Let Gloria Arroyo forget the 1986 People Power.
For all we know, there’s not much for her to remember of Edsa One. Come to think of it, where was she when close to a million Filipinos trooped to Edsa to put an end to the Marcos dictatorship?
Next week we mark the 20th anniversary of those four days in February 1986 when the world applauded us and held us up as a model in ending tyranny without resorting to violence.
I interviewed former President Fidel Ramos and Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile, two of the major players in EDSA One, for Edsa 20/20, a multi-media project of the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism.
In the interview, FVR attributed the success of the 1986 military undertaking that developed into People Power to Divine intervention.
He talked of consciences touched by the Unseen Being. One of the unforgettable television images of Edsa One was AFP Chief of Staff Fabian Ver urging a sick Marcos to order an attack on the Edsa throng. “We will attack, Sir. We will attack,” the favored general said.
Ramos said,” Even Mr. Marcos, I think, had some pangs of conscience because he did not giver order to fire or to attack in spite of the insistence of Gen. Ver.”
God must have been busy touching consciences those four days. Ramos recalls:
“At certain points, looking at the situation on the 23rd, the overpowering forces of the loyalist group were poised to roll or bombard Camp Crame where we were assembled together with Minister Enrile. We were seeing the threats in so many directions: the helicopters with their gunships, the fighter planes, the F5s and the tora-toras, the Marines with their tanks, the Army armored brigade, the Army Scout Rangers coming in from White Plains, coming in from Camp Aguinaldo itself.
“The artillery of the Philippine Marines was pointed directly at Camp Crame which is only 100 meters away. The artillery was commanded by Col. Braulio Balbas. The Marine armored contigent was commanded by the Marine commandant himself, Gen. Artemio Tadiar.
“But we are so thankful to the good Lord that those commanders who were poised to hit us apparently had all qualms of conscience.”
Ramos related how Divine intervention manifested: “Tadiar was about ready to roll (the tanks) on the nuns and priests but he did not. He turned around and went back to the barracks.
“In the case of Balbas, he got so many orders to fire, fire, fire. He kept delaying. He said, ‘Sir, there are so many many civilians. Sir, we do not have enough ammunition. He did not give the order to fire the artillery.”
“The Rangers, they only got so far because many of their young officers started to defect to our side. Why? Because their fathers, who were on our side were calling them up to tell the real story. That changed their minds. If not their fathers, classmates of their fathers who are on our side. And classmates started calling up classmates.
Ramos gave the example of Rene de Villa, who was at that time commander of forces in Bicol. (De Villa later became AFP chief of staff during the Aquino administration, then defense secretary. He also served as Arroyo’s executive secretary. He is now calling for the resignation of Arroyo.)
Ramos said De Villa was calling up his classmates in the Philippine Army headquarters. “If not classmates to classmates, mothers were calling up their sons who were young officers. Everybody did their part to make people change their minds, look at their conscience and join the good cause, which was our cause.”
Giving credit where credit is due, Ramos thanked “the people and the good Lord.”
My prayer as we commemorate EDSA One is for God to touch Arroyo’s conscience. Who knows, one day we will wake up with her on TV announcing, “I’m resigning.”
(The full transcript of Ramos and Enrile’s interviews as well as that of other personalities (Cory Aquino, Imelda Marcos, Gregorio Honasan and others) can be heard through podcast at the PCIJ blog .The articles are in the Jan-Feb. 2006 issue of PCIJ magazine, I-Report. An Edsa 20/20 exhibit is ongoing at the Glorietta One in Makati up to Feb. 26.)
How can God touch Gloria Arroyo’s conscience? She has no conscience!
Ellen,
Gloria is AFRAID!
She’s decided to forget all about EDSA I and according to Ricky Carandang’s latest post, she’s decided to skip the Philippine Military Academy reunion too.
The woman is becoming a closet president; she should resign NOW or become totally mad!
Maybe Gloria Arroyo is suffering from neurotic disorder due to guilty conscience. She cheated her way to power and lied to the Filipino people. And now politically isolated and abandoned by close allies. GMA is suffering from EDSA phobia and truth phobia. Baka sa sariling anino takot.
d’glue has no conscience but she has fear. The more d’glueis glued to power, the more she is scared of her own shadow. Look at her – shamelessly bribing the military with promotions to higher rank, awarding gold cross medals to murderers (police in shootout with alleged NPAs) – all with the end to curry favor with the military establishment. It is not funny anymore – it is obscene. She is a pretender feverishly trying to wear the cloak of merit, but gets more naked in the process.
d’glue is not going to resign. She is glued to power, and like ant glued to flypaper, she will self-destruct in due time.
Let us set the record straight (again). The refusal of Marcos to heed Gen. Ver’s recommendation to attack was for Television/PR purposes only. It is a historical fact that orders to fire to hit Camp Crame were given to Marines Artillery Commander Col. Braulio Balbas. Who else could have given such orders?
The conscience of all sectors which participated in EDSA I
were all affected so that they arrived at a consensus that
the Marcos dictatorship must go.One must note, however, how
quickly the elites who were pushed down by the Marcos Regime,got rehabilitated and recovered their wealth. This
includes the Lopezes, the Osmenas, the Jacintos, the
Cojuangcos(Peping and Cory) etc. By way of contrast, the
benefit from EDSA I for the common man by way of land reform, got nowhere. To quote Ellen, the money recovered from the Marcos stolen wealth which was supposed to go to
land reform, got stolen again. By the new elites of course
led by GMA, Mike, etc.So the common man still awaits the
benefits of EDSA I.
Hear, hear! The 3rd proof that Gloria is scared, deathly scared is her offer of appeasement… Estrada’s release.
I hope our people don’t fall for Gloria’s tricks. What have we been saying all along? She’d do anything, ANYTHING to stay in Malacanang.
She’s must be kicked out of Malacanang by force, if she doesn’t want to leave peacefully.
There’s enough provisions in the Constitution to take care of the interim period between the time she’s gone and snap elections.
Either that or go for the surgical fix.
Anna,
GMA is reluctant to appear in an EDSA I anniversary
celebration because of the fear that a peaceful demonstration to celebrate the event may turn into an
oust GMA demonstration. This will not be the first time
in history that a peaceful demonstration can turn into an
oust the incumbent movement. The attacks on the Bastille and the Winter Palace started as “bread riots.” They
soon became full blown revolutions. This is the main reason I believe that GMA does not want a gala celebration
of EDSA I.
Kapapanganak pa lang niya kasi noong EDSA 1. Nagkasakit siya ng Progeria kaya ayan unano.
I agree there was Divine intervention during EDSA 1. Love with country and people was the main focus then. I just wonder why after that sucessful event a monument of Mary was built. She is not the Lord FVR is referring to. Parang naliligaw sila kung kanino tayo dapat magpasalamat. Virgin Mary is not God nor Jesus Christ. Let’s us give our thanks to God through Christ our Lord. Another thing, Wow!!! di ba mas magandang wala si Donya Sinungalig, Mandaraya, Magnanakaw sa celebration? She was not a participant of the EDSA 1, she is not a congressman or senator today, lalong hindi naman siya presidente. So anong pael niya duon? Wala lang.Pahirap nga siya sa bayan eh, kung gusto niya doon siya sa Libingan ng mga Bayani kung saan walang kokontra sa kanya, kahit pa siya magtaray doon, isama na rin niya ang kanyang Big Papa at mga fafang generals. Bolahin niya ang mga patay.
Amb. Cruz,
I think you are quite right about why GMA may be reluctant to do a gala 20/20. But there has also been a singular lack of enthusiasm for commemorating Edsa 1 in the general population because of the restorations you mention. And that was long before Gloriagate. For many who were not actually there, the “war stories” of the past week and building up to the blessed event are really like the heroes telling heroic stories of their adventures. Yet the results of that heroism are undeniable.
What I think Filipinos must ask themselves is: what was it we actually did in 1986 that we could not have done in 1972 that had to wait those fourteen years? I think it was just getting up the gumption. For me, the lesson of Edsa 1 was this: The people are not given democracy, but neither do they deserve it by some kind of divine right. They must seize and protect it or forever be the sheep to shepherd and fools for the totalitarians and political mafias.
17 February 2006
To all Readers,
Let’s just say that conscience struck those who dont have conscience!!!
Firstly, why is GMA allowed to offer the wreath at the libingan ng mga bayani???(baka tumayo lang and mga tunay na bayani doon at umalis) She has no conscience, pulos takot ang nangyayari sa kanya ngayon. For instance, why do they want PJEE freed now (He is the only one who really won the election fair and square).
Why concentrate on GMA alone, why not include his vice president, Is it true that people at the OVP are all demoralized because of the policies being implmented by those people at the OVP who has no conscience. IS it true that the OVP is emplying ghost employees???
De castro has no nerve, takot din sya, insecure at walang alam. People think of him as pro masses, but they are wrong, he is only thinking for himself. Ask the people at the OVP??? kawawa din sila.
jinx
ang konsensiya ay kailangang galing sa kinaibuturan ng puso ng isang tao…dala ng kanyang pagiging malapit sa Diyos hindi sa Diyos-diyusan!!!! si GMA? si Gloria Macapagal Arroyo ba ika-mo? wala nga siyang konsensiya nang dayain niya ang buong mamamayang pilipino sa kanyang inagaw na pwesto noon kay Erap ngayon pa? hindi ko na kinukwestyon kung nakaupo na siya sa panguluhan ngayon pero ang agawin ng isang tao lamang ang pwesto ng dating pangulo na alam ko ay naluklok sa pwesto dahil ibinoto ng tao…walang konsensiya yun!!!!ngayon pa???sus naman!!! ang tanong ngayon…di ba kayo nakokonsensiya sa nangyayari ngayon sa bansa? eeeeeewwwwwwwaaannnnnn!!!!!!!!
ole,
konsensya ba ikamo? wala nun kay gloria. bato ang puso nya isipin mo naman pati yung mga di pa ipinanganak e dami ng utang at di pa titigil sa kauutangna ni gloria sana pag kumidlat sa manila tamaan ang buntot ng dimonyitang yan peste talaga sa pinas yan
Gloria’s actions now shows a dead dwarf walking. Where in the world do you have a leader who is so afraid of her own people?
Mahirap nang magsalita hinggil sa konsensya ng iba. Pangulo rin ako ng Republika ng buhay ko. Kung minsan naghihimagsik na nga rin ang mga kapamilya ko sa akin. Mabuti na lang, hindi pa nila ako pinag-re-resign!
Wala ng konsensiya iyang si Gloria. Ang taning nasa isip na lang niya ngayon ay kung paano makaka-survive ang isang araw na hindi siya maaalis sa pag-pangulo. Tuluyan nang nabulag ang kanyang mga mata, tuluyan na rin tumigas ang kanyang puso dahil sa kasuwapangan sa kapangyarihan, katakawan sa pera at walang humpay na pagsisinungaling. Hindi na niya alam ang tama at mali. Lahat ng kanyang mga tuta ay walang ginagawa kundi sumuso sa kanya at nanakalimutan na ang bayang nagugutom. Ngayon na ang oras para putulin ang mga kasamaan ng rehimeng ito. Pugutan ng ulo ang mga druglords, jueteng lords, gambling lords, mga patabaing baboy na heneral at ang mga cabinet members na bulag sa pagsunod at pagtatanggol kay gloria…Sobra na ang kasalanan nila sa tao……kulang ang lethal injection, walang pain iyon, kailangan sa mga ganid sa gobyerno ay pugot. Ngayon na ang tamang panahon. Handa na ba kayo?…..Kilos na!!!!
Ang tagal din namin nagpipigil…dahil umaasa kaming magbabago pa si gloria at mga alipores……..pero ang nangyari lalo silang naging palalo, lalong tinikis ang bayan, lalong pinahirapan ang mga tao sa buhay, patuloy pa rin siya sa pagsisinungaling…….ano ang nangyari sa kanya?.ayun nagtatago sa malacanang, natatakot lumabas, dati ang yabang-yabang niya kung magsalita. Akala mo walang takot sa dibdib…..akala niya wala kaya niyang paikutin ang sambayanan?..Nungka!!! tingnan ko kung ano ang gagawin niya kapag nakita niyang wala na siyang kakampi kung hindi si Mike D, Mike A., Mikey A, magiging Mickey(mouse) na rin siya. Patagu-tago, patakbo-takbo, kapag nakakita ng pusa.!!
17 February 2006
To all readers,
kaya nga sana makunsensya na sila, the more the LEPRECHAUN and her co-hortrs this country, the more that we, our kababayans suffer. Si yoda naman, he’s desperate to become the PM of our country, atat na atat, why are they making the choices that most of us do not agree with them, (kapal muks talaga. SNAP ELECTION NA TAYO!!!! Isama na nila si de castro na walang alam, naging VP pa sya e wala namang inatupag kundi sarili lang nya!!!!!Pwee!!!
jinx
Gen. Tadiar
got his first star two years ahead of his classmates in the PMA and his successor in the Philippine Marines was BGen Braulio B Balbas
I still call it a mixture of interventions …Divine Intervention included
Lumalabas sa sitwasyon ngayon na ang mga gambling lord at jueteng lord lang ang may kakayahang magsulong ng rebolusyon!
Kung saan may pataya(halimbawa: sabong-cockpit arena, saklaan, terembe, bingohan, lotto, baraha atbp) –ito ang dinadagsa ng mga tao!
Karamihan sa mga Pinoy ay mababaw na ang pagkilala at pagrespeto nila sa kanilang sarili.
Maituturing ko na ang isang “Asian Thymos”(Pinoy bersyon ng Thymos) ay itong pagiging OFW at mga Japayuki.
SA BANSANG PILIPINAS MO LANG MAKIKITA ANG PAG-AANUNSYO SA TELEBISYON ANG “Nationwide Invasion”.
Ang invasion na tinutukoy ko ay ang “PANANAKOP NG MGA LUMPEN”!
Nakakahiya kayo!Ipinagmamalaki nyo na kayo ang westernized society sa asya!Tapos nagpapalimos lang kayo!
KAAGAPAY NG MAINSTREAM MEDIA ANG MGA MAPAGSAMANTALA SA PAGSUSULONG NG “CULTURE OF MENDICANCY”
Sorry Ellen
this is not about EDSA but
about the mudslides in Leyte
which they said could have
buried underneath about 2,000.
There was the stampede, now
it’s mudslide.
Don’t you think it is time
for gloria to talk to God
And if God talks to her,
it’s time for her to listen.
Her photo ops these days
suggest waning comm with God.
I hope the dead are not
counted like votes, so
at least we get a smaller number.
The bishops too should examine
themselves, some soul searching
might still save lives.
Yep, Ambassador Cruz. I thought so as much; in an earlier posting I said that GMA doesn’t want an Edsa I celebration because it might be like inviting the dissatisfied sector of the population to do an Edsa IV.
A scared animal is the most dangerous one.
Ike,
An animal like Gloria is even more dangerous because she’s one determined animal, one who is capable of provoking a civil war to stay in Malacanang.
wag kayong mainip, sa pebrero 25, pabagsakin na natin si Unana, people power to the max na tayo, as if its our last. Yung mga taong mag rarally galing ng mga probinsya, di na sisitahin at pipigilin kasi may “escort” na. tiyak na naroon kami, 100%.
Kagabi nakita ko sa tv na naman si Unana, meeting mga official ng military, di daw loyalty check yun, hindi talaga, dahil hostage nga siya ng military eh, negosasyon yun para sa ransom ulit. hindi naman military ang nagbibigay ng support sa kanya kundi ang military ang binibigyan niya ng “support”.
nakikiramay kami sa mga namatayan sa st gabriel, leyte. kasalanan na naman ni Unana ito kasi wala yatang kakayahan yung mga naging denr sec niya. si mike defender, hindi ko alam kung ano lang ang ginawa sa denr, nagpapogi lang yata e pogi na naman siya eh, tabingi nga lang ang bibig kung magsalita. kung ako yung bibigyan ng kahit sandaling maging denr sec kahit sandaling panahon, siguro may accomplishments akong maipapakita. sa magagaling na tao, sayang yung konting panahon na yun kung wala kang nagawa. tyl
What’s happenning now around the country.. the stampede in ULTRA, now mudslide in Leyte is the sign of God’s anger to the current regime. More tragedies eventually happen… if Glue-ria still in Malacanang and her robotic-alipores cabinets, congressmen continuing to deceive the people spending billion pesos for cha-cha. dinadamay ni Glue-ria ang mga taong bayan sa pangyayari nito.
There’s no God touch Glue-ria conscience, but Lucifer touch.Gloria Arrovo is the most dangerous living animal on earth.. she even attending mass in church and whispered the bishop.. how hypocrit is the leader or bishop biting the posionous bread of Glue-ria. Lucifer is very clever like Gloria Arrovo…
God give us freedom to choose what we want to do, but what are the consequences of choosing evil… that’s destruction of our country.
Goria is afraid to her own shadow!!!!!.. the ghost is always follow her wherever she goes by.. kayat takot-takot na, palapit ang paghuhusga sa kanyang mga kasalanan.. darkest hour is so near to her regreesive regime.
type-error.. darkest hour is so near to her oppressive regime. 2 Thessalonians 1:5-6 ” But God will use this persecution to show His justice…and in His justice he will punish those persecute the people..”
The Liberation Theologians of Latin America claim that
an inegalitarian society is per se an oppressive system.
EDSA I removed the repressive Marcos regime.That affects
mainly political rights.However, the economic inequalities
which continue to this day in our country affects all other aspects of social life.This major problem remains and
awaits for future EDSAs to address.
Audio statement of a fugitive soldier
* * * * * * * * * *
Mahabang panahon nang isinawalang bahala ang kapakanan ng karaniwang pilipino. Patuloy ang inyong pagtitiis sa kahirapan ng buhay at paghihikahos upang magkaroon ng sapat na kita para sa ikabubuhay ng pamilya.
Sa kabila nito umasa kayong bibigyan ng pansin ng gubyerno ang inyong kalagayan ngunit kayo’y naging bigo.
Hanggang kailan ba tayo magpapaloko at magpapaalipin sa gubyernong walang respeto sa pagkatao ng karaniwang Pilipino?
Hanggang kailan tayo magtitiis sa pasakit dulot ng pagsisinungaling, panlilinalang at pandaraya ng pekeng administrasyong Macapagal-Arroyo?
Ang tunay na kalagayan ng ating bansa ay pagpapahiwatig ng pagkamatay ng halos walumpungmilyong pilipino na sumasalalay sa pagbabakasakalingang gubyerno, na siyang kumakatawang mekanismo para mabigyan ng maayos na pamumuhay ang bawat pilipino ay magagampanan ang tungkuling ito.
Sa halip ginamit pa ang pondong pang-agrikultura nung nakaraang elekisyon para sa interes ng iilan kapalit ang kalunos lunos na kalagayan ng magsasakang Pilipino.
At isa lang ito sa mga katotohanang pilit na itinatago at pinagtatakpan.
Ang karaniwang hamon at panalalit ng mga naghaharing uri sa naghihirap na Pilipino ay kasipagan.
Kung masipag lang daw ang mga mangagagawa, magsasaka at lahat ng maralitang pilipino ay giginhawa ang buhay nila.
Sino pa nga ba ang hihigit sa kasipagan at tiyaga ng mga manggagagawa, magsasaka, mangingisda, at ng ibapa nating kababayan? Na kung maari nga lang ay dagdagan rin ang oras sa bawat araw para madagdagan din ang pagkakaing maihahaag sa hapag kainan at hinde mawalan ng tirahan?
At sa kabila ng walang katapusang pawis at pagod ay patuloy ang papagpapakahirap at pagpapasakit??
Isa lang ang dahilan ng patuloy na karalitaan:Ang patuloy na panloloko pagsisinungaling pandaraya at kasakiman ng administrasyong macapagal-arroyo. Higit pa rito ang patuloy niyang pananatili sa kapangyarihan sa kabila ng pagiging huwad nito.
Panahon na para mulit tayong magkaisa para alisin ang hadlang sa paglabas ng katotohanan. Panahon na para muli tayong manindigan at kumilos para ganap na makamtan ang hinahangad na pagbabago.
Ang kinabukasan natin, ng ating mga anak, at ng ating bansa ay nakasalalay ngayon sa inyon pasiya at dangal bilang isang mamayang pilipino at di sa isang taong ipinagpalit ang kapakanan ng sambayanan sa pansariling interes upang ipagpatuloy ang paninirahan sa loob ng malakanyang.
Sa nga susunod na araw ipakita natin ang hayagang pagkadismaya sa kasalukuyang huwad na adminsitrasyong macapagal-arroyo. Ipamalas natin ng buong lakas at tapang ang ating nararamdamang pagkamuhi hinde lamang sa mga protesta sa kalsada kundi sa pagsusuot na rin ng pulang tali sa kaliwang braso na sumisimbolo sa tunay na sentimyento ng mamamayang Pilipino.
Magmula sa araw na ito ay panatilihin nating isuot ang pulang tali upang ipakita sa kanya kung ano nga bang katotohanan, at sa pamamagitan nito ay imulat natin ang sarado niyang isipan. Ang pagbaba niya sa kanyang pwesto ay ang pinakamaayos na paraan upang masimulanang unang hakbang tungo sa tunay na pagbabago.
1ST. LT Laurence San Juan
gloria arroyo who?
Ellen asked: Where was Gloria during Edsa I?
Yeah, where indeed was she?
significant things of the past are often left behind….that’s how stories usually go….today’s inidviduals are left to make their own marks in history…..to each his own…..if you cannot accept how a person deals with the call of the time, too bad for you…..you may end up with high blood pressure, worst a heart attack….oh well….go on with the flow of life….and no matter how difficult things may be, do what you must to be where you wanna be….that is all that matters.
Where was she?
She was hiding then as she is hiding now. Her presidential powers can only be manifested by being with the people, unafraid of the consequences of visiting her constituencies in this vast archipelago. What will happen in these next few weeks is for her to become more isolated from reality, shielded by a phalanx of sychopants. But of course this is unsustainable, and in the end she will realize the futility of trying to hold on to an illegitimate presidency.
Who says the Midget has a conscience? She does not even have a vision, only an illusion as she imagines herself as being Gloria the Great even when in fact the name Gloria Dorobo fits her more!
I did a translation of her declaration aired on Philippine TV for a TV network here and there is always the need to get back to the frame per seconds for the super-impose. Gosh, the sound of the Midget’s voice run in the reverse can be very eerrie. She sure sounds like the demon in some Hollywood horror movie!
My Japanese friends who speak English cannot help laughing at how I call the Midget “Commander in Thief,” a parody of her reference to herself as the Commander in Chief of the AFP now apparently manned by her fellow thieves, who are being wise enough to let her steal for them, handing over her loots to them after a loyalty check with a dinner at Malacanang, and reason why she is not yet behind bars.
Over here, she could have been 6 feet under ground, for a scandal of the same gravity as what the Midget has done, calling up a well-known vote rigger assigned to the government agency in charge of elections aside from squandering public funds to bribe voters and campaign managers, etc. in an electioneering worst than what people told about Marcos during his reelection bid in 1970, would be enough reason for a scandalized official, or someone in position suspected of a wrongdoing, to hang himself or jump from a tall building unless he is as thick-faced as the Midget and would not mind his family being ostracized by society.
Oh hell, to the Commander in Thief of the Philippine Military, cabinet members and appointees, and the Tongressmen waiting for her dole outs!
Tiba-tiba na naman ang ungas pag dating ng mga abuloy para sa mga Leytenos!
Looking forward to the impending doom of this Dorobo!
Just read your article and its well-written. I can’t help but comment though cuz I don’t see the connection wherein GMA had to be in EDSA before to be able celebrate it now. Since presidente nga naman sha, I think she can choose to celebrate EDSA how she sees it fit diba? Since medyo magulo ngayon and mga political enemies nya will surely take advantage of the situation, its common sense na she’d do it without much fanfare (kaso na-cancel na).
Yun lang po. Sorry if I disagree with you po.