| Bangon, Mga Patay! By Antonio C. Abaya March 17, 2004 Wasn�t it only last November that Vice-President Teofisto Guingona, together with some idealistic worthies, formed the Bangon! (or Rise Up!) Movement, meant to be the core of a Third Force, an unwavering beacon of nationalist correctness and moral righteousness in our topsy-turvy world of trapo politics where it is becoming increasingly difficult to tell up from down, right from left? Yet, look at him now, in bed with the most dastardly scoundrels of the Estrada regime whose misdeeds he had eloquently excoriated in his best Ateneo elocution style during his now famous �I Accuse� privilege speech in the Senate in 2000, which ultimately led to the overthrow of the disgraced president. Guingona�s defection from the Arroyo Government was perfectly understandable, given his many differences with President Arroyo on several core issues. And those who chose to ally themselves with him in the quondam Bangon! Movement may have been clutching at straws but they cannot be faulted for desperately looking for someone they could believe in in our increasingly hopeless political quagmire. But, frankly, I could not get myself to enthuse over Guingona or Bangon. Coming as it did several days after All Souls� Day, the launching of Bangon! raised the impish question as to who were being exhorted to rise up: the Living, the Dead or the Living Dead? And when Guingona, ever so slowly (and perhaps painfully), raised his arthritic right arm to emphasize a point, as we were taught to do in Ateneo elocution class, it was obvious to me that his target audience was the Living Dead. Bangon, mga patay! Or, bangon, mga patay-patay! Which is a roundabout way of saying that Guingona�s defection to the FPJ camp, purportedly to be an adviser on governance and public policy to the clueless Poe, has little or no effect on the balance of power among the contending political blocs. As vice-president, courtesy of President Arroyo who appointed him as such, he has a symbolic presence; but as politician, he does not have a substantial following. Which is why he did not pursue his own presidential ambitions, or even make a serious bid to retain his vice-presidency . He just was not registering significantly in any of the pre-2004 public opinion surveys. If anything, his defection to FPJ has tarnished his own image even among the Living Dead who had hoped that he would be The Man on Horseback around whom they could rally a Third Force to revitalize Philippine politics. He has turned out to be just another trapo, another Man on Horse Manure, of which there are far too many this season. Guingona protests that �this is about fighting for the return to moral governance.� (In the company of the thieving scoundrels of the Marcos and Estrada nomenklaturas? You�ve got to be kidding, Tito.) Or that �this is the search for a leader who is his own person.� (Like FPJ, who has to surround himself with dozens of advisers because he does not know anything about anything, except movie-making? Come on, Tito, cut the bull.) Or �one who is sincere and has native intelligence.� (But so is and does my driver, who can do carpentry, tin-smithy, plumbing, masonry, house-painting, furniture-varnishing, tile-laying, washed-out-pebble paving, swimming pool maintenance, and basic mechanical and electrical repairs, but does not pretend to know how to run this country.) �This is about pursuing nationalist reforms that will truly put an end to the vicious cycle of social, political and economic injustices that our people suffer.� (How? By nodding his head now and then when talking with communists on globalization? Or by tiptoeing through the minefield of foreign debt and running back to safer grounds at the faintest fart from international bankers?) �I do so because almost everyone agrees that this nation must change the socioeconomic downturn, that jobs must be generated, poverty uplifted.� (Sic) (How does one �uplift poverty�, for chrissakes? Aren�t you, Tito, expecting too much from someone who is probably still struggling with the first page of the only economics book he has ever seen in his entire life, a gift from his chief economics guru, Bernie Villegas?) All quotes are from the Philippine Daily Inquirer, March 14. I can understand that Guingona is thoroughly disappointed with the performance of President Arroyo; so many other Filipinos are. But one must quarrel with his choice. If he is looking for a moral alternative to PGMA, or for another candidate who has a clearer vision or a more attractive program of government, then it has to be either Raul Roco or Eddie Villanueva. Or even Ping Lacson. But, to choose, instead, one who is surrounded by moral retards from the Marcos and Estrada regimes (whom he fought in Edsa 1 and Edsa 2), who is so afflicted with a crippling inferiority complex that he cannot articulate or defend in public his position on anything, who has single-handedly raised the level of national stupidity to an all-time high, reveals more about the real motivation of Tito Guingona. Guingona has obviously concluded that FPJ � not GMA, Roco, Lacson or Villanueva - is going to win in May and has therefore hitched his wagon to Da King�s star, to ensure the victory of his own political dynasty�.. even as he makes noises, in his 8-Point Program, about dismantling other political dynasties. His wife is running for mayor of Gingoog City, his son is running for Congress, while Tito himself wants to somehow remain in the corridors of power that he has grown accustomed to since the Cory glory days.. Bangon, mga trapo! Tuloy ang ligaya natin! ***** The bulk of this article appears in the March 27, 2004 issue of the Philippines Free Press magazine.. OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Reactions to �Bangon, Mga Patay!� One of the brightest nationalist lights on the left side of the street, that of Guingona, has suddenly been switched off. That makes many of his followers feel disoriented, disappointed, disbelieving, angry. It's cold and dark now. One can feel the pain the nationalists are suffering. Hopefully that shocks at least some of them into the right choice come May 10. Peter J. Ritter, [email protected] March 20, 2004 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Tony, Guingona must have gotten cynical. He must have felt betrayed. And he must think that Filipinos do not deserve a Guingona. What happened to people like Recto, Diokno, Ninoy Aquino? Guingona is not about to become another martyr. Martyrs, the Filipinos have more than enough of them. Are Filipinos worth dying for? Guingona probably thinks not. Are they were killing for? Probably, he thinks it's a waste. Are they to be left to their own devices and go on with one's life? Maybe, that is what Guingona thinks. Many Filipinos leave the country because they think likewise. Too bad. Gras Reyes, [email protected] March 20, 2004 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Right on, Mr. Abaya! Tom and Ruth De Guzman, [email protected] March 20. 2004 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww You are so right, it is only Eddie Villanueva, or Ping Lacson that have definite programs and who appear to have internalized the problems of the country and have found solutions on how to start to fix things up. Both don�t have any deep political baggage and hopefully will govern in a no- nonsense way. Indeed, the future doesn�t look bright. Nonoy Yulo, jluyulo@mydestiny,net March 20, 2004 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Tito's defec(a)tion...brings us back again to his role as Hamlet and his "to be or not to be" soliloquy...half a century ago. Ah, what power politics has in distorting one's values and vision. Ofelia (Pagsanhan) is better off for he stood by his principles all the way. Kumusta na lang, and I continue praying for our country. Tony Joaquin, [email protected] March 20, 2004 Wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww (Forwarded) Subject: [botomo] Teddy Benigno, Bel Cunanan, Jarius Bondoc -- Unhinged Dear Friends, The defection of Vice President Teofisto Guingona to the camp of Fernando Poe Jr. was an unmitigated disaster for GMA and the defenders of the present regime. It will, in the long run, be seen as a turning point in the election, as far as the "mind game" is concerned, because Tito Guingona, with his reputation and solid record of public service gives the lie to the moral tribalism of Edsa Dos and GMA apologists. Even though they have excommunicated Guingona by variously calling him a hypocrite, a trapo and a monkey jumping on FPJ's back, it's their sweat that shows. Soon there won't be anyone left defending the present dispensation, or what happened in 2001, but the people who benefited from it, in one way or another. Speaking of which, Teddy Man Benigno and Jarius Bondoc of the Philippine Star are really giving the Inquirer editorialists, Palace mouthpieces like Bel Cunanan and whoever does the PDI front page nowadays, a run for their money in the Dept. of Hysterical Opinion, Invented News and Clueless Views. Ronnie Puno rules! They'll all feel much better next year when they're back in the Opposition, since these writers are really good at destruction and negativism. I guess they're just sharpening their knives for when they go back on offense...They're lousy and transparently inept at playing defense, because you know what, those who want others to notice that they are educated and erudite are also our failed elites, who must defend and rationalize their failures, like the falling peso and dangerously unmanageable debt, by blaming it on a future president. The truth is GMA DOUBLED the country's sovereign national debt to 3.2 trillion dollars in less than 3 years, and overspent by 200 billion pesos this year alone, almost equal to the estimated take of corruption in her government. Very smart and educated! Dean Jorge Bocobo, [email protected] Philippine Daily Inquirer March 20, 2004 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Tony, You put it so well. The obvious reason why Guingona hitched his wagon to FPJ's is because he foresees the latter's victory. That's what he thinks. Where are his principles? I don't believe the pathetic motives of our politicians. Yett Montalvan, [email protected] March 21, 2004 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Tony, Bravo!!! I have wanted to write a scathing article on Tito G. Perhaps at the appropriate time. Never trusted this guy even during our "Parliament of the Street" days. He is not only Mr. Mediocrity personified, but also enriched himself in office. That is nationalism. This guy did not accomplished nor distinguished himself in Government - from CoA, the Senate, Office of the President (as Executive Secretary), DFA and the Office of the Vice President. In fact, do you know that his "I Accuse" speech was actually premature and done for his own political agenda (bida siya). A friend whose uncle was engaged by Chavit Singson told me so. Kaya lang nag-bida na si Guingona. This guy is really sick. For him to treat Jimmy Ongpin like a common criminal during the Blue Ribbon hearings when Jimmy was the Finance Secretary and Tito was Chairman of the Blue Ribbon showed that this guy is really nuts since way back. And to think that Jimmy and Tito were together in the fight against the Marcos regime. Rick Ramos, [email protected] March 21, 2004 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Tony, Thanks so much for putting me on your mailing list. I find that your articles hit the nails, the balls, and me. Keep churning them out! I especially like your answering Guingona, whom I now look at as having freely joined the leper colony. Remember Victor Corpus calling Loren Legarda a political prostitute? Our political scene is full of lepers and prostitutes! I haven't decided on my candidate yet because I'm still worried we (not masa) will split our votes and end up with FPJ, like we ended up with Erap. In the meantime, everyday, GMA is making it more difficult for me to vote for her at all. On the other hand, the more Ping talks, the more he says things I like; I'm beginning to wonder if all those cases against him are just rumors. Raul is still an option, though I have some reservations. I've heard Brother Eddie twice and also consider him an option. By the way, please consider cloning your driver. Have a good week! Lolita Delgado Fansler, [email protected] March 21, 2004 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww (Through the pilipinasforum egroup) Hi Tony, folks, your posting just reminds me of them school days of finding myself as one of those unwitting subjects of teach-ins of which there was just one topic that really caught my attention, finding it interesting and useful. It was titled: Mao's Theory of Contradiction. I found it akin to a mental framework in handling adversaries and alliances, and also associated it with situational ethics (as in choosing the lesser evil). The core of it I think is about: knowing what is of primary and secondary considerations ... such that there are times that what is primary becomes secondary, and at other times what is secondary becomes pirmary. Our mentors, us being then green horns, were fond of citing the experience of the Chinese Red army and leadership. They were then focused on fighting Chiang Kai Shel and the nationalists. Thus the primary consideration was fighting Chiang. All others, meaning including foreign devils, were secondary. But when the Japanese forces invaded China, Chiang and company became secondary as the invaders were the primary enemies. So an alliance had to be forged with Chiang to form a rough strategy of two-thirds against one-third. And after pushing back the invaders, back to the previous enmity. Now, taking the case and likes of VP Teofisto Guingona and Sen. Pimentel. They had a falling out with President Gloria M. Arroyo. Before their candidacies were announced and filed, the two had focused their criticisms and attacks against primarily P/GMA. Da King was not yet in the picture. Then came riding Fernando Poe, Jr. toward the direction of Malacanang. Applying the construct on conflicit or Contradiction, and assuming that FPJ is much less desirable, I would expect the two gentlemen to temporarily suspend their hostilities with GMA and forge a temporary alliance with her against a much more undersirable character. This is how I view the political behavior of Sen. Serge Osmena. He also had a falling out with the People's Power Coalition (PPC). He shifted to an independent position, which gave him the flexibility in making certain alliances. His disenchantment with the PPC, the Administration or P/GMA did not push him to go outright into the side of the opposition. He thus was able to preserve a much more palatable image than Messrs. Guingona and Pimentel -- who are now perceived as so pathetic ... having lost their marbles or so. Roy Picart, [email protected] March 23, 2004 OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO |
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