On the 22nd anniversary of People Power One and on the second anniversary of their incarceration for allegedly planning to withdraw support from Gloria Arroyo, the 28 officers led by Maj. Gen. Renato Miranda and Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim, issued the following statement:
We are soldiers. We are also citizens. We, together with our families, are so much a part of the community more than our beloved organization. We are not faceless automatons incapable of thinking, feeling and discernment. We feel the pain of our neighbors as much as their anger. We see their oppression and sense their hopelessness. Of course, their happiness is ours too. But they are not!
We, too, can distinguish good from evil, a truth from a lie, an honest one from a cheat and a thief. But it would be our most grievous sin if we tolerate and do nothing about it.
In the 2004 elections, a misguided and partisan few from among our ranks went out of our barracks not with a noble intent….but to commit a crime against the people. The rest of us stayed behind and watched as it happened. These criminals in uniform strayed away from barracks not to protect the people, but rather to subvert the will of the people. They are still out of barracks trying to cover up for the crimes they committed while suppressing the truth. Sadly, more are being lured out of barracks to partake of the loot.
EDSA 1 and today are no more different. In fact, today is worse than the conditions that prevailed before. There are more compelling reasons for the soldiers to go outside of its barracks. The mess that was created in 2004 either by direct participation and/or by silent complicity needs to be cleaned. It would be the height of insensitivity and callousness to let alone the people do the cleaning when we, ourselves, were so much a part of it. Going out of barracks to join the people in communal action to rid the ills that befell our nation is a Constitutional duty. In fact, it is demanded of us, as soldiers, by the very people whom we failed. Let us not, this time, fail them. Let our voices be heard from the barracks. Let our sense of community be felt from the barracks. And let our actions be seen in and out of the barracks.
After everything has been said and done…. We appeal to the Filipino people to bring us back to barracks and keep us there. Keep us forever in barracks by electing responsible public officials and holding them accountable, by being ever vigilant and by strengthening your sense of community. We, your soldiers, will then march back to barracks to settle to the task of keeping your worthy trust and respect. Let that be our covenant.
Keep the spirit burning and MABUHAY KAYONG LAHAT!
Is this a recent statement? Finally a strong moral stand in the military.
Mabuhay kayo, sana kayo ay maging tunay ng tagapagtanggol ng mamamayang Pilipino, at hindi magpagamit sa iilan na mga magdarambong ng kabang bayan; Itakwil ang mga walang Honor at Integrity, maging sila ay superior officer, presidente, tongressman o kung sino pa man abusador ng bayan!
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Other Announcement:
BLOGSWARM TODAY OR TOMORROW, GLORIA RESIGN! Make an article today or tomorrow in your blog or forum. Put a link in your Gloria Resign statement, put an image of her on your blog which reflects Gloria’s true self. Let’s do it!
I just the same sentiment in the other loop—keep the soldiers in the barracks!!!
They should not be used to annihilate their own people even when the people are apt to exercise their rights and privileges to express their discontent and disapproval of ” The Most Corrupt President of the Philippines.” Their duty is to protect and defend their country and people against foreign aggression not be loyal and do the bidding of a criminal and her accomplices in committing the worse crimes ever against the Filipinos.
Time for these soldiers to wake up. Tapos na ang panaginip. Kailangan nang magising mula sa isang masamang bangungot!!!
…I just expressed the same sentiment…
Alhamdulelah-All Praise be to God! Finally, I had logged to Ellenville’s after almost more than a week. I dunno why this “can not connect to the server” info was popped up everytime I visit the site. WHY?
Anyway, these 28 soldiers led by Maj. Gen. Miranda and Brig. Gen. Lim plus Hon. Sen. Trillanes are the true men of valor, of morale and principles. How I wish that all soldiers are like them.
There’s not much we can do right now except to comfort the families of these soldiers, to make them feel that they are not alone at least…
The ouster of the fake president would vindicate them.
We appeal to the Filipino people to bring us back to barracks and keep us there. -Men of Honor
Hang in there, Gentlemen. Malapit na!
Ay sorry tanga ko, akala ko related ito sa isang binabasa ko na sabi daw ni Gen Montano na ready na raw ang ordinaryong sundalo sumali sa panibagong People Power
Mabuhay din kayo mga mahal naming bayani.
Today is the end of Gloria Asspweron’s tyranny!
Kabayan, related na related nga. 🙂
Today, more than ever, I keep all my sacrifices for the success of the different protests against this EVIL regime!
MABUHAY kayong lahat aming mga TUNAY na sundalo!
May God Bless You All!
Ellen,
By the fact that her presidency was won illegally, she is a USURPER not the president.
I second the motion of Elvira Sahara:
‘MABUHAY kayong lahat aming mga TUNAY na sundalo!
May God Bless You All!”
A MESSAGE TO GEN. RENATO MIRANDA:
Brother, my name is probably still fresh from your memory, having been together during our days at the Central Bible Institute along Quiricada. We shared many things in common then, love of country, love of our faith and even in loving a woman of our dreams, Vangie Cababa. It was tough for us to lose you but knowing your destination was your boyish dreams of joining the PMA, our hopes and prayers were with you. That was a long time ago. You resurfaced an admired gentleman of the highest order and commanded the Philippine Marines, the fightingist unit of the AFP, until your unceremonious relief brought about by your fight for the evils that ruin the chain of command. We are witnessing how you are being maltreated, abused, and embarrased by your classmate, Gen. Esperon in the eyes of the public. Brother, I wish to let you know, the Filipino people is well aware of your ordeal. Just hang on there, malapit na. HINDI KA NAG-IISA.
Jug,
Over in our legal books, Gloria Dorobo is nothing but a dorobo, who has committed a very serious crimes against the Philippine society, and now against all those she has incurred debts in the name of the Filipino people with no intention to pay them back. Walang pinagkaiba doon sa ama niya!
Sa mga magigiting na sundalong nakakulong, malapit na. Makakalaya na rin kayo sa wakas! Next time, isulong ninyo ang pagtutuwid ng AFP na sobrang binaboy ng kriminal na ito na natural lang na ayaw ninyong sundin!
Love you, guys! Maraming nagmamahal sa inyo! Para sa malayang Pilipinas!
RE: The ouster of the fake president would vindicate them.
Very soon Maám Ellen. Hail our brave soldiers and our deep symphaty eh sumasainyong lahat Sirs! Patnubayan kayo ng mahabaging Panginoon at be strong against the devil who portrayed as angels of light.
Keep you faith strong and “And the God of PEACE will crush Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.”(1Cor.16:20)
Kaya naman pala halos mangiyak-ngiyak iyong kaklase ni Evil Bitch e isa pa palang vested interest ang ungas. Undersec ng Tourism! Siyempre pag natanggal si Gloria Dorobo, tanggal din siya. Matanong nga ang kakilala ko kung magkano ang lagay sa kaniya! Pwe!
Sotto nixes another people power call – http://www.journal.com.ph
Gusto ko lang magalit at sabihin leech itong taong ito dahil he is expecting to be appointed as Drug Czar yata.
Sorry for out-topic kung minsan gusto mo kasing ilabas ang galit mo dahil malayo ako sa pinas at ito lang ang paraan…my apology to all.
JJ05,
Who he?! Kidding lang.
He already lost his credibility to influence people, hindi na ‘yan pinakikinggan. Sotto, one of the ASOs of the bitch!
Nawa ay maging inspirasyon ng mga ibang sundalo ang mga kasamahan nilang nakakulong ngayon at tila pinahihirapan ng mga walang pusong namumuno. Bagamat nahihirapan na sina Lim, Miranda, Trillianes at mga iba pang opisyal who are illegally detained because of their principles, buo pa rin ang kanilang loob, nasa puso pa rin nila ang kapakanan ng bayan. Ni hindi sila nagsisisi sa kanilang ginawa, patunay lamang ito na sila ang mga tunay na sundalo ng bayan at bayani. Nasa kanila ang pagpupugay ng buong bansa. They may not be physically present sa mga gaganaping rally bukas, alam ng sambayanan na ang kanilang mga puso ay nasa EDSA na sagisag ng pakikibaka para sa kalayaan, katutohan, at kaunlaran ng bayan. If they have their way, I don’t think they want to be back to barracks, they want to be with the people at EDSA. Tuloy ang laban.
To the MEN OF HONOR: MALAPIT NA! ILANG TULUGAN NA LANG AND YOU WILL BE VINDICATED!
Marcos’s chief guard, Irwin Ver, remembers EDSA
For the first time, Irwin—son of Gen. Fabian Ver and commander of President Marcos’s guards—tells of the last hours in Malacanang in February 1986. Exclusive to abs-cbnNEWS.com.
By IRWIN VER
Leaving the country on Feb 26, 1986 was a crucial turning point in our lives, to put it mildly. As you may imagine, the physical dislocation is a mere bruise in the overall stigma to the Ver name.
Even after 22 years, I can still remember the quick succession of events prior to our departure: the discovery of the RAM (Reform the Armed Forces Movement) plan to attack the palace and subsequent arrest of several RAM officers at the initial phase of their operations—which we had mistakenly thought was sufficient to preempt their seditious plot; the unexpected holdout of Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile at Camp Aguinaldo, which was a major surprise to President Marcos, unbelieving of the disloyalty of his once anointed successor.
And what rubbed salt to injury was the similar defection of his cousin, General Fidel Ramos, and finally, the unprecedented groundswell of support that grew into the people power at EDSA that made precarious President Marcos’s stay at the palace.
From a military standpoint, there was the obvious fundamental operational mistake that led to this presidential withdrawal: the great multitude of people, particularly nuns holding rosaries, massing on EDSA. This certainly confounded the AFP Chief of Staff, Gen. Fabian Ver, my father.
Despite the urging of his Joint Chiefs of Staff, he was adverse to committing to a military and police solution, believing at the time that the show of force by the Philippine Marines at EDSA was enough to discourage the rebel forces. Hence, rather than being proactive in facing rebel initiatives, we resorted instead to strengthening the security of Malacanang, to allow elbow room and give time for President Marcos, whose vaunted political endgame savvy my father idolized, to resolve this crisis favorably.
Certainly the 22 battalions which converged around the perimeters of the palace, including most of the AFP’s light armored units, gave us preponderance of forces against the rebels’ five battalions.
Even when the RAM forces attacked the government’s media station, my father’s reticence to send any sizeable force to defend this vital public psywar facility, was a huge source of frustration to his military staff. Only after the blitz bombing and strafing of the palace grounds by Air Force helicopters did he approve of a counter strike plan, but that plan was readily countermanded by President Marcos. As we saw in that military conference on national TV, he ordered all our troops to shoot only when fired upon, and using only handguns.
Last Hours in Malacanang
Our last hours at Malacanang is the memory I would keep vivid of the commander in chief I had served for 15 years. Saddled with the knowledge that we had lost our military advantage by choosing to merely defend ourselves, as commander of the guards, I kept busy with strengthening our inner perimeter defenses and prepared for a long siege.
At mid-afternoon of Feb 26, my father and I were summoned to the palace and after we had clicked our heels and saluted in unison, the President who was seated on his bed acknowledged ours with a very slow and weak salute, but still summoned a booming voice to issue the order to the AFP chief of staff to initiate a “strategic withdrawal” to Ilocos. Having personally inspected our security posts, I felt compelled to apprise him of our ability to defend the palace for a long time.
President Marcos turned to me and directed his eyes into mine—an instant of history that still replays in my memory—and responded that should we stand our ground, a military confrontation against the rebels is inevitable. And in his baritone voice declared “I don’t want us to be shooting at our own people. We must resolve this peacefully.”
Thereafter followed the dramatic unfolding of events, unexpected as they were: the frantic coordination for our movement to Ilocos, sending coded messages to the military units that would serve as blocking forces for our retrograde movement at vital points along the Northern corridor; the somber embarkation at the Heroes Hall boat landing, the President grabbing my arm as he stepped on the boat—one small step and he had forever left the palace; the noisy USAF helicopters hovering three feet above the ground; the First Lady, the children, babies and nurses gingerly being lifted up into the helis, aides and security men jumping aboard; and as we arrived at Clark, the sharp exchanges between President Marcos and Gen. Teddy Allen debating on when to proceed to Laoag, the latter insisting we stopped overnight; and finally, the sudden departure at 3 a.m. and, alas, landing at dawn not in Laoag but on a rainy Guam airport.
Shortly after, there we were, solemn and quiet, lined up for our refugee papers.
Punishment
No, I can not say I was bitter. Bitterness was not the reaction that immediately came to me after we had flown out of the country and found ourselves herded like refugees, with only the shirt on our backs, facing a completely blank future. It was more of an insecure anticipation not knowing what would come next, skeptical whether there would ever be a way back.
Surely there were lots of knee-jerk suggestions by some of us to launch a counter coup, but I knew President Marcos would never approve of it.
No, bitterness was not what I felt when I saw friends and sworn loyalists, readily joining the rebels, denying us their support or washing their hands. Perhaps, disappointment is the right term. And certainly pity for those whose souls were lost, who turned their coats in order to survive and claw their way up into another man’s back.
No I could not be bitter because I understood the full effect of the assassination of Ninoy Aquino on the psyche of the nation, albeit wrongly blamed at President Marcos and my father. I accepted it as some sort of punishment, not that I felt my father was ever involved in the murder plot, but in a moral sense.
We must share the blame for our failure to prevent the assassination, initially shielding all uniformed men from the investigations, and allowing a socio-political environment for such violence to even occur.
Demonized
I’ve returned home half a dozen times since 1998 when I came to bury my father, and I’ve seen the varied changes in Manila. The EDSA shrine happens to be on the way to my sister’s house and so I see it regularly. Although I see small dark figures in the sculpture, I always feel the large presence of those chaotic four days, changing the course of our nation’s history, but specifically changing the lives of our family members.
There exists still a great deal of family frustration at the misinformation that my father was charged with murder and that he escaped to the US. It is frustrating because there are a few persons, strangers who would walk up to me, and express their disgust about my father and walk away.
I wish they would stay for a while so that I could explain to them my father had no prior inkling of the assassination from the time he walked into my room that fateful Sunday afternoon in August 1983. He was wearing house clothes and slippers immediately after he got word of the shooting and I remember how he bawled out Gen. Luther Custodio hours after the incident.
My father was acquitted by the Sandiganbayan in 1985, and again at a retrial during the Aquino administration, despite being unable to personally defend himself in the courts. Unfortunately, he passed away while waiting for a third trial he had eagerly wanted to testify in.
I feel that existing printed history of President Marcos and Gen. Ver is grossly imbalanced, and my father unfairly demonized. Being his son, I would wish eagerly to clear his name.
Every time I come home (I am based in the US), I am always confronted by new constructions, new cultural icons, new words in our Taglish lingo, new practices at the work place. But as far as my AFP is concerned, I still see the continuing inability of the rank and file to reconcile the extreme disciplines of military professionalism and moral and social responsibility.
I also see the same political faces, similar political controversies, typical charges of corruption, improper use of government authority, and the same malignant ailments that continually waste into our democratic processes.
For Irwin Ver,
You may not be able to clear your father’s name, but you can REDEEM your family’s honor, join today’s rally against the abusively corrupt Gloria Arroyo regime.
Irwin is abroad (in US) while his brother Rex is in the Philippines.
To the Few Good Men in the AFP (Gen.Lim, Gen. Miranda, Col. Querubin, et al…):
We are behind you! We salute your idealism and patriotism! Its just a matter of time before all of you are vindicated. We shall be inspired to continue fighting against this evil regime of the Evil Bitch which is responsible for putting you behind bars.
Mabuhay ang mga Kawal Pilipino!
krunck,
hada ana jawal – 0502807586. ana e mail Mrivera@redseamallproject.com
maas salama!
Irwin Ver,
Nice place that big old old house in Sarrat. My visitors from Manila and I were entertained there. The ladies were assigned to those old canopied beds. An honor, they confessed next morning. We guys took basi all throughout the night. Thanks.