Blogger-reporters of ABSCBN RG Cruz and Ricky Carandang covering Fort Bonifacio Standoff. Several tanks and armored vehicles have arrived on site.
ALL FURTHER UPDATES WILL BE IN THE COMMENT THREAD SO I DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THE CORRECT TIME STAMP.
(22:10 GMT+8 Did Cory's prayer work?) A thankfully nonviolent end may just have come to this, now thoroughly puzzling episode on Day 3 of Proclamation 1017. This, after Major General Nelson Allaga, the new Commandant of the Philippine Marines, flanked by the mysterious Col. Ariel Querubin, announced that they had resolved an internal issue within the Marine Corps related to the reported "voluntary request to be relieved" of Maj. Gen. Renato Miranda. Gen. Allaga said that he was now the Acting Commandant of the Marine Corps, with the implication being that Col. Querubin had acquiesced to this. He stressed that they would not allow themselves to be used by anyone and that they would be staying within the chain of command, a phrase that has become the flavor of the day. This was a good kind of anti-climax. But who knows what Day 4 will bring...
Hat Tip to the Hillblogger: Thanks for pointing out my error-- it is General Nelson Allaga, the new Marine Commandant that is the son-in-law of Chino Roces, not Gen. Renato Miranda, who apparently applied to be relieved.
SPECULATION: Why did this happen? What was this all about? I shall have to review all the recordings to try and sort this one out.
46 comments:
The trouble at Fort Bonifacio apparently began with the unexpected relief of Marine Corps Commandant Major General Renato P. Miranda, the superior of Colonel Ariel Querubin, a Marine officer mentioned last Friday in connection with the arrest of General Danilo Lim of the Scout Rangers. This General Miranda, Pia Hontiveros informs us is the son-in-law of the legendary civil libertarian and newspaper publisher, Don Chino Roces.
Former Vice President Teofisto Guingona and former Senate Majority Leader Loren Legarda have arrived at Fort Bonifacio to lend their moral support to the Marines. Senate Defense Committee Chairman Rodolfo Biazon is also on-site trying to negotiate a peaceful end to the standoff. Police dispersal units have apparently arrived to augment Army and Navy units near the Marine Headquarters at Fort Bonifacio. The crowd is growing and is apparently composed of Opposition supporters and the usual curiosity seekers. A triple phalanx of police barricades are said to now separate the crowd and the gate into the Fort Bonifacio's Gate 3.
Media reporters are massing at Gate 2 of Fort Bonifacio expecting the arrival of former President Corazon Aquino,who is said to be trying to make it to the place where Marines are making a stand. I just heard Col. Ariel Querubin calling for people to converge on Fort Bonifacio to protect them from surrounding forces said to be from Air Force, Navy and national police units. However, the Marine Corps apparently is "ONE" as a Col Eduardo Ducusin of the Iligan Marine Batallion in Iligan City, Mindanao called into ABSCBN to say this. Police have sealed all entrances to the Fort Bonifacio, not allowing even residents trying to go home inside the Fort.
Former President Cory Aquino is reportedly trying to enter the Fort Bonifacio compound where Marines are making a defiant stand. A group of nuns were shown briefly on television praying the rosary in front of the assembled disperal units. AM radio is reporting that crowds near the entrances are flashing the "L" sign--the Laban hand signal that became a symbol of the Edsa 1 People power revolution against Ferdinand Marcos.
Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye has just emerged from an hours-long meeting with the President of the National Security council. He sounds stretched, voice edgy and the normal smooth delivery seemed harried. The Cabinet inner circle has been wracked with insecurity because a barrage of text messages have been spreading the news that a number of Cabinet secretaries might resign. Bunye has denied everything, stressing that the entire Cabinet is loyal to the President.
AFP COS Gen. Generoso Senga has just come on too. He asks that the people stay calm and that the chain of command is intact. He claims that the Marine Commandant, General Renato Miranda had filed a request with Philippine Navy head Mayuga that he be relieved. He insists the request was completely voluntary. The mystery remains why the subordinate of Miranda, Col. Ariel Querubin has now "mutinied," apparently in protest of the the relief of his superior. Gen. Senga was dismissive of Querubin, saying he had a plan all along to destabilize the government. Earlier Querubin told reporters he was not withdrawing support from the President but merely protesting the relief of his superior officer, General Miranda, a son-in-law of Chino Roces, a legendary newspaper publisher and civil libertarian who fought the dictator Marcos.
Congressman Noynoy Aquino, son of Ninoy Aquino has arrived on-site at Fort Bonifacio to negotiate for his mother, former President Corazon Aquino be allowed to enter the area with some nuns and other religious personalities to pray with the solidiers that there be a peaceful resolution to the standoff. Senator Ping Lacson has joined Rep. Aquino negotiating with the ground commander, an Air Force officer.
Delighted Chants of CORY! CORY! CORY! can be heard from the growing crowd. DINKY SOLIMAN, resigned Social Welfare Secretary (and former best friend of Pres. Arroyo) is with her. CORY! CORY! CORY! SENATOR LOREN LEGARDA has apparently returned to help avert bloodshed. Quezon City Mayor Sonny Belmonte has arrived too now. The crowd is getting excited. Bishop Teodoro Bacani has also been sighted.
Bishop Teodoro Bacani is telling an AM Radio reporter that he has information that PAGCOR has released money to special crowd disperal agents from the Northern Police District.
Cory Aquino is telling reporters she has arrived at the standoff in Fort Bonifacio to help find a peaceful solution to the standoff. She is praying the Rosary, the crowd around her has joined in as Bishop Bacani begins singing the EDSA 1 anthem BAYAN KO...
Ang Bayan kong Pilipinas.. lupain ng ginto't bulaklak...
It's on air on DZMM radio 588
Ibong may layang lumipad...Pilipinas kong minamahal...
Executive Secretary Ed Ermita has announced that all schools will be closed at all academic levels on Monday 27 February.
Former President Corazon Aquino is leading the crowd in radio broadcast prayer of the Holy Rosary along the street in front of the Marine Headquarters compound. The crowd is growing by the minute along Pasong Tamo Extension Avenue. Bishop Bacani is leading in the Glorious mysteries of the Rosary. Present are several senators, congresspersons, nuns, others.
Hail Mary full of grace the Lord is with you hallowed be thy name, blessed are you among women, blessed is the fruit of your womb Jeses.
Holy Mary Mother Of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death, Amen!
glory be to the Father, to the Son and the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end! Amen
INQ7 was reporting the massing of protestors at UP-Diliman. The sketchy and second hand reports were talking about currently 1000 and claims of being able to raise about 15,000.
That report has since disappeared.
DJB,
Thank you for the blow by blow account. Can't access Inq7 and I'm kinda surprised - either there's a huge volume of traffic on the Inq7 or they haven't changed the front page.
Re: Col Querubin's tack of ask fellow officers to resign en masse: VERY, VERY WRONG TACK.
Col Querubin's plan may be considered a good political move but, OVERALL, IT IS NOT a SOUND PLAN.
What happens when officers resign? There will no longer be good men to lead the rest of the men. You need GOOD OFFICERS TO LEAD and without officers, who will lead the rest of the military?
HE MUST NOT RESIGN FROM THE MILITARY OR GIVE UP HIS RANK.
You see, it is unlikely that Querubin will be able to persuade 100% of the officers corps to resign with him - there will always be a loyalist or two with a multitude of the soldiers and men in the lower ranks - so what will surely happen if that resignation en masse scenario occurs is that Gloria will simply choose from the tawdy officer left behind to lead where Querubin will have left off? And where will that leave the military? In the hands of not so good or not as competent officers like Querubin.
Querubin must uphold the MILITARY OFFICERS' DOGMA: AN OFFICER IS TRAINED TO LEAD AND AS ONE MUST LEAD; Querubin is the leader of his men. HE CAN NOT OR MUST NOT LEAVE HIS MEN IN THE HANDS OF THE ENEMY! IF HE BELIEVES IN HIS MISSION, THEN HE MUST PROTECT HIS RANK AT ALL COST!
I see you have readers from Ft. Bonafacio.
The report I detail above IS BACK on INQ7. I also just rcved a txt from my sis-in-law and she tells me the situation is resolved but I see no other reporting that indicates anything is resolved.
INQ7 is getting slammed. I am using Netscape and Lynx and usually I can call up the latest with one or the other.
INQ7 is reporting the marine situation is resolved. That Brig. Gen Nelson Allaga and Col Querubin appeared in front of the media. Gen Allaga said he was in command of the marines.
Gen. Allaga did not disclose what (or if any) actions were being contemplated against Col. Querubin.
No reports on the civvies around Ft. Bonafacio if they are dispersing or if others continue to join in.
I eagerly await news from Rizalist.
DJB,
So the standoff is all over... the Marines have been ordered back to their barracks and to follow the chain of command?
By the way, it's BGen Nelson Allaga - PMA Class 76 who is related to Chino Roces by marriage not MajGen Miranda.
Allaga, is a Mindanao veteran and is a respected officer. I don't think he will do a Danilo Lim because although he's a typical marine, he's been exposed to the Navy (having worked in Navy hqs) officers' way of doing things: respect for hierarchy. The Navy has a different culture from the rest of the service commands. Known as the silent service, naval officers (PN) are less extrovert and more inclined to respect old naval officers' tradition - follow chain of command.
As to MajGen Renato Miranda's asking to be relieved: unbelievablet! The real story is that military hierarchy has unearthed that there were troop movements earlier on and obviously, he was in command so was made the sacrificial lamb.
Sorry to say this but gotta be frank: The guy wasn't fit to become major general in the first place; probably why he was the last in his class to get promoted to star rank (Class 74); he wouldn't have gone past LtColonel elsewhere.
Thanks for that on Allaga. I was just wondering about that checking on the wife of Miranda.
THIS SERVES AS THE CORRECTION HAHA!
It is indeed Gen. Nelson Allaga who is a son in law of Chino Roces.
DJB,
Just accessed Inq on report that Cory Aquino was refused entry to Fort Bonifacio.
It read "She (Cory)said this was unusual since they had allowed Teofisto Guingona to proceed to Fort Bonifacio, owing to his status as a former vice president. If that was the case, then since she is a former president, she should also be allowed to go.e
Haha! Am not surprised... hell hath no fury like a woman scorned (particularly by another woman). Gloria will be more vindictive with another woman who's scorned her!
By the way, DJB, there's still a couple of senior officers at large.
DJB,
Did you notice that Gloria, commander-in-chief (daw) has not said a word on the military future of BGen Lim?
Traditionally, an officer of that rank who's committed such military offence (inciting to mutiny), would have been immediately ordered arrested under Article of War.
HB--I pose a moral dilemma. Suppose you are a soldier like Querubin or Trillanes or even Angie Reyes. You see the corruption in the military killing your fellow soldiers and the top brass getting richer on their blood. Then you realize the corruption is being abetted by the Commmander in chief herself who uses the military, including your own honorable fighting unit, for partisan political purposes. What can a soldier do ethically and professionally in order to bring about the regime change needed to save the country from the clutches of a bad leader?
It's a moral dilemma that I claim Angie Reyes' solution to, was to have his cake and eat it too by doing a MUTINY, as he did in 2001.
So isn't this guy Querubin's SOLUTION to the moral dilemma the correct one: RESIGN you commission, then exercise your civil rights as a civilian to protest and call for her ouster? It seems more honorable than Angie's mutiny.
Since what they were going to do was not a coup d'etat as you've pointed out recently, but I say it isn't really a MUTINY either is it? What should we call it do you think?
DJB,
Indeed a huge moral dilemma.
The circumstances are terribly abnormal. On one hand you have corruption and all that jazz in the civilian government and on the other hand, you have a military that is so heavily politicised anyway. There is really no choice.
A decicion must be made: to uphold or not to uphold in your mission!
Because the military environment is so heavily politicised anyway, I personally would hold on to my uniform because resigning my rank would play in the corrupt politicians' hands.
The battle must be waged where I can wage it efficiently and not on the national political front where rules of engagement are not as defined as in a purely military environment. If I really believe in my mission that I can contribute to efforts to save my country from the enemy of the Republic - Gloria, then I will definitely not resign. I will not turn back on my men and leave them to less capable hands (assuming I believe I'm capable) because I believe in the military officers' dogma that an officer is not merely trained to fight - an officer is a leader of men. What better front is there to show my mettle as a true military officer than in the military where I serve?
Angie Reyes had a moral dilemma worse than anybody else at the time when he led the mutiny against Erap. He had started the machinery of mutiny grinding long before he was in a face off with BGen Espinoza, the would-be-coup d'état leader of Gloria (had Angie refused to back down, there would have been bloodshed between Espinoza's men all of em Marines and the other services). Angie was forced into the corner by his own perfidy.
I would not have allowed myself to be cornered in such ignoble corner.
HB--I forgot to mention the impt motif: I got the distinct impression today that the Marine Corps will only act as one whole. Early on in whatever process they underwent in deciding how to approach the moral dilemma, I think they agreed whatever they decided it had to apply to everyone. So either everyone resigns and marches out together, or they ALL stay put. As I think happened today. This is interesting to me, because by preserving unity through inaction, they have preserved the espirit de corps that LEAVES them the option to act in future.
DJB,
It was nothing but a scuffle! In the Philippines it's a big thing because everything is so abnormal. Gloria has so corrupted the military institution (am not talking of money here) that even the Marines are lost!
Militarily speaking, Allaga had to bring them back to the barracks. Had he been unable to do so - he would have been forced to shoot it out. He would have had no option. Luckily, Querubin listened to him (to be able to fight another day! HAH!)
The Marines are a different breed. Right or wrong, they will obey a superior officer whom they respect. But I believe it was also to Querubin's credit because those lower ranking marines and men would not have stood down without the orders of their immediate commanding officer (Querubin). Allaga is Commandant.
This "marine bonding" is very very exclusive and almost peculiar.
P.S.: I believe the Marines resigning en masse was a given but Querubin wanted his fellow officers from other major service commands to resign with him. Impossible feat!
DJB,
Re Lord Dracula's comment:
MajGen Miranda DIDN'T VOLUNTEER - HE WAS RELIEVED!
Lord Dracula,
Temmy Mayuga is one naval officer whom I DON'T trust!
What he says will be a Palace spin (he's Angie Reyes boy through and through!).
Miranda, a typical marine, is not very articulate and besides. Besides, he cannot put his pension in jeopardy.
What might have happened was:
Mayuga (who's really a hothead in real life) PMA 73 (to Miranda PMA 74 his lowerclassman whom he had physically beaten and bullied in PMA): "What the fuck is going on there? You can't even control your men."
Miranda: (typical inarticulate Miranda) "Sir, everything is in order, Sir!"
Mayuga: "...expletives....I'm relieving you of your command effective this very minute...."
LD--Yes I saw that interview with Malabanan at which he showed the "personnel action form" executed by Miranda. HB thinks he was relieved against his will. You think he did so voluntarily. Could both these things be true in some twisted sense. Coz look, how do we explain what Querubin did. Remember, he was supposed to be arrested with Danilo Lim as one of the coup plotters. He was not. Why? Probably because Miranda said he would take care of it with Querubin and thus not alienate the troops or raise some MAJOR or CAPT Querubin up. But maybe that didn't work with Querubin, and Miranda, out of a sense of honor offers himself up as sacrificial goat. Whereupon, mortified and guilty, Querubin does the standoff to force concessions for Miranda, to whom he may be fiercely loyal as he himself declared today.
I guess my question is, can today be explained based on what we know already? Or all these speculations missing some essential info?
DJB,
Of course, Miranda had to sign one. What could he have done? You think he would have refused? Then he would have had to shoot it out with friggin Mayuga!
The moment that paper was signed, he had no say anymore unless he does a Gudani and go public.
These things, signing and all that are SOPs in the military!
Guess why Trillanes was let go even when he was already in custody before his FOILED COUP D'ETAT?
He was made to sign a similar document saying that he asked to be released! And from then, he was a tracked animal!
DJB,
Any sense of what is going to happen with the crowd at UP-Diliman? Will they move in the morning or have they too been dispersing?
Watching the happenings last night was like watching a movie whose ending you already know.
Querubin is an idealistic marine who was trained to follow the orders of his immediate superior. His call for civilians to come and protect him was something he cannot back up precisely because he is a marine first before anything else. It was something so unfair to those who immediately responded and went to Fort Bonifacio and whom he left hanging in the air.
But please note one thing: the EDSA 3 people did not come. Why? He is not the voice they are waiting for. They do not trust the military. The Pilipino masses know that if they come out, it will be the soldiers and the police who will trample and disperse them because "they have to follow the chain of command." How convenient for them since they can always shift their support for the people if they are winning with the excuse that they are "the protector of the people."
Enough is enough, the soldiers and the police demonstrated what they are capable of during EDSA Tres at Mendiola "nang pagpapaluin at pagbabarilin nila ang mga walang armas na ralyista." The atrocities committed by the soldiers and police were caught live by the cameras of Channels 2 & 7 but was never shown again because they were on the side of Gloria then.
The people does not trust the police and the soldiers and the two giant TV stations and the elite and civil society. They will not come out into the streets for them nor on their call. It is not their call but someone else's.
If I have my "druthers" the next President should not come from their ranks but from among the masses.
tell me americanpainter, what's your opinion of this 2001 interview by Mike Arroyo?
if you'll recall, arroyo too came into power via the military backed edsa dos in 2001. then she stole the elections in 2004. that means she stole the presidency TWICE.
arroyo set the precedent by removing a democratically elected president in 2001.
at least erap WAS elected in 1998.
Was there really a coup d'etat being planned involving the NPA and CPP and the military Rightists? Or haha, was the Palace spooked by Nelly Sindayen's Time Magazine Article with Tony Spaeth that CAUSED the panic and brought this on. The Leftist has been charged (Crispin Beltran) in a 21 year old case. The Rightists charged are for a 3 year old coup detat (Gringo Honasan). Who else has been charged? None, not even danilo lim or querubin! Where's the coup d'etat attempt AP?
The jury is still out on the FACTUAL BASES for Proclamation 1017. That stuff about Left-Right tactical alliance could turn out to be a fairy tale for adults. The Time Mag story is just breaking...
EVERYONE is welcome to Philippine Commentary whether you agree with its author and the commenters or not. The only rule is that we be decent and polite to each other. But even that does not preclude STRONG OPINIONS of which I have many and expect the readers of this blog to be similarly armed with their own brain cells.
But leaving aside the theoretics on this, I hope everyone will focus on WHY the Palace did this, apart from generalities. There is some indication that they were actually SPOOKED into thinking that there WAS coup. Time Magazine's Nelly Sindayen is said by Ignacio Bunye to confirm in her article that there WAS a coup plot and that she heard it being discussed in the house of Peping Cojuanco.
But I know her personally and I ask the thread, when do you think the Palace knew what Nelly said she knew? I think she trades in information see, and that she told the Palace about some kind of coup talk at peping's house from way before. Maybe SHE was the intel that Bunye was talking about!
If so this whole coup d'etat theory could blow up, certainly as a left-right tactical alliance. I've recorded the conversation of pia hontiveros with peping and am about to post it ... listen up this thing is gonna get to the heart of it. others are hot on the trail of this angle, lemme know if you guys see or hear anything about it.
regarding danilo lim, has he even been arrested and charged?
my mind is open, im waiting for the palace to give concrete evidence that there WAS a coup. besides they have to prove it to the supreme court that was the point of dong punos guests.
You’re missing the point John Marzan, would you have the business of overthrowing the Government go on and on without end?
look, i don't want people power either. elections are the solutions. but what if the presidential elections are rigged, just like in 2004. what's the solution, american painter. should we just sit down and take it in the behind, or follow the ukraine model (orange revolution) and demand new elections?
and if we have to rely once again on Arroyo's COMELEC to do the counting in the referendum and the next election, then we're screwed.
Is stability so unimportant? Just look at your poor country - it is in pathetic shambles.
stability is important to me. and we will be more stable and better once the fake president resigns and we have special elections to replace her.
and no, painter, i'm not for a coup that will install a military junta. But i'm for her removal ASAP.
How many Governments do you want overthrown? Where does it end? Is it true that only two Presidents of the Philippines have completed their terms in twenty years? Now you want to overthrow another?
i wasn't in favor of edsa dos, if that's what you're asking. again, i reiterate, arroyo never won the elections in 2004, therefore she has no right to be president. erap won in 1998, so he's legit.
While you seemingly ignore the main and real problems facing your country, poverty, unemployment and terrorism, they expand. Now even the terrorist NPA joins with your opposition forces to overthrow your Government and amazingly enough, they are accepted!
the communists and leftists also joined edsa dos in 2001 to help install arroyo, but nobody complained back then.
it's hypocritical for the arroyo administration to complain about them now when they were allies back in 2001.
btw, painter, arroyo is the biggest source of instability in our country.
Is it true that only two Presidents of the Philippines have completed their terms in twenty years?
each president are voted into a 6-year term. Cory was president from 1986-1992. Ramos from 1992-1998.
Erap should have been president from 1998-2004 but was ousted in 2001. arroyo became "president" from 2001-2004. and ran for election in 2004 and "won".
so if erap finished his term. we'd only have 3 presidents complete their term in the last 20 years.
the philippines is not the US, american painter, where presidents are voted into a 4 year term.
John,
Just a brief rejoinder re AP's comment: "Now even the terrorist NPA joins with your opposition forces to overthrow your Government and amazingly enough, they are accepted!"
I believe AP must be told that in terms of "terrorist NPAs" being allowed to join opposition forces, you will find that it was that Gloria led mutiny against Erap that first made this happen: civil society linking arms with leftists coz the latter provided the warm bodies! FACT! Joma Sison himself admitted that (to me!)
Also, there are only, according to official sources, 7,000 or a little more NPAs. They are scattered all over the Philippines and in a given tipping point, you cannot really assemble more than two or 3 platoons of NPAs.
Besides, there is no proof that "terrorist NPAs" are directly linked to the BGen Lim's attempt to commit mutiny. Moreover, I doubt very much Lim would have approved of that - link with NPAs - he doesn't need them.
Thanks again AP, and I hope everyone heard my plea that on this blog ALL opinions are welcome. May I suggest the attitude that we shall learn the most from those who in fact disagree.
Speaking for myself AP, I must tell you that I am a citizen of both countries, natural born, not naturalized, in BOTH CASES. What this means is that personal loyalties cannot be divided between them. What that means is loyalty not just to the national interests of both countries, but to CONSTITUTIONS and VALUES for which we stand. Curiously enough my life of over fifty winters and summers is divided almost exactly between the two places!
But America is not America because she is rich and powerful. On the contrary, America is rich and powerful precisely because FREEDOM REIGNS there, at least in potential. For America, as you indeed point out was as bad as, and in my opinion, far worse than the Philippines ever was. With slavery and the genocide of the Injuns on its record, yet does America symbolize hope for the all of the world, and has from almost the beginning. The lesson of America is in the word CORRIGIBILITY, the ability to improve to correct to change, to EVOLVE.
But evolution among societies, American experience teaches, is impossible without freedom -- even the freedom to err.
That is why Liberty is so special--it is not a thing that can be quantified, or touched or eaten or worn or spent. Yet it is the essential ingredient without which we are back to the barbarism of the past.
Those here you correctly point out, are not in fact the poor. How could they be with time to talk to you instead of finding the next meal. Yet, we are also the FREEMEN of the Philippines Most of us like me know what ease life is in the soul when one lives in a free country. In my case, my allegiance to one Nation--the Republic of humanity--indivisible under God. It was after all Abe Lincoln who said, no nation can long endure half slave and half free, either we shall all be slaves or we shall all be free.
Applied to myself, what shall I make of this. Can the Filipno half of me live on with free American half of me?
Abe says I will die if I try. I choose freedom. I choose liberty! I choose light! I choose the danger of agitating against oppression.
For NOT to do so would be both UNAMERICAN AND UNFILIPINO. On top of being INHUMAN.
Thanks for dropping by again.
Yep, AP, and that's what dear Henry, a British citizen got. And that's how violent coup d'étatists should be dealt with... so why isn't Gloria hanging anybody even after stating that there is an armed rebellion to topple her government?
And AP, re your rebuttal (vs John's comment) "You’re missing the point John Marzan, would you have the business of overthrowing the Government go on and on without end?"
I think we ought to stop for a minute. I don't believe that the business is all about overthrowing THE Government, the total and encompasing administrative infrastructure of the State. It is all about getting rid of Gloria and HER government, which is a different matter altogether.
When Gloria and HER government provide you with no legal recourse, no room for congressional maneuver, no room for judicial redress to investigate, call for her and by extension, HER government's ouster oust THAT government, what should the population do?
OK, AP, I will go by your American version ADMINISTRATION. Although as you pointed out, there may be a bit of semantics - I still think I'm quite correct in pointing out that HER GOVERNMENT is not THE GOVERNMENT.
I am an avowed European, you see...Thatcher's Tory government or the Labour government is NOT the UK Government. To us Europeans, the head of a government GOVERNS THE GOVERNMENT, he/she is not THE GOVERNMENT.
On your second point: There was no AMERICAN REPUBLIC at the time, America (today's US of A) was then the COLONY and part and parcel of the realm of Great Britain and and as such was an extension of Great Britain which had a direct rule over it through a GOVERNOR-GENERAL with executive and military powers vested in him by the British monarch as supreme commander of the British realm anywhere in the world.
In effect, and as you rightly pointed out, that Henry, a British subject who afterwards became an American patriot, had opted for secession which is another matter - the technical offence he committed at the time before the war of independece was won was rebellion and complicity to the act of coup d'état - he espoused the violent overthrow of a government in place.
Oh AP, if it's any consolation to you - I am an American citizen but my children are not and when they call today's Americans "rebels" because that's what they learn at school, I correct them and insist that the tag no longer applies.
Saan ang Gate 3 sa Fort Bonifacio??
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