Paano na ang Masaker ng EDSA TRES (3)?

KAHIT ANUMAN and politikal na Kulay o Pinanggalingan o Antas ng Buhay, Edukasyon, o Ideolohiya (malalim man o 'mababaw), lahat ho ay may karapatang mag.protesta, marinig ang boses, mag.EDSA, at mabigyang proteksyon ang kanilang Karapatang Pantao. Mabilang ang tinig na sa tunay na demokrasya ay nailalabas sa boto pag eleksyon at hindi mayurakan o mabalewala ang botong iyon.  Hindi mabubuo kailanman ang bayan kung "class" n'yo lamang ang may karapatan at ang iba ay wala. 

Kaya nakakapagtaka, kung hindi man nakakasulasok, kung bakit pilit ibinabaon sa kasaysayan ng bayan ang EDSA 3 "People Power." Labing-isang (11) taon na mula ang madugong pagpatay sa ilang nag-protesta noong EDSA 3 na sumiklab nang arestuhin ang tinanggal nila sa pwesto na si Pangulong Joseph Erap Estrada noong ika-25 ng buwan ng Abril 2001. Limang araw at gabi tumagal ang Ikatlong EDSA, April 26-Mayo 1, 2001. Mas marami pa ngang hindi hamak ang taong nagpunta sa EDSA Shrine bilang pagsuporta kay Erap at sa Saligang-Batas subali't bakit pilit na minemenos ang EDSA 3 at kinalilimutan pa ang mga NAMASAKER dito? Ano, sub-Filipino, sub-human mga nag.EDSA 3 at kayo lang ang may K????.... Kawikaan nga sa KATIPUNAN ni Supremo Andres Bonifacio y de Castro, lahat tayo ay magKAKAPATID, kaya lahat ay may Karapatang Pantao, karapatang mabilang at hindi mayurakan ang boto, karapatang mag.protesta, at karapatang mag.EDSA na hindi ma.masaker....

EDSA TRES (3)...for journalist Herman Tiu-Laurel, is:

...an event that many seem to desire to forget, many seem to want to erase from our the pages of Philippine history. It was a day when the masses of the Filipino people genuinely, the massses of the Filipino people expressed themselves and let their voice be heard. This is not just the laboring class. This is not just the general population. This was what it called itself the "Poor People Power." You still remember that? That was EDSA 3. And so we will not let this month pass and the date May 1 pass without recalling those crucial events that led to the EDSA 3 march-protest and, in fact, some would say "massacre." Do you still remember the blood that was shed on that day? Many people want us to forget but we will not forget.... a dozen or more died without being remembered.

The March & Massacre

The unsuccessful EDSA 3 of May 2001, a real revolution that aimed to rectify the fallacy of the EDSA 2 power grab but which pathetically failed because the elites arrogated unto themselves the exclusive claim to EDSA. Buried in history, its importance was both undermined and misread by the elites and the Left. Hitik sa suporta ng tao ang Ikatatlong EDSA. Walang binatbat ang pangalawa na nais nitong itama. Ayon sa nakasaksi at tumutok pa: "...yung ulo, lumanding na sa J.P. Laurel, yung buntot, naka.curve pa doon sa kanto ng... Aurora-Gilmore-Granada. Ganoong kahaba." 

Subali't hindi naging panangga laban sa pang-iinsulto at masaker ang dami ng "Poor People Power" na ito. Blood was let from the bodies of unnamed, unaccounted for fatal victims of EDSA 3. Lampas isang dekada na subali't wala pa ring katarungan at pilit inililibing sa kasaysayan ng bayan. Ni hindi nga alam kung ilan exactly ang namatay--mga labingdalawa (12) ang minimum na estimate pero marami ang nagsasabing higit pa. WALA kasing imbestigasyon sa masaker. Ganoon na lang. Wala.

Makikita dito sa video na EDSA 3 REVISITED na malinaw na may isang namamaril gamit ang .45 na baril at maraming dugo ang dumanak sa isang pa lamang na lugar na nakuhanan ng camera. May mga snipers pa! Ayon sa paglalahad ni Ronald Lumbao ay sa Sta. Mesa pa lang ay una na silang pinaputukan at doon unang dumanak ang dugo ng EDSA 3. Pagdating ng mga marcher.protesters sa Mendiola, nang nagdarasal sila ay nagpaulan ulit ng baril ang pulis o anu pang elementong kasama nila. It's not clear how many EDSA 3 supporters were exactly killed but I remember Sen. Edgardo Angara lamenting on TV why no investigation was made into the deadly operation. Bakit ganoon? Bakit walang katarungan at pilit bang binubura ang mga pangyayari. Ano yan, pag hindi ninyo tipo, pag hindi class, pag hindi mabango, pag hindi malalim daw ang idelohiya ay bale wala ang mga buhay ng mga pinatay ng estadong nang-agaw ng kapangyarihan walang dayang ibinigay ng karamihan sa taumbayan????


Backgrounder: EDSA 2 Power Grab

Earlier in January of the same year, a conspiracy of political, business, and military elites with connivance of the Catholic Church in general as well as the Left, extra-constitutionally deposed then-sitting President Estrada. They accused him of massive corruption, supposedly taking jueteng kickbacks and then forced into motion the impeachment of Erap. When it became clear that the Senate impeachment court would clear Erap of charges, the prosecution walked out and the conspirators abandoned the legal process. In the words of Chief Justice Cecilia Munoz Palma: 

The 1987 Constitution suffered. This happened when the ongoing impeachment trial of President Joseph Estrada, was unceremoniously disrupted and discontinued, and the issues on hand were brought to the streets. The rule of law was set aside and the rule of force prevailed.

Na ang EDSA 2 na nagpatalsik kay Estrada ay isang masamang kuntsabahan ay malinaw na lumabas makaraan ang samu't saring pag-aaral ng sari-saring mga entities at manunulat. No less than veteran journalist and former dean of University of the Philippines College of Mass Communications Luis Teodoro exposed that. Ayon kay Teodoro: "Gloria Macapagal -Arroyo came to power in 2001 with the help of the US and its local allies in the Church, the military and the business community." Former President Fidel V. Ramos, whom the Erap administration was chasing over the Centennial Expo and PEA-AMARI corruption scandals, is notorious for hating Erap and was found to have actually schemed to prevent the presidency of Estrada.  In 1999, a Senate Blue Ribbon investigation produced the testimony indicating that the people at the Centennial Exposition project were asking contractors for LAKAS campaign contributions because they were "desperate in (sic) coming up with all means and money to prevent Erap from winning in the elections."

Nang taon ding iyon ay lumabas ang mga ulat ni Emil Jurado ng Manila Standard na may nilulutong destabilization na pagkilos laban kay Estrada at gamit ang ilang media o media people dito. Pagkatapos, sa sumunod na taon ay naglabas ang Daily Tribune ng  balitang niluto sa palasyo ng Archbishop ng Manila ang  planong pagpapatalsik kay Erap. According to the 2000 report, "representatives of business groups and Catholic Church leaders as well as representatives of celebrated personalities, came together and met formally early this month to fine tune the plan to "constitutionally" oust President Estrada under "Oplan Excelsis."

Ang mga Kontra-Masa at Nagbulag-bulagan sa Masaker noong EDSA 3

Sinasabing ang kakulangan ng military component ang nagpaiba (at nagpatalo) sa EDSA 3 kung ihahambing sa dalawang naunang EDSA "People Power." Subali't may isa pang mahalagang elemento na kaiba sa EDSA 3-- sa naunang People Power ay HINDI ginamitang ng DAHAS ng nakaupo ang mga nagprotesta samantalang sa EDSA 3 ay walang puso ginamitan ng kamay na bakal, ng nagmasaker na kamay na bakal ang mga nagprotesta. Dito makikita kung sino talaga ang moral, ang kahit papaano ay may pagmamahal sa bayan at/o paggalang sa demokrasya.

Civil Evil Society

Maliban kay Gloria Arroyo, Fidel V. Ramos, Cory C. Aquino, Jaime Cardinal Sin, mga heneral ng militar at kapulisan na sina Larry Mendoza at Angelo Reyes, ang mga Ayala's at iba pang seditious business people, ang evil Civil Society at pati ang Kaliwa ay may sala hindi lamang sa kuntsabahan na patalsikin ang tunay na hinalal na bayan kundi sa Pagpatay o Hindi Paghingi ng katarungan sa mga minasaker noong EDSA 3. The evil civil society people are also murderous in the sense that they looked the other way when Arroyo's government killed unnumbered pro-Erap protesters on May 1, 2001. They put the blame on the protesters and did not seek investigation on the deaths. Insultong umaatikabo pa nga ang pinukol sa masa ng EDSA 3. Pangisi pa ngang sinabi sa TV nitong si Alex Magno, guro sa Departamento ng Kasaysayan ng Unibersidad ng Pilipinas, na ang 'People Power' daw ng mga masa ay simpleng 'devoid of political power.'

Yellow Media

Kasama dito sa evil Civil Society ang Dilaw na mainstream media. Despite the sacrifice of blood let from the dispersal of Edsa 3, the media generally dismissed the urban revolution of the masses. Such media snootiness (if not heartlessness) against Erap's masa supporters is perhaps best represented by veteran journalist Rowena Carranza's article with a title that says it all: "Excuse me, Please Don't call it People Power III."

Activist and EDSA 3 leader Ronald Lumbao said articulated it well:

Doon nga sila nagkaroon ng galit sapagkat hindi natin makita ang fairness doon sa mga media na talagang nagpakita noong Ikalawang EDSA na iyon na raw ang totoong tinig ng nakakaraming mamamayan sa ilalim ng demokrasya. Kung kaya't parang gusto rin nating silang tanungin: ngayon na nagpapakita rin ng kanyang kapangyarihan at opinyon ang masang mamamayan na naka.tsinelas lamang, ang iba nakahubad nguni't Pilipino pa rin. Iyon bang pagiging makahirap namin ay kasalanan at iyon ba ay hindi na dapat na pakinggan sapagkat kami ay hindi nagkaroon ng balat na maputi, hindi maganda ang aming amoy, at wala kaming magandang damit at hindi kami nakasapatos na maganda at wala kaming kotse.

 
Misguided Left/Leftists

Even the leftist segment of the civil society did not bother to assail the violent dispersal at sa totoo ay kasama pa sila sa tangkang PAGHARANG sa mga EDSA 3 supporters na nag.martsa papuntang Malacanang. Ayon sa kuwento nina Ka Mentong, Larry Alcuaz, at Ronald Lumbao, sa San Beda patagong nagkumpol sina Randy David, Constantino, atbp. (at sina Satur Ocampo base sa sarili nitong ulat). Noong EDSA 2 Power Grab ay kasama sina Ocampo, et al. sa nagmartsa sa Malacanang na may halo pang pananakot sa pamahalaan ni Estrada. Bakit, sila lang ba ang may karapatang magmartsa sa Malacanang? Pag Poor People Power walang K?

Sabihin pa, lumabas na nagpagamit ang mga anti-EDSA 3 na grupo sa San Beda, nagpagamit sa pamahalaang Arroyo, kay Mike Arroyo na nagplanong mag.mobilize ng dating EDSA. Ayon kay Alcuaz, isang instigator ng EDSA 2, kumilos ang mga Arroyo para gamitin sa mobilization na pantapat sa EDSA 3 ang mga maiingay noong EDSA 2.

Sinful Church
 
Malakas na elemento ng EDSA 2 Power Grab na nanginsulto na pro-Erap na masa at, malala pa, ay walang pakialam sa minasaker noong EDSA 3, ay ang Simbahang Katokika dito sa Pilipinas. Sinful Cardinal Sin categorized them as the "great unwashed" not eligible for the holy Latin privilege of "vox populi, vox dei." Ang isang kuwarto mismo sa EDSA Shrine mismo ay ginamit ng mga power grab participants noong EDSA 2 subali't matapos ang EDSA 3 ay pinagbawal na ang pag-rally sa Shrine para hindi na raw maulit ang ginawa noong EDSA 3. Oo nga pala, ang mga eskwelahang nasa ilalim ng impluwensya ng Simnbahan katulad ng Ateneo University ay pinilit ang ang mga mag-aaral nito na pumunta sa EDSA 2 at may mga puwedeng magpatototo niya. Anupaman, ang Ateneo University at iba pang Katoliko raw na paaaralan ay sumigaw ba ng katarungan para sa mga namasaker noong EDSA 3? 


Sino Nga Ba ang Hindi Alam ang Kanilang Ginagawa?

Ang isang madalas gamiting basehan kung bakit OK lang daw maliitin ang EDSA 3 (and by extension, the massacre) ay dahil hindi daw alam ng milyon kataong nagpunta doon ang kanilang ginagawa. Kesyo dahil daw kulang sa pinag-aralan ang karamihan ng nagpunta roon ay mga nagamit lang daw o hindi raw naiintindihan talaga ang isyu. Talaga lang ha?

Those who were gullible enough to join EDSA 2—at least those who were not part of the conspirators who aimed for nothing but power grab—had no idea that the "People Power" 2 power grab was cooked up early enough during Erap’s term--that Ramos' camp expressed plan to use Centennial Expo funds to block Erap's election, that the elites and Cardinal Sin cooked up the Erap-ouster plan Oplan Excelsis, that the imperialist United State at least gave the blessing to coup plot, that the texting messages to go to EDSA was centralized.

Moreover,the gullible mob and fans of EDSA 2 also amazingly buy the storyline that their "People Power" was "bloodless." Hanggang ngayon, marami sa kanila ang hindi alam o hindi matanggap na tinakot ng mga conspirators ang kampo ni Pangulong Erap na dadanak ng dugo at sina D._.M. “whistle-blower” Chavit Singson, First Gentle—g at seditious na mga pinunong militar ay may napakadugong Plan B kung sakaling magmatigas ang nakaupo. Kung ito man ay naging bloodless ito ay dahil nagparaya o/at umalis ng Malacanang si Estrada dahil ang pwersang nagluto ng EDSA 2 ay handang pumatay.

Hindi kaya dahil sa ang karamihan ng taga-EDSA 2 ay middle class ay mas malaki ang consumption nila ng propaganda material ng dilaw na media kung kaya ay mas madali silang napaikot ng mga manggaagaw ng kapangyarihan? Ayon sa Amerikanong linguist, cognitive scientist, pilosopo at aktibista na si Noam Chomsky, ang mga mas mataas ang pinag.aralan ay mas maraming propagandang tinatanggap sa pangkahalatan dahil mas madalas silang magbasa. Chaomsky's 'Manufacturing Consent' theory is essentially saying that (mainstream) media content is structured to restrict the expression of dissenting voices as part of a system of indoctrination under a supposed 'democratic' free press. Nakita ito sa Vietnam War. Sinulat ni Chaomsky:

Even at the peak of opposition to the U.S. war, only a minuscule portion of the intellectuals opposed the war out of principle—on the grounds that aggression is wrong. Most intellectuals came to oppose it well after leading business circles did—on the “pragmatic” grounds that the costs were too high.

Sino nga ba ang talagang estups o napaikot o hindi alam ang kanilang ginagawa? Ang taga-EDSA 3, na karamihan ay masang Pilipino/a, na nagtatanggol lang ng tunay at walang daya nilang inihalal at ayaw lumabas ng mga prosesong nakasaad sa Saligang Batas, nga ba? O ang taga EDSA 2 na inabandona ang impeachment process at nagluklok ng  sinasabing “Most Corrupt President in Philippine History,” na nagumpisa ng ‘culture of impunity at nagbigay sa Pilipino ng isa sa pinakamataas na electric power rates sa buong mundo?


The Forgotten, Unnamed Poor People Power Martyrs

EDSA 3, the more genuine People Power, not schemed by powerful conspirators only out to grab power. EDSA 3, the People Power that was more massive--in terms of EDSA street coverage and Filipinos amassed--that tried to undo the sacrilege of the pretender People Power, but was not allowed to. Nagprotesta sa EDSA 3 ang milyong Pilipino, na may suporta ng mas higit pa labas ng nasabing kalsada, dahil hindi sila natuwa na tinanggal si Erap hindi sa pamamagitan ng prosesong legal, ng impeachment court na kanilang inabandona, kundi sa pamamagitan ng kuntsabahan (ng mga political elites, Simbahan, business elites at mukhang pati Kalbong Agila) at paggamit sa hindi dapat nakikialam na militar. Ayon kay Lumbao:  

Kaya noong siya [Pangulong Erap] ay inaresto, nagalit ang mga mahihirap na nagdepensa ng matagal na panahon...  Nakita natin iyong mga pangyayari sa Middle East ngayon, unang-unang nagpakita ng kapangyarihan ang mga mahihihirap na talagang kung sino ang dapat na nakakarami ay siyang pakinggan sa lipunan. Nguni't parang hindi ganoon ang pangyayari dito sa ating bansa. Kaya pinilit nilang inaresto si Pangulong Erap dahil ito ang tanging hustipikasyon para siya maalis. At noong hindi na mapiligan ng masang mamamayan, ng masang mahihirap ang galit, doon nga lumabas na ang EDSA 3.

Ang EDSA 3 ay ang pagkilos na naglayong sanang itama ang kriminal na EDSA 2 Power Grab, ang extra.constitutional de 'stupid mob' na pang.aagaw ng lehitimong kapangyarihang mula sa malinis na boto ng taumbayan na binigay kay Pangulong Joseph Ejercito Estrada noong Halalan ng 1998. Nabigla ang taga-EDSA 2 sa pinakitang lakas ng pwersa ng EDSA 3. Sinubukang tapatang subali't hindi kinaya. Hinamak, ininsulto, walang raw "K," sabi ng mga pa-class, pa-intellectual, pa-powerful na power grabbers at hunghang na mga sumunod sa kanila noong EDSA 2. 

Higit sa panghahamak, ang iniluklok ng "peaceful" daw na EDSA 2, si Gloria Arroyo, ay ginamitan ng dahas ang walang kalaban-labang mga dukha na sumugod sa Malacanang--isang pagkilos na ginawa din naman ng  ng kampo nila noong Enero 2001. Ilan nga ba ang pinatay noong EDSA 3? Labindalawa o higit na higit pa? Sino-sino sila? Paano inilibing at saan? Alam ba ng mga pamilya nila? Baka tinakot pa ang mga pamilya ng mga biktima. Kasalanan ba nilang pinatay sila ng mga dmnyong pwersang nanaig noong EDSA 2? Ganoon na lang? Mga sub-humans, sub-Pilipino/a ba silang hindi na dapat bigyang katarungan? Kahit body count man lang, hindi n'yo ba kayang ibigay????





**********

Partial TRANSCRIPT of the Video "GNN/HTL EDSA 3 REVISITED" (URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJ5QyUj0reI)

HERMAN TIU-LAUREL: "Let me paraphrase the oft-quoted saying that those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat its mistakes. Recently we had May 1st, Labor Day. But there was another very significant event on that day ten years ago in our history... an event that many seem to desire to forget, many seem to want to erase from our the pages of Philippine history. It was a day when the masses of the Filipino people genuinely, the massses of the Filipino people expressed themselves and let their voice be heard. This is not just the laboring class. This is not just the general population. This is what it called itself the "Poor People Power." Do you still remember that? That was EDSA 3.

"And so we will not let this month pass and the date May 1 pass without recalling those crucial events that led to the EDSA 3 march-protest and, in fact, some would say "massacre." Do you still remember the blood that was shed on that day? Many people want us to forget but we will not forget.... a dozen or more died without being remembered."

DOCUMENTARY: President Erap Estrada Arrest, April 25, 2001... thousands of police in attendance outraged Filipinos who witnessed the spectacle converged at the EDSA Shrine in an unprecedented mass action. Yet against all consideration for their human rights, the hundreds of thousands of innocent Filipinos... parted this action were mercilessly and violently dispersed (EDSA 3, May 1, 2001 - camera zooms on ).

HTL: ...that was a one-minute clip but you could already sense, what I sensed I think as I was watching it in retrospect, the, the reality of the blood and the gruesome violence that was used against the poor who were unarmed, maybe(?) at worse, they had stones because they were compelled to pick up stones to fight back. But you saw the countless guns that barked (?) on that day. At sa totoo lang, hindi natin alam kung ilan ang talagang nasawi doon... Mayo 1 nagmartsa tungo sa Malacanang....

RONALD LIMBAO: Una, ang pinanggalingan naman talaga noon ay ang panggigipit nila kay Pangulong Estrada at iyong, ah, pagsasamasama ng naghaharing-uri, ng Simbahan at ng mayayaman para patalsikin si Pangulong Erap Estrada. Nakikita namin na yung kuntsabahan ay talagang isinagawa upang agawan ang masang mamamayan na naghalal kay Pangulong Erap ng kapangyarihan... na siyang may taglay at tangan noong si Pangulong Erap ang nanalo. Kung kaya't sa aming paniniwala, hindi nila inaasunto si Pangulong Erap o inaakusahan kung siya man ay may kasalanan o wala. Ang gusto lang talaga nila ay maalis si Pangulong Erap sapagkat hindi nila inaasahan na magkakaroon ng ganoong penomenon na ang mga mahihirap ay hindi na nila kayang madiktahan sa political process o sa, sa electoral process dito sa ating lipunan. Nagulat siguro sila at namangha na meron palang kapangyarihang ganoon ang mga mahihirap.

Kaya noong siya [Pangulong Erap] ay inaresto, nagalit ang mga mahihirap na nagdepensa ng matagal na panahon. Natatandaan mo siguro Ka Mentong [na] bago pa man nagkaroon sila ng EDSA 2 doon ay nagkaroon na ng pagdedepensa ang mga mamamayan. Nakita natin iyong mga pangyayari sa Middle East ngayon, unang-unang nagpakita ng kapangyarihan ang mga mahihihirap na talagang kung sino ang dapat na nakakarami ay siyang pakinggan sa lipunan. Nguni't parang hindi ganoon ang pangyayari dito sa ating bansa. Kaya pinilit nilang inaresto si Pangulong Erap dahil ito ang tanging hustipikasyon para siya maalis. At noong hindi na mapiligan ng masang mamamayan, ng masang mahihirap ang galit, doon nga lumabas na ang EDSA 3.

Limang araw kami doon sa EDSA [nagsimula sa Abril 25/26]. Limang araw na nandodoon kami. Nakita naman siguro ng lahat sa pamamagitan ng tanging media na nag.cover noon, na iyong bilang noon ay mas mahigit pa kumpara doon sa EDSA 2. Ang ikinagagalit ng mga tao noong panahon na iyon, kung kaya lumabas nang husto ang sobrang galit ay yung tanging nag.co.cover na media ay tinutukan pa ng tangke... ang Net 25, iyon ang nagbunsod ng matinding galit.

HTL: Ilang APC (Armore Personal Carrier) ang dumating doon? ...Eh yung mga malalaking media naman, ABS-CBN, GMA-7, ano naman ang reaksyon ng masa? Kasi importante rin iyon...

RL: Doon nga sila nagkaroon ng galit sapagkat hindi natin makita ang fairness doon sa mga media na talagang nagpakita noong Ikalawang EDSA na iyon na raw ang totoong tinig ng nakakaraming mamamayan sa ilalim ng demokrasya. Kung kaya't parang gusto rin nating silang tanungin: ngayon na nagpapakita rin ng kanyang kapangyarihan at opinyon ang masang mamamayan na naka.tsinelas lamang, ang iba nakahubad nguni't Pilipino pa rin. Iyon bang pagiging makahirap namin ay kasalanan at iyon ba ay hindi na dapat na pakinggan sapagkat kami ay hindi nagkaroon ng balat na maputi, hindi maganda ang aming amoy, at wala kaming magandang damit at hindi kami nakasapatos na maganda at wala kaming kotse.

HTL: Ronald, naalala ko, ewan ko kung ikaw... when I was in touch with you, hindi pa naman tayo masyadong magkakilala noon... sino kaya ang tine.text ko o tinatawagan ko na sabi ko 'bakit pa tayo mag.ma.martsa sa Malacanang, panalo na tayo, tagumpay na tayo dahil mas marami nga kaysa EDSA 2,' I don't think you were the one I was in touch with, ano? Hindi ko na maalala, but anyway, that was my reaction kasi, ah, nandoon ako noong unang araw, sabi ko hindi ito magtagagal so tawag ako sa bahay, pagka medyo mag.disperse na uuwi na ako. Eh nakatatlong araw na ako doon, palaki ng palaki pa eh. Noong panglimang araw, sabi ko panalo na ito, tapos na ito. Wala nang argumento yung EDSA 2. Tapos yun, nabalitaan ko na sa radyo, umuwi ako sandali, na nagma.martsa na, ang dami daw, patungong Malacanang... Anyway, what happened there?

RL: Noong gabi na iyon, nagkaroon ng pagpupulong ang political opposition kasama ako. At noong panahon na iyon, dinedesisyonan nila na itigil na ang protesta at pumunta na lamang sa eleksyon... sabi nga nila, wala naman daw suporta ang militar kung kaya't hayaan na lamang na ang eleksyon ang mag.resolba at magtapos ng isyu. Kaya lang, noong bumaba na ako, iyong haba ng nilakad ko mula doon sa building na pinanggalingan ko hanggang doon sa makapasok ako ulit sa stage, ang sabi sa akin ng mga tao: "Ka Ronald, pagka umalis pa tayo dito, hindi na kami maniniwala sa inyo. Kaya noong panahon na iyon, nakita ko na kung hindi magkakaroon ng tuldok ang ginawa noong panahon na iyon, matatalo pa siguro iyung political opposition during that time. Kinausap ko si Senator Enrile, 'Senator,' sabi ko 'baka po makaapekto pa po sa kampanya natin kapag hindi po kami gumawa ng desisyon.'

HTL: Dahil magkakaroon na ng eleksyon na noong taon na iyon, 2001, hindi ba? Senatorial [kampanya ng senatorial noong panahon na iyon within two weeks].

RL: Kaya nagpulong ang lahat ng leaders kung ano ang gagawin hanggang napagdesisyunan na tumulak papuntang Malacanang sapagka't iyon na rin naman talaga ang kagustuhan ng mga tao. Kasi para bang lumabas na pinahiya lamang kami, na nandoon ang masang mahihirap nang matagal na panahon, para bang tinakpan lang nila ang mukha nila, mata nila ng ganito [nagmustra ng takip-mata/mukha], at parang wala lang nangyari. So kung ang ibig sabihin, ang sinasabi nila ang demokrasya daw ay nakita doon sa, ang direct democracy ay nakita sa EDSA 1 at EDSA 2, ngayong [EDSA 3] ginawa ito ng mga mahihirap ay bakit hindi rin ito kilalanin kagaya ng pagkilala doon sa EDSA 1 at EDSA 2.

HTL: OK and last question before I go to Linggoy, iyong insidente na sa akin mahalaga, ah, sabi yung mga aktibista ng EDSA 2 ay nangharang pa sa martsa ninyo. Ikaw ba ay nandoon at nakita mo mismo? Sina Randy David, ah si Constantino ba daw kasama at ilan sa mga iyan, sa may San Beda raw.

RL: Noong paglapag namin, ng Mendiola, ay mayroon.... mga pulis na nagsabi sa amin. Sa totoo, iyong nagbukas mismo ng harang ay mga pulis na rin. Iyong pulis, nandodoon ako sa harapan, iyung pulis na rin mismo ang nagsabi sa akin: "Ronald, hindi namin kayo maaring papasukin pero para naman hindi kami mapahiya ay dumire-diretso na lang kayo, i.overpower n'yo na lang kami." I couldn't remember the name of that police...

HTL: and don't, hehe, he might get into trouble.

RL: And so, ang, pagkatapos na lumapag kami roon, sila na rin ang nagsabi na "Ka Ronald, sabihan mo na lang mga tao mo na huwag nang pakialaman ang mga nandoon sa San Beda na nagtatago." Sinabi nga niya kung sino-sino ang mga pangalan. Nag.announce naman ako sa microphone na kung meron mang kalaban doon, igalang na lang, hayaan na lamang....

Kaya lang, noong pinaputukan kami nang nag.open fire sila doon medyo... Ang unang putok doon sa may malapit sa PUP, iyon ang unang dugo ng EDSA [3]. Pagkatapos noong pagpasok namin...

HTL: PUP, so malayo pa sa Mendiola iyon. PUP nandoon pa sa Sta. Mesa... meroon nang unang putukan, ha?

RL: ...OO, doon ang putok, doon ang unang dugo, doon tinamaan. Pag baba namin doon sa may malapit na sa may papasok nang 7-11, binira na naman kami doon. Yung nakita ninyo [sa video clip] ah, .45 [caliber gun], naka.45 na pumuputok, doon iyon sa may lugar na iyon. Pumuputok siya. In fact, iyon, ang alam ko iyon ang tumestigo doon sa kaso ko na ang sinasabi niya ay inagawan daw siya ng baril at hindi naman daw siya pumuputok...

HTL: Eh siya nga ang nakahawak sa baril...

RL: Pagkatapos noon, pagbaba doon sa, naka, naka-landing na kami ng Mendiola, nagkakagulo doon sa may San Beda--iyon ang tinatanong mo sa akin--pero hindi na namin iyon inintindi. Ang ginawa, ang unang ginawa ko roon, doon pagkalapag na pagkalapag namin ay mamuno ng dasal. Hindi pa man natatapos ang dasal ko, binira na naman kami ng sunod-sunod na putok. Pagkatapos, binira na naman kami ng sunod.sunod na, na tear gas.

HTL: Ah, OK, bago tayo matapos sa ating unang bahagi, si Linggoy, anong recollection mo naman? Doon sa EDSA 2, instigador ka, with exclamation point and so on. And then noong EDSA 3, anong, ah... noong unang araw o unang gabi o pangalawang gabi, nag.text ako kay Linggoy dahil malapit kami, sabi ko bakit wala ka dito? Nandito talaga ang masang Pilipino. Akala ko para sa masa tayo. Iyon ang tinext ko kay Linggoy. Naalala mo yun? (Linggoy: "Oo."). Oh, anyway, magkuwento ka na doon from there...

LINGGOY ALCUAZ: Anyway, ganito, iyung punto ng tinatanong mo, iyung mga nasa San Beda, ito ang background noon. Ang backgrouond noon, before April 25 kung kailan inaresto si Pangulong Erap, nakipagpulong ako kay Marie xxx na anak ni Peping xxx. Ang sabi ko, nararamdaman ko, aarestuhin na si Erap. So dapat meron tayong contingency plan, so ang contingency plan namin, the moment na maaresto si Erap, that same night, magmi.meetng kami. Saan? Sa EDSA Shrine, kasi mayroong kuwarto roon, doon nag.mi.meeting noong EDSA 2. Unfortunately, noong inaresto si Erap, yung crowds ng Erap supporters na nandoon sa Club Filipino Ave., pumunta ng EDSA Shrine. So nag.meeting na lang kami, but not that night, the following day, doon po sa UP Parish, kay Fr. Robert Reyes.

Ok, so ganito ang nangyari: kami ni Marie ang nagsimula ng meeting. So somewhere in the middle, hinayjack ng ibang evil society at ganito ang nangyari. Iyon pala, may bumubulong, galing yata kay Mike Arroyo, ang gusto nila ay gamitin kaming panangga. So ang gusto nila, dahil meron nang Erap supporters sa [EDSA] Shrine, na iyung mga dating Edsa Dos, yung mga COMPHILDO, etc., i.mobilize din sa Malacanang. OK, pero sa meeting proper, na.defeat ang suggestion na iyon dahil sabi, eh yung pagharang, trabaho ng pulis iyon, hindi natin trabaho. Ang ginawa nila, minaniobra, pag.adjourn ng meeting, tinawag ulit yung meeting at minanipula na magkaroon ng mobilization doon sa Mendiola. Pero this is already Saturday afternoon.

Nguni't napakaliit ng mobilization, nagka.ano.ano,... mag.assemble sa NPC, etc., hindi gumanda iyong gusto ni FG [First Gentleman Mike Arroyo] na panangga, OK? Ah, by Sunday, ang rumors ay yung political opposition--ibig sabihin sina Senator Enrile--magpapakita ng solid mukha doon po sa EDSA at magkakaroon ng military-civilian component. Pero hindi po natuloy iyon noong Sunday.

HTL: OK, well, we have one minute before we take our break. Ah, your latest column on Opinyon is "EDSA 3 Ten Years Ago"... What's the gist of this column of yours?

LA: Hindi, ito po ang kuwento ko from my side. Kung ano ang nakikita ko. Basically, ang pinaka-importante ganito: No. 1, sa bilang ng tao, mas marami noong EDSA 3 kaysa EDSA 2; Pangalawa, pagdating sa lawak ng area, mas malawak kaysa noong EDSA 2; Pangatlo, kasi ako tinitingnan ko rin ang parking, ano, obviously, yung EDSA 2, medyo maraming middle class, mas maraming upper class, samantalang yung EDSA 3 ay talagang karamihan ay masa; OK, ngayon, finally, noong gabi noong April 30, in fact nasa Manila Peninsula kami, ang tumawag sa akin yung kapatid ko. Kasi ako kilala ko, ang kapatid ko hindi ko kamukha, siya ang pumapasok sa... yung gusto mong gawin ko, siya ang representative ko, nandoon siya, OK. Linggoy... huwag na kayong magpuyat, yung mga tao dito they don't look like puwede silang sumugod sa Malacanang. A few minutes later, siya naman umuwi na, a few minutes later nabalitaan namin na kumikilos na yung crowd sa EDSA Shrine patungong, hindi pa maliwanag. Kasi meroong papuntang Veterans, may pupuntang Ortigas, may Shaw Blvd. bago nagkaroon ng ano... Ngayon, yung kapatid ko saka ako, sinundan namin by, by car, yung martsa, ako sa kanan, siya sa kaliwa hanggang doon sa Sta. Mesa. And from there, I turned back. Ngayon, yung ulo, lumanding na sa J.P. Laurel, yung buntot, naka.curve pa doon sa kanto ng Gilmore at, sorry, Aurora-Gilmore-Granada. Ganoong kahaba.

HTL: We'll have to take our break but we'll have more, including the documentary, after this break... We are trying to compress a decade of history in just a little less than an hour. So bear with us, ah, we've showed the documentary clip on what happened during the march of EDSA 3 towards Malacanang, the gory details, and now, we're going to show the backgrouond that led to that EDSA 3... let's roll the documentary... beginning with the impeachment at the Senate and leading to the EDSA 3.

Documentary: ...that incriminating evidence was contained in the second envelope which was at the center of controversy of the trial. When the majority of the senator.judges voted to exclude the second envelope--correctly because it was not part of the formal complaint--"the No votes have it" [Chief Justice Hilario Davide speaks and pouts]... the prosecution... loses [much of Senate crowd walks out]. That was the signal for the conspiracy to close its ranks and marshall all its resources in the military, the church, business and media, to clinch the ouster.

It did so. And to avoid violence and..., he [President Estrada] quietly moved out of Malacanang [video shows Estrada and family waving farewell to supporters]. But he never once suggested that he intended to resign.

[in an interview, Davide speaks:] "I'll proceed to EDSA to administer the oath on the Vice-President as acting President... as acting President"

[Gloria Macapagal Arroyo oathtaking at EDSA Ave. reads:] I accept the privilege and responsibility to act as President... to act as President."

In the ensuing confusion, the conspiracy swore Gloria Arroyo into office against all tenets of the [1987] Constitution. The Constitution provides that the sitting President can be replaced only if he 1. resigns; 2. dies; 3. is incapacitated; or 4. is [successfully] impeached. Not one of these four conditions existed when the leader of the masses was uncemoniusly ousted.

Later in the (Feb. 21, 2001, Manila Peninsula) dinner hosted by her co-conspirators in the Council for Philippine Affairs or COPA, Arroyo paid tribute to those who helped make the power grab possible. Arroyo: "Maybe I should tell my version of some of the untold stories especially with regard to the military. And now that it can be told, I thing I should mention who they are. That group that I was meeting with since January was made up of General Larry Mendoza and Col. C.P. Garcia and retired Gen. Rios [applause] Art Carillo and he’s right there, [applause] Gen. Espinosa, whom everybody knows is my dear friend [applause] and ‘Spine’ is there, too, Gen. Braganza and actually ‘Boysie’ is another friend of mine….” [Video shows a newspaper headline that reads: GMA admists meeting military, defends Left."]

Leading luminaries in the international community condemned the ouster. Among others, Supreme Court Justice Cecilia Munoz Palma (Chairman, 1987 Constitutional Commission) said: The 1987 Constitution suffered. This happened when the ongoing impeachment trial of President Joseph Estrada, was unceremoniously disrupted and discontinued, and the issues on hand were brought to the streets. The rule of law was set aside and the rule of force prevailed."

Writing for the International Herald Tribune, Philip Bowring said: "Far from being a victory for democracy that is being claimed by leaders of the Anti-Estrada Movement such as Jaime Cardinal Sin, the evolution of [the Edsa 2] events have been a defeat for due process."

An Asiaweek editorial read: Again, therefore, whatever curious legal construction anyone may now attempt to put on the ouster of Estrada, he was ousted by a military coup, with the connivance of the leadership of the Roman Catholic Church and major business groups. One loser among the coup makers will be the Archbishop of Manila, Jaime Cardinal Sin, and his church."

Even the highly respected Lee Kuan Yew, interviewed by The Straits Times (January 26, 2001) weighed in with his thoughts: "The change of power in the Philippines was no boost for democracy because it was done outside the constitution…"

It has been confirmed that sin disobeyed the Vatican. (Video shows a newspaper headline that reads: "Sin oposed Vatican order, pushed Edsa II." Barely a month after the sealed second envelope was opned before the public on national television, revealing the owner of the controversial bank account to be businessman Jaime Dichaves and not the persecuted leader. (Video shows Malaya headline: "2nd envelope confirms Dichaves' 'Velarde' claim."

The conspiracy next resorted to blackmail and bribes in attempts to block an Estrada return and secure Arroyo's legitimacy. (Video shows newspaper news clip entitled "Erap free to leave RP, says DOJ). A Malacanang emissary in the person of Justice Secretary Hernando Perez offered first, a graceful exit in exchange for a signed resignation letter (Video shows Estrada clip where he says: "I will not resign." and a newspaper clip entitled "'Erap did not concede presidencel'"). And second, at a later date, a quiet back door exit with assurances... (Video shows a communication with the following highlighted: Perez asserted the government would no longer openly assist in the departure of the President but it would quietly do so. And like the first option, permission from the President to take out from the country such assets as he possessed or owned that were not under any claim of the government.") END OF VIDEO DOCU CLIP

HTL: And that back door exit that was offered to Erap, he was offered to take along everything, whatever he wants so long as he goes on exile. Erap refused that also and stayed to face the charges. Ah, we have to compress in the next 15 minutes all that we have to say about this. So I would... fast forward to... what are the lessons of history? After 2004, ah, Ronald Lumbao of Edsa 3, Linggoy Alcuaz of Edsa 2 got together in a new struggle against, now, the Gloria Macapagal regime.

AL: We'll try to have Edsa 4, 5, 6, Ok, that will never succeed... One lesson, on which side, the rebels or the status quo?

HTL: Both sides. As a nation, anong natutunan natin dito?

LA: ...hindi, praktikal ako eh. Sa status quo, yung gobyernong nakaupo, iyong incumbent, ang moral lesson, bago lumaki yung rally eh i.disperse mo na. Kasi ganoon po ang nangyari eh. Si Pangulong Erap, noong EDSA 2, hindi niya ginalaw yung rally noong... when it was small enough to disperse. Iyong EDSA 3, marahil kaya hindi na.disperse ay nasorpresa ang pamahalaan noong administrasyon ni Gloria nung yung mga supporter ni Erap na nandoon sa San Juan nang naaresto siya, tumuloy ng EDSA. Dahil ang akala nila, yung EDSA ay simbolismo iyon ng EDSA I, EDSA II. So they never expected na iyong mga supporters ni Erap doon pupunta... akala nila, sa Crame pupunta.

HTL: Ako before I go to... I'll bring out a few lessons. One, yung nagpapakita ng people power sa lansangan, napakahirap sabihin na iyon ang boses ng buong bansa kasi ang daming mga lugar at ang daming tao sa isang bansa at hindi magkakasya lahat kahit sa buong kahabaan ng EDSA, no? Second, napakahalaga ng media. And dapat talaga mabanggit iyan. So there are many more but with those two, I think two essentials are covered. So I now go to Ronald, anong lessons sa iyo?

RL: Siguro ang pinakamahalagang leksyon, na siya rin sigurong pinagmulan ng sobrang malaking problema sa korapsyon ay yung kapangyarihan ng militar na magdesisyun kung ang isa bang EDSA ay mananalo o hindi? Nakita natin iyan noong panahon ng EDSA 1 at panahon ng EDSA 2. Noong EDSA 3, eh talagang walang nagdesisyon na sumama. Naiintindihan natin ang dating Angie Reyes sapagkat eh wala pa siya halos na isang buwan doon sa puwesto ay... ibig sabihin, wala pa siyang pakinabang doon sa kanyang posisyon. Pero nakita natin pagkatapos dahil siya ang kinapitan ng husto ni Gng. Arroyo para manatili sila sa poder at hindi pansinin ang tinig ng taumbayan noong EDSA 3, nakita na lumabis naman ang pagmamalabis ng mga heneral na ginamit ni GMA para manatili siya sa poder ng kapangyarihan.

HTL: Dadagdag ko lang sa sinabi ninyong dalawa ito tapos dagdagan n'yo nang dalawa. Yung sinabi ni Ceclia Munoz Palma, the rule of force took over and the rule of law was set aside. Iyon ang nangyari sa EDSA 2, hindi ba? Na ang EDSA 3 nagprostesta subali't nang umasa sila na ang batas, yung batas iiral, hindi na nangyari at ang militar nga--yung sinasabi mo ngayon--ang nangibabaw....

____

MULI, NARITO PO ANG URL ng VIDEO na "GNN/HTL EDSA 3 REVISITED": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJ5QyUj0reI

********






Mga Dagdag Batis:

 Carranza, Rowena. "Excuse me, Please Don't call it People Power III." Bulatlat. http://www.bulatlat.com/archive1/011excuse_me.htm


Chaomsky, Noam. Propaganda, American-style. http://www.zpub.com/un/chomsky.html

Key points in "Manufacturing Consent" a video about Noam Chomsky and American democracy. http://hope.journ.wwu.edu/tpilgrim/j190/Chomsky.summary.html

Florentino-Hofilena and Ian Sayson. Centennial Expo: Convenient Cover for Election Fundraising. (1999, June 14-16). Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism. http://www.pcij.org/stories/1999/expo.html

Rodis, Rodel. Estrada’s motive. Inquirer Global Nation. 09/24/2009. http://globalnation.inquirer.net/columns/columns/view/20090924-226724/Estradas-motive

Teodoro, Luis. The stake in our hearts. 13 Feb. 2009. http://www.luisteodoro.com/the-stake-in-our-hearts/

Cacho-Olivares. "Oust Estrada plot bared: Business, Church group behind 'Oplan Excelsis' "The Daily Tribune. 30 Oct. 2000. Originally posted in . Republished in http://www.network54.com/Forum/5345/viewall-page-213. Reposted further in Look Back: 'Oplan Excelsis' plot to oust then-RP President Joseph Estrada hatched in 2000. http://jesusabernardo.newsvine.com/_news/2009/10/10/3369444-look-back-oplan-excelsis-plot-to-oust-then-rp-president-joseph-estrada-hatched-in-2000?commentId=10000280


The Stupidity of the EDSA 2 “People Power” Gullibles Relived. http://jesusabernardo.newsvine.com/_news/2008/01/22/1246701-the-stupidity-of-the-edsa-2-people-power-gullibles-relived

The conspiracy of Edsa 2: how Gloria Arroyo managed not to let President Joseph Estrada finish his term. http://jesusabernardo.newsvine.com/_news/2008/02/25/1324358-the-conspiracy-of-edsa-2-how-gloria-arroyo-managed-not-to-let-president-joseph-estrada-finish-his-term


Photo credits:

Power Grab/EDSA 3 Documentary c/o GNN

BBC.com

Pebrero 8--Kaarawan din ng Nasyonalistang si CLARO M. RECTO

HINDI lang pala si "President" B.S. Aquino de Hocus Pcos at ang manghihimagsik, pangunahing nagtaguyod ng CPP-NPA-NDF na si Ka Jose Maria "Joma" Sison ang may kaarawan ngayong araw. Kaarawan din ngayon, Pebrero 8, ng pinagpipitagang nasyonalista at statesman ng nagdaan panahon, si CLARO RECTO y Mayo na naging pangulo ng 1934 Constitutional Commission.

Ipinanganak si Claro M. Recto noong ika-8 ng Pebrero 1890 sa Tiaong, Tayabas (o ngayon ay Quezon province). Siya ay galing sa edukado at medyo elit na pamilya. Ipinangalang siya sa kanyang ama na si Claro Recto [Sr.] at ang kanyang ina naman ay si Micaela Mayo na tubong Lipa, Batangas.


Achievements

Isang abodago, jurist, manunula, plawyright, at essayist, at politiko si Recto. Tiningala siya bilang isa sa mga pinakamatalas ang isip ng kanyang henerasyon. Nanalong mambabatas ng ikalawang distrito ng Batangas noong 1919 at naging minority floor leader hanggang 1925.  Naging kasapi siya ng American Bar noon 1924 at nagbiyahe rin sa Kalbong Agila bilang kasapi ng Independence Mission. Pansamantalang namahinga sa mundo ng pulitika, ini.appoint siya ng Pangulo ng Estados Unidos, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, bilang Associate Justice ng kolonyal na Korte Suprema noong 1935. Noong taon ding iyon, siya na nahalal bilang pangulo ng asembliya na sumulat ng draft ng Saligang Batas ng (kolonyang) Pilipinas.

Claro Recto y Mayo

Naging Commission of Education, Kalihim ng Ugnayang Panlabas (Foreign Affairs) naging senador na tumanggap ng pinakamalaking boto noong 1941 at dalawang beses pang muling nahalal na senador. Nakuha ni Recto na muling maging senador noong 1950s kahit na tinira niya ang Simbahang Katolika sa impluwensya at paggamit nito ng koersyon sa mga botanteng Pilipino noong halalang 1953 at 1955.

May isang sinulat si CM Recto na masasabing kontrobersyal. Sinulat o ginawa niya ang "The Filipinos' greatest jurist" na binasa niya sa isang opisyal na okasyon kung saan binibigyang pugay niya si Cayetano Arellano, ang unang Punong Hukom ng Pilipinas noong panahon ng imperyalistang Amerikano. Tandaan na si Arellano ay isang maagang collaborator ng Kalbong Agila na tinanggap ang appointment bilang pinuno ng isang reorganisadong kolonyal na Korte Suprema wala pang isang taong pumuputok ang Digmaang Pilipino-Amerikano (1899-1914). Ang ginawang ito ni Arellano ay mariing matatawag na pagtataksil hindi lamang dahil Pilipino siya kundi naging opisyal siya ng Republika ng Pilipinas sa ilalim ni Emilio F. Aguinaldo. Si Arellano ay naging Kalihim ng Ugnayang Panlabas at naging delegado ng Kongreso ng Malolos na ratipika ng kalayaan ng Pilipinas na idineklara noong Hunyo 12, 1898. Worse, Arellano was responsible for affirming the death sentence handed to the great anti-imperialist hero, Gen. Macario Sakay, President of the Katagalugan Republic who continued to fight the enemy Bald Eagle invaders and surrendered only in 1906 after the vile American officials conned him with promises of amnesty and the establishment of a congress of elected Filipino representatives.

Anupaman, sinulat ni Recto ang nasabing talumpati noong 1922 noong bata-bata pa siya, noong ordinaryong kasapi pa siya ng Kongreso. Dagdag pa, maaring hindi na tiningnan ni Recto ang naging kataksilan ni Arellano at bagkus ay tumuon lamang ito sa ipinakita raw na "strict principles, his sterling qualities, and his humble and simple life" ni Arellano (baka nakonsensya sa pagtataksil niya sa Republika kaya nagtino?).


Nasyonalista

Sa dami ng kanyang mga naging posisyon at katanyagang nakamit, sa saling-lahi ngayon ay mas tanyag si Recto bilang isang nasyonalista. Specifically, later generations would hold Recto in high esteem for his anti-U.S. Military Bases stance and his bold criticisms of "America's anti-industrialization policy for the Philippines."

Recto became an outspoken nationalist and critic of the United States Military Bases, attacking the 1947 Military Bases Agreement and the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty. Additionally, he condemned and the Tydings Rehabilitation Act requiring the controversial and inimical-to-the-Filipinos Parity Rights amendment to the 1935 Charter.

The World Encyclopedia sums up Recto's legacy as of prime importance to the Filipino nation:

In perspective, Recto revived the tradition of the radical dissenter fighting against feudal backwardness, clericofascist authoritarianism, and neocolonial mentality and imperialism. He strove to reawaken the consciousness of the Filipinos to the greatness of their revolutionary heritage and emphasized the need to transform the character of the national life by reaffirming their solidarity as a sovereign, free people.

CIA Recto murder plot operative
US Ambassador Admiral Raymond Spruance 

Sinabotahe, Pinagplanuhang Patayin ng CIA

Mainam sana kung ang isang Claro M. Recto ay nanalong pangulo ng bansa. Sa sinamaang palad ay hindi nangyari ito. Tinangka niyang makuha ang pinakamataas at pinakamahalagang posisyon sa bansa subali't hindi ito natupad. Ang isang dahilan (o maaring pangunahing dahilan) ay ang ginawang pagsabotahe ng kinatatakuang Central Intelligence Agency o CIA ng imperyalistang Kalbong Agila.

During a Cold War period when clandestine CIA operations were marked by intervention, deception, psychological warfare, instigations of military coup d'état and even the assassinations of foreign political leaders such as Chile's Salvador Allende (contained in the 1975 Church Committee Report of the US congressional investigations), the price of displeasing Uncle Sam was tough. Nationalist Filipino Senator Claro M. Recto would run for president during the November 12, 1957 Philippine elections but would pay the price with having to endure a bag of dirty tricks propaganda, and later, with his life.

For having actively opposed the military presence of the US in his country, his presidential campaign was immorally and deviously sabotaged by the CIA. This agency-apparatus of US imperialism ran foul operations that included the distribution of holed condoms sealed in packages labeled with "Courtesy of Claro M. Recto--the People's Friend." During a more conservative era, just the condom themselves would have repulsed Filipinos, and having them holes would have been seen as most obscene.

Centennial stamp for CM Recto

The CIA work on Recto apparently did not end there. On October 2, 1960, Recto 'mysteriously' died of heart attack in Rome, Italy while on a cultural mission on the way to Spain. Before he died, Recto was visited by "two Caucasians" donned in business suits. The possible involvement of the CIA in his death came to light following the subsequent release of US government documents revealing that CIA Chief of Station Ralph Lovett and US Ambassador to the Philippines Admiral Raymond Spruance had discussed the murder of Recto with a vial of poison.

Sinasabing naghahanda si CM Recto ng ilunsad ang kanyang Filipinist na krusada sa tradisyon ng Propaganda Movement noong dekada 1880 nang siya ay mamatay sa "sakit sa puso." Hanggang ngayon, sa kabila ng paglabas ng murder plan laban kay Recto ng CIA, ay wala pang imbestigasyon sa tunay na pangyayari sa pagkamatay ng pinagpipitagang nasyonalista.


Mga Batis:

http://www.nhi.gov.ph//index.php?option=com_today_in_history&th_days=30&th_month=7&Itemid=1&thAction=thDetailView&th_id=1096

http://www.filipiniana.net/ArtifactView.do?artifactID=SE0000000002

http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleid=398995

Encyclopedia of World Biography. http://www.bookrags.com/biography/claro-m-recto/

Claro M. Recto. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claro_M._Recto

Elbaum, Max. Vivid Images Bring Hidden History to Light. Book Review of The Forbidden Book: The Philippine American War in Political Cartoons, by Abe Ignacio, Enrique de la Cruz, Jorge Emmanuel and Helen Toribio. http://www.revolutionintheair.com/histstrategy/forbidbk.html

G. R. No.  3621. July 26, 1907.] THE UNITED STATES, Plaintiff-Appellee, vs. MACARIO SAKAY, JULIAN MONTALBAN, LEON VILLAFUERTE, and LUCIO DE VEGA, Defendants-Appellants. http://www.chanrobles.com/cralaw/1907julydecisions.php?id=8

Memorabilia Room, Chief Justices' List. http://elibrary.judiciary.gov.ph/index3.php?justicetype=Chief+Justice&justiceid=a45475a11ec72b843d74959b60fd7bd645550260501c1

Pforr, Chris. The Philippines is a Neocolonial State. http://www.chrispforr.net/row2/chrisphil7/neocolonial/neocolonial.htm

Simbulan, Roland. Covert Operations and the CIA's Hidden History in the Philippines. 18 Aug. 2000. Retrieved March 17, 2009,http://www.derechos.org/nizkor/filipinas/doc/cia.html.

The Worst Book of 2002. Review of The Savage Wars of Peace: Small Wars and the Rise of American Power, by Max Boot. 2003. http://www.main.nc.us/books/books.cgi?theworstbookof2002.


Transcript from Philippine Senate Resolution No. 121, September 16, 2008, http://www.senate.gov.ph/14th_congress/resolutions/resno121.pdf

Photo credits:

Philatelist blog. http://vincemd.blogspot.com/

Wikipedia

In Search of the Truth of the May 10, 2010 Philippine Automated Elections

THE recent Philippine automated elections were held on May 10, 2010, the 113rd anniversary of the murder-by-execution of the "Father of Philippine Revolution," Andres Bonifacio. A month after, on June 19, the 149th anniversary of the birth of Jose Rizal, a coalition seeking mainly to "unravel the truth surrounding the May 2010 elections" held a seven-hour forum that explained the mechanics of the AES and its failure and showed the many blatant lies perpetrated by both the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and Smartmatic-TIM. Could the apparent historical coincidences timed with important days associated with the country's two national heroes forebode of the ultimate revelation of what really happened during the Filipinos' first experience with automated polls?

       June 19, Jose Rizal B-day          -    May 10, Andres Bonifacio's Death
(2010 Coincidences w/ National Heroes' Significant Dates)

The MIGHT e2010 (Movement for Integrity in Governance and Honesty and Truth in the May 2010 Elections) forum also presented surprise witness Jonathan Manalang, the Operations Director of the technical support center of Smartmatic. Manalang, whose testimony before the House Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms was cut short by Makati Cong. Teddy Boy Locsin made some rather surprising revelations about the AES elections. He revealed that there was a  "superserver" located in Antel Building in Quezon which Smartmatic lied about and that excess PCOS machines were delivered to certain areas.


Illegality?

The resource persons also pointed to the glaring illegality of the automated polls. Election lawyer Araold Bayobay listed the actions and decisions committed by no less than Comelec itself in clear violation of the Poll Automation Law. Former Assemblyman Homobono severely criticized congress for its the proclamation of now-"President-elect" Noynoy Aquino despite the absence of a quorum, which he says is blatant violation of due process and the 1987 Philippine Constitution.


Conspiracy of Cheating?

Former Assemblyman Homobono Adaza and Atty. Arnold Bayobay categorically spoke of cheating at both the local and national levels. Adaza referred to documents showing the nationwide pattern of improbable zero vote results. Suspiciously, the joint congressional oversight committee on automated elections or JCOC-AE has refused to investigate the glaring anomaly.

Striking evidence of apparent fraud at the presidential level was also shown. Bayobay presented election returns from a precinct in Pampanga that showed former President Joseph Estrada as the winner, followed by Sen. Manuel Villar and now-"President-elect" Noynoy Aquino trailing as third. However, he says that the transmitted report reflected Aquino as the winner. 

Where Did Our Votes Go? forum on the truth of the Philippine

Mainstream Media Co-Optation?

The collusion of mainstream media to failure and probable cheating in the polls was also questioned. Manalang also testified to how at one point, the media was reporting on the supposed transmission Of 50 percent of the Certificates of Canvass or COC despite the fact that only 20 percent transmission was reflected in the headquarters of Smartmatic-TIM. Presidential candidate Nicanor Perlas had earlier wondered where the excess media-reported votes were coming from.

The group as a whole criticized the mainstream media for "conspiring" with both Smartmatic and the COMELEC in keeping facts away from public knowledge. According to Adaza, the mainstream organization's selection coverage of elections have worked against fomenting nationwide awareness of the conduct of the recent automated polls, hinting of the deliberate co-optation of media in electronic fraud.



The transcript of a video presentation of the forum follows:

"As we struggle to get to the truth. The truth that will give honor to each Filipino's vote."

-- Patricia Ilagan, MIGHT e2010

"We wake up one day and the votes are set and we do not even know how our votes were counted. I think we owe it to ourselves to look for the truth. And we thank you for being here in search of the truth, so that each and every one of us can make our own conclusions, but we should not let democracy be assaulted if there is any question of the 2010 elections being fraudulently conducted."

-- Sen. Jamby Madrigal


What Really Happened with your Votes?

"What really happened with your votes? what went through this election on May 10. It's anything but not perfect." 

-- Mr. Edmundo G. Casino (Philippine Computer Society, Board of  Director)


Legal and technical explanations from I.T. experts and lawyers

"... if one of those people puts something malicious in the software and is distributed to all the machines, then that one person could be responsible for change of, possibly tens of thousands of votes, maybe even hundreds of thousands across the country. That's the very danger of the situation."


"So if you can hack the memory cards, you can control an election"

_________

"The good commissioner decided... this May 10, 2010 ... that practically debunks the provision of the law with regards section 6 of Republic Act No. 9369 under the title minimum system capabilities."
________

"One, it did not minimize cheating; in fact, it opened up more windows of opportunity to cheat in manners which would be very difficult for non-IT familiar watchers to comprehend."

--Vice-Gov. Emmanuel Pinol, North Cotabato


First Automated Polls Fail

"If this goes unattended, this country goes kaput in every elections."

_________

Proof of Fraud from Known Politicians      -      Modern way Cheating
"I was surprised when he asked me if I am willing to engage his services, including those of his partners to guarantee the victory of my entire slate in the province. He further told me that they could manipulate the PCOS machines and as a matter of fact, all PCOS machines will be reprogrammed before elections to accommodate all politicians who will enlist their services"

-- Gov. Ace Barbers, Surigao del Norte

"It is easier to cheat in this elections because it is all automatic"

-- Pastor Ronald Tan, Vice-Mayoralty candidate, Tagaytay City


Those who Deny the Truth to be Heard

"It is not their right at all to hear it in my committee. The committee has the right to hear this in executive session. If he wants to speak, the cameras please go down to the parking lot and listen to him."

-- Cong. Teddy Boy Locsin


Truth that Every Filipino Deserves       -    For a Country Free of Fraud & Corruption

"We must uncover truth now. I am saying this: we must prosecute this individuals now. If it is really his desire and claim to rid this nation of corruption, start here, start with this election."

-- Pastor Ronald Tan of Tagaytay City


Uncovering the Truth

Question: "Are you guys telling us that Noynoy Aquino and Jejomar Binay are not the winners?

"To really uncover truth, now whether or not it is Noynoy or whether or not it is Erap or whether or not it is Villar, that is actually a... that's beside the point."
-- Pastor Tan


Who made the Problems

"The Problem is not about the law. It was about the implementation and the people behind."


Knowing who Really won the Elections

"Erap Estrada won. But in the election returns that was used in the canvass, it was Noynoy Aquino who won."
-- Atty. Arnold Bayobay


Leaders willing to Tell All - Know how they Made Fun on the Elections

"The Elections held on May 10, 2010 is illegal and unconstitutional. Here, you don't come out with a receipt, insert your card...ah, the ballot and you get "Congratulations." 'Congratulations, stupid.'... hehe.

"The sooner we throw this fellow out into the Mindanao Pit, the better it will be for us."

-- Ex-Cong. Homobono Adaza


Be Strong, Fight for the Truth    -    Learn the Whole Truth

"Let us build the house of this country that is founded on rock, beginning today."

-- ex-Assemblyman Adaza


[Media Complicity?]

"Nothing is changed since Martial Law, except that the people following you are more invisible and have more power because if they can control media, they can control the way you think. And we cannot allow the mainstream media to control the way we think, into thinking that this was the cleanest elections that we ever had."
-- Sen. Madrigal


Question: "The question is right behind our guests. Where did our votes go? What do I tell my family?"

The forum  held at the Manila Polo Club was attended by some 500 people that included intellectuals, civil society leaders, NGOs, academics, corporate executives, religious, student leaders, retired military and police officers, socialites and a few European diplomats.

The MIGHT e2010 coalition includes the Philippine Computer Society, Bro. Eddie Villanueva's Bangon Pilipinas, Councilor Jc de los Reyes' Ang Kapatiran Party, Anti-Trapo Movement of the Philippines, Brigada Berde, Bantay Garci 2010, Mahal Ko Bayan Ko, Center for Alternative Development Initiatives, Buklod National Political Party, Quezon City Political Coalition for Truth,  Para Sa Bansa Movement, Buklod Political Party, ATRIPPEDA.


References:


WHERE DID OUR VOTES GO? Video presentation of the MIGHT E2010 forum held June 19, 2010, at the Manila Polo Club. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhZISQHOLeQ&feature

Alave, Kristine. New coalition seeks to uncover May 10 automated poll fraud. Inquirer.net. 20 June 2010. http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20100620-276637/New_coalition_seeks_to_uncover_May_10_automated_poll_fraud

Cunanan, Buddy. A ‘MIGHT e2010’ Show of Force. Manilatmes.net. 22 June 2010. http://www.manilatimes.net/index.php/opinion/19985-a-might-e2010-show-of-force

Santos, Reynaldo. Check presidential votes, too, for possible cheating --watchdog. 21 June 2010. Newsbreak. http://newsbreak.com.ph/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7932&Itemid=88889062

*Selection and Proclamation of National Heroes and Laws Honoring Filipino Historical Figures.  *From the Reference and Research Bureau Legislative Research Service, House of Congress. Site.  http://www.ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-profile/culture-profile-nationalhero.php

************

Comparing the 'Idiot Heir' and the 'Wicked Heir'

Every 20th of January following the quadrennial presidential elections, the United States of America holds the inauguration of its new chief executive. This day this year of 2009, Barack Obama takes the traditional swearing-in to officially commence his term as the 44th President of the US. The man he replaces, George W. Bush, first assumed the American presidency exactly eight years ago today.

Somewhat across the other side of the globe, in a former US colony in Southeast Asia, a presidential swearing-in was also uncannily taking place at around the same time. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was sworn in as (Acting) President in the streets of EDSA in Manila on January 20, 2001, following a four-day "People Power" power grab that deposed Joseph Ejercito Estrada, the properly elected 13th President of the Republic of the Philippines.

The key points of the ascension to, and character of the respective presidencies of America's Bush and Philippines' Arroyo present an interesting case of multiple coincidences too many that the more astrologically inclined would perhaps claim to have been written in the stars.

Both Presidential Children

First off, both George W. Bush and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo are presidential children who, of course, rose to the presidency themselves. The 43rd US President is the son of George H.W. Bush who led America from 1989 to 1993. The 14th Philippine President, meanwhile, is the daughter of Diosdado P. Macapagal who governed the Southeast Asian archipelago from 1961-1965. While both presidential fathers lost their respective reelection bids, they nonetheless carved out some respectable niches as part of their legacies to their respective countries.

The patriarch Bush may not have generally won admiration for most of his domestic policies, but he is noted for his able handling of the foreign policy challenges that faced his administration during a sensitive era of geopolitical transition--the period following the disintegration of the Soviet Union. The Miller Center of Public Affairs of the University of Virginia website writes about how he made the US act unilaterally when needed, but also managed to wisely forge "a large, diverse coalition (such as in the Persian Gulf War)" when so warranted.

The father of Arroyo also enjoyed a considerable level of respect, perhaps mainly based on admirers' perception of his integrity during his term. President Diosdado Macapagal is said to have been known as "The Incorruptible," and was even described by the late Nationalist Artist for Literature, Chino Roces, as "the last of (the) great [Philippine] Presidents."

January 20, 2001, to the Hour

A rather amazing point of parallelism between the two political figures is the coincidence of their same-day oath-taking--in fact, nearly simultaneous to the hour. Bush was sworn in at high noon (1700 GMT, Washington time) on January 20, 2001, in Capitol Hill as scheduled by the US Constitution. Arroyo, amidst the sea of EDSA 2 gullible mob was also sworn in on January 20, 2001, at around noon of January 20, 2001 ( 12:25 pm by some accounts).

What allowed the Bush-Arroyo swearing-in coincidence were unexpected Philippine political circumstances that were highly irregular, if not para-constitutional, because Arroyo was replacing the sitting--and very much living and able--President Estrada who took his oath of office only some 2 1/2 years earlier. The Philippine Constitution mandates the holding of presidential elections every six years, and the inauguration of the new President to "begin at noon on the thirtieth day of June next following the day of the election." Moreover, it is provided that apart from "impeachment for, and conviction of " culpable constitutional violation charges and other high crimes, the sitting President can only be removed in cases of death or permanent incapacity.

Both Heirs --"Idiot" and "Evil"

Both the Bush junior and Macapagal-Arroyo have registered presidential legacies that appear to be diametrically opposed to those left by their respective fathers.

The George H.W. Bush legacy practically contrasts with that of the son, with the criticisms of the younger Bush mainly revolving around his foreign policies.

The administration of George W. Bush has been very controversial, to say the least. He has been variously referred to as the "war criminal," "liar," and "idiot heir," among others. His war criminal tag has to do with his unilateral invasion of Iraq and use of torture. The bashing the younger Bush gets for being a "liar" is related to his war image--for justifying the Iraq invasion with what would be later proved to be false claims of Saddam's possession of chemical/biological weapons and links with Al Qaeda. Bush's "idiot heir" label, which made the rounds of cyberspace soon after his election, is based on the supposed Nostradamus prediction about his presidency, and later claims of his Iraq-war-related incompetence that led to the current financial crisis. That famous "prophesy" is found in Quatrain 78, which is said to read as:

To an old leader will be born an idiot heir,
weak both in knowledge and in war.
The leader of France is feared by his sister,
battlefields divided, conceded to the soldiers.

The above is supposed to be the English translation of the French original:

D'un chef vieillard naistra sens hebete',
Degenerant par scavoir & par armes :
Le chef de France par sa sceur redoute',
Champ divisez, concedez aux gendarmes
( p. 132 of Carlo Patrian's Nostradamus: le profezie, 1978).

In dire opposition to her father's legacy of a clean presidency, Gloria Arroyo's administration has been marked by an almost never-ending litany of controversies and corruption scandals that essentially question her moral and legitimate right to govern. She has called been a lot of names, such as "Fake President," (alternatively, "Bogus President"), "evil," and "liar, cheat, and thief," and even the "Most Corrupt President in Philippine History."

The more outspoken members of the Catholic Church, which were unofficially part of the conspiracy that forced Arroyo's installation as the 14th Philippine President, have eventually also come to accuse her of being a liar, cheat and thief.

Dubbed a "liar" just like the younger Bush, the daughter of former President Macapagal has similarly lied multiple times to the people she is supposed to serve. Perhaps the most notable incidents are those public pronouncements denying her complicity in the EDSA 2 coup, and her failure to honor her 2002 promise not to run for president in the 2004 polls. She is called "cheat" because of the majority belief that she committed electoral fraud in 2004. Arroyo is called "thief" and "Most Corrupt" because of the perception of how she and her cohorts plunder the nation's wealth, based on numerous corruption exposes that include Jose Pidal, Malacanang bribery incident, fertilizer scam, and the NBN-ZTE deal.

The hard-hitting The Daily Tribune and fiery journalist Ellen Tordesillas have been routinely calling Arroyo as "fake President" or "pekeng Pangulo," in reference to the power-grab she and other conspirators engaged in against the popular and sitting President Estrada back in January 2001. At the height of the congressional hearings on the NBN-ZTE bribery scandal, the key witness, Jun Lozada, testified to how one of her cabinet men has described her as "evil."

Controversial Ascent to Power, Both Sealed by the Supreme Court

The circumstances of Bush's and Arroyo's occupancies of their respective presidential residences in 2001 are both highly controversial, as their claims to power have both been subjected to legal challenges. While Bush won in a regular election, his victory in November 2000 was marred by allegations of fraud. For her part, Arroyo was the vice-president in 2000 until a coup d'etat conspiracy in the guise of popular uprising deposed the democratically elected President Estrada. Their claims to power were legitimized by the respective American and Philippine Supreme Courts whose interventions are thought to constitute overstepping of their constitutional duties.

Bush's inauguration on January 20, 2001 was preceded by a highly-charged drama of a close election, and involving recounts of disputed Florida votes. Al Gore won the national popular vote, but lost the electoral votes. Recounts and litigation followed beginning November 2000, with the Gore team contesting the Florida results based on claims that the Republican Party election volunteers tampered with the applications for absentee ballots. The Florida Supreme Court ordered statewide manual recount, which was later stopped when the High Court stepped in with a 5-4 decision that effectively handed over the state's 25 electoral votes to Bush. The younger Bush, was thus able to claim victory in the 2000 elections with a critical majority of 271 electoral votes.

The Bush v. Gore ruling has been criticized as being politically driven, and marred by bias or ethical breaches of two of the justices in the majority vote. The decision found the Florida recount in violation of the 'equal protection clause' of the Constitution. Dissenting justices and legal scholars believe the Supreme Court should not have involved itself in the case.

Around the same time that the electoral drama involving the younger Bush began unfolding in the US, the Philippines was faced by the equally heated drama of the impeachment process against Macapagal-Arroyo's predecessor. Earlier, then Vice-President Gloria Arroyo, along with two former presidents--Cory Aquino and former Army Chief Fidel Ramos--was leading protest actions calling for the resignation of Estrada over allegations of receiving bribery money for jueteng, an illegal numbers game. The Estrada impeachment trial that began late November 2000 would be abandoned by prosecutors who refused to accept the decision of the Impeachment court not to open an envelope that supposedly contains evidence of Estrada's corruption. The prosecutors who staged the walk-out on January 16, 2001 were uncannily not cited for contempt by the Presiding Justice, then led by the then-Chief Justice with a hilarious-sounding name, Hilario Davide. That night, protesters began gathering in the intersection of EDSA and Ortigas Ave., until their numbers swelled to the tens, or hundreds, of thousands (depending on whose estimate one believes) within the following days. Anti-Estrada forces pressed harder to mobilize support, and bring down Estrada's downfall.

Armed Forces Chief Angelo Reyes withdrew support from Estrada and transferred allegiance to Arroyo on January 19. Subsequently, the Davide Supreme Court made the controversial declaration that the presidency of the Philippines is vacant. This came despite the fact that Estrada did not resign and was obviously physically healthy at the time. The following day, Chief Justice Davide, acting only based on the verbal authority given by the 12 members of the Supreme Court, and on the urgent request of Arroyo, administered the oath of office to the former to act as Acting President of the Republic of the Philippines. Various international and local media accounts during and after the EDSA 2 coup d'etat in the fateful days of January 2001 together paint the complete picture of how, through the help of the business elites, military top brass, and certain bishops of the Catholic Church, the Arroyos conspired to unseat the incumbent by manipulating public sentiment, and subsequently taking over the presidency.

Interestingly, the respective decisions by the US and RP Supreme Courts sealing Bush's and Arroyo's 2001 assumption to power have been avowedly predicated on the supposed need for High Court intervention in order to prevent other entities from deciding on the outcomes of the presidency issues. In the Bush v. Gore case, the five justices in the majority opinion argued that they decided to intervene and block the Florida recount so as not to leave the question of the presidency to Florida state officials or perhaps, to Congress.

In the former US colony, Artemio Panganiban, one of the two Supreme Court justices responsible for directly giving the seal of approval on the coup against Estrada and the installation of Arroyo as successor, would later defend his actions in his unofficial writings. He says he proposed to then Chief Justice Davide that Arroyo should be sworn in as Acting President so as to prevent violence and chaos, which he feared could lead to the dissolution of the Constitution--this view, despite the context of an impeachment trial deliberately abandoned by the anti-Estrada forces that elected to respect mob rule over the rule of law. Panganiban also writes how he interprets the Constitution as mandating "the Court to be 'activist,' to be an 'interventionist'" in the exercise of certain extraordinary judicial duties.

Thus, the assumption of the presidency by Bush and by Arroyo, therefore, were enabled by the respective High Courts' usurpation of the powers to decide a presidential issue, which are beyond their scope in the first place, and probably belonging to Congress instead.

Both Marked by Tainted SC Independence

Beyond the overstepping character of the US/Philippine Supreme Court under their respective presidencies, the administrations of Bush and Arroyo earned some level of disrepute over the unethical relations between the executive and the judiciary branches. Based on claims of ethical breaches by certain justices, the political independence of the two countries' High Courts have been questioned.

The independence of Justices Antonin Scalia and Associate Clarence Thomas who voted to block the recount cast suspicions on the Bush v. Gore decision: Scalia's son, Eugene Scalia, was part of the legal team that represented Bush, while the wife of Thomas was part of the Bush transition team. Despite the arguably clear conflict of interest, both refused to recuse themselves from the case. Scalia has also been accused of ethical breaches by news organizations over his three-day hunting trip with Vice President Dick Cheney in the Louisiana hunting preserve of oilman Wallace Caline. The private duck-hunting occurred within only three weeks from the time the Supreme Court accepted the review of the Cheney v. United States District Court, and thus violates the call to "avoid impropriety and the appearance of impropriety" in every activity, as found in Canon 2 of the American Bar Association's Model Code of Judicial Conduct.

Perhaps, it is under the Philippines' Arroyo that perceptions of the Supreme Court, along with the courts under it, as being a rubber stamp of the President is more pronounced. There have been actual news reports about members of the highest court in the land playing politics and taking orders from Malacanang when deciding on issues affecting the executive branch. Also, as in the case of the US Supreme Court under Bush, there have been reports and claims of ethical breaches occurring during hearings of important court cases. One of most infamous involved the guilty verdict on the Estrada Plunder case: two religious leaders close to Arroyo revealed that months before the Sandiganbayan decision was read, she already talked about the guilty outcome. Two of the three anti-graft court justices in the Plunder case were subsequently appointed by Arroyo to the High Court.

Both Noted for Constitutional Violations

Yet another striking point of parallelism between the presidential heirs is the reputation for being constitutional violators. Both Bush and Arroyo have been repeatedly charged as constitutional violators by critics in their respective countries.

Bush is said to have committed a good number of constitutional violations while in office. Cyberspace talk and a study by Gene Healty and Timothy Lynch from the Cato Institute name these acts that include:

(1) Treason based on going to war in Iraq without an actual United Nations resolution--said to be a violation of the Senate-ratified Charter of the UN.

(2) Failure to protect the rights to free thought, free speech, and free expression, as found in the First Amendment. A specific example is the signing of the McCain-Feingold Campaign Finance Reform.

(3) Pushing the limits of presidential powers and overstepping the bounds of the executive branch. Such is seen in various policies and acts relating to the War on Terror, wherein he has ignored federal statues that cover the treatment of enemy prisoners. Some call them "war crimes" that supposedly include CIA-operated detention facilities, acts of extraordinary rendition, and restrictions on Red Cross personnel's access to wartime prisoners.

(4) Unreasonable searches and seizures that violate the Fourth Amendment. Bush has issued a "military" order expanding the power to make arrests, and also, adopted policies that served to dilute the standard of "probable cause."

Re Arroyo, the opposition in Congress has repeatedly, but unsuccessfully, tried to subject her to impeachment trial for a host of accusations that include culpable violations of the Philippine Charter. Arroyo has been dubbed guilty of a number of violations of the Constitution. The following forms an incomplete list, derived from the articles of impeachment from the 2005 to 2008, and from the list of opposition Sen. Aquilino Pimentel:

(1) Electoral fraud in the 2004 presidential elections, with support from the so-called "Hello Garci" wiretapped tapes that reveal how Arroyo spoke with an elections officer to rig the votes from Mindanao;

(2) Conspiring and tolerating extrajudicial killings;

(3) Abetting and tolerating the commission of crime with regards to the multi-billion-dollar NBN-ZTE broadband deal;

(4) Entering into the equally multi-billion peso Northrail Project without prior approval of the Monetary Board; and

(5) Misuse and abuse of presidential powers, including acts of the unconstitutional transfer of funds between government agencies, or from a government entity to political partisan projects.

Both Brought Grave Economic Woes

It is perhaps a matter of dispute whether Bush's handling of the economy, indeed, chiefly caused the ongoing global financial crisis that began in the US. Of course, the younger Bush should still take some blame, mainly for the crime of omission by not taking steps to regulate sale in housing mortgage and curbing questionable private sector financial dealings and activities, and the 100% rise in national debt, in part due to war spending. The financial meltdown, however, came about from a confluence of factors marked by deregulation policies, which were also pursued by the Democrats under former President Bill Clinton. What is much less arguable, however, is that his tax cut policies has benefited the super rich to the detriment of those in the lower income classes.

A New York Times analysis of data from the US Internal Revenue Service shows that at least as far as the 2003 tax cuts are concerned, the benefits were sharply slanted towards rich Americans having incomes of $1 million and higher. The tax cuts led to a situation where the very rich roughly pays only the same income tax as those earning from $200,000-5000,000. Economist Andrew Brod of the University of North Carolina Greensboro writes that while the tax cuts stimulated the economy to an extent, they did not generate as much jobs as had been expected or promised.

Similarly, Arroyo who is an economist, can be partly credited for not bungling the Philippine economy during her years in power--with the traditional big help from the billions of dollars worth of annual remittances of overseas Filipino workers and immigrants. The vaunted official figures showing the resilience of the economy may or may not be genuine, however, what cannot be denied is the Filipinos masses suffered in real social economic terms during her presidency. According to the Wikipedia entry on Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo:

Studies made by the United Nations (UN) and local survey research firms show worsening, instead of improving, poverty levels. A comparative 2008 UN report shows that the Philippines lags behind its Asian neighbors, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and China, in terms of poverty amelioration. The study reveals that from 2003 up to 2006, the number of poor Filipinos increased by 3.8 million, with poverty incidence being approximately three times higher in agricultural communities. [37] With regards the problem of hunger, quarterly studies by the social polling research firm Social Weather Stations show that the number of Filipino households suffering from hunger has significantly increased during Arroyo's presidency. Her administration first set the record for hunger levels in March 2001, and beginning June 2004, broke the record again seven times. December 2008 figures saw the new record high of 23.7%, or approximately 4.3 million households, of Filipino families experiencing involuntary hunger.[38]

Both History's Worst?

Another striking parallelism is how both hold the record for the worst level of public perception
and public satisfaction
or performance rating. Bush has an approval rating of a mere 28 percent--said to be the lowest score in recent US history. While he started out with a popularity rating of around 50%, and climbing up to as high as 90 percent in 2001 (based on periodic Gallup, Fox News, and CBS News surveys), his November 2008 ratings went to as low as 20%-29%. He also appears to be in the running for the title of the country's worst leader. The administration of the 43rd US President was earlier rated as "failed" by over 81 percent of over 400 historians in an informal survey conducted by History News Network in 2004.

Arroyo, similarly--although faring much worst--not only holds the record for lowest level of public satisfaction but as well, the ignominious record for being the only Philippine President to ever score negatively in national surveys on the people's perception of her performance. Gloria Arroyo is the only president in the history of the country to ever post negative ratings based on various periodic surveys since opinion polling began over two decades ago, and as such, she holds the record for the lowest approval ratings in over two decades.

Beginning October 2005, her net satisfaction ratings, according to surveys conducted by the Social Weather Stations (SWS), have consistently been in the negative range. Additionally, a 2008 research study by Pulse Asia reveals that Filipinos regard Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as the "Most Corrupt President" in the history of the country, even besting dictator Ferdinand Marcos for the inglorious title.

Adieu, Bush; 1 1/2 years to go, Arroyo

The parallelism probably ends at this point, however. There will be no flying shoes at Arroyo, nor will there be a viable end in sight for Arroyo--in sharp, unmistakable contrast to Bush who was attacked by a journalist with a pair of shoes during a December 2008 press conference in Iraq, a month before he was scheduled to step down from office (on January 20, 2009).

Although it can be argued that the humiliation of a flying shoe attack faced by Bush approximates Arroyo's humiliation when she beat dictator Ferdinand Marcos as the "Most Corrupt President in Philippine History" during a late 2007 national [Pulse Asia] research poll, there will certainly be no flying shoes of physical disgrace for the incumbent Southeast Asian president--at least while she's still in power.

Arroyo probably deserves a flying shoe--"not once, but twice." Thousands of times, perhaps. But such a democratic expression of protest would hardly be allowed in the Philippines. Under Arroyo's reign, after all, activists such as Jonas Burgos, who happened to be the scion of press freedom hero Joe Burgos, and corruption whistle blowers either get kidnapped and threatened with death, such as Jun Lozada, or get killed outright, like what befell fertilizer scam complainant Marlene Esperat and Teofilo Mojicawere. Definitely, journalists in the Southeast Asian country do not have the nerves, nor will they be allowed by the military and police forces the opportunity to throw shoes at her. The Philippine military top brass, after all, was not only pivotal in Estrada's downfall and Arroyo's rise to the presidency: the elite class of generals has been avowedly supportive of Arroyo despite her constitutionally suspect installation and hard evidence of cheating during the 2004 elections. Then again, is it just a case of the Philippine version of the Secret Service being more vigilant, or possibly more loyal?

While George W. Bush has already stepped down as the 43rd US President, noontime of January 20, 2009, and relinquished the White House office to Barack Obama, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo

will continue her 'extremely corrupt' and 'illegitimate' presidency, at least until the end of her current "term." Barring any death by natural health or genuine accident causes, Arroyo won't give up power any time soon. With the her camp's deviously relentless pursuit of perpetuating Arroyo's administration regardless of how majority of the Filipinos hate or hold her in high disrepute, the wicked heir of a morally deprived president will probably stay beyond her term. The administration's seemingly unceasing plans for a constituent assembly, or charter change, or Martial Law-type scenario via a full-blown Mindanao war could just succeed to make the rapacious EDSA II coup president the Philippines' permanent-till-the-she-devil-dies leader beyond May 2010.

Democracy Talk: Bush no Arroyo, Americans no Fiipinos

Perhaps it's a cultural thing, with Americans being more respectful of the democratic institutions--unlike the Filipinos who are dominated by unpatriotic elite conspirators, or snooty but stupidly gullible mob, of EDSA 2. Or is it a question of democracy-consciousness, with the mega-corrupt brand of patronage politics that has easily allowed Arroyo to crush the four yearly impeachment cases filed in the Philippine House of Representatives not possible in Bush's US of A. The factor of the stability of democratic institutions, perhaps? Or is it simply the chasm of a difference between the minds of an "idiot heir" and a "wicked heir"?

Who was it who said that a "people deserves the kind of government it has"? It is an saying that has proved relevant time and time again, in whatever part of the world. Much as it hurts the author to admit, why the Philippine's Arroyo would most likely continue beyond her "term," while Bush already gracefully stepped down, is more of a politico-cultural thing. While there are certain complicating historical factors, it is a Philippine reality that the elites--society, religious, business, political, and lately, military--can ram their dictates on the general populace. As the weak masses deserve the elites, so does the Filipino nation deserves EDSA II and the Gloria Arroyo kind of government it brought forth. As for the United States, with its significantly more mature democratic institutions and a people that apparently know how to respect their political system, they also deserve a George W. Bush that might have erred big time, but nonetheless knows when to bid farewell to power.

______________

References:

Agence France-Presse. 'War criminal Bush' blamed for worldwide crises. 22 November 2008. http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Protesters_War_criminal_Bush_to_blame_1122.html

Andrews, John and Barry Grey. Supreme Court Justice Scalia’s hunting trip with Cheney: the political and constitutional issues. 20 February 2004. World Socialist Website Site. http://www.wsws.org/articles/2004/feb2004/scal-f20.shtml

Bernardo, Jesusa. The conspiracy of Edsa 2: how Gloria Arroyo managed not to let President Joseph Estrada finish his term. 25 February 2008. http://jesusabernardo.newsvine.com/_news/2008/02/25/1324358-the-conspiracy-of-edsa-2-how-gloria-arroyo-managed-not-to-let-president-joseph-estrada-finish-his-term

Brod, Andrew. The Bush Tax Cuts. Greensboro News & Record. 30 April 2006. https://web.uncg.edu/bae/documents/cber/articlepjAuXbAKF5.pdfhttps://web.uncg.edu/bae/documents/cber/articlepjAuXbAKF5.pdf

Claims and Facts: Rhetoric, Reality and the War in Iraq. Center for American Progress Site. http://www.americanprogress.org/kf/priraqclaimfact1029.htm#1

Conde, Carlos. "Arroyo is posed to run in 2004." International Herald Tribune. 4 October 2003. http://www.iht.com/articles/2003/10/04/phil.ph

Daniel. George W. Bush in Violation of the Constitution of the United States of America. The Good Democrat Blog. 28 September 2007. http://thegooddemocrat.wordpress.com/2007/09/28/george-w-bush-in-violation-of-the-constitution-of-the-united-states-of-america/

Diosdado Macapagal. (2009, January 14). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 19:20, January 19, 2009, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Diosdado_Macapagal&oldid=263965577

George Herbert Walker (1924- ): Impact and Legacy. University of Virginia Site. http://millercenter.org/academic/americanpresident/bush/essays/biography/8

Henares, Ivan Anthony. Footnotes to History: The Men behind Dadong. Kapampangan Homepage. Retrieved on 2007-10-30. http://www.geocities.com/balen_net/ivan11.htm

"Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 29 Jan 2009, 03:42 UTC. 29 Jan 2009 <http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gloria_Macapagal-Arroyo&oldid=267111176>. Wilentz, Sean. "The Worst President in History?" 21 April 2006. Rolling Stone Site. http://www.rollingstone.com/news/profile/story/9961300/the_worst_president_in_history

Lopez, JP. "‘Gloria is evil’." Malaya. 19 February 2008. http://www.malaya.com.ph/feb19/news1.htm

Panganiban, Artemio. "With Due Respect: An extraordinary court." Philippine Daily Inquirer. 27 December 2008. http://opinion.inquirer.net/inquireropinion/columns/view/20081227-180263/An-extraordinary-court

Patrian, Carlo. Nostradamus: le profezie. Edizioni Mediterranee, 1978. http://books.google.com/books?id=ZZmcFqyCS38C&client=opera

Petition by Concerned Citizens for Effective and Responsible Government, Inc., Sulongbayan Movement Foundation, Inc., Institute of Continuing Legal Education, Inc.,
Eliseo Ocampo, Editha A. Santos, And Armando A. Ricarte, Jr. http://www.lawphil.net/current/dj_2001.html

President Arroyo Committed Culpable Constitutional Violations On Three Counts, Pimentel Says. 8 February 2005. Senator Aquilino "Nene" Q. Pimentel Site. http://www.nenepimentel.org/news/20050208_GMA.asp "President Bush is sworn in." BBC News. 19 January 2001. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/1125845.stm

Psychic Judge Floro's Prophecy of the Downfall of the 13th Philippine President at San Juanico Bridge, Philippines: April, 1998 - 12 Noon Good Friday. July 18, 2006. http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5976/3060/1600/7.0.jpg

Pulse Asia. Additional Findings on Corruption-Related Issues: Most Corrupt President in Philippine History. October 2007. http://pulseasia.com.ph/resources/photos/table2_corruption_0710.gif

Pulta, Benjamin. "GMA appoints Erap plunder justice to SC." 15 January 2009. http://www.tribune.net.ph/headlines/20090115hed1.html

Rufo, Aries and Purpole Romero. "Voting pattern of Supreme Court justices shows they play politics." ABS-CBN News. 22 October 2008. http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/special-report/10/22/08/voting-pattern-supreme-court-justices-shows-they-play-politics

Sherman, Mark. "Justices Defend Florida Recount Decision." 24 January 2007. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/24/AR2007012401499.html

Tordesillas, Ellen. Velarde, Vidal know about guilty verdict in Estrada trial. 5 July 2007. http://www.ellentordesillas.com/?p=1352

The White House. George H. W. Bush. http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/gb41.html

Wood, Greg. Did Bush cause the financial crisis? 7 January 2009. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7814704.stm

Photo Credits:

• BBC. How does the Bush presidency rate? 7 January 2009.http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7783286.stm
  Paul Krugman. New York Times. http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/01/06/charts-for-17-column/
• China Daily. http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/world/2008-12/15/content_7302967.htm
  Diego K. Guerrero. http://kimatpower.blogspot.com/2008_02_01_archive.html
  Edgeing. http://edgeing.blogspot.com/2007/02/george-w-bushs-iraq-debacle.html
  Extreme Mortman. http://www.extrememortman.com/category/bauer-power/page/2/
  Stillman. http://www.stillman.org/bushfam.jpg
  http://www.pbase.com/zuproc66/image/1602967
  http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/tagalog/erap/start.htm
  http://www.ellentordesillas.com/?p=81
  http://www.ellentordesillas.com/?p=117
  http://www.sunstar.com.ph/specials/bush_visit/index.html
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gloria_Macapagal-Arroyo
  http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/04/27/politics/main613910.shtmlRise and fall of Bush's approval ratings. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7814441.stm
  
  

****************