I FEAR NOT THE NIGHT BEFORE THE DAWN
I am now under arrest. By order of a President whose legitimacy is clouded in doubts, and carried out by one who is more of a fascist than champion of justice.
Why am I being arrested? Because I dared to heed the longing cry of 85 million Filipinos for a man who would lead them out of the tyranny of corruption and incompetence of the present Administration.
I have served my country for over 50 years. As a teenaged guerilla fighter, as a soldier who fought jungles of Mindanao, as leader of the army, as ambassador, as a conscientious worker tasked with bringing peace and reconciliation with our Muslim brothers.
After all the toils and sacrifices for the country that I have gone through, I should be living now a life of peace and quiet. But I am not. Indeed I find it a shame that given the ills and misrule that bedevil our beloved country, none of our young generation of leaders would stand up and take the lead to do something.
I am now in my sunset years. Yet I dared in this hour of need of our country. Where are our youthful leaders? Many who are expected to respond to the plea of our people for a change are instead in the sidelines and ridiculing the effort of those who out of sense of patriotism choose to act.
This is a time of grave crises. I appeal to all who love this country specially those in the military to act according to what their hearts dictate not to what the keepers of power unlawfully tell tem to.
The night is darkest before dawn. But come it will the dawn.
Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!
what’s your read on Gen. Abat, Ellen? Isn’t he a close ally of FVR?
Right. I wrote something on this for my column tomorrow in Malaya. I will post it here tomorrow.
I fully agree with what he says but I’m rather uncomfortable with the whole thing. I sense an FVR maneuver. And the reform-minded officers, I think, sense it too.
We may not agree with Abat’s politics but there’s something disturbing in the manner of his arrest. No warrant of arrest. I think Sen. Biazon and Rep. Golez questioning the legality of Abat’s arrest.
But come to think of it, the arrest did him good. Didn’t you see he was happy when he was arrested?
My dad was ASec under Abat
but when the cel phhone rings I am shood away
but this is what I can tell which I think is harmlesss
there is belief among emphatisers(different from symphatisers)that Abat has nothing to do with the Oakwood escapee they feel for him but until that extent only…
they pity the son who had a future and they remember the son who died years back
what they say is that the palace must not make statements that this is a mere coffee shop rumour and they should realize the gravity of the situation
on a lighter note
What did Gloria and Thaksin talk about in Asean?
Gloria must have told Thaksin that she can’t make it in 2007….
Abat was FVR’s DND Usec and DND Sec successively when former DND Chief Rene de Villa decided to run for president. If you remember, De Villa and FVR had a falling out because FVR followed the party line to support de Venecia for president. As we all know, de Villa had the backing of the Ayalas and the Aboitiz clans and thought that with such high-power backing, FVR would be convinced to “toe the line”.
Abat is a known and proven patriot although, on the side, he is also very pro-American. I am not sure if FVR has any real control over Abat.
During Ramos term and at the height of the AFP Modernization Plans, he used to be very, very close to MBC’s Bill Luz and to his sister Tina Luz Rose when the latter was working as a broker for a US company – Lockheed Martin’s radar sale to the Philippines.
I cannot say anything against Abat as a soldier and as a man. He gave lots to his country; as a soldier, he believes his allegiance is to his country first and foremost and as one true warrior, he will not “toe the GMA or FVR line”.
They may deride him for this “comical” putsch but not many – not even today’s young Filipino turks in government who think they possess ‘manly courage’ – can ever equal Abat’s bravoura and courage.
As Abat said, he’s in the twilight of his years, yet he dared all the powers that be, that is a quality that’s lacking in a lot of people in government today.
Let them arrest Abat! He will get international mileage and moreover, expose the rotteness of Gloria to the whole world.
Ellen,
Re: Abat’s putsch and the Marine captain’s escape!
Well, these things don’t really come as a surprise. What is surprising is that the salvos are not powerful enough to dent Malacanang. One would expect that with all the proclaimed restiveness in the Armed Forces of the Philippines, you would see a head on collision between factions in the military – those who are for and who are against the largely unwanted occupant of Malacanang.
Frankly, I am of the opinion that the AFP will not be able to move as one for as long as Bush hasn’t ‘sneezed’ in the direction of Manila. Members of the opposition, including the dissatisfied members of the AFP are not sure of Bush’s reaction to the current melée.
However, we must expect more of these ‘militatry’ outbursts. That’s because the almost amateurish AFP has become even more amateuriss these last 4 years.
The AFP should not be treated like it’s a president’s private army. When one “toys” around with a nation’s armed forces, one is bound to develop it into a private army of sorts.
A private army are a band of paid mercenaries and are not prone to respect the rule of law; they will offer their services to the highest bidder.
What Macapagal is doing today is turning the AFP into a no man’s land. She should be careful, extremely careful because military adventurers by sheer hazard of the trade, know no patron, no friend and virtually have no sense of genuine loyalty.
My personal take is that Fortunato Abat is his own man. He believes in what he’s doing. He lets himself be used by others as long as he thinks it’s right. He’s an admirable man but he has to face the consequence/s of his actions. I think too that he’s ready to do so.
Eto ang talagang masakit na tanong ni Abat sa kabataan.
“After all the toils and sacrifices for the country that I have gone through, I should be living now a life of peace and quiet. But I am not. Indeed I find it a shame that given the ills and misrule that bedevil our beloved country, none of our young generation of leaders would stand up and take the lead to do something.”
“I am now in my sunset years. Yet I dared in this hour of need of our country. Where are our youthful leaders? Many who are expected to respond to the plea of our people for a change are instead in the sidelines and ridiculing the effort of those who out of sense of patriotism choose to act.”
DAMN THE GENERALS AND THE AFP
YOU ARE THERE TO GUARD AND PROTECT THE
PEOPLE’S RIGHT AND NOT TO SERVE
AN UNWORTHY PERSON LIKE GLORIA ARROYO !!!
AFP HAS BEEN CORRUPTED AND THE
INSTITUTIONS HAS BEEN DAMAGED
BY CONTINUING TO WORK WITH THEIR
CHIEF OF STAFF WHO RIGGED, CHEATED THE
MANDATE OF THE PEOPLE !!!
WHERE IS YOUR LOYALTY ? ISN’T IT TO THE
PEOPLE NOT TO “ONE” PERSON ?
YOUR SUPERIOR’S LEGITIMACY IS BEING
QUESTIONED AND NOW THAT YOUR ORGANIZATION
IS INVOLVED, THE LEADERSHIP IS DOING NOTHING
ALL IN THE PRICE OF MONEY AND POSITION ?
IT”S ABOUT TIME TO
CLEAN UP THE MESS !!! AND SAVE WHATEVER
DECENCY AND INTEGRITY IS LE FT IN THE
AFP LEADERSHIP …
WE CALL ON ALL MIDDLE-RANKING OFFICERS
UNITE AND CLEAN UP THE ORGANIZATION
BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE …
IT’S TIME TO SEPARATE THE SOLDIERS
OF THE PEOPLE AGAINST THE PRIVATE ARMY
OF GMA !!!
– ” EVIL ALWAYS TRIUMPH WHEN GOOD MEN DO NOTHING “
Whatever one says against Gen. Abat one thing is clear his act was just a manifestation of a growing frustration and resentment not only of him but also of the majority of the Filipino people on what is happening in the country right now. Allegations such as that he’s old, a crackpot, carrying his idealism too far, etc. is only a diversionary tactics by some who refuses to read beyond the physical acts of Gen. Abat and find out the root cause of why such an act took place. They refused to acknowledge that an “old and senile” but decent man such as Abat can muster enough courage, unlike the young and the inutile, to rise up to the occasion and challenge what he perceived is the obstacle for this country to move on and to have good governance. They hate Gen. Abat’s guts in rattling his saber because a credible and an honest person like him can surely inflict damage to the status quo, which is the last thing they want.
Can these people criticizing and insulting the person of Gen. Abat equate his person to the level of a general who was convicted recently of corruption? Can these people now belittling Gen. Abat’s character and integrity put him on the same group such as those military men mentioned in the Garci tapes alleged to have connived to cheat in the elections? Can these hecklers deny the fact that, during the time that Gen. Abat was active in the service they have benefited on the soldiers’ watch in the manner that they felt safe and secure because a person like Gen. Abat took an oath and made it a lifelong duty not only to protect the country but also the life, liberty and property of people like them from any harm or danger?
I prefer to have somebody like Gen. Abat to be by my side any time than some generals now hovering around Greedy Gloria because unlike them he is a man of integrity and honesty. I would prefer Gen. Abat to be with me than that Comelec official who has so far been succeeding in mocking the people and the process just to frustrate and prevent the truth to come out. I’d prefer Gen. Abat over that spokesman who presented two CDs to the public in order to confuse them about the cheating, lying and stealing of elections. I’d prefer Gen. Abat anytime to that justice secretary whose only kind of justice was to protect the squatter in Malacanang. I’d prefer Gen. Abat over that DENR secretary who will sell his soul just to be with the cheat and a liar. I’d prefer Gen. Abat over that national security adviser who entered into a contract binding the country to an agreement the details of which he himself refuses to tell the people for reasons other than national security. I’d have Gen. Abat anytime over that gentleman they called ‘first’ whose addiction to play the power game has made him dip his fingers on every public events including cheating in Lanao province with the help of some corrupt leaders there. Finally, I would prefer Gen. Abat much, much over that person who now occupies the office of the president because I know that office do not belonged to her.
I would prefer good over evil anytime.
Good over evil, truth over lies, anytime, all the time.
NICE ONE JONAS, I STRONGLY AGREE WITH YOUR PREFERENCE !!!
that was a good piece Jonas. i just hope the youth of today be shameful of doing nothing in the midst of tyranny, cheating and lies of squatters in Malacanang. I wonder where they are now? so busy about cellphones, ipods, computers and ragnaroks? Wake Up this is your country and your future!!!
Firstly, Abat should finally retire. He served his country well and he was very well rewarded. Period.
(on a second thought, I heard that Abat has not yet received his retirement pay and this is the primary reason why he is making a lot of noise)
Secondly, true leaders don’t reinvent the wheel. They adopt and adapt best practices. And, ensure succession to happen. Exit after the turn-over ceremonies — don’t linger or loiter. Period.
How are problems solved? This we have to think really hard. What I learned from the Information Technology world is that resolving problems should be approached by using the perfect triangle as a guidance: people, process, and tools.
But, I don’t want to distract anyone with a lecture on that.
Going back to the topic … Yes, I think majority of the people, especially the youth, have lost confidence in the government.
So, what’s new?
Well, I think we only have to blame the old who talk the right and not walk it. The youth would always follow idealism and be ecstatic with slogans.
Why are the anti-Arroyo camps failing ? It is because they are just doing a slogan war without credibility behind it … I stated camps because there are so many of them with each their own vested interests.
Here’s my wishlist …
For retired people to relax and enjoy the last few days preparing for the return trip to the Lord. One way is to help your kids take care of your grandkids (since most parents are both working, leaving their kids to yayas).
For those who are in the position … to work hard and smart. Drive for results !
For those in Congress to forget about impeaching the President. Prioritize ! There is much work to be done ! There is really no short term solution for the Philippines to recover faster and better.
Shifting to a parliamentary/federal form is not a bad idea. This, I think is a better mid-term plan. However, there should be a certification process in place before allowing a province to be autonomous.
One of the long term solutions is for the government to modernize and consider outsourcing most of the agencies and departments. We really need to professionalize the government and I think outsourcing is the best way.