us, some of the small crowd in our position still chanted "Erap, Erap." I unfortunately never got to see Cory close up in person--not alive, not dead (because I chose to attend the funeral than queue for the wake's public viewing) but the case turned out differently for Estrada. Yes, I've seen him before a couple of times but always only from a distance.

It was a mixed feeling being up close to the man I never voted for--not even as Senator and Vice-President--but who became my President after I realized the fallacy of the "Erap Resign!" and eventual ouster / Edsa 2 movement. Estrada is the President I now reluctantly liken to our other national hero, Andres Bonifacio, on account of their being both pro-masa and having been victimized by a conspiracy of the elites. Of course, Erap can't compare with Bonifacio in most respects--much in the similar manner that Arroyo is far, far worse than Aguinaldo. Perhaps, it's a reflection of the times they lived in or the disastrous politico-cultural effect of America's colonization of the country. I'm not sure....

Love and Respect

The outpouring of sympathy or support for Cory was spectacular, as we soon found out after deciding to be part of the "advance party" by moving ahead of the cortege from Roxas Boulevard, to Quirino Avenue, to Osmena Avenue, and to South Superhighway until Makati. The lines of ordinary people waiting for President Aquino's cortege to pass by on the way to Manila Memorial Park were thick on both sides. Old and young people showed ardent and spontaneous feelings of love and respect. There were organized "tourists" from the provinces who carried small and big banners or placards with tribute lines for Cory.

The urban poor carried makeshift placards with touching messages, ranging from the simpler "Mahal ka Namin," and "Salamat, Cory Aquino;" to the more militant "Ipagpapatuloy po namin ang inyong ipinaglaban," and rather poignant Cory quote "'Take care of each other.' --Ina ng Bayan" or something to that effect. I remember yellow balloons also dancing in the air among the waiting crowds along the Quirino Ave. leg of the funeral procession exit, along with yellow plastics tied to one or more pedicabs and other vehicles. A low, single-sitter carriage powered by a beautiful brown horse caught much attention. I even noticed a woman grasping a dove. Some held pictures of Cory: a woman holding a big banner-size framed picture of the late President proceeded alone, as if trying to make sure that others remember Tita Cory. There were some banners and placards that bore Arroyo's name, rather indignant ones that asked for her ouster.

We ended our offering for Cory around past 2PM, turning right at Zobel Roxas Avenue in Makati. News reports later showed us the more complete picture of the funeral procession and confirmed our experience, partial though it may be, of the massive outpouring of love and sympathy for the 11th President of the Philippines. In this case, still pictures (and videos) tell it all--Filipinos united for the wake and burial of Cory Aquino.

Cory Magic Renewed

I was mildly and joyfully flabbergasted by the very massive and heartfelt outpouring of sympathy and support for President Aquino. I was initially skeptical because I knew that the "Cory Magic" had long faded away, and wasn't even able to secure Arroyo's victory in the 2004 presidential polls without the latter having needed to cheat the "Hello Garci" style. As we moved along Quirino Highway towards the Makati City part of South Superhighway, I realized that months before her death, she had managed to win back the population she alienated when she joined the rather elitist movement against a highly popular and incumbent President. The human sea of love, that included the "great unwashed," made me certain that before she bade Filipinos goodbye, Tita Cory managed to unite the forces of the two successful and one unsuccessful "People Power" exercises in Edsa.

She began the healing process some five years back with her show of touching kindness to Fernando Poe, Jr. whom she visited when he was in the throes of death. Next, Cory issued, in effect, the posthumous acknowledgment that FPJ was the genuinely elected 14th President of the Philippines when she asked her former protégée Gloria Arroyo to resign and "make the supreme sacrifice." She sealed her renewed covenant with the Filipino masses--within the context of the higher goal of preserving democracy--when she publicly voiced her apology to Estrada over her part in the big blunder of Edsa 2 soon after she was diagnosed with terminal colon cancer.

The late 2008 apology to the imperfect Estrada, the "Father of the Masses" was Cory's supreme show of statesmanship. True to form, the late President once more demonstrated her remarkable sense of humility and determination to do what is righteous, even if it meant admitting to her own wrong. In the process, Cory dared defy, and invited the cruel ridicule of, the still unrepentant Edsa 2 gullibles and conspirators--those traitors to the 1987 Constitution, conceited subverters of the spirit of Edsa 1, pretentious conspirators against genuine Philippine democracy.

Cory: Edsa1, EDSA2, Edsa 3

Some news pieces/videos carried titles to the effect of claiming that "Cory brings people back to the streets.' What is the more complete picture is that Cory was able to restore the "People Power" zeal that Edsa 2--of which she was one of the leaders--almost killed. It was her apology and subsequent friendship with Estrada that helped lead to the reunification of a country split by Edsa 2 and the unsuccessful Edsa 3 and their consequences.

To gloss over the mistakes of President Cory, if not categorically depict a persona of political infallibility, is to cover up not only her mortal blunders but her admirable efforts to correct or undo them for the sake of the nation. To deny Cory's wrongs is to deny what her actions revealed to the Filipinos--that Estrada should not have been deposed and Arroyo not have been installed as successor in 2001, and that Fernando Poe Jr. had been cheated of the Philippine presidency. To deny or even omit her misguided roles in Edsa 2 and the 2004 campaign for Arroyo is to censor factual and reported parts of Cory's history. To deny Cory's public apology over the Edsa 2 coup d'état is to misrepresent her sincere brand of patriotism, and to deceive not only one's self but, also, the entire Filipinos.

To maliciously rewrite history by glossing over or excluding the fact of Cory's sincere apology and gestures of making up with the key victims of Edsa 2--Estrada and FPJ--is to pretend that those important chapters in her life and the nation's did not happen. President Aquino realized and did not hesitate to take personal responsibility for the 2001 and 2004 conspiracies to subvert the workings of the very democracy that she restored in memory of her husband Ninoy Aquino.

The remaining unapologetic anti-Estrada forces of Edsa 2 may claim Cory as exclusively Edsa 1 in her death. That would be so far from the truth because it was her show of statewomanly humility to admit to blunders amidst her consistent patriotic yearnings that have endeared the "People Power" President back to those alienated by her role in the undemocratic January 2001 exercise. Cory herself would have corrected those eulogies and tributes that sanitized her role in Philippine politics. I'm so sure that the sincere, honest, and transparent President Cory would have asked that she be pictured for everything she has done--as Edsa 1 "People Power" heroine; as part of the Edsa 2 fallacy; and a mortal "mother of democracy" that made peace with the movers of Edsa 3, the Filipino masses.

________

References at: SOBRIETY FOR THE PHILIPPINES

SOURCE: Philippine Commentary

Edsa Dos WAS Mob Rule

EDSA DOS DIE HARDS are having a Healing Session for the hollowed out carcass of their cherished People Power ideology over at the Philippine Daily Innuendo, starting with an Editorial that announces the new politically correct incantation of what happened on 20 January 2001:

"PDI: "While the second epiphany of people power was not a revolution but a limited and direct democratic action, it is now understood by many to have been devoured at the table of history—that is to say, de-legitimated..."

But what exactly IS direct democracy if not a direct anti-thesis of representative democracy and deserving of delegitimation? I think TIME Magazine called it MOB RULE.

CONSPIRACY THEORY Veteran reporter Anthony Spaeth called it a conspiracy--

Anthony Spaeth (TIME Magazine, Jan. 29, 2001) : The more disturbing, albeit most plausible, theory of what transpired involves a conspiracy. As a macho former movie star, Estrada was held in contempt by Manila's business aristocracy. Mrs. Aquino is from landed gentry. Cardinal Sin has an understandable aversion to a President who boasts of mistresses and illegitimate offspring. In the mid-'80s, the Elite and the Church banded together to help organize Manila's masses against Marcos, a moment of triumph they have never forgotten. The fact that a high percentage of Filipinos loved Estrada was exasperating. Even more inconvenient was his grip on the Senate, which seemed to ensure that he would stay in power. The solution: to bring hundreds of thousands of Filipinos onto Manila's streets. But the Philippine polity is 77 million-strong. Was this a revolution of the Filipino people—or of a few hundred thousand Filipinos prompted by a few hundred powerful individuals?

DAVIDE'S DERELICTION OF DUTY On 20 January 2001, it all boiled down to less than half a dozen powerful individuals, most of whom are in this famous snapshot of the moment when Chief Justice Hilario G. Davide Jr. transformed the Social Contract called the Constitution into a jumble of Biblical fiddlesticks to be arranged and constructed at will "for the common good." Davide's ultimate treachery lies in his establishment of a Constitutional tradition that is rooted in the end justifying the means, a guarantee of results that Justice will always produce a good and moral outcome in every case, even if the justices have to resort to unfair and unjust process! Thus, Davide was willing to ignore the FACT that Joseph Estrada was on impeachment trial at the Senate, in which he was a non-voting Presiding Judge.

But I hope it has become crystal clear that Davide at the Edsa Shrine on that fine Saturday morning seven years ago, had absolutely no legal, moral or juridical business being there whatsoever! In fact, since the massive demonstration ongoing at that location was clearly and indubitably a PARISAN POLITICAL ACTIVITY calling for the resignation and ouster of the incumbent and democratically elected President, Davide's mere presence could be construed as a culpabable violation of the Judicial Code of Conduct which explicitly prohibits such activity by cold, impartial and neutral judges. His clear duty was to reconvene proceed with the Senate Impeachment Trial of Joseph Estrada, starting from the Tuesday previous (January 16) when the Prosecutor Joker Arroyo abandoned his own oath to prosecute Joseph Estrada in the name of the People and their House of Representatives. But Davide did not do that. Instead he did indeed conspire with others to overthrow the President, frustrate and abort the Constitutional process of impeachment, declared Erap "permanently incapacitated just before noon", and against the remonstrations of Justice Cecilia Munoz Palma, proceeded to the Edsa Shrine to swear in Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

For years PDI described Edsa Dos as a "a military backed popular uprising that overthrew a corrupt President." But now that that "corrupt President" has regained not only his liberty but his civil and political rights, and indubitably enjoys the trust and confidence of the overwhelming majority of the masses, there is a touch of real modesty, if not complete candor in downgrading Edsa Dos from People Power Revolution to Military Backed Popular Uprising to Limited and Direct Democratic Action.

Maybe next year they will finally get it right: Edsa Dos was Davide's monumental dereliction of duty--his insane demolition of wall of separation between the Supreme Court and the Congress in the matter of Accountability of Public Officers (Article XI, 1987 Constitution).

The Regime Change that occurred at Edsa Dos was highly anomalous because it was brought about by the direct self-preventable actions of the Chief Justice and subsequent decisions of the Supreme in what was a clear CASE of IMPEACHMENT.


The inexplicable and sudden swearing in of the Vice President by Chief Justice Hilario G. Davide, Jr. came, as far we know, upon his own personal initiative and immoral dereliction of duty, in concert with its beneficiary, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo; with Jaime Cardinal Sin, and most with Pres. Cory Aquino who later confirmed these facts publicly. A later Chief Justice, Artemio V. Panganiban claimed in 2002, in a speech to seminarians, that the idea to swear in GMA in order to force Erap out of office, came from him.

THE SECOND ENVELOPE: The massive demonstrations at the Edsa Shrine which marked Edsa Dos were touched off on Tuesday night, 16 January 2001, after the Senate impeachment court voted 11 to 10 to exclude as evidence, something called the Second Envelope.

When pro-Estrada senators engineered to block the use of potentially incriminating evidence at the impeachment trial, public outrage exploded.

What was in the Second Envelope? The Senate later opened it to discover that it contained a letter from a Mr. Jaime Dichavez claiming ownership of the Jose Velarde accounts and an offer to prove the same. It was evidence, in other words, that was helpful to Erap's Defense.

Speaking of which, Edsa Dos Die Hards never tire of distorting this aspect of that historic trial, but they never make mention of the fact Joseph Estrada never got his day in impeachment court because the Prosecutor Joker Arroyo walked out and First Gent-to-be Mike Arroyo swung into action.

The trial was aborted by Davide before the Defense could begin. He made it moot and academic by swearing in the Vice President

Was that FAIR??

Manuel L. Quezon III, seems to think it might not have been fair but it was GOOD because it prevented violence from marring the hitherto perfect record of Edsa People Power as an ideology of revolution through peaceful if forceful means. But he makes the most curious equivalence between Marcos and Joseph Estrada (which I found unbelievable), perhaps to strengthen a Constitutionally weak argument:

No one has seriously tackled what condition Joseph Ejercito Estrada was in, during the crucial days and hours his government lost the momentum and crumbled. Looking back, it happened quickly. Prior to the point Angelo Reyes convinced the military’s top brass to, as he put it, engage in mutiny, the advantage, in terms of legitimacy and brute force, lay with Estrada. Even when the defections began to gather pace, he knew, somehow, that his greatest ally was time. Up to the morning of the day he fell from power, it seemed quite possible he could counter-attack by summoning reinforcements from the provinces.

Being the dipsomaniac that he was, there is no high level mystery as to the "condition of Joseph Estrada" in his last hours at the Palace, and the published diary of Ed Angara gives further hints. But I think MLQ3 misses the obvious point that Angara must have been assuring him that the Senate would restart the Impeachment Trial, proceed to a verdict of certain acquittal, and that would be the end of it after a few more days of noisy demonstrations at the Edsa Shrine. Trying to make Erap seem capable of "counter attack" with "reinforcements from the provinces" I find singularly unconvincing and a bit of a stretcher on MLQ's part. Erap was never a fascistic or authoritarian president.

What Erap did not count on was that the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Hilario G. Davide would usurp the sole and exclusive powers of the Congress to initiate all cases of impeachment, and to fairly try and remove from office or acquit such high Constitutional officers as the president. It is a little known fact that the verdict in a Senate impeachment trial can NOT be appealed to the Supreme Court, which has zero jurisdiction in all cases of impeachment.

Less than four days after it had become crystal clear that Joseph Estrada had eleven Senators ready to acquit him at the Senate Impeachment Trial, the Supreme Court wants History to believe that he validly RESIGNED the presidency, without anyone actually knowing about it for two months, not even Erap!

I believe the vast audience of History won't be fooled. Joseph Estrada was illegally removed from Office by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court in the most stunning malfeasance of Constitutionalism imaginable.

Davide nullified the Senator Judges verdict even before they could render it, even before Erap could mount his defense in Court.

In retrospect, perhaps Rene Saguisag made a mistake in suing Gloria Macapagal Arroyo after Edsa Dos, since she was just the recipient of Stolen Goods. The true thief of constitutionalism and electoral democracy at Edsa Dos was Hilario G. Davide. Jr., the Chief Injustice of that entire sorry episode.

On a lighter heavy note, columnist Randy David gets days and dates wrong in Forgetting Edsa II

Ms Arroyo has shown us the limits of people power. We now know that as a moral force, people power will not succeed in shaming an amoral president out of office. We also now know that as a political force, people power cannot topple down a president without the consent or collaboration of the military. This realization, more than anything else, has diminished our people’s enthusiasm for mass protests. I think that what we should realize is not the futility of people power, but rather its eventual impotence if it remains unorganized and naively dependent on spontaneous sparks of moral outrage.

But Eggie Apostol has done a marvelous job of organizing People Power having converted it to the boosting of the educational system. I'm sure Randy gets invited to all the soirees and tea parties.

Presidential Re-election and the Framers' Intent

When Marcos won re-election in 1969, he notoriously made use of Guns, Goons and Gold, in a massive display of the Incumbent's Advantage. So the Framers of the 1987 Constitution, after deciding that four years was too short for a good President, decided that six years would not be too long for a bad one, and adopted a single six year term. A brouhaha has arisen because of Joseph "Erap" Estrada.

ather Joaquin Bernas, SJ, only assumed he had written the Last Word Saturday on whether Erap can run again for President, because his new PDI essay, Presidential Re-election gives the matter a whole new complexion with a discussion of the two fold intent of the Framers to abolish the incumbent's advantage and to limit Presidents to six years in such high office. That they utterly failed at both is none of Erap's fault!

BERNAS: "The debates on the proposal on the number of allowable terms for the President took place after the Commission had decided that the President’s term of office would be six years. As to the number of times a person may be President, the initial votes were as follows:

No immediate reelection: 32 votes.

Absolutely no reelection: 21 votes.

One immediate reelection: 1 vote.

On motion of Commissioner Ambrosio Padilla, a Senate veteran, who had voted for the approved proposition, the vote was reconsidered. Padilla gave his reasons for “perpetual” disqualification after a single term. He said: “I think the evil that we have been trying to prevent, and which I thought was already concurred in by the majority, if not practically by all, is that we do not want the President to control the nation and govern the people for more than six years, with the idea that he should never return to the presidency even if he allows another, probably of his own party, to run in the meantime because that will not cure the evil of reelection on the part of the President. In other words, Madam President, I want to eliminate that word ‘immediate.’”

Another Senate veteran, Commissioner Francisco “Soc” Rodrigo countered: “The philosophy behind disqualifying a President from immediate reelection is so he cannot use his power as President to help him in his reelection bid. But if it is not immediate reelection, if he is out of office for six years and he runs after six years not being President, he cannot use that power of the President to help him win his election bid.”

Even the incomparable Founding Father Bernas appears to miss the supreme irony in this matter. We now know that what the Framers wanted was to prevent a certain evil by strictly limiting every elected President to not more than six years in office, as Ambrosio Padilla eloquently argued for reconsideration and prevailed. But by framing the presidential term limit provision as a perpetual prohibition on RE-ELECTION, the Framers apparently failed to realize that they had left a giant loophole in the Constitution, because there is in fact another way to spend more than six years in office as President, WITHOUT being re-elected in the sense of being elected more than once to the Presidency. That loop hole is SUCCESSION via the Vice Presidency. That Gloria Macapagal Arroyo went through this loophole to legally and Constitutionally frustrate the intent of the Framers, only reveals the utter failure of the Framers to write a Constitution that would indeed fulfill their intentions! Ouch!

But Fr. Bernas' two essays are nonetheless invaluable. He proves conclusively that the INTENT of the Framers was to strictly limit occupancy of the Presidency by any one person to a single six year term. Even if their prohibition against any re-election turns out to have been ineffective at preventing someone controlling the Presidency for more than six years, it shows that what they were really attacking and preventing was the Incumbent's Advantage, as I claimed in my caveat to Bernas' Saturday piece, Can Erap Run Again?

We do not and cannot know the full answer to this as a POLITICAL QUESTION, but an important conclusion from Bernas' essay to day is this. IF Erap were to run again, and served only till 2013 as he has bruited about, he would NOT frustrate either of the Framer's intentions: that no person occupy the Presidency for more than six years, nor would he have the Incumbent's Advantage! Ironically, what is now considered Constitutional--thanks to Davide!--is the career of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo--which DID violate both intents since she will serve for TEN years and had the Incumbent's Advantage in 2004!

My basic conclusion is this: Forbidding ANY RE-ELECTION is NOT ENOUGH to guarantee that no person will wield the powers of the Chief Executive for more than six years, nor does it preclude the use of Incumbent's Advantage by a sitting President!

In the meantime of course, I think that Erap is just DICKING with everybody. He has been made practically invincible and can do whatever pleases his mischievous lil heart.

Can Erap Run Again?

This is both a LEGAL and a POLITICAL question. But the answer is very different depending on which you think it is and how you understand the event pictured nearby!

Now it turns out that Fr. Joaquin Bernas had not yet given the Last Word on this issue last week, for today he gives more juicy details of the Concom deliberations upon the issue of Presidential term limits in Presidential Re-election.


At the center of the legal question is the concept of TERM LIMITS in the constitution placed on ALL government officials in one form or another to prevent dynasticism and the essential unfairness of the "Incumbent's Advantage". Presidential term limits in the the 1987 Constitution are found in:

Article VII Executive Department Section 4. The President and the Vice-President shall be elected by direct vote of the people for a term of six years which shall begin at noon on the thirtieth day of June next following the day of the election and shall end at noon of the same date, six years thereafter.

The President shall not be eligible for any re-election.

No person who has succeeded as President and has served as such for more than four years shall be qualified for election to the same office at any time.

I like analysing Constitutional provisions and issues using the tools of English Grammar and Composition. So let us break down the last two statements above as follows:

SUBJECT	VERB	OBJECT
The President	shall not be eligible for	any re-election
No person who has succeeded as President and has served as such for more than four years [OR: Any person who has succeeded as President and has served as such for NOT more than four years]	shall be qualified for	election to the same office at any time

We can make the following categorical statements:

The incumbent President of the Philippines CANNOT run for immediate re-election to the same office UNLESS he or she first succeeded to the Presidency from a lower office such as Vice President, Senate President, or House Speaker.

Conversely, the incumbent President of the Philippines CAN run for immediate re-election IF he or she became the President by succession and not by direct vote of the people.

THE RIGHT TO SERVE THE PEOPLE Why should this be so? Why should a person who merely succeeds to the Presidency and serves less than two thirds of the full six year term be generously accorded by the Constitution with the right and privilege to run immediately for "election to the same office" with the incumbent's advantage, or at any time in the future? Perhaps it is because the Constitution values the privilege of being directly voted by the people to serve as President of the Philippines so highly, that no one should be deprived of it by the actions or circumstances that engulf another. For example, suppose an incumbent President were to RESIGN from office just a few days before the end of his or her six year term. The Vice President would validly succeed to the Presidency, but without the above provision, the new President would serve just those few days and then be ineligible to run for election to the same office of the Presidency, effectively deprived of his or her own full turn at the Helm.

The Constitution clearly distinguishes between "ANY RE-ELECTION" and "ELECTION TO THE SAME OFFICE AT ANY TIME" yet it is a seemingly illogical distinction because the 1987 ALLOWS INCUMBENT ADVANTAGE anyway! It has been asserted that these 1987 provisions were framed in such a way as to prevent an incumbent President from using the powers of his or her office to win immediate re-election. However, that is clearly not the case, since any President who succeeded to that office for less than four years, may indeed run for immediate re-election, as Gloria Macapagal Arroyo did in 2004. If the intent of the framers was to deny the so-called Incumbent's Advantage in re-election contests, they miserably failed by leaving a loophole at least big enough for GMA to have gotten through it and is already on her second, full term as President after a highly controversial 2004 election contest.

The Last Word? From it's title, I was prepared to believe that Founding Father Joaquin Bernas, S.J. would make an air tight case against the legal possibility of Joseph "Erap" Estrada becoming President of the Philippines again under the 1987 Constitution. Instead, we find another instance in which that badly written document with its pathetic ambiguities must be interpreted for us by the good Fr. Bernas by resorting to the proceedings of the 1986 Constitutional Commission (which often decided weighty matters by a single vote, such as the fact that we now have a presidential form of government and not a parliamentary one!)

Bernas: "The delegates to the 1986 Constitutional Commission did debate on how often a person may be president. Records show that the original draft which came from the committee proposed that "He shall be disqualified from immediate reelection." During the deliberatons on this draft, three alternatives vied for approval: no immediate reelection, absolutely no second election whatsoever, one immediate reelection. The "absolutists" won the vote and the final text came to read as it does now: "The President shall not be eligible for any reelection." The word "any" reflects the sentiment of the "absolutists."

Clearly, the framers of the 1987 Constitution were not unanimous in their view of this question, being divided into at least three camps: those who would forbid only immediate re-election; those who would allow only one re-election; and the "absolutists" who turn out to be not so absolute about limiting a person to a maximum of six years at the helm.

How can Fr. Bernas claim that the provision means "absolutely no second election whatsoever"?

LOOKIT: The Founding Fathers (including Bernas) contemplated the possibility of a Vice President succeeding to the Presidency and then being elected immediately to the same office, a happenstance that has already transpired with Gloria Macapagal Arroyo! Indeed, if Gloria had kept her Rizal Day 2002 promise not to run in the 2004 elections, she would still have been eligible to run for election to the same office of President at any time during her natural life. ERGO, there is no ABSOLUTE PROHIBITION in the 1987 Constitution against a former President running for election to the same office of President, since a real and legal counter-example has already occurred in the case of GMA.

Are the following statements TRUE or FALSE under the 1987 Constitution?

NO INCUMBENT PRESIDENT SHALL BE ELIGIBLE FOR ANY ELECTION TO THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENCY.

NO FORMER PRESIDENT SHALL BE ELIGIBLE FOR ELECTION TO THE PRESIDENCY.

Both statements are FALSE. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was the incumbent president in 2004 when she ran for and won election to the presidency (how she did it is a different matter altogether not our subject today). Moreover, if she had not run in 2004 as she once vowed, she would still be eligible for election to the Presidency in 2010 or beyond since she would've served only Erap's unexpired term.

In this logical deconstruction, there is one utterly depressing and inexorable conclusion. The 1987 Constitution is not framed to exclude the Incumbent's Advantage since there is a giant loophole in it that allowed a Vice President who merely succeeded to the Presidency of Erap, to take compleat Incumbent's Advantage of her position in 2004 in order to win election to the same office as President!

The 1987 Constitution effectively discriminates against Presidents who are democratically elected into office by forbidding their re-election immediate or otherwise. Yet, it allows "any person" who merely succeeds to the Presidency to be eligible for election to the same office of the Presidency immediately or otherwise!

The distinction between "re-election" and "election to the same office" is really a hollow one with respect to the enjoyment of the Incumbent's Advantage, the removal of which would seem to be the main motivating factor for moving to a single six year term without any immediate re-election.

As Bernas tells it, we see that "no immediate re-election" for the president was the original position of the drafters, being a compromise between the "absolutists" and those who would allow a single re-election. "No immediate re-election" certainly satisfies the need to suppress the Incumbent's Advantage.

IF there are unresolvable ambiguities present in the Constitution, we must be prepared to settle them as POLITICAL QUESTIONS, rather than give in to the tendency of some folks to turn the Constitution into a Bible, to be interpreted and redacted with good intentions the way Davide did [sic!]. But as against such Constitutional carpentry, I much prefer to regard the Constitution as a Social and Political Contract, which ought to be the best evidence of what the Parties are agreeing to do, which is to set up and maintain a democratic system of government for a free and open society that is based on preternatural moral principles of Justice as fairness and Liberty as equality.

Mayors, governors and Congressmen are limited to three consecutive terms of three years each and must stand for election to win each term. Senators and the Vice President may serve up to two consecutive terms of six years each with a single re-election in between allowed. All of these officials get their quotas and limits reset after a hiatus out of office (during which many of them field wives or other placeholders until they can run again).

The President is not eligible for any re-election and serves a single six year term. Could it possibly be that the President is unique among all government officials in being limited to a single term in a given position for life? Why can't a past, non-incumbent president like Cory, FVR or Erap run for President again when there would be no question of an Incumbent's Advantage?

The overthrow of Joseph Estrada in 2001 is usually described by the politically correct as a "military backed popular revolt" even as the Supreme Court ruled in March 2001 that the regime change that occurred on 20 January 2001 was "Constitutional throughout."

But today, in The Last Word on Erap's running again for the Presidency, Founding Father Joaquin Bernas, SJ, says:

Fr. Bernas: "President Joseph Estrada succeeded Ramos in 1992 through an overwhelming popular vote. His tenure was cut short by a Supreme Court decision, although the justices themselves could not find a common supporting reason for concluding that his departure from Malacañang was final and irrevocable."

When a Constitutional Officer, like the President, the Chief Justice or a Comelec Commissioner is impeached by the House, tried AND convicted by the Senate Impeachment Court, there are only two legal penalties that result, namely: (1) immediate removal from public office; and (2) perpetual disqualification from holding public office.

Note that such a verdict and sentence of conviction in a Senate impeachment trial is FINAL and EXECUTORY. It cannot be appealed to the Supreme Court, which has NO jurisdiction whatsoever to consider, affirm or reverse it. Not even Executive Clemency can affect the outcome and punishment in any case of impeachment.

For me, the most profound Constitutional lesson to be learned from Edsa Dos and the case of Joseph Estrada has to do with the principle of the Separation of Powers in the matter of Public Accountability of Constitutional Officers who may only be removed by the process of impeachment.

It is a widely ignored FACT that the process of removing high government officials by the judicial mechanics of impeachment is the sole and exclusive power of the political branch of the Government, namely the House and Senate of the Congress of the Philippines.

ONLY the Congress has NO impeachable officers under the Constitution's Article IX on Accountability of Public Officers.

ALL impeachable officers belong to the the Executive Dept. (President and Vice President); the Judiciary (15 Justices of the Supreme court); or the Constitutional Commissions (Comelec 7, Audit 3, Civil Service 3).

The overthrow of Joseph Estrada in 2001 is the reason, I think, that he is still around. A grave form of injustice was done by one institution, the Supreme Court against another, the Senate, in not upholding the clear SEPARATION OF POWERS in a case of impeachment involving the Presidency. For me, the entire utility of the quantity called Joseph Estrada, is the possible correction of that grave injustice.

The Legal Eagles can say what they want, but the question CAN ERAP RUN AGAIN? is quintessentially a POLITICAL question. All the fancy argumentation and reasoning in the above post can be answered by a single four letter word that the electorate could write into the ballots of 2010 if necessary: ERAP!

In that case, not even Joaquin Bernas or Hilario Davide can command the Spring to rise above the Source! It's the lesson they and the other Edsa Dos Die Hards refuse to learn.