| 'Coup de Chambre'
By Antonio C. Abaya Written on Nov. 19, 2008 For the Standard Today, November 20 issue Was it a coup engineered by Malacanang to pave the way for Charter Change that would allow President Arroyo to remain in power beyond 2010? Or was it an internal coup crafted by the potential rivals of Sen. Manny Villar for the presidency in 2010 who wanted to cut him down to size by removing him from the Senate presidency and thus level the playing field? I am inclined to believe that the coup de chambre was purely an exercise in partisan politics. But it does have the unintended consequence of giving an unforeseen boost to maneuvers to change the Constitution for the benefit of President Arroyo. In the previous attempt by then Speaker Jose de Venecia in 2006 to convene Congress into a constituent assembly in which to railroad ChaCha, the strategy was to exclude the oppositionist Senate from the deliberations, on the reading that the Senate would block any attempt at Charter Change. This shameless maneuver was rightly condemned by public opinion and tagged JdV as a lapdog of President Arroyo. That he now leads in the efforts to impeach Mrs. Arroyo merely underlines the opportunist and unprincipled character of Filipino politicians.. With Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile, a staunch ally of President Arroyo, now Senate President, the Senate ceases to be a bulwark of opposition to ChaCha and can now be expected to play along with the majority Lakas-Kampi juggernaut. Unless Sen. Enrile, now 84 years old, rediscovers his moral roots and redefines himself in what must be considered his Last Hurrah. With his vast experience in government service � he was at time or another, secretary of finance, secretary of justice, secretary of national defense, collector of customs � he was regarded by many as the best president we never had. Of course, contrapuntal to that was his role in Ferdinand Marcos' martial law regime. As he was to admit later, he faked his own ambush, which Marcos used as one of several excuses to declare martial law in 1972, and he himself became the administrator of that martial law regime. While he was minister of defense in the early 1980s, he started plotting the downfall of Marcos with his prot�g�s in the Reform the Armed Forces Movement (RAM) led by then Col. Gringo Honasan. The RAM were poised to strike at Malacanang sometime in November 1985, with Honasan leading an assault force that was going to paddle down the Pasig River in rubber boats and enter the Malacanang grounds through its undefended riverside underbelly, while other RAM colonels were to lead armored units across the Nagtahan and Ayala bridges in a pincer movement that would have left Malacanang isolated from any reinforcements. On the evening before their D-Day, Col. Honasan made a clandestine last-minute inspection of Festung Malacanang and found, to his horror, that defenses had been doubled at all their intended points of entry. Marcos and his Gen. Fabian Ver knew what the RAM were planning to do, and were waiting for them to make their move. How? It was later revealed that the RAM boys had blabber-mouthed about their plans to their friends in the CIA, in particular to a US Air Force colonel who had been ninong or godfather to the son of one of the RAM colonels. The CIA, following the dictates of US national interests � i.e. their bases in Clark and Subic � passed the information to Marcos and Ver who thus foiled the RAMs' coup attempt even before it got rolling. Several lower level officers were arrested, but, surprisingly, Enrile and the RAM colonels were left alone. But when they felt the noose tightening in February 1986, they staged their mutiny in Camp Aguinaldo, together with then Philippine Constabulary chief, Gen. Fidel Ramos, and the rest, as they say, is history. A personal note. When Sec. Enrile was conducting his mutinous press conference that Friday evening, Feb. 22, 1986, my son Hochi and I decided to drive to Camp Aguinaldo out of curiosity, taking a short cut through Fort Bonifacio. The Bonifacio sentry would not let us through because, he said, they were on red alert. But, for some reason, he asked me my name, which I gave him. Then he asked if I was related to Brig. Gen. Antonio Abaya, chief then of the Constabulary Highway Patrol Group, and I replied that we were cousins. (We really aren't.) Without asking for my ID to verify my identity, the sentry saluted smartly and waved us in. What we saw in Fort Bonifacio were about a dozen military trucks loaded with Marines in full battle gear and several jeeps mounted with .50 caliber machineguns. We presumed they were going to assault Camp Aguinaldo and end Enrile's mutiny. We, foolishly, proceeded to Camp Aguinaldo, expecting to see some bang-bang action. From the outside, the camp looked deserted and undefended, except for a few soldiers at the Santolan gate. We drove around the camp several times, but nothing was stirring, not even a tramp. The same in the adjoining Camp Crame. And the dozen truckloads of Marines that we had seen in Fort Bonifacio never arrived. We got bored and went home. We found out the next day that the Marines had gone instead to reinforce Festung Malacanang. There is a lesson in military tactics here: if you don't strike while you have the upper hand, you strike out. The plan of Enrile and the RAMs - if they had succeeded in toppling Marcos - was to hold elections after six months of a civilian-military junta headed by Enrile. As the victor over Marcos, Enrile would have been elected president hands down. But they were upstaged by the unexpected rise of Cory Aquino, who declared herself winner in the snap elections � the Comelec declared Marcos the winner - and formed a revolutionary government in which Sec. Enrile was retained as defense secretary. But the inexperienced Mrs. Aquino ruled with an unsure hand and was pulled and pushed in different directions. Several months into her revolutionary government, I wrote identical letters to Cardinal Sin and Secretary Enrile that Mrs. Aquino was appointing known and suspected communists and pro-communists into her government, apparently without even realizing it, since she was not aware of ideological nuances. Cardinal Sin did not reply to my letter. Sec. Enrile did, inviting me to a meeting in Camp Aguinaldo, where I met Col. Honasan, Col. Tito Legaspi and Col. Red Kapunan. Enrile was subsequently fired from the Cabinet in November 1986 for his alleged involvement in "God Save the Queen," said to be a plot to overthrow Mrs. Aquino. Col. Honasan led a coup attempt against her in August 1987, and another one in December 1989, both of which failed. There is no doubt that if either coup attempt had succeeded, Enrile would have been appointed head of junta, then elected president. But, for better or for worse, the cards were stacked against him. Now, in the twilight of his years, he is suddenly foisted to the Senate presidency. He has protested to his peers that "I am an old man who has acquired some bad habits of sometimes being arrogant, rude, harsh with my words, insensitive and impatient ." But all will be forgiven, Senator, if in this your Last Hurrah you resist all pressure to prostitute your Office for the greater glory of unscrupulous and insatiable politicians. ***** Reactions to [email protected]. Other articles in www,tapatt.org and in acabaya.blogspot.com. To subscribe, send a blank email with the subject heading Subscribe. To unsubscribe, send a blank email with the subject heading Unsubscribe Reactions to [email protected]. Other articles in acabaya.blogspot.com. Tony on YouTube in www.tapatt.org. To subscribe, send a blank email with the subject heading Subscribe. To unsubscribe, send a blank email with the subject heading Unsubscribe. . OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Reactions to "Coup de Chambre" More Reactions to "Bishops versus Queen" 'Philippine Patriotism' Miguel Syjuco's 'Ilustrado' Dear Tony, I think Malacanang didn't have a hand in this move, although they may have been briefed about it and may have given their discreet consent. With regards to Manny Villar, it serves him right. Everytime I see that ad of his highlighting the plight of Filipino OFWs and his efforts to bring them home, I want to puke. As a senator, bringing home Filipinos is not his job. He would have done greater service to the country if he pushed thru with legislation to Increase the number of stable jobs in the Philippines, thereby giving Filipinos more reasons to stay instead of going abroad. Or he could have played a greater role in foreign policy, especially with Middle East countries, which may have increased these countries' respect to us, translating to better treatment to our OFWs. Thanks Bong L. Alba, Jr., (by email), Nov. 20, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Mr. Abaya, Let us all pray that the new Senate President who is already in his twilight years will see the light and redeem himself so as to leave a legacy that his family can be proud of. The Filipino Nation has suffered enough under the governance of this immoral and illegitimate president who has debased our Constitution and Institutions. God help the Philippines! Boy Ner, (by email), Davao City, Nov. 20, 2008 The resignation of Senator Manny Villar as Senate President was no surprise but the choice for his replacement was shocking to say the least. It is unfortunate that the opposition Senators have short memory on how the new Senate president, Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile turned his back to the group who took him in its wings to be part of the Senatorial line-up just to join afterwards the administration side of the political arena and where he blindly supported and sided with Gloria Arroyo and her cohorts. If the opposition Senators had a quid pro quo arrangement with Enrile, they might be in for a surprise. This man with Machiavellian intelligence has time and time again showed his mastery of manipulating people to his advantage. He has still a year to decide on becoming a Brutus to Gloria but until then he will feign allegiance to the institution he is serving and will be a puppet to the powers that be who can literally destroy him, financially, socially and physically. Narciso Ner, (by email), Rosario, Cavite, Nov. 17, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Magnificent....and so indelibly clear for all interested Filipinos to see what exactly takes place in Philippine politics and focusing on one interesting "trapo" named JUAN PONCE ENRILE, the eldest brother of Chito Ponce Enrile and husband of lovely Latina friend and dancer CRISTINA CASTANER. Yes, Johnny was the president the Philippines never had. I join you, Tony, in praying that Johnny does extremely well this time for the sake of the nation, the Filipino people in this his last Hurrah! Bravo tocayo! Tony Joaquin, (by email), Daly City, CA, Nov. 20, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Tony, As always, you write flawlessly. This topic of yours especially had me unable to stop reading until it ended. Some of the things you wrote have special meaning to me personally. For one, I and some 30 soldiers (only) -- around 5 officers and 25 enlisted men -- were those 'few' soldiers you and your son probably saw manning the gates of Camp Crame in the early hours of that now famous mutiny on February 22. While my boss FVR (chief of the constabulary / acting afp chief of staff) and Enrile (MND) were having their press con at Camp Aguinaldo, our group went ahead to Camp Crame to secure it so FVR will be somewhere 'safe' following their media announcement. We were the security group of FVR from the Philippine Constabulary Special Action Force -- then closely allied with Col Honasan's MOND Security Group. In fact, many of us were trained by Honasan and his men in counterrevolutionary warfare and VIP security. Since there were only few of us, we divided ourselves into teams each team securing a gate of Camp Crame. I led the team that secured Gate 2 along Santolan. There were yet very few people then in and around the camp. While securing the gate, I remember seeing my brother-in-law (now a famous plastic surgeon at St Luke's) and giving him whatever money I had in my pocket for him to give to my wife who was looking after our one year old daughter and did not have the slightest clue what I was up to then. We really thought that was it. We did not feel scared until those three nights when all we anticipated in our training seemed to have finally arrived. But we were ready. We trained since 1983 for such an opportunity. And we were among the best fighting men in the AFP at the time. I had idolized Col Honasan as a young and very idealistic 2nd lieutenant. We were mesmerized by his charisma and technical competence. he was an unusual officer much unlike the rest of the senior officers we met. I was enjoined to become part of his outfit and had I not already been with my upperclassman FVR and his loyalists Rey Velasco and Sonny Razon, I probably would have joined him. Like Honasan, I too was a coup participant in 1986. Hell, we all were -- At least those then who strongly felt they did not agree with the bastardization and prostitution of the armed forces! But, things have changed since then. The same problems have gotten worse. And Col Honasan? His problem was JPE. Looks like the story has not yet ended. Regards, Col Dennis Acop (Ret), (by email), Nov. 20, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww This is a sort of reaction to your recent article called "Coup de Chambre." We were not surprised to hear what press secretary Jesus Dureza said in that Cabinet meeting opening prayer which for us is an ominous foreboding of what this gang of plundering thieves masquerading as government plans beyond June 30, 2010. His revelation was naturally an embarrassment for Gloria Arroyo who tries hard to hide her true intentions and the megalomaniacal ambitions that she and her family surely share. "We are there where the many wanted to be so why go?", would seem to be the family's creed now that they are enjoying power and the opportunity to amass wealth it gives beyond their wildest dreams. Dureza's tongue may have slipped by saying aloud what probably her mistress and most in the inner circle of power think. They would not want to let go of the bounties they can loot at will either. Now that the Senate is in the hands of their "ally," newly designed Senate president Juan Ponce Enrile who espoused personal ambitions of being this country's "Capo di tutti capi" once, and with that pliant market of a House of Representatives where a great majority of its members are for sale like we believe they are, there is no stumbling block left to derail her ulterior ambition of ruling for life. Enrile, despite his advanced age, is just a couple of steps away from realizing his ultimate desire of being president one day, which may be realized in his lifetime. The Supreme Court, which except for a few truly honorable ones who had or have shown some degree of independence will be filled with Arroyo appointees one or two of whom may stoop so low and hold the "parasol," to protect her from intense "heat." God have mercy on this benighted land. Ramon Mayuga, (by email), Essen, Germany, Nov. 20, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww The tragedy of Juan Ponce Enrile is that brilliant as he is in the same way that Marcos was, his loyalty like Marcos has never been to the Republic, to the Constitution or the people. Like all traditional politicians, that loyalty is directed only to himself and his political survival. Even when he turned against Marcos, it was not for the sake of the republic or the people but to save himself because Ver had gained the upper hand and he had lost favor with the Marcoses. He is the luckiest politician in the country today. For all practical reasons, he should have been tried for the crimes of martial law but because of EDSA, he was given a second chance but he has shown even at the earliest months of the Cory Administration where his loyalty was. In less than a year, he was already plotting to take power in the coup of August 1987� We need people with integrity to lead us Ray Dean Salvosa, (by email), Nov. 20, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Tony, Thanks for the very informative report about the Senate coup and JPE. Even I have been in the Philippines during some of the mentioned times, I did not know all of that. Regarding the Senate coup, it may be a partisan matter, or removing a presidentiable for their own chances, but for sure it was all blessed by Malacanang since in any way they would be the real winners. With the new majority, hardly the Senate will be able or willing to stop Chacha, especially since it will also benefit all sitting legislators by being able to postpone any election to far behind 2010, thus they can also stay in power like GMA. And it also looks that Lacson again will destroy any chance of a winning opposition by splitting the opposition votes, like against FPJ, even knowing that he has no chance to win the elections. Sometimes he looks, like Angara, as GMA's moles in the Senate, despite his fighting the Forst Gentleman. . Or is it that JPE again would try the same thing he tried against Marcos? Only, there is no chance since he is not at the helm of the military as in 1986. Again it shows how Filipino politicians put their own, personal wellbeing above anything, but all boast of being super democratic and of course pro poor. Kurt Setschen, (by email), Nov. 20, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Tony, Many will not say that the Senate change of leadership and the direction it has changed is a welcomed one. Yet, He works in mysterious ways & hopefully this is His working. I believe that every person has a streak of goodness in him/herself. I do pray that a miracle will happen for the better this time. I also believe that one of the many reasons why Philippine politics is VERY dirty is that there is no clear turnover of helm at the end of the politician's term. Often, or may I say it is SOP that when the politician's stay in office is due, somehow, the wife, son, daughter, niece, nephew or protege comes up front to carry on the cudgel of the lame duck politician. A worst case scenario is for a politician to change everything, at the risk of everybody just to stay put in power. Not surprisingly, this scenario will be supported by the henchmen and women of the lame duck politician, because they too shall be extended. They even line up to become "heroes of the hour in the politician's eye" and working to get a more influential, more affluent position then the task is done. Surprisingly, this scenario also get some support from some sectors in the public. May I offer a toast and a breath of prayer to Mr. Juan Ponce Enrile on his "last hurrah" Dodi Canete, (by email), Davao City, Nov. 20, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww WHY THE PHILIPPINES IS NOT MOVING FORWARD IS BECAUSE: IF "CON" IS THE OPPOSITE OF "PRO", THEN WHAT IS THE OPPOSITE OF PROGRESS? YOU KNOW WHAT? CONGRESS! Maria Delita Du, (by email), Nov. 21, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Hi, Tony! I read your column with great interest, especially the one today where you discussed a very interesting part of our country's history about the months that led to the ouster of strongman Marcos. You described the events so vividly that it seemed like I was reading a Robert Ludlum novel. I'm sure that, like me, your other expat readers enjoyed reading your historical piece. Thanks for sharing those events with us! There was something you mentioned that made me curious. You said that after you wrote then Sec. Enrile and Jaime Cardinal Sin about Pres. Cory Aquino's appointing left-leaning people into her government, Sec. Enrile invited you to a meeting in Camp Aguinaldo and there you met the heads of RAM. If you don't mind, I'm curious as to what transpired in that meeting. (Nothing earth-shaking. ACA) Again, my thanks for the lesson in history. God bless. Rome Farol, (by email), Highlands Ranch, Colorado, Nov. 21, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Tony, What is your guess? I am not that optimistic anymore. Regards and see you soon , Cesar Sarino, (by email), Nov. 21, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww The change in the Senate leadership is purely an exercise in partisan politics. That's all and nothing more. What we should pursue now collectively is the automation of the coming 2010 national election so we could minimize if not eliminate the dagdag-bawas scheme of unscrupulous politicians. It is about time that we support the effort of the present Comelec body to cleanse the election process once and for all. Arcy F. Sibal, (by email), Santa. Maria, Bulacan, Nov. 21, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww But now that he's the Senate president, and thus only a heartbeat away from THE Presidency, what is to keep him from destabilizing the government once more? GMA was and is naive. She may well have to step down before 2010. Regards, Butch Fernando Zialcita, (by email), Nov. 23, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww (Nov. 13, 2008) The CBCP are so out of touch with the people and so out of touch with what they are supposed to be,...so much so that even when truth and evil stares them in the face, they are blind and they failed to lead their flock when they were most needed....that is why when some members of the CBCP finally saw the light, after so long a time and after a lot more evil stared them in the eye, the people no longer wanted to listen. The failure of the Philippines is really a failure of governance and education, by all those who have the responsibility and capability: the Church, the Government, the Elite, the Teachers. Nonoy Yulo, (by email), Nov. 23, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww What could LOZADA have done s return all his "kurakots" and face the music and reveal all that he knows with enough evidence. His supporting JDVIII's proposal which is in itself illegal is absurd and disgusting. His crusade is like siding with JDV's Illegal act against PGMA's alleged illegal acts. Both ILLEGAL if true. Edgar Tabianosa, (by email), Nov. 23, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Tony, There are, quite clearly, good points to support charter changes, especially - or more particularly - in those articles that guide government should they draft international agreements or creating new economic policies . considering the shift in world economic superpowers we may have to update our guidelines or rules that our constitution presently dictates , so as to make us better equipped or flexible enough to adapt with the times. internally, With regard to our political structure and our system, there too is a need for change. Unfortunately, change is most difficult where many self interests become endangered by it - despite the advantages of such changes. And even while many actually see the benefits that can be derived that a charter change per se can bring , the fear of a GMA using this as an opening for a comeback of some sorts (same power, new name) pushes for a resistance rather than a bold change. The political agenda far outweighs the benefits . In short, Greed has arose as the basic consideration and GMA is perceived by many as main issue, not the benefits or disadvantage of charter change. Victor Manalac, (by email), Nov. 23, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww They talk of numbers on the issue of Gloria Arroyo's impeachment which means that if the majority of the members of the House of Representatives are loyal and/or indebted to her, there is no way that such move will succeed in spite of the preponderance of evidence and glaring violations of the Constitution and the Rule of Law. But should it be that way? What happened with the love for country? Does the word PATRIOTISM means anything to this so-called representatives of the people? Do they still believe in TRUTH and JUSTICE? The latter being a DIVINE ATTRIBUTE and the FOUNDATION of every VIRTUE? These Congressmen believe that since they have the 3 Gs and support of Malacanang, their stay in power is secured. It is very sad and unfortunate that many Filipinos don't care what will happen with the rest of the country as long as their Congressman provides dole out every now and then and hands out money during election time, that's good enough for them. Never mind if these " public servants " steal millions of people's money by way of commissions from the contracts and other transactions. No wonder, this benighted nation of ours is far behind her Asean partners and shamefully tag as one of the most corrupt countries in the world. I get misty eyed whenever I hear the song " Ako ay Pilipino " particularly the lyrics " TAAS NOO KAHIT KANINO " . But that pride is now beginning to wane because of the deterioration of MORALS and VALUES not only of our leaders but of so many Filipinos as well. God help the Philippines! Narciso Limsiaco Ner, (by email), Davao City, Nov. 24, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww (Forwarded to Tapatt by Hermes Trismegistos) Philippine Patriotism: Rumlings of Lemurian Awakening Bro. Erle Frayne Argonza, November 25, 2008 On the 30th of November, this republic will again celebrate National Heroes' Day, to commemorate the patriotic heroism of the late Andres Bonifacio, leader of the Philippine Revolution (1896). Like his fellow patriots Dr. Jose Rizal and Apolinario Mabini, Bonifacio became the Bearer of the Torch of Liberty, a sublime energizing 'torch' from the 7th Dimension (Plane) inspired by a Deity of that namesake, Liberty. The significance of this sublime Torch (to shorten it) is unknown to the hordes of somnambulists that now populate the islands and the entire Terra, a fact known only to very few wakened souls on the planet, both on the Light and Dark sides of the 'Force' (spiritual force). And even among the wakened ones, few know the significance of the Torch's descent on the erstwhile "small-time" archipelago, for such a descent�and its consequent incineration of the dark veils of the Collective Unconscious�is of epochal import to humanity and the Spiritual Hierarchy. The Philippines was carved out of the fragmenting Empire of Majapahit by a maritime power of Iberia, the Kingdom of Spain. No such unified entity as Philippines existed before, save that the totality of principalities governing the area were subdued one by one, and then declared as one single colony for efficient governance. Had the Spaniards just done their deeper research, an enterprise that they didn't possess than, they could have discovered that the islands were in fact a part of a larger entity�the Empire of the Malays�that was then the wealthiest ever known by the world till these days. The Empire, which covered a territory that was more or less as large as today's ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nation), was peopled by a seafaring race, of diverse ethnicities but united by the Emperor and his Princely scions who governed the various potentates. The Malay peoples were genetically bred thousands of years back, simultaneously with the appearance of the Aryans, from among a group of dark-skinned Lemurians, the result of which was a pedigree of lighter bronze-brown hue that looked like golden bronze in magnificent beauty when lit by the daylight of the Sun. As to 'who' bred the Malays, few surely know even among the wakened ones, but this much I can say: they were the same 'off-planet' force that bred the Aryans (Keltics being the first result) from out of their own gene pool mixed with existing races then (Aryans bred from Red-skinned Atlanteans). As sturdy and smart as their Aryan counterparts, the Malays survived the catastrophic phenomena that followed the end of the last glacial period, catastrophes that submerged the original subcontinental island of Maharloka ('great land') that they originally inhabited, a vast land over four (4) times larger than today's island southeast Asia. Maharloka was the center of a world empire or civilization of Mu, the greatest and wealthiest civilization ever on Earth, exceeded by the other entity Atlantis only in technological prowess and sordid evil. Upon Maharloka's sinking, so did that Flame of Civility of the entire Earth sink with it, bringing down likewise the vast treasures of precious minerals (gold most specially) accumulated by the Great Empire. It was Maharloka, whose very center of governance, commerce and spirituality was the area we now call Philippines, that bore the Torch all along, and this fact enabled a Great Balance in the Planet against the Dark Lords of Atlantis. Maharloka's people were largely a Warrior race, assigned by the Spiritual Hierarchy of Terra that sublime role, for two (2) reasons: (a) it had to guard the spiritual treasures ('jewels' of 'ancient wisdom') that guided all human philosophic, scientific, and esthetic precepts, and (b) it is the site, till these days, of the hyper-space gateway Portal to the galaxies and constellations beyond our Solar system. And so from this Great Land also came the Kingly Class that was to govern large parts of Terra. When the Majapahit Emperor and scions arrived on the historic canvass, it was hopefully the first attempt at wakening the mighty, gigantic 'spiritual force' of the entire planet. Centered first in today's Indonesia, the principalities in no time at all experienced awakenings in maritime technology, metallurgy, and alchemy, or those enterprises long dormant in the collective mind but which has always been present among humans. Enlightened souls then embodied among the princes and their families, new institutions began to flourish, High Culture of the Malays galvanized in no time at all, and then wealth multiplied in such paces unequalled today even by such much ballyhooed economic miracles as China's. The Evolved Souls in the Empire knew what their objective was: (a) to unite the entire Malays and friendly races under the aegis of one Great Civilization, and (b) to secure the Philippines which they knew was the bearer of the Torch not only for new Maharloka but for the entire humanity. If the 2nd goal can be well executed, humanity's march to the New Age of Light (satya yuga) can be done more smoothly, even as the entire Southeast Asia's might and spiritual power will be secured for many ages to come. But such a vision wasn't to be fulfilled. Among the prinzeps of the Emperor's very own home embodied those same troublesome souls that were responsible for internecine wars in the planet and evil experiments that accelerated the rise of sea waters and ended the Ice Age. Conflicts among the princes emerged for many decades that fragmented the Empire, till the Western powers arrived in the area to carve out their own respective jurisdictional boundaries in a vast region. The noble mission of an early awakening of the dormant 'spiritual force', through a noble descent of the Torch, thus ended in mighty 'fire and brimstone' of Europeans' canons. When all the principalities have gone a-sleeping, when all hope seemed to have faded, outbursts of rebellions echoed across the Spanish crown's colony. No, the Indios (Hispanic pejorative term for the islanders) never fully surrendered, natural warriorship embedded in the genes was always there to ignite the fires of rebellions, till eventually crescendos of rebellions were heard like loud classical marches all over the islands c. 19th century. Then arrived those Evolved souls�Rizal, Mabini, Bonifacio and those they led as a huge Team of heroes�designated by Hierarchy to lay the grounds for a future, kingly nation. Such a nation, which bears the name of an Emperor, Philip II of Spain, would be the inheritor of the Majapahit Empire, and will lead the way for others to ignite each of their flames of Liberty. The making of the Philippines hasn't been completed yet, for being the inheritor of the Majapahit, and likewise the center of Maharloka, it must emerge to wield the 'sticks' and 'treasures' of Hierarchy (wisdom) and the Elements (gold, wealth). But the patriots' carrying of the Torch continues till these days, thanks to the most ennobled virtues of the Triad of the Torch�Bonifacio, Mabini, Rizal. For as long as the patriots will bear the sacrifices and burdens of the Torch, a burden so huge as it is intended for the entire humanity as a whole, 'cosmic magic' they shall wield, until the Great Land will arise again in the future. Already, unseen hands have been moving from Above to ensure that sons and daughters of the late Majapahit Emperor will become presidents of the Philippines. From the House of Marikudo came the scion Manuel Roxas; from the House of Soliman�Emilio Aguinaldo, Manuel Quezon, Jose Laurel and Joseph Estrada; from the House of Lacandola�Diosdado Macapagal and his daughter Gloria Arroyo; from the Prince of Moluccas, Fidel Valdes Ramos; and, from the Ilocandia principality, Ferdinand Marcos. I have no doubt that the next president-elect will be another one of Majapahit descent, to fulfill His task in preparing the islands for its future role no matter if He is as sleep-walking as the great hordes of islanders. Finally, today, great events have happened that ensures the readiness of the Philippines to be once again the nexus of global prosperity and spiritual governance in the epoch now unfolding: (a) the recent transfer of the Planetary Chi from Glastonbury in England to Mt Banahaw in Southern Luzon (Phils), and (b) the opening of the hyperspace stargate portal above the Sunda template of Palawan (I witnessed the opening of the portal during two separate meditation visions early this year, 2008). Let there be no mistake: no one force can ever stamp out Philippine patriotism, no matter how rambunctious and chaotic this could be during certain junctures. For this patriotism is an energy-downloader of the Torch, and performs its role for the greater cause of igniting the 'spiritual force' of the entire Planet Terra. The time for the full awakening of such planetary force is near, and key to its awakening is the awakening of the Philippines' subsidiary 'spiritual force' (signified by a friendly Dragon). Hail Philippine patriotism! Hail Gat Andres Bonifacio and our beloved libertarian patriots! Hail the Majapahit Emperor and His Enlightened Scions! Glory be to the rising Maharloka, Lemuria finally cometh! [25 November, 2008, Quezon City, MetroManila] Posted by Erle Frayne Argonza y Delago at 3:16 AM wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear All, Once in a long while, a book comes our way which holds the attention of the right reader who "will be enticed to reflect upon himself and his society in a fresh light through the passion of ideas," Tony Hidalgo concludes in his appealing review of the prize winning Ilustrado authored by Miguel Syjuco. Cordially, Ben Sanchez, (by email), Nov. 25, 2008 A Review of Miguel Syjuco's ILUSTRADO By Antonio A. Hidalgo Ilustrado by Miguel Syjuco, the novel that recently won the MAN Asia Prize and the Palanca Grand Prize, is an exceedingly complicated and ambitious work. It tells many stories simultaneously by using many voices, two narrators who are also the main characters, a dazzling collage of invented material like excerpts from novels and short stories, learned social and political essays, TV shows, printed interviews, poems, letters, and the ubiquitous and anonymous school jokes and ribald stories that all of us get through text messages and E-mail correspondence. It is a mystery thriller, a historical novel of the Philippines and Filipinos spanning the last 150 years, a novel of manners of the Filipino ilustrado class, a political novel about the Philippines and its various diasporas, a deeply personal autobiographical novel, and a novel about two fictional gifted writers reflecting on Philippine literature. The main thread of Ilustrado is ostensibly the story of two Filipino writers in New York. Crispin Salvador is a larger-than-life fictionist and essayist who was once a literary lion. Born into a hacendero family from Bacolod, he roamed the world in his youth and later wrote an autobiography about his adventures with the internationally rich and famous. When time passes him by and he is largely forgotten, he retreats to New York, becomes a recluse, teaches literature, and tries to write a final masterpiece. Miguel, who has no surname, is his student who becomes his literary acolyte. Miguel also comes from a wealthy family that lives in Forbes Park, but he has chosen to run away from his emotional problems at home to find himself in Manhattan. He intends to write a biography of Crispin, his mentor, and doggedly hounds him to probe all the hidden crevices in Crispin's mind and heart. The novel begins with a prologue by Miguel about the discovery of Crispin's body floating in the Hudson River. The police don't know if Crispin was murdered or if he committed suicide. Miguel is deeply troubled by the mysterious death of Crispin and sifts through his belongings in search of a clue to what really happened. He finds nothing except the odds and ends of Crispin's life. His relationship with his girlfriend, Madison, finally dies at this time after much languishing. There is nothing left for him in New York. He decides to return to the Philippines to try to unearth the truth behind Crispin's death and to gather more material for the biography. On the plane trip home, Miguel muses with irony, thoughts framed by the return of the first ilustrados long ago: "Around me, in this tin can, my fellow travelers: we, the acquiescent, unaware insurrectionists, we who have left and returned so constantly throughout history our language has given us a name�balikbayan. Slope-shouldered are we, freighted by years of self-exile; hand-carries bulging with items that wouldn't fit in overweight luggage, all the countless gifts for countless relatives�proof our time away has not been wasted � These are my people. (Crispin once called them the 'splay-toed, open-hearted'.)" In Manila for the yuletide, the young writer reflects on his country and people and a pastiche emerges. There is a recollection of Crispin's imaginary interview: "Manila is the cradle, the memory, the graveyard; the Mecca, the Cathedral, the bordello; the shopping mall, urinal, discotheque. I'm hardly speaking in metaphor." And a passage from one of his books: "� We should embrace Traffic as part of our cultural identity, the way the French have their smoking and the Italians their womanizing �. Our chaos is as ordered as it is necessary. We cope. We protect ourselves. We learn the patience necessary in everyday life �. Happy are those who learn to enjoy it. It's better than a cockfight, and free!" Like Manila traffic, the novel's narrative congeals into ordered chaos. The time line is frequently disrupted with invented historical texts of the origins of the Filipino elites beginning with the migration of Crispin Salvador's Spanish great grandfather to the Philippines in 1860. History is merged with fiction through Crispin's stories of the Philippine Revolution in the 19th century. One of Crispin's characters, Cristo, returns home from battle after the Revolution has been defeated. His four young sons no longer recognize him. He shaves his beard and walks with his sons and his wife, Maria Clara, after dinner. On the spur of the moment, he invites his wife to have another child, to try for a girl, this time. Then he says: "We will become American. Our children will learn to speak American. When they are ready, we will send them there to be educated. Just as I was in Europe �. They'll return to make a difference." In Crispin's imagined autobiography, he alludes to the deterioration of the ilustrados from the heights of revolution to crass selfishness and greed when he writes: "Fittingly, my father's name was Narciso �. At one time, somewhere in the lineage before him, the name possessed the tragedy of the myth and the irony that such a name could be possessed by such a man so distinctly un-narcissistic. Upon my father, however, � the very act of christening him 'Narciso' authored a parody of a sacred sacrament, wherein one is named for his essence, his worst characteristic by which he would be forever remembered. In fact, he is belittled further as 'Junior' �. A self-fulfilling prophecy: try as he did, he was damned forever to be the tiny narcissus." With an unflinching gaze, the novel inexorably, albeit sporadically, builds a most critical profile of Filipino elites. The character of Miguel remembers that his mother bought a pair of jeans for P5,000 and paid her maid only P3,000 a month. At a dinner in Dasmari�as Village where he is introduced to the parents of his new Pinay girlfriend, Sadie, he records through dialogue the utter contempt with which Sadie's mother regards her maids. There is a scene of bitter bickering over inheritances in a family after the collapse of sugar prices in the 70s. And historical accounts of the many bastard children of the elites. Miguel begins to go out regularly with his young barkada to the nightspots and clinically records their superficial preoccupation with drugs and sex, including his own reversion to getting high. Through TV and the papers, he sees the country descend into chaos from politically-instigated bombings and the ruthless machinations of the charlatan Brother Martin of a charismatic Christian movement, the opportunistic revolutionary Wigberto Lakan, and the corrupt President Fernando V. Estregan and his ally, former general turned senator, Filimon Lontok. Within the gathering storm in the country, the novel examines the possibilities of high-minded action through the writings of Crispin, a bit like what Rizal's novels did. The writings are from different periods in Crispin's life and are contradictory. They cover the gamut of choices�from revolution to compromise to acquiescence to creating literature like Rizal's that would kindle social powder kegs. While the novel paints the large portrait of Philippine society, it simultaneously develops the personal quest of Miguel for the truth about Crispin. He talks to his sister and aunt and discovers a humdinger of a family secret that will send him on a lengthy odyssey for the roots of Crispin and what makes him tick. In the process, he is forced to confront his own bitter personal secret. All the stories are regularly interspersed with pop culture jokes about a promdi OFW called Erning Isip; colgelialas, Atenistas, La Sallites, and their foil, a poor student from the AMA Computer College; and the hilariously bawdy Boy Bastos. They lighten the essentially cerebral nature of Ilustrado. Like: "When Boy Bastos was still a sperm in Erning's testicle, he was already precocious. One day � he feels the current moving them forward. Boy Bastos � leads the pack. As he is about to shoot forth from Erning's shaft, he shouts, 'Go back, go back, it's only tonsils!' The next day, he feels the current moving again and leads the pack once more. At the last instant, he shouts again: 'Go back, go back! It's only condom!' The next day, the current flows, and Boy swims forward with anticipation, convinced this time must be his. Suddenly, he turns back, shouting desperately to the others: 'Go back, go back! It's shit!'" Using a wide variety of materials in a novel is often called bricolage�literally, construction by using whatever comes to hand. Its expert use in Ilustrado achieves several objectives. It imbues the novel with a wonderful makeshift and uncertain quality that evokes real life. It also broadens the canvas of the novel by using pop culture and sharpens its content by limning its characters and present realities with light from learned analysis of the past. Heteroglossia�multiple voices using different language registers�is also employed quite effectively by the talented author. Because the many voices in Ilustrado all ring true, what emerges is a large three-dimensional reflection of our country and of ourselves from various angles, including the views from our scattered diasporas. All the story lines converge towards the end of the novel. Miguel continues to be alienated from his parents and does not yet resolve his personal dilemma. One night, he and Sadie bail out of a nightspot from boredom to go to a party. It rains heavily and the streets flood. The lights go out in most places and they are stuck in frozen traffic near the Pasig River at the edge of Makati. The Pasig rises and they are trapped in Sadie's car. A factory across the river explodes like fireworks. Two street children float by their car atop an ice-cream cart. Miguel remembers Crispin's words: "You must choose sides. If you choose your own, you choose oppression, fratricide, indifference; you will never be content amongst your own. If you side with the others, you choose treason, patricide, betrayal; you will never be accepted amongst those unlike you �. What to do? Nothing to be done, Pozzo. You cannot sit this out. The airplane lands. The people clap. Take a bow. You're on the stage." While this is happening, EDSA 4 is going on at Malaca�ang. Lakan has taken hostages and threatens to kill them. The mob, egged on by Brother Martin over the objections of Lakan, attacks the palace. The national political storm coincides with the heavy rains and the crisis in Miguel's life that calls for action. In post-modern style, Ilustrado ends uncertainly, or perhaps, ends in several contradictory ways. There are several scenes where Miguel takes alternative paths with vague results that are written in soaring prose: "He thought, instead, not of how it began, but how it must have ended, of how it always must. That last final moment before going towards the light: the pinprick of dawn, the world turning on its side, the horizon vertical, the sun and the moon in the same sky �. Hearing someone sing your name, seeing faces to whom life will soon ascribe meaning, the discovery of your first word, the oblivion of not yet knowing there would ever be your last." The epilogue is a fitting ending to the chaos so ably rendered by the novel. It surprises, explains much, but also further nuances the multiple visions that abound throughout the book. The language of the denouement, by itself, is a singular achievement that is certain to satisfy readers. Ilustrado is metafiction in that it is often fiction about fiction. It is a most cerebral novel that dares to reflect the Philippines and Filipinos at so many levels and dimensions. Through virtuoso use of language and a dazzling array of fictional techniques, it achieves all of its lofty objectives. It is far too sophisticated to engage readers in the direct way of, say, melodrama, like Rizal's novels did. The right reader, however, will be thoroughly engaged by this novel, for he will be enticed to reflect upon himself and his society in a fresh light through the passion of ideas. It deserves all the accolades it has won. It is among the finest novels written by a Filipino. Perhaps, even by any writer. (Antonio A. Hidalgo was chair of the board of judges that unanimously awarded the 2008 Palanca Grand Prize for the novel to Ilustrado by Miguel Syjuco. Thanks to Syjuco, this review was also based on the slightly rewritten version that won the 2008 MAN Asia Prize.) Mr. Hidalgo can be contacted at [email protected]. OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO To subscribe, send a blank email with the subject heading Subscribe. To unsubscribe, send a blank email with the subject heading Unsubscribe. |
 |
 |
| ON THE OTHER HAND |