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| ON THE OTHER HAND |
| Devill�s Advocate By Antonio C. Abaya Written Sept. 11, 2005 For the Standard Today, September 13 issue In reaction to my article titled �Devil as Caretaker� (Sept. 06), a reader, who apparently is a graduate of the Philippine Military Academy, wrote the following in defense of Renato de Villa, the front man of the phony revolutionary caretaker government being promoted by Jejomar Binay and JV Ejercito. As the reader specifically wrote that his piece was �for Tapatt�s use only,� I have presumed that he does not want his name or email address to be revealed. His defense: �You are right. Devil is a misnomer for Sec. De Villa. There is nothing malicious in that nickname but only the fondness and endearment of mistahs. It has been a tradition in the PMA to call classmates by creating a nickname out of their last names. If your last name is Domingo, you will be Doming to them. De Villa is simply DeVill to them. �.. �But let�s go to greater things. De Villa may not have done greater things in our eyes because he was not in the position yet to do so. As secretary he was only an alter ego of the president. A spring cannot rise above his source. But he possesses the management skills and the right blend of brain and patriotism to be a successful caretaker. We don�t need cerebral people who are very intelligent in stealing and cheating and in lying from us. And very brainy in hiding their stolen people�s money and in fooling the people. Our leaders are asking the military to remain neutral, but who is using the ISAFP to raid for evidence which may be used to prove cheating in the last election. �All good men should unite to defeat evil in our land. If you are not in favor of De Villa, then propose a name. As a tactical move we should rally behind people who can change our rotten system and our trapo leaders if we are to see most of our countrymen out of their miserable poverty � and give dignity to our race and to the Land we love.� First of all, I must say that I do not enjoy bashing Renato de Villa, as I know him to be a decent and, until recently, well-meaning person. But he has, of his own volition, placed himself in a position in which he deserves to be bashed, for consciously acting as a front man, a willing dupe, for a bunch of scoundrels whose primary goal in setting up their silly �revolutionary government� is to escape prosecution for the plunder and unexplained wealth charges pending against them at the Ombudsman. I agree with Devill�s Advocate that we do not need cerebral people who are �very intelligent in stealing and cheating and lying�brainy in hiding their stolen people�s money and in fooling the people.� So what the devil is Devill doing, breaking bread with them, making common cause with them, and plotting to grab state power for them? Is this really the only way to �unite to defeat evil in our land,� by removing one set of crooks and replacing them with another set of crooks, this one with an established reputation for crookedness? Is this what they taught you at the PMA? I have also been informed that the communists and former communists are back in the so-called Unity for Truth and Justice coalition, which is the fancy name for the phony �revolutionary council� that Devill is naively fronting for. So now the Devill is serving not only irremediably crooked trapos but also unreconstructed and unrepentant communists. Doesn�t the Devill realize he is just being used and manipulated by his more cerebral puppet masters, to entice the support of the middle class and the military that they know that they, by themselves alone, cannot attract? Or is he really more�.ah�mentally challenged than he looks? In the unlikely event that this phony caretaker council succeeds in grabbing power, the Devill �revolutionary government� will be exactly like the Cory �revolutionary government� in 1986-90: a benign but na�ve and clueless head at the top, while at the next level below, chaos and confusion as the corrupt trapos and their kamag-anaks grab with impunity whatever they can grab, the communists hijack the faux revolution and append it to their on-going Maoist revolution, while middle-class do-gooders throw up their hands in frustration or commit suicide in despair. Devill�s Advocate dares me that �if you are not in favor of De Villa, then propose a name.� I have not asked them their permission to use their names (so, my apologies to them), but from the same military milieu that Devill comes from, I can name at least two: Senator Rodolfo Biazon and Rep. Roilo Golez., who have served honorably in both military and civilian roles, and with more distinction than Devill. Being more cerebral and discerning than Devill, both Biazon and Golez would know right away if they were just being used by power grabbers. I am sure both Biazon and Golez would want to be president someday, but not at the price of prostituting themselves in the service of corrupt trapos trying to avoid prosecution for their corruption.. And because of their principled ideological positions, which Devill obviously does not have, both Biazon and Golez would, I surmise, realize the sheer incompatibility and impracticality of leading a burgis government with several communists embedded in it. I have no problem with communists being part of ruling coalitions in a parliamentary democracy. But not while 9,000 of their armed comrades wage a simultaneous bloody revolution to overthrow the state and government. This is against all common sense and would not be allowed in Europe or Singapore or Malaysia or Indonesia or Thailand or Taiwan or South Korea or Japan. Onli in da istupid Pilipins. There is still time for Devill to reconsider his position and come to his senses by abandoning the shady company that he presently keeps. In the meantime, he can read the reaction of other readers to his foolish enterprise. Reader Carl Cid SM Inting emailed: �I would like to make a minor correction on your piece on �Devil.� Renato de Villa finished a miserable sixth (not third or fourth, as I had written. ACA) in the 1998 presidential elections. Estrada won, followed by JDV, then Raul Roco, then Lito Osmena and his Promdi, then Alfredo Lim. Finally, in sixth place, garnering less then five percent of the total votes cast, was the poor �Devil.� The man is unelectable. No wonder he has to pursue extra-constitutional methods to become head of government. � �..Today you have articulated my misgivings. We cannot trust an opposition that is led by trapos and communists. Supposedly upright persons such as �Devil,� Abat, Susan Roces, Cory Aquino, or even the good Bro. Armin Luistro, may seemingly have good intentions. But they are patsies who can easily be manipulated by seasoned conspirators. �I even have doubts about the purity of intention of some of these figureheads. Some, like �Devil� or Abat (which means an evil spirit in Cebuano) may have delusions of grandeur. Others may be out for vengeance or to settle old scores. Others may just be dimwits playing with fire. But I am sure that the trapos and the communists have clear objectives, which they hold closely to their chests�.It smacks of a naked power grab to me. �I have no sympathy for Gloria Arroyo, but we have to be patient to prevent this band of thugs and schemers from taking over�..� Reader Jose Genato emailed: ��If Mr. De Villa (Devil) really wants to head the next government, if ever, he must be credible and not associate himself with the two thieves you mentioned, because if he does align himself with them, then he, too, is a thief�..� Reader Juan Deiparine emailed: �That is an excellent banner for today�s column since the devil is, indeed, in the details. Rene de Villa, Susan Roces and Cory Aquino are being used as deodorants of a nefarious gang. Under the camouflage of motherhood statements and half truths, the true devils-incarnate are lying in wait. These are communists like Satur Ocampo, Beltran, Casino and Renato Constantino. And corrupt politicians like Binay and Zamora�.. �The mentally-challenged Rene de Villa is a pathetic figure in all this. He never managed to achieve anything without the patronage of Fidel Ramos, yet was deluded into thinking that he had some sort of manifest destiny��I agree that Gloria Arroyo is a trapo and a micro-managing crook. I believe that she has to go. However, I do not believe in taking her out through an ad-hoc aggrupation whose most remarkable feature is that it is composed of divergent forces tugging in different directions. That is a formula for disaster and chaos�..� Reader Erineo Cabahug emailed: ��.The irony about De Villa�s situation is that he is fronting for some of the very same trapos who made life so difficult after Marcos. And for the communists who have been murdering soldiers of the AFP for the past 60 years�..How will (De Villa and Abat) explain (to the military) the contradictions in their new cause? How can they sell the idea that the country�s worst enemies are now its best friends?�..� The full texts of their reactions, and those of others, will appear in www.tapatt.org.***** Reactions to [email protected] or fax 824-7642. Other articles in www.tapatt.org. OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO |
| Reactions to �Devill�s Advocate� Dear acabaya, I always read your articles. You wrote about Renato de Villa recently. He is out of the military and I dont think he can organize a coup. Do you think there is somebody right now, a young active general or colonel who can muster enough strength and armed might to oust this present president and eradicate corrupt military leaders, ala-Musharaf of Pakistan? I am sick and tired of hearing about people power, impeachment complaints, legalese gobbledygook, return of Marcoses, Eraps, Cory kamaganaks. If this leader comes to power, all he needs is to rule ala-Lee Kwan Yew or Dr. Mahathir. To tame corruption, just execute by firing squad this Gen Garcia who wantonly stole the peoples money. We utterly need some drastic example of real governance. Why, if GMA can execute this Gen Garcia, she can be the shining example of a Pinoy Lee Kwan Yew or Dr. Mahathir. Coup from within is acceptable. All others will fall into line. No need to reply. I like reading your articles. Maybe, I was able to contribute a mind-boggling idea. Jobo, [email protected] September 12, 2005 MY REPLY. As far as I know, neither Lee Kwan Yew nor Dr. Mahathir ordered the execution of anyone. But they did exercise strong leadership to the full extent of the law. wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Really, "onli in da istupid Pilipins".... Where is the outrage of legions of decent and more discerning kababayans to this foolish - and dangerous exercise? Where? Where? Where? Tom and Ruth De Guzman, [email protected] September 13, 2005 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Does this mean five more years with GMA, Mike, Mikey and Iggy Arroyo ? Does this mean Garcillano will still be enjoying the fruits of his labor? Does this mean JDV and FVR will be our next leaders again ? Does this mean that it�s okay to cheat in elections ? GOODBYE PHILIPPINES. I know of Filipinos who have migrated to other countries and have burned their passports in sheer disgust with and shame of their former country. I hope there aren�t more. Bombing Moll, [email protected] September 13, 2005 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Good day, Mr. Abaya! I am taking the liberty to react, being a recipient of your commentaries. On Biazon - I admired the man ever since I saw him driving alone in an old, dilapidated car without aircon, on All Saint's Day along Sucat Road. We ere stuck in traffic side by side. However, his frequent remarks about discontent among junior officers, true or not, is, in my view, a discreet agitation disguised as a concerned reminder. When he was Cory's AFP chief, he used to warn rumormongers to refrain from fanning the fires of discontent among the soldiers then under his command. Now he is doing the very same thing he used to sneer at. Also, he has become a balimbing - opposition to administration and opposition, in a span of what, four short years? Thanks for hearing me out, sir. Mabuhay! Jojo Labayen, [email protected] September 14, 2005 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Tony: Thank you for the kind compliments. More power to you and all your advocacies. Roy Roilo Golez, [email protected] House of Representatives, September 14, 2005 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Sir I do not know how my e-mail address got into your mailing list. Not that I am complaining, just pleasantly surprised that I recently am receiving your articles thru the net. I welcome the knowledge gained from what you write on various topics. This is actually a reaction to some of them and not specifically on a single article. I request that you withhold my name because I�m an active member of the military and we are not privileged to give personal opinions regarding the government on a public forum such as your column. Thank you sir. On GMA I am not a big fan of GMA. In fact, I was hoping she wouldn�t be re-elected. It�s the Cory era once again, another �na�ve and clueless� figurehead-of-state. The only consolation is that with her, FVR and his honchos could still pull some strings to prevent another Erap from holding the highest office. But since she�s the duly elected President (?), professionally, I and scores of others in the military stand by her as our Commander-In-Chief until another democratic process, constitutional or extra-constitutional, names a new one (and I also qualify extra-constitutional as not unconstitutional). It is not a difficult decision given the choice between GMA and those shady characters composing the �caretaker� or �revolutionary� council or whatever fancy name they want to call themselves in order to mask their sinister intentions. Further, it would be easier to prove to some people that the world is flat rather than Gloria-Garci et al committed election fraud. On PMA and Darwin Lastly sir, I am a graduate of PMA. It pains me to see the name of my Alma Mater being dragged, time and again, in political issues because some former plebes are dipping their hands in this septic tank we call politics. These future military leaders in PMA are not trained to overthrow governments they don�t like nor are they imbued with messianic complex. Simply, the highest form of idealism and personal honor, often misunderstood and viewed as surreal by an outsider, is being practiced as a way of life during the four years in PMA�s hallowed grounds. Sadly, because of this sense of idealism and honor, graduates also acquire some sort of na�vet� with reality and coupled with obedience training, they are easily manipulated and fall prey to some charismatic leaders with their rhetoric promising to deliver the ideal world they once knew in PMA. I am sure, sir, that you are aware of the fallacy that the validity of the median is often tested at the extremes (or is it hasty generalization?). Saying PMA trains putsch leaders is like saying UP trains communists. How come UP has never been an issue when her graduates are at the forefront of the communist movement? Many PMAers still cope with the real world and like any average individual, learn fast that one cannot trust everyone like they do in PMA. A few rotten eggs do not represent the whole bunch. Even the great biologist, Charles Darwin, surmised that random mutation makes one individual slightly different from the rest of the species. Although I haven�t gone through all your articles, I enjoyed those that I have read and will continue to sift through the rest. They�re just too many. I admire your views and I share most of them. I hope to continue receiving your articles, really appreciate it, sir. Best regards. A Major in the AFP (Name, email address and present posting withheld) September 15, 2005 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Kuya Tony, Kamusta ka na? I propose a name but it's for 2010, Senator Mar Roxas, do you agree? What is your opinion about him and his father as public servants? By the way, did you work for Procter and Gamble? My cousin insists that you were coworkers in the very same division...Thanks and keep up with the dissemination of facts... Bong L. Sempio, September 15, 2005 MY REPLY. Mar Roxas would be one of several politicians who would be a likely contender for the presidency. But I think we should also look into other possibilities from among the non-politicians. In reply to your question, No, I have never worked for Procter and Gamble. wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Mr. Abaya: Thank you for including me in your loop. I have been receiving your emailed articles and I really like them a great deal. In fact, I still wonder how I came to be part of your loop. Anyways, I hope more and more people will be reached by your writings. I may not totally agree with all of your ideas and opinions but overall, your impartial writing makes me more aware of what's going on in our political system on one hand, and challenges to my otherwise conventional beliefs, on the other. You have written so much about our brand of politics. And you would probably agree that somehow, our middle-class is confused if not indifferent to what is going on at the helm of our national government. My question is, apart from the Devill, the trapos, GMA, and all the obvious skalawags and misfits in government and politics, who do you think would be our messiah after all these are said and done? Are there some "Salvadores" rather than the countless "diablos" in our land who may fit the bill? Honestly, I can not think of any. The good and respectable ones seemed to have passed away e,g, Yorac, Roco, etc. In the Private Sector, we seem to be blessed with excellent executives and managers. Can't we somehow clone them in government? When can we totally change? Everybody seems to know the problem but what is the solution? As a country, do we really have a scarce supply of leaders with integrity? Ganoon ba ka walang hiya yong mga TRAPOS natin? And how do they mirror to our image as Filipino people? If I were a top government official in this country today, I would definitely be ashamed to face foreign dignitaries and I would not be proud of my position either. Do you think it's possible for this country to evolve a culture of governance where there is indeed honor to be in government service? Can we envisage a scenario where if you are a government official or employee (elected or appointed), another person would sincerely rather than sarcastically exclaim a big "wow!" and perhaps envy your position? I definitely do not feel that way towards the people who work in our government today (from top to bottom!). May pag-asa pa ba ang bansa natin the way things go? My answer is "I don't know". It would be great to know your opinion and your own foresight in light of what you know to be the status quo. I think that for positive change to take effect, the status-quo has to be shaken, not only in the area of government and politics but also us as Filipino people and our society as a whole. I don't know how. Other countries had to go through civil wars before they could change. Do we have to wait for a bloodshed to realize change? One thing for sure - We need a change agent - a real leader who can effect the necessary changes. Is he or she born already? Does our educational system produce those kind of leaders? Do our institutions like the church help in effectively inculcating the necessary values to produce those kind of leaders? Or do we have enabling institutions in the first place? I have no religion but don't you think majority of those skalawags in government profess to be Christians? WHAT'S WRONG WI TH US FILIPINOS? Saan ba tayo nag kulang? Like you said, ONLI IN DA PILIPINS. So many questions but to be honest, I do not know the answers myself. (Name and email address withheld) September 14, 2005 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww The Real Role and Motive of Cory Aquino Hi Tony, I am just wondering as to the real role and motive of former Pres. Cory Aquino in the opposition's call for GMA's ouster. One moment, she was asking everyone for sobriety and follow (her) 1986 Constitution. Next, she asked GMA to make the ultimate sacrifice by stepping down. Then, she attempted (?) to instigate another EDSA. Actually, before she went on TV to ask GMA to resign, she had a meeting with GMA, and she said there was no shouting (contrary to some reports). Could it be that she is GMA's Trojan Horse, and that their meeting was to discuss a grand plan? It would really work well for the administration to have her "join" the opposition, and to her benefit as well. The fruits have already been reaped. Satur Ocampo and other leftist militants were always demanding justice for the victims in Hacienda Luisita. Before she went to the Batasan for the votation on the impeachment case, some militants went to her house to demand justice. It was Satur who came to her rescue, and he even promised to talk to Cory regarding their plight but they should disperse peacefully. She succeeded in breaking the militants' rank with no less than the leftist leader coming to the aid of a capitalist feudal landlady. And within the opposition's bandwagon, she managed to cause some uncomfortable situation among their leaders. When she called for sobriety and adherence to the Constitution (before she called for GMA's resignation), Erap called her call rather hy pocritical. She was still then seen as GMA's supporter. Her joining them may have helped in dividing the opposition. Would the Marcoses and their loyalists be comfortable with her presence? Would the military who staged coups against her be supportive of her? Enrile was already ousted from the minority in the senate, and Angara who always supported FPJ is on the brink of ouster as well from the minority. At the Batasan, when the impeachment case was shot down, Susan Roces (who was seated beside her) and other people in the gallery shouted in dismay. Cory was just smiling. If in case the impeachment case was approved, and GMA is impeached in the Senate, she may be included in a caretaker government. In that scenario, perhaps it is also a part of the plan, she will call for leniency towards the Arroyos. It can be noted that before she made her call, GMA was already besieged from almost all sides, and the president really badly needed a fallback just in case. Felipe Rommel Martinez, [email protected] September 14, 2005 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww. Tony, I wrote the following note to a friend who asked me why I was not at the Ateneo last Tuesday. After reading your column on Devill, I realized that my stand was so superficial because it was based only on my feelings towards those leaders whom I had interest in and not on those who barely rose to my consciousness such as Susan, De Villa and of course Binay whose malevolence is evidenced all over Makati. ___________________________________________ Of course I can't stand Gloria but I can't reconcile my distaste for her with my distaste for the civil society which now wants her out but was responsible in a large part for having put her where she is in the first place. These holier than thou people- witness the peace bonds authored by Soliman, Songco & co.- now act like women scorned. For that matter, Ramos would not have been President and Erap may not have been replaced without Cory's active intervention. Then look at all those flag waving reds, themselves as corrupt as any other pro-poor sector, up there sharing the same stage. Perhaps if Cesar Purisima and other business types took a higher profile and more active stance and everybody in the opposition were to manifest that they (Purisima, Santos, Lina.... ) would take over the running of a/the new government, we business types would be more inspired to sign up. But not until (Oh, Jimmy Ongpin, why did ye leave us?} then.>>> ___________________________________________ Thank you and your readers for dissecting the stuff below the surface. I don�t know about Golez but based on what you say about Biazon and having been mightily impressed by Biazon Jr. on radio and TV, the Hyatt 7? 6? (net of these civil society types) should get together with Biazon and the Makati Business Club sans Bill Luz and Joe Concepcion. Francis de Borja,[email protected] September 15, 2005 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Mr. Abaya, In the final analysis, what "Devill" and company are hoping for is for the military to move in against Gloria Arroyo and finish the job for them. And then, they hope that the military quietly goes back to the barracks as their cabal, rather conveniently, takes over the government. My friends in the military, many of whom are junior officers, do not seem to share the same sentiments. Rightly or wrongly, they feel that they were given the wrong end of the stick after EDSA 1 and EDSA 2. They feel that they were the decisive factor in the removal of both Marcos and Estrada. They were like a genie brought out of the bottle to grant Cory Aquino and Gloria Arroyo's wish of deposing the existing head of state and taking over the reins of government. Because they are citizens and stakeholders of this country, the military hoped to see progress and good governance in return for their noble gesture. Consequently, they are as immensely disappointed as the majority of citizens with the outcome of both EDSAs. After being severely let down twice, will the genie calmly return to the bottle if it is brought out once again? My own feedback is that the military has learned that politicians cannot be trusted to run the country. Having said that, I must add that the military has been subjected to so much politicization and corruption for the past 40 years that the idealists and the professional soldiers are in the minority. While Marcos began the intense politicization of the military, Cory, her kamaganaks and trapo allies also cultivated and politicized their own coterie of military officers. The same is true of FVR, Erap and GMA. So if military intervention is to occur, it would have to come from a maverick group of officers. To make up for inferior numbers and logistics, this group will have to strike swiftly and deliberately in order to have any chance of success. While this is possible, its probability is remote at the moment. But it does not preclude this from happening in the future, especially if the political and economic situation deteriorates further. In this context, Cory, "Devil" and Abat are hoping that the officers they once cultivated and patronized are still influential enough, and obligated enough to them, to carry out their wishes for a coup d' etat. And, furthermore, to install their junta of trapos and communists to rule the country. This wish was also articulated by the na�ve Bro. Armin Luistro, who is a minnow swimming with the sharks. My advice to the good Brother is to be careful what you wish for, you just may get it. But will the genie meekly go back into the bottle this time? Carl Cid S.M. Inting, [email protected] Cebu City, September 15, 2005 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Sir Tony, I assure you, Sir, that I am no fan of crooks and if there is a revolution against crooks and bloodsuckers of the people, I would gladly join it. I am with you 100% in principle, our only difference maybe is in our strategy to win this fight. If I doubt the Opposition's (to mean those opposing the present administration and not the political party) capability to win at present, I would doubt more if they divide themselves before the battle. All things being constant, numbers and logistics will play a decisive role in victory, be they in politics or in war. Assuming the Opposition succeeds can they not straighten things up? As caretaker and head of Government and as a former military officer, De Villa will command respect from the military than either or both Binay and Ejercito. Can they then dictate on De Villa? I don�t think so. Lest I be misunderstood, I do not speak for Sec De Villa; he does not know me. I am also not a member of the military. This is only my humble contribution to remedy our situation. There are some questions of life and death that are bugging me now - can we succeed if we divide our ranks now? If we don�t succeed, how much suffering would the majority of our brethren who are less fortunate than us bear? How many more Flor Contemplacions and Juan le la Cruzes would seek work in foreign lands, enduring the long absence of their loved ones only to be beheaded there. And where would be our honor and dignity as a people and as Christians who can discern right from wrong but have chosen to do nothing? It is not true that the Constitution is the highest law. God's law and our right to self-preservation are higher than that. Sen Biazon and Rep Golez are also good leaders and either of them, I believe, can ably steer out our country from disaster and misery. Ben Entico, [email protected] September 15, 2005 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Sir: From what I have read from your columns and from the statements issued by De Villa, Cory Aquino and Bro. Luistro, the "transition government" wants to incite the military to overthrow the present government. Failing to deceive the middle class and raise the numbers to create an "EDSA moment", this pathetic assembly of has-beens, crooks and provocateurs are now exhorting the Armed Forces to revolt. I have no objection to the military taking matters into its hands, provided it does not hand over government to that assembly of incompetents and thugs. However, to be realistic, what are the chances that the military will mount a coup in the near future? From where I stand, the military looks to be as fragmented as Philippine society. Where are the RAM boys? We hardly hear of Gringo nowadays. Others, like Billy Bibbit and some generals, use coup threats as a bargaining tool. Ping Lacson's prominence in the opposition, while bringing in some of his former subordinates, also has a splintering effect because he has antagonized many of his peers. On the whole, RAM no longer seems to be a factor. Its members have become either fat and contented, or lost clout, or become largely apathetic. Fidel Ramos, although probably still a respected figure, has been out of the loop for too long. Just like De Villa and Abat. Cory Aquino hid behind FVR's pants for the most part of her Presidency, although she was not above cultivating her own set of military officers, among them the Abadia brothers and Voltaire Gazmin. But Cory has been out of the loop even longer than FVR, and her loyal officers are mostly retired, so her influence with the military is even less than FVR's. Among the junior officers' organizations, YOU seems to have been co-opted, while Magdalo seems to be internalizing its struggles. And YOU(New Generation), seems to be more sizzle than substance, at least for the present. So we are left with unknown, faceless idealists who are probably calculating their moves. For the moment, it may be counterproductive for them to make a move and expose themselves. So they lie in wait. These soldiers are not beholden to the Aquinos, the Ramoses, the De Villas or the Abats. These are soldiers who, like most citizens, want to see the country develop and prosper because they care about their future and their children's future. After having seen the failure of EDSA I and EDSA II to bring any progress and development to the country, will these soldiers gamble the future of their children simply because they are agitated by this band of thugs and nincompoops? I think they will continue to lie in wait for the right time. And this time, they may not be willing to take a passive role in running the affairs of state. I cannot blame them. Your articles make a lot of sense, Mr. Abaya. You are one of the few who scratch the surface and ask the hard, pointed questions. May your tribe increase. Juan Deiparine, [email protected] Toril, Davao City, September 15, 2005 OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO |