Sheryl Martinez is a working mother with two very young girls.
She has put up an online Gloria- resign petition:http://www.petitiononline.com/gmaout/petition.html. Her blog address: http://gloriaresign.wordpress.com/
Sheryl said she is not aware that there are already two Resign-GMA online peitition. One initiated by imprisoned senator Antonio Trillanes IV (http://www.petitiononline.com/snap08/) which includes Vice President Noli de Castro and the calling for a snap election within 60 days, and another by the Black and White Movement (http://www.pinoybigbriber.com/index.php).
In a letter, Sheryl explained her reasons for waging a crusade to make Arroyo resign:
“I last voted in the 1998 election, though it doesn’t matter now who I voted for then, you would be certain it wasn’t Erap (who won) and neither was it JDV who finished a distant second. I was 19 years old then and that was the first time I exercised my right to suffrage. More than anything else, it was disappointing for me to realize that the majority of Filipinos chose a popular president than a capable one because even with his experience in local governance for almost two decades, I still wasn’t convinced that he had the aptitude to manage and handle an office as complex as the presidency. If you ask me now, I still wouldn’t want him back in Malacanang now or ever.
“When Erap was ousted in 2001 through EDSA Dos, I was elated. I thought, finally the middle class, the tax-paying class has risen in revolt against an incompetent leader. I was aghast to read in the papers that he had spent his presidential time partying and gambling with his midnight cabinet, that he had seduced a married woman during his term, and milked the poor in the countryside by collecting kickbacks from jueteng proceeds.
“The middle-class succeeded in ousting him. I was hopeful when Gloria took over: here is an economist, educated, well-bred, and capable. I believed then that she could do a better job. Even if she was only seen at the moment she was sworn in and was not in sight days before that, I didn’t think much of it. I guess it’s true: hindsight is 20/20.
“In May 2004, I was working as a staff in the Philippine Senate. Right after the elections, I found myself poring over ERs (Election Returns), counterchecking the votes against the CoCs (Certificate of Canvass) and noted the discrepancies, and boy, was there a lot? It was the worst day of my life as a Filipino citizen as I personally witnessed the shameless act done by Gloria’s administration when she deliberately and conscientiously cheated the Filipinos of their rightful President.
“And yet, the worst was yet to come. When allegations of election cheating in Cebu and Mindanao came out, I wasn’t surprised but I was shocked at the way Sen. Kiko Pangilinan and DOJ Secretary Raul Gonzalez ‘noted’ the whole thing at the House of Representatives, televised and aired live to the Filipino people. Oh, accountability, where art thou?
“I was sick to the core of my being at the blatant disregard of this government to our sovereign rights in choosing our leaders. They have trampled upon a valuable part of our democratic right and they have relentlessly, continuously done so with every overpriced project, with every peso they steal, for every cover up they commit, for every life lost needlessly, for each and every violation they have done against the taxpayers amongst us and against God.
“My reaction to all these was surrender. I got fed up and right about that time, I started to retreat to my apolitical self. I stopped reading the papers and I only watched the weekend news. I consciously ceased to participate in political discussions and forums. It was a tough choice knowing myself, but I persevered. Until the ZTE-NBN scandal broke out.
“I didn’t have to scrutinize every detail but I only needed 10 minutes of my life, watching Jun Lozada spill all in a press conference. Oh, this government is at it again, I thought.
“But then it hit me.
“Yes, they are at it again because people like me stopped caring, I chose to be and remain silent amid all these corruption noises, subliminally suggested by the admistration lackeys as people power fatigue. I have to admit I was afraid that when Gloria steps down, I don’t really have an alternative leader. Someone who will put our welfare as citizens over and above her personal gain. Someone who is politically mature enough to respect our right to choose our leaders. Someone who will take accountability to heart and remember that crime does not pay, no matter who you are.
“These were just one of my many concerns. Just as I know, a lot of people are thinking and sharing my sentiments. I realized finally that we do have an alternative. The constitution will provide for us, just as it provided us with Gloria when Erap became indisposed. We realize now that she didn’t even come close to being a good president as she promised us when she took over the presidency.
“Let her not brag about what she has done for the economy because with the billions of dollars in remittances that are being sent by OFWs: the same group of people, by the way, who opted to work overseas and spend years away from their loved one because there are no decent-paying jobs to be had here; her economic policy has squat to do with it. Our economy will more or less run by itself, with the remittances that’s being spent on goods, sales and services. Any Juan can sit there and we will exactly be where we are now, economy-wise.
“But let us not give up. We Filipinos are a hopeful lot, let us all hope we find that gem of a president who will genuinely care for this country and its people, who will work hard to better our lives, and who will serve as a moral leader to each one of us.
“At sixty-two years old, the Philippines is a young nation and as young nations go, we have a lot more to learn. We will meet more challenges, we will have worse presidents than the ones we have elected but eventually, we will learn. If we have to remove every sitting president before their term ends because they have abused the powers inherent to their position, we will do so.
“Well, I think I have been silent long enough, I have been apathetic longer than I should be. It’s time to make a stand, to be counted and join the growing clamor for Gloria’s resignation for reasons too many to mention.
“Because in the depths of my heart and of my nationalist consciousness, I know I deserve a better president.
“We all do.”
Yes, we all deserve a good, trustworthy, capable, and brilliant president. Gloria doesn’t possess any of these traits, not even her being called “president.” Her brilliance is mainly utilized not for the greater good but for personal gain and glory.
Sheryl Martinez, you’re right. We don’t deserve a cheating president!
For the info of everybody, at least 4 petitions (including the Trillanes petition) have been lodged online. They are:
(1) Filipinos in USA petition for GMA to resign
http://www.petitiononline.com/bayanusa/petition.html
(2) Writers petition Gloria Arroyo to resign or be ousted
http://www.petitiononline.com/pen333/petition.html
(3) Petition to oust Gloria Arroyo and save the Philippines
http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?no2gma
(4) Sonny Trillanes petition online for Gloria to resign
http://www.petitiononline.com/snap08/petition.html
Well then,Sheryl sometimes it takes a great loss to recognized a great danger is at stake, but never too late!
Our beloved country needs people like you…
Very well said Sheryl, your stand is commendable! I guess in some ways, you expressed the disgust that I have been feeling since the ZTE-NBN scandal broke out.
Being a Kapampangan, I used to read the columns of Cunanan-Olivarez & her likes. I used to trash Quiroz’s columns & his likes. I used to hate Drillon when he and the so-called Hyatt 10 called for Arroyo’s resignation. I used to admire Atienza when he fought Drillon on the Liberal Party’s stand on Arroyo’s presidency. I used to curse when I read the opposition’s attack on the presidency. The tide has turned and what a fool I have been, this scandal was an eye-opener for me. You are right Sheryl, Arroyo has to go, she has done the nation a disservice, she has disrespected us Kapampangans.
Hopefully when this is all done and over with, Arroyo and her cronies will pay dearly. Hopefully, the government of the day will go after their stolen wealth. Hopefully the sitting president of the day will not do an “Erap” when Arroyo, et al are convicted. We keep hoping and wondering….will I ever see any worthy changes in the government in my lifetime?
Kaya hindi ko pwedeng patawarin si NOTED Pangilinan kahit magpadala pa siya dito sa Elenville ng kanyang araw-araw na anti-GMA stand! He, together with that siRaulo put the nation were we are today, never gave fair count a chance!
We, as individuals have to do a lot of searching and act right towards truth and justice if we have not yet done so…that is if we are to deserve a better leader.
Kapinoy GKsaBaryo,
Gloria is not a kapampangan!No!No!No!
Ni hindi sýa makapagsalita nang tuwid na kapampangan.
Walang siyang nasira sa mga kapampangans.
Baka pa sa visayas sya nakapagdulot nang kahihiyan!
Remember nakaharap n’ya ang mga ilokanos, sabi nya may lahi syang ilokano, nakaharap nýa ang mga cavitenos, sabi nýa may lahi sýang caviteno, nakaharap nýa ang mga mindanaoans, sabi nýa galing sýa sa mga lakandolas!
Pero nagpunta sýa after all these sa manila zoo, may mga gorilya doon, guess what… wala sýang nabanggit na may lahi syanggggg…
GK,
“Arroyo has to go, she has done the nation a disservice, she has disrespected us Kapampangans.”
Not just the Kapampangans did she do a disservice. In fact, she is also a disgrace to all Filipinos!
Itong si Kiko Pangilinan cant even win a local election. He had to marry a movie star so people would like him. I too saw that on TV. All he said was ‘noted’, nothing happened to all his ‘notes’. He is part of the conspiracy. For me, it all started during the impeachment of ERAP. Why would the vice-president use her private lawyers to undermine the presidency? Then came FPJ. A source told me that she easily won in only one province – Pampanga. WE hear about the breaking in at the Batasan, the Hello Garci tapes, the confiscation of opposition COCs(or was it just Legardas’). She has no mandate from the people.
Sheryl, more power to you! May there be more Sheryls to come! I love what you said “If we have to remove every president before their term ends because they have abused their powers, so be it”. Amen to this! It is what I had been blogging all along too!
We always talk about the constitution but do we really know what we are talking about? This Evil Bitch violated the contitution again and again! Therefore, we need to remove her! If it will be unconstitutional, so be it. Our primary goal is to keep looking for a leader. Let us continue putting all these abusive leaders in jail or in exile forever! Erap’s so-called “arrest” was not good enough to punish an erring president! It has to be harsher than that! Erring leaders should be made accountable for every life they wasted and every penny they illegally took! We will have to punish those who have connived with with them to do all the unthinkable crimes! This time, we will have to punish these trapos harsher so our future leaders will know that CRIMINALS WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR THEIR CRIMES irregardless of how powerful we made them to be! We put them there, we can take their power away from them ANYTIME!
It’s disgusting to hear that it was only during Lozada’s testimony that people like Sheryl Martinez began to realize how evil the bitch has become. But Sheryl’s awakening, though waaay too late, is a welcome development. “Better late than absent” sabi nga ng boss ko.
What she’s done (initiating a petition) after that is admirable and it inspires all of us here who have been in the thick of the fight for too long to do more, we now reap the fruits of what we have consistenly laid before everyone else who thought otherwise. Slowly yet surely, many are now crossing over to our side.
But the Lozada phenomenon will all but lose its appeal sooner or later. When that happens, hopefully, we here at Ellen’s will not again be left in the fight for truth and justice.
Mabuhay tayong lahat!
Thanks, hawaiianguy for the links.
Tongue: It’s disgusting to hear that it was only during Lozada’s testimony that people like Sheryl Martinez began to realize how evil the bitch has become.
*****
“Better late than never,” so they say!
“Arroyo has to go, she has done the nation a disservice, she has disrespected us Kapampangans.” – GKsaBaryo
“Not just the Kapampangans did she do a disservice. In fact, she is also a disgrace to all Filipinos!” – hawaiianguy
Ka hawaiianguy,
Katumpakan po ang inyong tinuran, si Gloria ay Pilipino, anumang kabulukan ng kanyang pamamahala sa pagpapatakbo ng ating bansa’y siya ring repleksyon at larawan ng Sambayanang Pilipino!
GKsaBaryo,
Nawa’y wakasan na ng bawat Pilipino ang kulturang “rehiyonalismo”, ito po ay negatibong aktitud ng mga Pilipino, na isa sa nagbibigay ng kadahilanan sa pagkakawatak-watak ng Sambayanang Pilipino.
petite,
Ano ba dapat?
Pilipinismo o Asyanismo?
O piefdom ng bansang Estados Unidos?
thanks to you sheryl and thanks to ellen for sharing this with us. pinoys really deserved better.
sheryl, ikaw pala ay isang saksi sa dayaan noong 2004 national election at mismong dalawang mata mo ang nakakita sa mga dinoktor na election returns subalit mas pinili mong manahimik noong binuksan ang hello garci case. napakatagal mo ring ipinikit ang iyong mga mata sa paniniwalang kahit nandaya si gloria ay mas karapatdapat siyang mamuno kaysa sino mang naging katunggali niya. napakasakit naman nitong ginawa mo sa amin.
binalewala at niyurakan mo ang aming karapatan sa pamamagitan ng pagsasawalangkibo gayung hawak mo ang susing dapat naging daan upang noon pa ay nagdusa na sa madilim at malamig na piitan ang mag-asawang kawatang hanggang ngayon ay namamayani pa rin sa malakanyang at ipinagpipilitang wala silang dungis at batik sa pangalan.
noon pa mang una ay napatanto mo na hindi siya naging tapat sa kanyang mga pangako at salita subalit hinayaan mo pang manaig ang ginawang pandaraya, kumapit tuko na sa bawat sulok ng palasyo at tuluyang nalango sa kapangyarihan, ano pa ang aasahang bibitaw ‘yan sa poder nang walang dugong dadanak?
kumbaga sa talahib ay hinayaan mong mag-ugat muna ng lubusan at ngayong ang iyong linang ay sinakop na’t wala ka nang makitang hawan ay saka ka kikilos upang puksain nang meron kang mapagpunlaan?
idinamay mo rin ang kinabukasan ng iyong dalawang supling.
Way to go Sheryl! Happy Women’s Month!
we should have been served by a much deserving leader had it not to insensitiveness of some who preferred to remain silent despite holding the key in their hands which could have led to the early exit of the usurper lying cheat.
just hoping there still a chance to regain and redeem our lost dignity as a nation and people from the claws of the tyrant.
“petite,
Ano ba dapat?
Pilipinismo o Asyanismo?
O piefdom ng bansang Estados Unidos?” – nelbar
Ka Nelbar,
Sa paksang “we deserve better”; kung anong “uri” ng lipunan na mayroon tayo ngayon? ang lahat po ng mamamayan ng Pilipinas ay sangkot at may pananagutan. Narito po ang katugunan sa inyong katanungan:
Una, para sa kabutihan at kapakinabangan ng sambayanan ay “wala pong monopolya ng kawastuhan at inteliktwal para sa pagbabago’t pag-unlad ng bansang Pilipinas, bagkus ang pangunahing-sangkap ay ang makatotohanang pagpapa-katao at pagrespeto sa kapwa-tao, at hindi po dapat na i-gapos nang anumang “ismo”.
Ikalawa; Mula sa pagiging mamamayan ng Pilipinas, magpasa-ngayon po ay pinangingibabawan pa rin ng negatibong aktitud na “kulturang rehiyonalismo”, na ang mga iba’t-ibang etnikong-linggwahe ay siyang guhit ng pagkakahati-hati ng mga Pilipino. Mayroon bang ganap na pagkakaisa ang mga kapampangan, ilokano, cebuano, bikolano, intsik…? Kung may ganap na pagkakaisa ang mamamayan ng Pilipinas, “nasaan na nga ba tayo ngayon?”. Nawa’y ang bawat isa’y kilalanin na siya’y hindi isang kapampangan, ilokano, bikolano, cebuano, intsik… bagkus damahin nila, na sila’y namumuhay sa iisang bansa. (hal. 1. “Arroyo has to go, she has done the nation a disservice, she has disrespected us Kapampangans.” – GksaBaryo. 2. At ang aktitud na “sa pagsasa-walang-kibo at piping-dilat ng maraming katulad ng katauhan ni “Sheryl”, na kapag sa pakiramdam niya/nila na “ligtas ang kanyang pamilya” ay wala nga paki-alam sa ibang pamilya’t sa bayan, ito ang negatibong balyus na “kanya-kanya” o kasakiman)
Ikatlo; Ano ba dapat? Pilipinismo o Asyanismo? O fiefdom ng bansang Estados Unidos? Ka nelbar, mas maiman po ang ganitong katanungan, ano bang sistemang panlipunan ang nararapat sa bansang Pilipinas? Kung ano po ang nararapat, dapat na maghari ang “bayan muna, bago ang pang-sariling-interes”. Mula sa paghahari’t kapanibangan ng mamamayan ng Pilipinas sa kanyang angking likas-yaman at tao’ng-yaman, ay nararapat na tunguhin nito ang pakikipag-kapwa-tao sa aspektong pangdaigdigan, na kaalinsabay sa pagsasagawa ng isang konkretong programang re-integrasyon para sa natatanging sector ng paggawa na tinatayang humigit-kumulang sa 10M OFW na nagkalat sa iba’t-ibang panig ng daigdig. Bagay na, anumang sistema na naisin ng taumbayan, maging ito’y sosyalismo o kapitalismo, ito ba’y tutugon sa programang re-integrasyon para sa mga OFW, at upang hindi na po aasa pa ang pamahalaan sa 14b usd kada taon na remitanses nito, upang masabi lamang ng kasalukuyang rehimeng Gloria na maunlad at matatag ang pambansang ekonomiya. Subalit, malayo pa… at lubhang nangangailang ng mahapding-muling-pagsilang ang bansang Pilipinas, sapagkat ang nai-talang “kataksilan” ng mga iilang ganid na Pilipino sa ating kasaysayan noong panahon ng Dakilang Rebolusyong 1896 ay walang pinagbago’t bagkus lalong lumala pa sa kasalukuyang panahon, sa katotohanang biktima ang “10M OFW” na ginagawang gatasang-baka lamang ng mga iilang ganid na mamamayan ng Pilipinas, upang mapagtakpan ang kanilang kahayupan at pagnanakaw sa kabang-yaman ng Pilipinas.
Ika-apat; Muli, ang primari sanhi ng kahirapan ng ating bansa ay yaong “kulturang kataksilan” ng mga Pilipino! At ang sekondaryong sanhi ng kahirapan ay yaong di-lantad na pagkontrol ng dayuhan. Matagal nang may iilang Pilipinong sumisigaw na “ibagsak ang imperyalismong tsina”, datapuwa’t ngayon lamang po ito muling-umigpaw nang mabulgar ang pakikipag-laro at pakikipag-kutsaba ni Gloria sa dambulahang bansang Tsina sa ngalan ng “pautang” at ang kapalit ay yaong isla ng spratly, ang lahat ng iyan ay nang dahil sa pagsingaw ng maanomalyang NBN/ZTE Deal. Kaya’t dapat na tutulan ang anumang uri ng imperyalismo, maging ito’y US o Tsina.
Ka Nelbar, batay po sa aking kapanonotan, ang tunay na diwa ng asyanismo ay yaong pagkakaroon ng “one currency policy” na ipinanukala ni Mahathir (ng Malaysia) para sa mga bansang kasapi ng ASEAN, i-tama po ninyo ako, kung ako’y nagkakamali. Ngayon po ay nais ko pong mabatid kung ano ang kahulugan ng Pilipinismo? Ang Pilipinismo ba’y anti-mamamayan o pro-mamamayan?
Nawa’y ibigay natin ang Para sa Diyos, at ibigay ang Para sa Bayan!
Yes, we deserve better than that thief in Malacanang!
I agree with Ms. Martinez! But I guess the middle class like you and me are both guilty when we took part in Edsa Dos. The media played a crucial role in portraying Erap as an evil person and they succeeded in booting him out!
But with GMA, it took media a good eight years before they are exposing all the anomalies and wrongdoings of the bitch. Why? Is it because media is likewise guilty in kicking out the legitimate president by portraying him as evil? How come it took media 8 long years before standing up for the truth? What happened in those 8 years, why was media so kind to the Evil Bitch and her family? Is it because they are from the elite class that is why their wrongdoings are accepted?
Again its time for the middle class, which includes media to admit that Edsa Dos is a mistake.
Petite,
Tama ang sinasabi mo na yaong mga tao na syang kumakatawan sa 14 ng Bilyong dolyar na remittances kada taon ang may mas mabigat o malakas na boses ang syang nananaig sa ngayon.
Pero ang mga taong tulad natin na palaging may katanungan sa kung ano ang dahilan kung bakit nagkaganito ang ating lipunan ay isinasantabi lamang.
Mahigit na 35 taon na ang nakakaraan ng ilatag ni FM ang Filipino ideology pero ang nakita ko ay mas matimbang ang US VISA keysa sa anumang mga thesis at anti-thesis na maghuhubog sa pagka-Pilipino.
May mga tao na rin akong nakasalamuha na mas binibigyang halaga kung ikaw ay “US citizen kana ba?” , “resident ka na ba sa Merika?”.
Kung noong nakaraang 50 taon, ang Maynila ay syang ultimate destination ng bawat nakatira sa probinsya. Ngayon ay ang mainland USA na ang syang layunin ng bawat Pilipino na makubkob.
Isipin mo na lang kung susunod na henerasyon ay mga Pilipino ang magpapatakbo ng burukrasya sa Amerika?
Dito sa Pinas, pansinin mo sa mga buruksasya, mapapribado man o mapapampubliko, hindi ba’t sariling interes ang nanaig dito? Kung hindi ka kakilala o walang koneksyon ay hindi mabibigyang pansin iyong nais iparating.
Ang nais kong ipabatid sa iyo Petite, ay kung ano ang itinuro sa atin noon ni FM na Filipinism ay heto na tayo ngayon.
Samantalang mas nakararami sa atin ay mas nanaisin pa na mas mabuti pa na maging probinsya na lang tayo ng US of A – na syang nakaka-alarma sa mga tulad natin.
Sa kasalukuyang DEMOKRASYA na ipinapakita ng Pilipinas(hwag lang tayo matuon kay GMA) – Ang Pilipinas ay isang classic example ng success of American founding fathers.
Samantala, bibigyan halaga ko na rin dito ang ibig sabihin ni Charles V(Holy Roman Emperor 1519-1556), “…humayo kayo at magpakarami”.