The November 29 Manila Peninsula incident showed the depth of the Filipinos’ apathy.
Many of us think that we can remain unaffected by Gloria Arroyo’s cheating, lying and stealing to remain in power as long as we go on with our daily toil. Read this Mouse’s story.
“A mouse looked through the crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife open a package.
“‘What food might this contain?’ the mouse wondered. He was devastated to discover it was a mousetrap.“Retreating to the farmyard, the mouse proclaimed the warning. ‘There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!’
“The chicken clucked and scratched, raised her head and said, ‘Mr. Mouse, I can tell this is a grave concern to you but it is of no consequence to me. I cannot be bothered by it.’
“The mouse turned to the pig and told him, ‘There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!’
“The pig sympathized, but said, ‘I am so very sorry, Mr. Mouse, but there is nothing I can do about it but pray. Be assured you are in my prayers.’
“The mouse turned to the cow and said, ‘There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!’
“The cow said, ‘Wow, Mr. Mouse. I’m sorry for you, but it’s no skin off my nose.’
“So, the mouse returned to the house, head down and dejected, to face the mousetrap – alone.
“That very night a sound was heard throughout the house – like the sound of a mousetrap catching its prey.
The farmer’s wife rushed to see what was caught. In the darkness, she did not see it was a venomous snake whose tail the trap had caught. The snake bit the farmer’s wife.
“The farmer rushed her to the hospital and she returned home with a fever. Everyone knows you treat a fever with fresh chicken soup, so the farmer took his hatchet to the farmyard for the soup’s main ingredient.
“But his wife’s sickness continued, so friends and neighbors came to sit with her ‘round the clock. To feed them, the farmer butchered the pig.
“The farmer’s wife did not get well; she died. So many people came for her funeral, the farmer had the cow slaughtered to provide enough meat for all of them.
“The mouse looked upon it all from his crack in the wall with great sadness.
“So, the next time you hear someone is facing a problem and think it doesn’t concern you, remember – when one of us is threatened, we are all at risk.”
This story was sent to me with a request to “send this to everyone who has helped you out and let them know how important they are.”
Let this be the message this Christmas: We are all involved in this journey called life.
Each one of us is a vital thread in another person’s tapestry. We may not be conscious of it but our lives are woven together for a reason.
I received this post from a visitor named mp.net stating his impression of this blog, it goes like this:
I remember my brief stint in a university, I had this classmate who seemed always disrupting the classes calling for boycotts to protest tuition fee hikes and I remember I was the only one he could drag from our class (engineering studes don’t join rallies) for one, I could barely afford the tuition already, and secondly, he said there were pretty girls from the Saint Theresa’s College chapter of the LFS.
My other classmates were asking me why I went with this guy when he’s just a trouble maker, a radical, he’ll amount to nothing and so will I if I don’t stop that nonsense. So my friend and I kept joining rallies and these classmates kept attending classes seriously, to the point of cheating collectively in the exams, one would stand watch at the door while the teacher went out of the room while the others solved the problems using the kodigos. Bottomline, I dropped out, my friend continued attending classes albeit irregularly but last time I heard he topped the board exams in EE, No. 2 at that.
Thats why I never underestimate people who are not afraid to fight for justice, for our rights, for freedom, and now for good government. These are not idiots, they are more AWARE than most people and know perfectly well that these issues affect everybody. It won’t do us any harm if we listen to what they have to say, whether we are moved to action or not, at least we’ll be able to see the whole picture…
juggernaut: I couldn’t help smiling when you mentioned your second reason for joining the rallies..”there were pretty girls from STC…” was it just their pretty faces..and not their values..to be sensitive to the needs of others and to be of help in whatever way they can and no matter how small? The nuns taught them this..sensitivity to the needs of others…it is part of their social consciousness..and always to stand for truth and justice..
But that indeed is a compliment for all Theresians..
indeed being aware, and being alert to things around us and not just to be passive..We can all do that be sensitive to each others needs..
rose,
Merry Christmas! Initially, it was a wrong motive, but when you talk to these girls, they were very sincere, and very eloquent too.
Incidentally, this song is for you…
http://www.worldtourist.us/songsofthecorps/kaydetgirl.html
a Quote (from our church’s bulletin: on St. Thomas Becket
..”In T. S. Eliot’s drama, “Murder in the cathedral” Becket faces a final temptation to seek martyrdom for earthly glory and revenge. With real insight into his life situation, Thomas responds. “The last temptation is the greatest treason: To do the right deed for the wrong reason.”
..addebdum to the post above: we can all do be sensitive to each other’s needs and help…service for others..
A Holy and Blessed Christmas to all! May 2008 find the Phil. to be a country of Truth, Justice, Peace and Prosperity!
juggernaut: thanks for sharing the song..and once again the compliment re the Theresians..and the best to your family..
Amen!!!!
Ganyang-ganyan ang nangyayari sa Pinas ngayon. Karamihan sa mga tao ay hindi man halos natinag ng mag-alburutong muli sina Sen. Trillanes and fellow Magdalo and Gen. Lim. And yet, kanya-kanya silang mga reklamo.
Bukas-makalawa ay tuluyan ng walang matitira kahit isang kusing sa kaban ng bayan (kung meron pa) dahil kumilos man ang ilan upang sagipin ang nanghihingalong bayan buhat sa kawalanghiyaan ni Gloria ay konti lang ang nais makilahok samantalang ang mga bunga ng kakorapan ng pekeng presidente ay damay at nararamdaman ng lahat.
Kung hindi makikialam ang nakararaming mamamayan sa lalong madaling panahon, ang kamandag at lason ni Gloria Arroyo ay tuluyang lulukob sa bayan. Wala tayong dapat sisihin dahil konti lang ang gustong MAKIALAM!
@chi
Ang pag-alsa nina Sen Trillanes at Gen. Lim ay tanda ng kawalang pag-asa ng bawat mamayang Pilipino at ito rin ang tanda ng kaduwagan ng ilan sa atin. Kung tutuosin, alam nila Sen Trillanes na hindi ganun kadaling pag-isahin ang damdamin ng bawat Pilipino na pagod na sa paulit-ulit na panggagamit na ilan sa ating mga ganid na pinuno.
Mas kahanga-hanga ang KATAPANGAN NG MEDIA, nang suwayin at palakpakan ang napahiyang Heneral ng Pulisya, ng di sundin ang paki-usap ng huli na lisanin na ang Manila Pen, bakit di nagawang panindigan nina Trillanes at Lim na hanggang kamatayan di sila susuko sa overkill na aksyon ng pamahalaan? Noong una, humanga ako sa kanya (Trillanes), katunayan isa ako sa mga nangampanya para sa kanya, subalit katulad ko rin pala syang duwag at walang magawang baguhin at ituwid ang landas ng kawalan ng pag-asa ng bawat Pilipino.
Teargas at batalyon-batalyong pulis lang pala ang magpapabahag sa buntot ng minsa’y naging pag-asa ng mamamayang Pilipino. Sayang Ginoong Trillanes.
Hayy…sayang boto ko at ang boto ng daang-daang libo kong naguyo. Hopeless Philippines.
Uroknon,
Galit ka dahil hindi nagtagumpay sina Sen. Trillanes at Gen. Lim sa pagpatalsik kay Gloria?
Kung nagpakamatay ba sina Trillanes at Lim doon, napatalsik ba si Gloria?
Hanga ka sa media? Bakit ka galit kina Trillanes at Lim na isinakrispisyo ang sariling reputasyon para ilibre hindi na dumanak ang dugo doon? Sabi nga ni Trillanes, “kung ang mga kampon ni Gloria at handa dumanak ang dugo para lang masalba ang sariling kapangyarihan, hindi namin gagawin yan.”
He showed that contrary to what the government paints him as a “brat”, he can be unselfish and willing to sacrifice.
Sure, maraming mali sa planning. At pinagbabayaran nina Trillanes at Lim ang pagkakamali na yan? Taas noo nilang pinagbabayaran yan.
Hindi ko yan masasabi kay Arroyo at sa mga opisyal niyang kurakot at manlilinlang sa bayan.
Ayaw mo na kay Trillanes? Di sumama ka na kay Arroyo. Doon ka naman talaga yata, e.
“The November 29 Manila Peninsula incident showed the depth of the Filipinos’ apathy”
no. on the contrary, the Manila Pen circus showed the depth of the Filipinos’ kamulatan – they will no longer fall for the likes of trillanes and guingona. Filipinos now know a pied piper when they see and hear one and know that it should be avoided at all costs.
its no longer a coincidence that Pinoys see a pied piper in every opposition member
merry christmas to you
Nice one ASIII…but would you rather have a pied piper or a paid viper? hehhehehe
A pied piper….Paid vipers….and a multitude of silent pipes. Hohohohoho!!!! Merry Christmas!
ASIII,
Merry Christmas din attorney! Mukhang reflective ang blog sa totoong buhay, walang sumusunod sa “ceasefire.” But I know we are all one in our hearts in our search for happiness for the Filipino.
We distributed some chocolates to street children lately in Pioneer area, as usual the children crowded around the car uncontrollably and there were new scratches in the side and dirty handprints on the windows, but its okay, its christmas, a few scratches don’t matter and the handprints will wash away…
All the wrong things up to now started with EDSA 1. Where were you then? or your father? or your grand dad? How I wished nobody listened to the church calls. But honestly, I am comfortable where I can stay, eat mostly the malunggay out front and walk uptown once in a while for the toothpaste and little groceries. Have a beauty cat that doesn bother the mouse at home. I dont have a cell phone to be snatched. I take sides in everything radically.
valdemar,
Guilty. I joined EDSA 1 (in spirit at least), in EDSA 2 I even brought Jollibee meals in styropore and mineral water for my friends, dito lang ako sa mga bagong movements nagrerelax, tumatanda na rin ako kasi. To me all this is history in the making and I didn’t want to grow old also na walang mga alaala. Thats why I chose to let my children grow up in my native land, for me, this is living, being involved…and whether those who speak out achieve anything significant (or not) in anyone’s esteem, the rallies, the coups, and all the emotions are part of a glorious scheme – FREEDOM!
Merry Christmas din sa yo!!!
jug,
bok merry christmas!
I am declaring a unilateral ceasefire until tomorrow.
Merry Christmas to one and all. May the blessings of this season come your way……..except the congressmen, senators, gma lackeys, rich generals (read: paid vipers), cabinet members, politicans. Anyway, may blessings naman sila kahit hindi christmas.
Bro Karl Gaspar reminded us of the famous quote at the height of martial rule in the l970s-80s attributed to a German Pastor, Martin Niemoller, who resisted the terror of Hitler’s Fascist regime in German in 1940s:
“First they came for the Jews
and I did not speak out –
because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for the communists
and I did not speak out –
because I was not a communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists
and I did not speak out –
because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for me –
and there was no one left
to speak out for me.”
I think this summarizes the mouse story of ellen.
Moreover, on the issue of our collective apathy as a people, it’s indeed a challenged for every socially aware citizen to understand the inner dynamics that “numbed” our people to act.
The outer stimuli for people power are heightening and intensifying — the mass media and the Church leaders are blatantly criticizing the excesses of the Arroyo Administration, even publicly accused the present administration as the cause of our moral bankruptcy and has no moral ascendancy to govern; the people’s perception of PGMA as the most corrupt president; the economic gains has not truly trickled down to the economic base; and so on (never mind the tricky agenda of the opposition politicians with their on-going investment in organizing people, nay buying people to protest) – and yet our people are indifferent. The Trillanes spark failed to ignite the fire.
In short, the environment for revolt is on the verge of eruption but the spirit of the heroes is still asleep. Our apathy for collective action is partly caused by the trapos who mainly used the poor for their own gained.
Uulitin ko ulit:
Per Mr. Ray Arcilla of Malaya:
Brief rundown of those cases would more than suffice to validate the people’s perception that Arroyo is indeed the most corrupt among the chief executives we have had, legitimate or otherwise:
The IMPSA power deal.
The Diosdado Macapagal Boulevard overpricing.
The Jose Pidal case.
The Comelec computerization scandal.
The Venable contract.
The Piatco case involving NAIA III.
The “Joke-Joke” Bolante caper.
The AFP Comptroller scandal.
The NorthRail project.
The Department of Education book scam.
The computer scandal in Bicol.
The ZTE-NBN deal.
The Cyber-Ed project.
The pending South Rail project.
The sale of NPC-EDC assets.
The overpricing of coal purchases by the NPC.
The brewing Transco bidding controversy.
The rampant smuggling by characters allegedly close to Mr. and Ms. Arroyo.
The bribery of congressmen and local officials right in Malacañang. This is the most blatant and brazen. Ms. Arroyo did not even deign to have the scandal investigated.
Eto pa dagdag :
$50 million contract to hire an American lobby firm to represent the country’s interest in the United States for six months.
Paulit-ulit kung i-post ito at kung may bago aking idadag-dag. Naghahanap lang po ako ng kasagutan sa bawat isyu.
I actually don’t blame those among us who criticized the EDSA revolt. Bishop Labayen reflected on why the EDSA revolt failed to provide sustainable human development. After EDSA, democratic institutions were re-installed, but necessary changes were wanting. For Bishop Labayen, there’s a need for cultural revolution.
Ed de la Torre saw EDSA as a child of different fathers and mothers.
The military were disillusioned. It was supposed to be their time to shine, but they remained the “soldiers” — the toys of the “brilliant” politicians. This explained why most military hate EDSA revolt and as much as possible dissociate themselves from that historic event of 1986.
The LEFT in general who were reading the “signs of the times” like what they are reading now under the present administration, the needed revolution is soon to come but their effort to hasten it is killing them psychologically. The environment for revolt is present but the people are still asleep. When people from all walks of life gather together in response to the voice of their beloved Cardinal in EDSA, the LEFT felt they were betrayed. The spotlight was not focused on them. Some of them cursed the event.
The EDSA revolt then remained a beautiful case for a revolutionary mind. It is even more colorful seeing the military and the left joining hands to ignite another historic event. And we know for sure, the revolutionary child of this unlikely marriage is half-human and half-dog.
Do you still believe that Trillanes and Lim were ready to die for their cause at that time?
Gee, tell it to the marines.
Valdemar;
1)All the wrong things up to now started with EDSA 1–Valdemar.
2)So far no godchildren has come yet to collect the crisp 20 peso bill.-Valdemar.
Merry Christmas sa iyo Kumpare.Due to inflation and collapsed of stock market kung biente lang matumal ang magmamano sa Ninong.Panahon pa yata ni Garcia iyang biente pesos.Hehehehe!
This is my opinion on your number 1.The main problem of every revolution is the problem of state power. The oppressed classes, in liberating themselves from exploitation and oppression, have no other way but to make a revolution, that is to say, overthrowing by force the oppressor classes from state power, or seizing state power by force. Because, the state is an instrument created by the ruling classes to oppress the ruled classes.
The EDSA I did not have an instrument to defeat dictatorship of Marcos although it serve a positive result, and consequently was unable to accomplish its tasks because the same berdugo rule under the saya of Cory the likes of Ramos and Enrile.They had reopened up the broadest opportunity for the reactionary bourgeoisie to make the state power fall into their hands. This turncoat bourgeoisie betrayed the EDSA Revolution by unleashing white terror, which turned Philippines and politicians into lucrative corruptions.
The EDA II was a great mistake to assume that the existence of such Pidalism government signified a fundamental change in the class character of the state power. It was equally incorrect to assume that Pidalism marked the birth and the development of an aspect representing the interests of the masses, within the state power it became a cosmetic government under the consumption of Chinese Maling,defective computers, fake rolex ,gucci bags,etc.etc., under the smuggling activities of number Tho.The.Erap para sa Masa ay nabuldigat sa kakaasa may poisonous lead ang mga laruan nila from Tsina.
Cont;
My Christmas wish that I listed for Santa delivered by express mail is like this: We the Students at Ellenville University must make a sacrifices and united in mind and determined to take the road of freedom and prosperity for our country, by putting our wholehearted faith in the people, by relying on the people, by working courageously, perseveringly, conscientiously, patiently, persistently and vigilantly, will surely be able to accomplish our impossible mission to kick the corrupt cretin president in Malacanang, to smash the military dictatorship Esperon and his corrupted generals and to set up a completely new free military. The Filipinos will completely liquidate political and government corruption and the vestiges of Pidalism and sons, build a free and democratic new society, and advance toward the long road to freedom where the suppression and exploitation of politicians no longer exists.
Let us unite closely to take the road of freedom which is illuminated by the teaching of El Filibusterismo and La Solidaridad of Rizal, the road leading to the liberation of the Kabataan people na Pag-asa ng bayan.—-BOOM—TARAT—TARAT—BOOM—BOOM–BOOM—Merry Christmas to All!
Leave a Reply
We have a running joke here….We will not die for our country. We will let the enemy die for our country.
Out of 99% na pumalpak si Gonzales at mayroon palang naiwang 1% ng ipinahuli niya uli si Jaloslos at magpapakasko at bagong taon sa kulungan.Hindi kaya dumating ang envelope sa desk niya on time.Nagtatanong lang!
Iyung 1% na ginawa niya ay good na iyan sa lucky 9 kesa mabutal pa.
pareng cocoy, a peaceful Christmas and hopeful new year!
got a message from e_pilaza@hotmail.com who wants hear from you. It reads:
“Sir
I am Ephraim Pliaza from Olongapo city and I would like to get in touch with
Sir Cocoy. Could you please furnish me with his email address?”
o, ‘ayan, pareng cocoy, kung hindi isang inaanak na matagal nang hindi mo napapaskuhan, maaaring anak ng kapitbahay na nangangamusta sa nawawalang tatay ng kapitbahay.
he he he heeeh!
pareng cocoy, a peaceful Christmas and hopeful new year!
got a message from e_pilaza@hotmail.com who wants hear from you. It reads:
“Sir
I am Ephraim Pliaza from Olongapo city and I would like to get in touch with Sir Cocoy. Could you please furnish me with his email address?”
o, ‘ayan, pareng cocoy, kung hindi isang inaanak na matagal nang hindi mo napapaskuhan, maaaring anak ng kapitbahay na nangangamusta sa nawawalang tatay ng kapitbahay.
he he he heeeh!
deepcaring;
Gee, tell it to the marines.
You must not fight too often with one enemy, or you will teach him all your art of war.The only victories which leave no regret are those which are gained over ignorance.
i’m back from long journey fellows Bloggers! Hapi Merry Christmass to ALL of you.
Hi Chi, Co2y, Juggernut, Rose, Gabriela, Etnad, ASTIII, Sulbatz, Deepcaring, Valdemar, Uroknon and to all.
Well, i’m very proud being a Pinoy and i’m disappointed about the CRAB mentality of some of our Pinoy who still love GMA regime.
It’s a big big lessons to ALL of US Pinoy who supported GMA for the last 7-years in her presidency (remember, i didn’t vote for GMA since she took the power from Hon. Pres. ERAP coz’ that’s illegal and rebelious in nature).
All our sufferings from her bloody hands and inept governance put us in troubles and state of confusions. Therefore, our Kababayans nows complaining and talking till reaching the four corners of our land about GMA inept and corrupt goverment.
Ang siste nito, our Kababayan still supporting their elected Tongressman who blindly supported GMA and defending her government in all this mess committed recently and in the past 7-years.
So, our idealist soldiers like Gen. Lim, Col. Querubin, Gen. Miranda, AT4, Capt. Faeldon and all loving new Katipuneros gambled their profession in order to restore the peace in order in our country and to kick out GMA and her cohorts from Malacanang Palace. But, we failed to do that because of stubbornness and unwilling to share their resources/presence in this struggle.
Atleast our modern heroes like AT4, Gen. Lim and co. have guts to lead our nation against TRAPO, Balimbing, Cabals of corrupt Generals, Civil society blindly supported GMA and church leaders who also blindly depended her corrupt gov’t.
Hoping in GOD’s grace and mercifull loves and blessings will transform our country in a better and peacefull nation in the world.
Feel the presence of our Almighty God in our heart and mind, forgive those who sins against us and show our mercy to the.
GOD BLESS YOU ALL!
cocoy, i agree with your thoughts. ‘deepcaring’ is sending mixed signals. maybe, using a smoke will clear the lines? he he…
holiday greetings, everyone!!
ellen,
mahirap tawagin na lantarang apathy yun, Nob. 29…
paano mo maipaliwanag ang mga flashes of victory signs mula sa mga tao; mga busina ng mga drayber mula sa mapa-ordinaryo man o magagarang sasakyan, bilang tanda ng paki-isa;
bagama’t konti meron pa nga naglaglag ng confetti; at lantaran ang paki-isa ng mga maraming bloggers at kahit sa loob ng mainstream media sa mga unang oras ng kanilang martsa;
paano mo maipaliwanag ang kawalan ng pag-alala sa hanay ng mga lobby guests, maraming empleyado ng the Pen at ang iba pa nga gusto pa magpakuha ng pics kasama yung mga marchers;
kung problema mang maitatawag, ito ang aking obserbasyon:
sabi nga ni Anna, ‘impromptu protest march’ ang nangyari na siya din ang sa tingin ko. malayo talaga sa traditional na kahulugan ng rebelyon…
nagsa-sana ang lahat na mag-snowball ito sa mas malapad na protesta, pero hindi nangyari.
una, impromptu nga eh. walang koordinasyon sa mga grupong tradisyunal na nakapag-pasulpot ng malapad na hanay ng tao.
pangalawa, sa anumang pagkilos, book definition or outside of it, anduon dapat yung element of surprise. wala yun duon, sa haba ng martsa, binigyan o nabigyan ng mahabang panahon mag-mapa ng reaksyon sina Gen. Barias, etc.
pangatlo, habang anduon kayo sa Rizal Room (?) ng Pen, at binabasa ni Gen. Danilo Lim ang kanyang mensahe, si Gen. Barias naman, at ang kanyang aide anduon sa lobby,… pinag-aaralan ang paligid or surveying the environs.
nang makita ko siya (via satellite TV) obviously giving orders sa hotel personnel, yung dalawa (2) Magdalo volunteers na silbing bantay sa lobby, hinahayaan lang siya, maybe out of repect sa kanyang ranggo kasi naka pormal attire, eh … it is at this point, i realized na hindi pa ito yung “big thing”.
was it wise to let him wander around the lobby barking orders?
on hindsight, maybe not. pero tingin ko naman, okey na lang yun, kasi…
waging a campaign, ordinary protest or bigger and more complicated in design, certain truths or factors should be present to at least, entertain the idea of winning.
natalo ba sina Gen. Lim, Sen. Trillanes, et. al kasama ang sambayang Pinoy sa the Pen? tactically, yes, maybe we have lost a battle.
can the other side squarely say that they won? ok, they may have won that particular battle but lost, dearly lost the whole war in the process, i.e. silence of the camps, etc.
a war, if it is, consists of many battles. by all indications, Sen. Trillanes, Gen. Lim, and the group is gaining the war.
sana, isama niya ang sambayanan sa kanyang tagumpay sa hinaharap.
i’m back from a long journey, Merry Christmas to ALL of you!
I missed ALL your point of views and i’m here now to share with you again.
MANILA TIMES
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Why did Trillanes do it?
By Nicon F. Fameronag
Less than a month after Senator Antonio F. Trillanes IV and Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim walked out of a court hearing at the Makati city hall and trudged off to the Manila Peninsula Hotel to demand, in full view of the media, that Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo resign from the presidency, only to be arrested later in the day as common criminals, many Filipinos have become familiar with how such incident happened, but could not still get a sane sense of why it happened.
Well, an excess of epithets, tons of it, had been thrown during the last four weeks, against Trillanes, wrapped in gilded gift boxes by GMA partisans, traditional politicians, and kibitzers and delivered through the mainstream media, but these were expected. In carrying forward his revolution to oust Arroyo to be able to effect genuine systemic change in the country, Trillanes recognizes the important and legitimate role of the media in society but had never engaged—will not engage—in traditional means to ingratiate himself or his cause to the “fourth estate.” In Trillanes, WYSIWYG.
Thus, nary a whimper or whine has been heard from the Trillanes camp, even if it knew that the painful truth has been buried deep under an avalanche of lies. Thus, when the barrage of criticism, most bordering on calumny, started streaming in immediately after the Peninsula incident, Trillanes could only chuckle, his faint smile hinting that he was satisfied that one of the many steps toward change has been accomplished. “We were defeated in this one, but we have not failed,” he told me. “Deretso lang tayo. Let us do our duty,” he added.
Such is Trillanes’s conviction, his undiluted courage, that one was wont to entertain the hope that had he had a plan to forcibly takeover the government on November 29, as the Arroyo administration now wants the public to believe, that plan would succeed. Then victory would have sired a thousand fathers, with the onrush of arm-chair revolutionists and “I-told-you-so” siguristas planting stakes to own part of the revolution they themselves should have initiated, but did not because of their cowardice.
As a young change advocate, Trillanes knew that charlatans inhabit the country’s political spectrum. They are all over, occupying positions of power and possessing filthy wealth that could be used against him and his horde of believers. He knew that paid hacks in the media could continue to paint him in a bad light, ridicule him even. But has these facts deterred him from pursuing his cause? The Peninsula incident showed that not even handcuffs, police boots grinding on his hands because of hate, and the prospect of long incarceration, can douse the burning fire of his desire to reform Philippine society.
The debate on the Trillanes “caper” had focused on his alleged method. “I agree with what he wanted to accomplish but am against his means to achieve it,” was the familiar chorus heard. This debate can go on and on, yet it will not settle matters. For Trillanes’s method is to act, not to fence-sit and be co-opted, as most who criticized him do—and did on that fateful day.
I even now suspect that most of the calumny heaped upon Trillanes was a result of the nagging feeling of guilt that the critics felt for themselves: that unlike Trillanes, they don’t have the capacity to stand-up against Gloria, like what police Gen. Geary Barias did, who employed the sociological method of transference by venting his barbaric anger to Trillanes’s wrist and by hauling him off to the bus in his trousers. In short, it’s the feeling of supreme inadequacy—OK, the lack of balls—that ignited the extreme criticisms.
The hoped-for focus of the national discussion on why Trillanes did what he did should be on the action, for at the end of the day, it will boil down to the oft-repeated admonition of President John F. Kennedy: “Ask not what the country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country.”
Trillanes is a fool, said Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile, but who believes a public official who faked his own ambush to entrench a dictator? In saying he himself contemplated killing himself had he failed in the EDSA Revolution, Enrile knew that this was a comfortable option than the AFP’s dark and cold torture chambers where Marcos critics were conveniently herded and isolated.
But of all the silly comments thrown in after the November 29 incident, the one that provoked incredulity was the statement of a Malacanang factotum that Trillanes was the cause of rising LPG prices. Hep-hep, hooray! Macapagal Arroyo, who claims to be an economist, should have squirmed at this comment, bud did she? She must even have delighted in such inanity.
Then, there was the criticism of a non-entity that became fleetingly one after the November 29 incident, obviously upon the prodding of Malacañang. The non-existent group said Trillanes was un-Filipino.
Arroyo’s hirelings have used this line before, in the election of 2004 (remember “Hello, Garci?”) against the late Fernando Poe Jr. They even filed a disqualification case against FPJ, alleging he was not a Filipino. Well, the court said he was a Philippine citizen, but he was dead. Trillanes, like FPJ, is a Filipino and he is alive, thanks to the tender mercies of his guards who refused to follow the alleged order of Gen. Esperon to waste him during the Peninsula incident.
The African writer, Chinhua Achebe, was it who said that a tiger need not proclaim his tigritude. Trillanes need not proclaim his “Filipinoness” to be considered a Filipino. He won by 11 million votes during the May 14, 2007, elections despite of the efforts of this administration to repeat “Hello, Garci?”
But why did Trillanes attempt a failed revolution? Because it was there, in the first place, to be waged, like a mountain waiting to be climbed.
The objective conditions to dislodge a corrupt despot are ripe. It’s not only the surveys which say so. Even the traditional politicians from both sides of the fence and who will be the first to become unhappy ones once genuine systemic change takes effect, say so. Even the soldiers, who are gagged by Esperon, say so. The teachers, the OFWs, the farmers and fishermen say so. The Church … well, forget the Church in the meantime. My daughter, Lara, says so. Only the paid hacks and the bribe-able politicians, the local government officials, the crony-authors of ZTE and Transco, and cyber-ed ad nauseam, say GMA must be president for life.
In short, ramdam na ramdam na na kailangang patalsikin sa puwesto si GMA dahil puro kasiphayuan ang dala sa sambayanang Pilipino.
And how should this be accomplished? Armed insurrection? People Power? Election? Cha-cha? Impeachment? Refer back to the statement of Gen. Lim at the Peninsula on November 29.
The revolution that we ought to wage is a work-in-progress. It is not correct to say that our national cancer is curable only by an election in 2010, although that is a prescription that, as 2008 enters, is becoming a remote possibility, given Gloria’s gluttony for political power. Paging Mar Roxas, Manny Villar, Loren Legarda, Richard Gordon, Noli de Castro, and Panfilo Lacson. Tell us if there will be a 2010.
Trillanes did what he did because a revolution never waits for timing. A revolutionist who waits for favorable winds before he sails faces the unintended consequence of getting suffocated by the short bursts of wind that come between a real storm and a perfect calm.
A writer, said Nadine Gordimer, writes because he or she doesn’t want to be suffocated by the demons inhabiting his or her soul. A revolutionist wages a revolution because he doesn’t want to get waylaid by stifling concerns and worries of who’s on his side and what do they bring upfront. He only keeps worrying if his revolution is on the side of the people. Once he is sure of it, he tries to know and to understand that whatever the outcome of his revolution, a correct step is taken.
The Philippine Revolution of 1896 was not a single act of settling societal contradictions. It was a series of steps, of bloody wars, of defeats and victories, of retreat and consolidation that dates back to Mactan.
The revolution Trillanes is waging is only one of those steps, yet because of the dire predicament the Filipinos are in, they dare look at it as if it is the final chapter of the effort to free them from the malice of misgovernance and from the claws of a corrupt government. We cannot blame them. They have been waiting for redemption since 2001.
Beyond Christmas days and beyond Christmas season – the Christmas love lives on, the Christmas bliss goes on, the Christmas feeling expands – the holy spirit of Christmas is the holy spirit of God and God’s love for all days!
Merry Christmas to all.
Christmas is a special time of year to remember those who are close to our hearts!
May your days be bright, and your heart be light!
May this glorious day of our Savior’s birth
resound with hope and peace on earth!
Merry Christmas!
Not Only Christmas Day
Lord, this is my prayer
Not only on Christmas Day
But until I see You face to face
May I live my life this way:
Just like the baby Jesus
I ever hope to be,
Resting in Your loving arms
Trusting in Your sovereignty.
And like the growing Christ child
In wisdom daily learning,
May I ever seek to know You
With my mind and spirit yearning.
Like the Son so faithful
Let me follow in Your light,
Meek and bold, humble and strong
Not afraid to face the night.
Nor cowardly to suffer
And stand for truth alone,
Knowing that Your kingdom
Awaits my going home.
Not afraid to sacrifice
Though great may be the cost,
Mindful how You rescued me
From broken-hearted loss.
Like my risen Savior
The babe, the child, the Son,
May my life forever speak
Of who You are and all You’ve done.
So while this world rejoices
And celebrates Your birth,
I treasure You, the greatest gift
Unequaled in Your worth.
I long to hear the same words
That welcomed home Your Son,
“Come, good and faithful servant,”
Your Master says, “Well done.”
And may heaven welcome others
Who will join with me in praise
Because I lived for Jesus Christ
Not only Christmas Day
— Mary Fairchild
etnad,
Sana ay hindi ka magsawa sa kauulit, ulit mo pa rin! I’m with you 100%! Merry Christmas!!!
mara123,
Merry Christmas! Ceasefire muna, tomorrow is another day, I’m with you 100%!
mara: thanks for sharing with us the article.. it really eaplains a lot of things..I will read it again..pupunta muna ako sa mall at may nakalimutan akong bilhin…I still have 12 hours till midnight..A joyous Christmas to all..don’t eat too much lechon…masama ang lechon sa may sakit sa puso..ang pinakasama at baka lason pa ay yong litson na galing sa piggery sa Aviles st..
erratum: it really explains…
uroknon,bakit di mo reply yong sinulat ni gabriela
uroknon natameme ka sa sinabi ni gabriela dahil pawang katotohanan yong sinabi niya di ba?
Why did Trillanes do it? History will be the judge. Amen
DGK,
I like your question. Why did Trillanes do it really?
In like manner….
Why did gloria cheat, steal and lie?
Why did esperon help gloria cheat, steal and lie?
Why did joc-joc escape to the US?
Why did abalos dip his fingers in ZTE???
Ang daming why!!!! why? why? why? why?
DKG, ang hirap sagutin ano?
Sige na nga, hayaan na nga natin si Mr. History mag-judge sa kanila.
The problem with some people is that they see the effect so clearly but do not understand the cause.
Sabi ng iba, tumalon daw yung mama sa tulay dahil kasalanan ng gumawa ng tulay. Tragis, kung wala yun PEN na yan, wala sanang pupuntahan sina Trillanes at Lim.
Wow!!! Babaw mo SULBATZ.
hehehe…Amen
Merry Christmas din, Ellen at sa inyong lahat! Basta, lagi akong 100% na kasama ninyo!
To our brothers in uniform, active and in-active,
what’s the story behind the famous line “Tell it to the marines” and does it described aptly the mindset of every military personnel?
Merry CHRISTmas to all…
To our brothers in uniform,
What’s the story behind the famous line “Tell it to the marines” and does it aptly describe the mindset of every military?
Merry CHRISTmas to all.
cocoy Says:
You must not fight too often with one enemy, or you will teach him all your art of war.The only victories which leave no regret are those which are gained over ignorance.
zen2 Says:
cocoy, i agree with your thoughts. ‘deepcaring’ is sending mixed signals.
******************************
So the Trillanes episode at PEN was well planned? That there’s a master plan which non-military mind can comprehend?
the danger of programmed mind with lethal weapons…
merry christmas…
Pasko na pasko, nagpapatawa itong si kasamang Sulbatz.
Recharge muna tayo, at mahaba pa ang laban. Mas matindi pa ang ating hinaharap.
Makabuluhang Pasko!
Comment ko ito sa naunang topic:
Sabi nga ni Pilosopo Tasyo sa Noli Me Tangere: “Ang mga tao ay hindi nagrereklamo dahil wala silang boses, hindi sila kumikilos dahil sila ay mahina. Tapos sasabihin mo na hindi sila nagdadalamhati dahil hindi mo nakita ang pagdurugo ng kanilang puso?”
Ousting Gloria Arroyo whatever means is a just cause. History will place the Oakwood and Manila Pen incidents as revolt against tyranny and inept corrupt government. I think history will be kind to Senator Antonio Trillanes, Army Brig. General Danilo Lim, et al. Gloria Arroyo has claimed her throne as the most corrupt president in our history.
@mlm18_corpuz
Pasensya ka na di ko agad nasagot agad, busy kasi.
@Gabriela
[quote]”Galit ka dahil hindi nagtagumpay sina Sen. Trillanes at Gen. Lim sa pagpatalsik kay Gloria?”[/quote]
Di po ako galit dahil sa hindi pagtagumpay, dismayado po ako dahil alam nya na hindi talaga magtatagumpay. Bakit pa nya ginawa?
[quote]Kung nagpakamatay ba sina Trillanes at Lim doon, napatalsik ba si Gloria?[/quote]
Di po pagkakamatay ninoman ang susi sa pagpapatalsik, kundi tamang pagplano, lakas ng loob at pagkakaisa ng bawat Pilipino.
Kahanga-hanga ang kanyang ginawa subalit, isa rin itong palatandaan na kulang sa pagplano at tapang ang kanyang ipinakita. Hindi ko lang alam kung minsan sa kanyang panahon bilang sundalo ng Navy ay naka-encounter na sya with any rebels with ACTUAL FIREFIGHTS.
Kung di sila nagtagumpay, magtatagumpay pa kaya ang isang ordinaryong mamamayan upang alisin ang mga ganid na anay sa ating pamahalaan?
[quote]Ayaw mo na kay Trillanes? Di sumama ka na kay Arroyo. Doon ka naman talaga yata, e.[/quote]
Hindi po ako ayaw kay Senador, katunayan sya na lang ang huling nating pag-asa, ang hinihiling ko lang, sana maging matagumpay na ito. Kung tutuosin kaya nya tutusan ang pamamaraang mas mabilis, pagpaplano lamang ang kulang. Kailan man di ako naging kampon ng mga ganid sa pamahalaan.
Merry Christmas!
Uroknon, sabi mo:”Di po ako galit dahil sa hindi pagtagumpay, dismayado po ako dahil alam nya na hindi talaga magtatagumpay. Bakit pa nya ginawa?”
Sigurista ka pala. Ibig sabihin ba noon, kahit alam mong tama ang isang bagay kapag alam mong hindi magtatagumpay, hindi mo na gagawin? Hayaan mo na lang ang kasamaan ang maghahari?
I remember one of Ellen’s declaration here that she does things because that’s what she believes is right. It doesn’t matter if it wins or not.
You are entitled to your own philosophy in life but mine is similar to Ellen’s.
Sabi mo pa, “Kung di sila nagtagumpay, magtatagumpay pa kaya ang isang ordinaryong mamamayan upang alisin ang mga ganid na anay sa ating pamahalaan?”
Paano na lang yan. Di hayaan na lang natin ang mga ganid na anay sa ating pamahalaan?
Sang-ayon ako sa iyo na maraming mali doon sa nangyari noong Nov. 29. It’s important that Sen. Trillanes and the group learn their lessons from it. They should make a re-assessment.
But I still believe that his motive, which is to oust an illegally installed and corrupt president, is correct. He, Gen. Lim and other Magdalo officers did it at great risk to their careers and lives.
Yung mga kunyari ayaw kay Gloria, wala namang ginagawa, at ngayon nagdunong-dunungan pang manlait, kayo ang pinapatamaan ni Gen. Lim when he said, “Dissent without action is consent.”
Serenity Prayer
God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.
uroknon,
I understand you. Oftentimes its so frustrating to see defeat after defeat…But try to look at it this way, it took us 20 years to get rid of Marcos and 300 years to get rid of the Spaniards before that, now we are not just facing one person – GMA, but a whole mob, a highly organized, politically sophisticated, morally bankcrupt organism, that uses the rule of law to their advantage, flaunting our very own constitution as an instrument of oppression.
It is not one person but the rule of numbers, they could rapidly close ranks to protect themselves and effectively counter any threat to their way of life. They know who oppose them, but we don’t know who they are mostly, they can sacrifice their own, awake sleepers in our midst, and most of all they’re weapon of mass illusion -“learned helplessness,” a psychological weapon they expertly wield over 80 million people, reducing most to apathy and inaction.
Those who have the intelligence but are paralyzed in fear choose to rationalize their role and would tell us to “move on,” its part and parcel of politics, and politics is the norm, in any country, in the world, ACCEPT IT, resistance is futile.
Do not lose hope, to defend ourselves against this weapon is first to acknowledge it, understand it, and see the whole picture as a “battle for the minds and hearts” so don’t give in to frustrations, don’t lose heart. You have come a long way in life yourself, I’m sure you’ve hurdled many obstacles personally, and you have several personal victories to speak of. Try to draw strength from these personal victories and shine as your light will inspire others, the light that shines as you liberate yourself – will inspire others to liberate themselves.
Do not be afraid, be a light in the darkness no matter if its just a small spark for now, believe…
Jug, it’s a beautiful advice. Inspiring! Thank you.
Gloria Arroyo maybe compared to – Reasons for the fall of the Roman Empire.
Decline in morals and values
Those morals and values that kept together the Roman legions and thus the empire could not be maintained towards the end of the empire. Crimes of violence made the streets of the larger cities unsafe. Even during PaxRomana there were 32,000 prostitutes in Rome. Emperors like Nero and Caligula became infamous for wasting money on lavish parties where guests ate and drank until they became ill.
Political
Corruption One of the most difficult problems was choosing a new emperor. Unlike Greece where transition may not have been smooth but was at least consistent, the Romans never created an effective system to determine how new emperors would be selected. The choice was always open to debate between the old emperor, the Senate, the Praetorian Guard (the emperor’s’s private army), and the army. Gradually, the Praetorian Guard gained complete authority to choose the new emperor, who rewarded the guard who then became more influential, perpetuating the cycle. Then in 186 A. D. the army strangled the new emperor, the practice began of selling the throne to the highest bidder. During the next 100 years, Rome had 37 different emperors – 25 of whom were removed from office by assassination. This contributed to the overall weaknesses of the empire.
Unemployment During the latter years of the empire farming was done on large estates called latifundia that were owned by wealthy men who used slave labor. A farmer who had to pay workmen could not produce goods as cheaply. Many farmers could not compete with these low prices and lost or sold their farms. This not only undermined the citizen farmer who passed his values to his family, but also filled the cities with unemployed people. At one time, the emperor was importing grain to feed more than 100,000 people in Rome alone. These people were not only a burden but also had little to do but cause trouble and contribute to an ever increasing crime rate.
Military Spending
Frustrated Romans lost their desire to defend the Empire. The empire had to begin hiring soldiers recruited from the unemployed city mobs or worse from foreign counties. Such an army was not only unreliable, but very expensive. The emperors were forced to raise taxes frequently which in turn led again to increased inflation.
We Will Never Learn says “does this ring any bells!”
Ellen, All:
The message of Christmas is this: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. (John 3:16-17)
ellen,
hindi ako makapasok sa blog mo.
hope, hindi naman bannned ang may ibang pananaw sa issues.
Merry CHRISTmas.
Mas maganda yang mouse story mo Ellen, kesa sa Rat Story dun sa naunang threads.
Maganda rin yung Manila Times article that mara123 quoted. Absolutely beautiful. Exactly the same way I saw it.
Like Ellen always says, fight if it’s the right thing to do, and not because you are going to win in the end. If you end up victorious, it’s a bonus.
Gaya sa stock market, those who are always “segurista” are the ones left holding the empty bag.
In Calvary, those who taunted Christ and jeered him to come down from his cross were the very same ones who welcomed him on Palm Sunday. Reminds us, too of the devil who dared him do miracles in the mountain.
Today, they say they voted for AT4 but are angry ‘cuz he won’t die for them at Manila Pen. That’s a shame, they watched the standoff as if it were soap opera. Sick.
Nice rat story, Ellen. Tamang-tama sa New Year! It’s the year of the Rat as a matter of fact.
I should have actually the above quote on Christmas in the other thread. Anyway, belated Merry Christmas (It’s the 25th still in California). When I called up my son last night to greet him “Happy Birthday!,” he reminded me that I was a day late!!! 😛
…should actually have sent the above quote…
Sinabi mo pa, Tonue. Not me, though. I have stood steadfast in support of the few good men, who, no doubt, will be vindicated somehow—pag tumapang na maraming mga duwag! 😛
Who says that marching and chanting anti-tyranny slogans on the street will not do freedom seekers any good? Sabi ng ng mga kapampangan, “Subukan pamu para mabalu!”
It is actually freedom of speech and assembly. It is not and never a crime in real progressive societies. It is a crime only when there are idiots, creeps, etc. running the government like that unconfirmed Secretary of Injustice in the Philippines.
Apparently, the more sipsip and dopeyer an appointee of Mrs. Dorobo acts, the more he stays in office. Sama-sama na ang mga inutil, sabi nga!
BTW, Tongue, what’s the no. of the house on Verducci Drive? It’s in Daly City I learned, somewhere near the Serramonte Mall. I should have asked the Filipinos “tambaying” at the mall for directions but I did not know anyone.
I saw some houses there now for foreclosure, but I don’t think the Dorobos are having theirs foreclosed. Tambak na naman ang bibilhin ng mga magnanakaw with funds from the Treasury with the help maybe of some generals and wannabe generals whose loyalty is tested with trips to the US of A with cash for some downpayments maybe of real estates they buy like hotcakes over here. Lots of houses being foreclosed likewise in Stockton.
Yuko:”Who says that marching and chanting anti-tyranny slogans on the street will not do freedom seekers any good?”
============
You’re right. If marching in the streets will not do any good, why is it that the administration policy is totally against it? Remember that in Feb 2006, marchers were prevented from reaching Makati. Same in July 2003. And the same in 2007. It could not be told in the early days of after the Manila Penn incident, but the truth was that there were large groups of people ready to march. They were blocked off. This explains the early deadline given by Barias and Martir. Only one hour. Yes, Martir was instrumental in that decision. The short deadline ensured that no civilian crowds would reach the stand-off.
So say, what you want. There are people willing to march, but this government is in full repression mode. That repression is the obstacle, I don’t believe its the people.
Yuko, #846 yata, I’m not sure. Right, sa Adobo City nga iyon. I slept there a few times.
juggernaut,
What a nice piece of advice not only for uroknon but for everyone.
Also Merry Xmas to All!
uroknon,
I understand you. Oftentimes its so frustrating to see defeat after defeat…But try to look at it this way, it took us 20 years to get rid of Marcos and 300 years to get rid of the Spaniards before that, now we are not just facing one person – GMA, but a whole mob, a highly organized, politically sophisticated, morally bankcrupt organism, that uses the rule of law to their advantage, flaunting our very own constitution as an instrument of oppression.
It is not one person but the rule of numbers, they could rapidly close ranks to protect themselves and effectively counter any threat to their way of life. They know who oppose them, but we don’t know who they are mostly, they can sacrifice their own, awake sleepers in our midst, and most of all they’re weapon of mass illusion -”learned helplessness,” a psychological weapon they expertly wield over 80 million people, reducing most to apathy and inaction.
Those who have the intelligence but are paralyzed in fear choose to rationalize their role and would tell us to “move on,” its part and parcel of politics, and politics is the norm, in any country, in the world, ACCEPT IT, resistance is futile.
Do not lose hope, to defend ourselves against this weapon is first to acknowledge it, understand it, and see the whole picture as a “battle for the minds and hearts” so don’t give in to frustrations, don’t lose heart. You have come a long way in life yourself, I’m sure you’ve hurdled many obstacles personally, and you have several personal victories to speak of. Try to draw strength from these personal victories and shine as your light will inspire others, the light that shines as you liberate yourself – will inspire others to liberate themselves.
Do not be afraid, be a light in the darkness no matter if its just a small spark for now, believe…
@juggernaut
Thank you for that very, very nice advice. Subalit sila po ay organisado, ginagamit ang ilang batas at ang sandahang lakas ng bansa upang proteksyonan ang kani-kanilang interes. Patuloy na nilulustay ang kaban ng bayan upang palawigin, palawakin
@juggernaut
Thank you for that very, very nice advice. Subalit sila po ay organisado, ginagamit ang ilang batas at ang sandahang lakas ng bansa upang proteksyonan ang kani-kanilang interes. Patuloy na nilulustay ang kaban ng bayan upang palawigin, palawakin at patibayin ang pagkapit sa kapangyarihan.
Sa ngayon po, suntok na sa buwan ang pagkakaroon ng EDSA 4, wala pa pong nagtatagumpay sa coup de tat (kung walang sibilyan), makailang beses na pong nagkaroon ng impeachment, di rin nagtagumpay ang hello garci thing, wala rin nagawa ang panawagan maging ni Gng. Aquino at ni Gng. Susan Roces, wala ka ring maririnig sa ating butihing Cardinal Rosales, wala rin aasahan sa aking kakabayang kong si Ginoong Mike Velarde, naandyan ang ZTE ni Ginoong Jose de Venecia Jr., wala ring makabayang interes ang kanyang ama (JDV), patuloy na gumuguho ang estado ng pananalapi ng bayan (over corruption by few), patuloy na lumilisan ang karamihang mga Pilipino upang mangibang bayan, marami na ang nawawalan ng pag-asa, Kung di kikilos, kung hahayaang maduwag at matalo, kailan pa.
What we need “people of the philippines” is a drastic and accurately way of removing the cancerous cause and it can be done by only few.
To Ka Ellen, thank you for everything, Merry Christmas to All!
I don’t understand where you stand, Uroknon.
Ellen dear,
merry CHRISTmas.
For the last two days I was unabled to join in your blog. I hope it’s just a technical error, because I know that you’re not the type of person who will ban someone with different opinion. God bless.
cocoy and zen2,
what’s the story behind “tell it to the marines” and to what extend this mindset manufactured a growing number of toy soldiers in the land?
when the “Trillanes formula” (anemic for word to describe the vision of the “awakened” men and women in uniform for our beloved Philippines)failed to reconstruct the undesirable military culture towards the service of the common good, would it not be humbling to clean our own houses first before painting a messianic agenda for our country?
Do you really believe that “bullets” can make a difference today? Would arm revolution forwarded by the extreme right be feasible today? Would the extreme left be welcomed to engage in the battle for justice and freedom?
uroknon,
Whatever it is on your mind, if you really believe its the right thing to do, go for it, but if its anywhere in the vicinity of drastic measures it would be wise to take a cue from Sen. Trillanes – protect the innocent. It would be a pyrrhic victory if anyone succeeds but at the expense of the principles you aim to preserve.
Happy New Year!!!
deepcaring,
Any military action whether coming from the left, right, center, noranians, vilmanians or sharonians is like taking a short cut, albeit a destructive one. I believe in the direction taken by Sen. Trillanes, Gen. Lim and Col. Querubin et al ie withdrawal of support. A purely democratic way of redressing grievances, in the tradition of Thoreau, Martin Luther King Jr., Gandhi – civil disobedience.
For our part, as civilians, we can do what we can, things that are in our control, like strengthening those who weaken, sharing to those who are in need, helping some out of school youth go to school, or at least sponsoring a party for those who are always never invited to one because of their dirty clothes, unwashed, unkempt looks, and equally ragged manners. It is my belief that it is our actions that will be more effective in rallying people to our cause and not just our words. We all have our roles, some can be heroes, some have to be in the backstage, and some have to clean up after…
Deep caring,
You are not the only one who complained of difficulty in accessing this blog. MRivera had the same problem.
I welcome all opinions. it makes for a livelier and healthier discussion. We just have to keep the discussion civil.
No problem ellen. And I truly appreciate your devotion to the cause of the military reformist movements.
Civil disobedience is not the same as military withdrawal of support. The military culture has its own life, like the semper fidelis of the marines which permeates the lifeblood of the entire AFP.
The issue with marines is whether or not they uphold to their sacred vows of loyalty and faithfulness to their superiors –at ALL TIMES. No excuses, no questions asked, but simply follow orders given by their superiors. The act of withdrawal of support is a conscious act of disloyalty and unfaithfulness, which is a repugnant and malignant virus to the semper fidelis culture.
At base, this is my stand (as I am wrongly accused as anti-military): the magdalo grievances against the corruption in the entire AFP is a call for reformation within the institution itself, but not revolution which is drastic and long lasting change.
For example, who benefited the most from the high interest income of AFSLAI investment? The real necessary change will NOT come from those who gets more share of the cake, nor from those who are ONLY given less share of the cake, but from those who were almost none, the oppressed.
The apathy of these soldiers at the base is frustrating. However, the culture of semper fidelis safeguards the perpetuation of this apathy. Thus, the necessary option to awaken these soldiers is to inevitably destroy this culture of semper fidelis. But the reformists will not take this option.They cannot dissociate themselves from the institution itself and preferred to reform the system. Their dilemma with this reformist standpoint is that anybody who gets the throne of esperon will always have the scarlet of corruption. The problem is systemic and any band-aid approaches will be in vain.
The reformists remain within the institution, hoping to make a difference. They cannot kill the culture which they absolutely believe as the lifeblood of the institution. Reform is not the solution to this systemic problem which is highly organized. It can shake the system but no sustainable change will likely to happen.
Those who get the lesser part may have aptly identified the corruption with-in the AFP institution, but they are not ready to get out from the system. We hope that those who managed to get out, will inspire and ignite the flame of revolution.
In relation to this topic, let me share a quote by Ian Kershaw, a renowned historian of Hitler’s Third Reich;
“The road to Auschwitz is paved with indifference”
Cocoy,
Thanks for those enlightened lines. But coming to Rizal’s works, those are not for the Filipinos, for the meztizos, perhaps. I didnt pass my Spanish 1, myself. But those are good reading matters. Like the Count of Monte Christo, though, so similar. The other writings could be just prototypes of our brilliant blogs of today.
“Nice one ASIII…but would you rather have a pied piper or a paid viper? hehhehehe”
wait, it just occurred to me now, my ‘pied pier’ example can be interchanged with ‘paid viper’ also.
trillanes, guingona, and the rest of the opposition with trillanic and guingonic minds are paid vipers as well
(excluding Lacson of course)
“The issue with marines is whether or not they uphold to their sacred vows of loyalty and faithfulness to their superiors –at ALL TIMES” — deepcaring
===============
A withdrawal of support is actually a recognition of the superiority of the people over those who presume to act as agents of the State. Who is the “superior” anyway? The Constitution recognizes the superiority of civilian authority. The political upheaval generated by the Garci tapes confused the identification of the civilian authority and so the military forces were compelled to determine who that authority is. Inherent values of the individual soldiers determined the final outcome.
cain marko,
we all need to pray that serenity prayer. we all need that wisdom.
ASIII,
I was fortunate to attend a symposium of sorts in ’87, Gringo, Red Kapunan, and the whole cadet corps was there, the issue of “civilian authority over the military” was clear, it refers to the PEOPLE, the sitting president represents the voice of the people (ideally) but this is not the case with Gloria.
Anywhere you look from the soldiers’ code of conduct, to the marines’ semper fidelis, its the same. It would have been easier and financially rewarding for officers to toe the line with this administration but why Gen. Lim, Trillanes, Querubin and others chose to suffer career suicide, financial ruin, loss of liberty, and isolation from loved ones should speak volumes about their intentions. There is no reward for them to do this, is there ASIII?
I believe I’ve seen it all, Germans and Russians for the first time in history refuse to go to war (gulf war), and now a pro admin UP man and a radical PMA man. Germany and Russia were assured oil concessions by Sadam so that explains the motive, what is the motive of our local version?
cain marko,
“the sitting president represents the voice of the people (ideally) but this is not the case with Gloria”
sorry to say, but gloria enjoys that presumption. we have no choice but to live with that
“It would have been easier and financially rewarding for officers to toe the line with this administration but why Gen. Lim, Trillanes, Querubin and others chose to suffer career suicide, financial ruin, loss of liberty, and isolation from loved ones should speak volumes about their intentions. There is no reward for them to do this, is there ASIII?”
i don’t know. you should also ask, why didn’t the rest of the armed forces join them? it seemed that they are the only ones who “…chose to suffer career suicide, financial ruin, loss of liberty, and isolation from loved ones”
they had delusions of grandeur. they had eyes on the the biggest prize – dictatorship
i seriously doubt if they can do a Enrile and Ramos if they succeeded. Enrile and Ramos had the guts to let Tita Cory take over from where Marcos left, when they could have formed a junta and ruled themselves.
Trillanes and Lim? Hah! I won’t give them the benefit of the doubt. Would Lim allow the more junior Trillanes to be the de facto ruler?
Better the devil you know than the devil you don’t know.
ASII,
I thought it was ASS d second. Sorry, hahahha
Yes, you’re right. Gloria did not cheat. In fact she said I AM SORRY presuming that it was her her voice in the Garci Tape but it was not her.
I even presume that it was not Esperon who was mentioned in the tape…it might have been ASSPERON, presuming that we didn’t clean our ears properly.
Balutan and Gudani and the rest were actually seeing ghosts of a cheating and thieving aliporeses.
By the way, JOHN RAT MARTIR was not on AWOL when everybody thought he was. The records might have been wrong.
Joke-joke Bolante might not even be in some US jail.
Our HONORABLE CONGRESSMEN…Poor them, they were given paper money.
These people who rat here are COMMIES. Don’t look now ASS, Gloria is not a COMMIE by innocently consorting with China to rob Filipinos via ZTE.
Commies are those who are scandalized by the scandals created and participated in by Gloria. And of course, with the rabid concurrence of ASSII. heheheheeh
Dictatorship ASS??? Don’t we have that now? Aren’t we being run by devils already? Cmon ASS, think with your head, not your ASS!!!!
ASIII,
Enrile? Are you serious, who do you think was behind the genuine coups in the 80’s? Who wanted so much to be president? Before you judge people get to know them first. Talk to them, I’m sure you’ll even like Gen. Lim, he will gladly pass on the reins of power to civilians. Why its difficult for you to see all the truth is beyond me. But you are a UP graduate, the bastion of democracy, the very people who opened my eyes to civil disobedience was from UP.
ASIII,
Why do you want to dance with the devil? And why do you see the devil in others? Are you one of the “Do you hear what I hear? – Schizophrenic christmas carolers…
cain marko,
its a miracle that Enrile and Ramos gave way to Tita Cory
the whole point is, i wouldn’t give Trillanes or Lim the benefit of the doubt.
its a whole different arena if you’re up there.
who’s schizoprenic? that word has new synonyms – trillanic and guingonic