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| ON THE OTHER HAND |
| Gringo - Nation Wrecker By Antonio C. Abaya August 13, 2003 For more than a year now I have been told by some friends that there was a group of young officers in the AFP that has been meeting and discussing the state of the nation and that this group was seriously moving towards some kind of flashpoint. I tended to dismiss the stories because I didn�t think there were enough angry young men in the military who were both pure in their idealism and at the same proficient in their military craft to pull off a successful coup against the admittedly corrupt and incompetent civilian governments from 1986 onwards. I recall that in the August 1987 coup attempt, led by Gringo Honasan and some of his now co-accused in the Oakwood mutiny, the RAMboys were incurable blabbermouths who bragged to their CIA friends about their impending coup against Ferdinand Marcos as early as November 1985. (This is an anecdotal commentary on Filipino culture: the CIA officers had become ninongs to some of the RAMboys� children, so a bond had formed between the American spooks and the coup plotters, which bond, the Filipinos apparently assumed, included unspoken pledges of confidentiality.) No such cultural ties bound the Americans, of course, who forthwith informed their station chief, who then informed Marcos, about the planned coup. Which explains why Gringo�s assault on Malacanang had to be moved from November to February 1986. That their grab for power was later foiled by the unexpected rise to prominence and then to power of a woman - a mere housewife, at that - must have grated on the macho Gringo. But the purity of their motives became questionable and suspect when it became apparent that the goal of the exercise was to install then Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile as head of a civilian-military junta (15-man then as now) for a period of six months, after which elections were to be held which would have legitimized Enrile as president. In the December 1989 coup attempt, again led by the tireless Gringo, a bigger cast of characters became involved, including several prominent politicians (besides Enrile) as well as some big-bucks businessmen. The goal again was to remove the offending woman from power and install a real macho government, although I am not sure if Enrile was meant to be The Boss the second time around. So in both coup attempts in the 1980s, idealism was not a credible motivation. They were naked power grabs, pure and simple. So also with the aborted Oakwood mutiny and coup of 2003. It was another power grab by the tireless, and now tiresome, Gringo, a self-proclaimed presidential contender who does not want to wait for the May 2004 presidential elections because he does not think he can win it, especially if President Arroyo were to run for re-election. In his ho-hum, amateurish National Recovery Program, Honasan devoted the most space to Peace and Order as the priority concern of his NRP. Wrote he: �We cannot develop as a nation as long as lawlessness is prevalent in our society. Economic gains, if any, will be negated and domestic/foreign investments and tourists will be discouraged to (sic) come in�� He should know. In the aftermath of Honasan�s 1989 coup attempt, the GDP of the Philippines, which was already at 5.95% for the year, dropped to 3.1% in 1990 and crashed below zero in 1991. Thanks to him, the country lost billions of pesos worth of foregone production, lost or foregone investments, lost tourism income, and hundreds of thousands of Filipinos lost their jobs or suffered drops in their incomes as their employers cut down their businesses or closed them completely. Not even the Abu Sayyaf or the kidnap-for-ransom gangs did as much damage to the economy of this country as have Honasan and his crew, who easily qualify as the most pernicious lawless elements in our society during that period. And did he ever show any remorse, and was he ever punished, for what he had done to this country? No. On the contrary, he was glamorized by media, especially by menopausal women columnists and editors who had hot pants for his rugged good looks. He and his crew were amnestied by the wimpy Ramos �30-push-ups�Government, which signed a �peace agreement� with the RAM which in effect said �we will not hit you as long as you promise, please, not to hit us� (even if you are guilty of genocide, sodomy or non-stop singing with Kris Aquino.) And, to cap it all, he was allowed to run for, and win, a seat in the Senate. Filipinos, specially the masang tanga, have not only a short memory, but a superficial moral sense, as well. No sin is so great that it cannot be forgiven and forgotten as long as the sinner has showbiz-quality good looks. This was apparent not only in the 1987-89 putsches and the Erap counter-attack of May 2001, but in the Oakwood mutiny of 2003.. I honestly cannot imagine anything as obscene as this happening in South Korea or Taiwan or China or Vietnam or Malaysia or Singapore or Thailand. Well, maybe, Thailand. The Oakwood mutiny hit us, again, while the economy was doing reasonably well. GDP in the first semester was 5.6%, which some critics will say is not much, but which, these critics are unaware of, is actually higher than that of any other country in East Asia except Vietnam�s and China�s That GDP will likely drop in the third quarter and even beyond, thanks to the Oakwood mutiny and aborted coup, and thanks to the machinations of Gringo the Nation Wrecker. The only factor that cushioned the impact and hence saved the economy from more serious damage was the fact that the coup attempt failed to generate any sympathy from the general population and was squashed in less than 24 hours by swift and decisive government action. (In 1989, Gringo�s mercenaries held the Makati commercial center for more than seven days, while trapos and businessmen supportive of the coup, counting their chickens before they hatched, held a political pow-wow not far away to decide how they were going to divide the spoils. Only the intervention of two unmarked US Phantom jets from Subic saved the government of Cory Aquino from being overthrown.) But let no one be under any illusion that the Arroyo Government, having emerged triumphant, is now in the clear. As long as Gringo the Nation Wrecker believes that he and he alone knows how to save this country and is given the leeway to nurse and propagate that megalomaniac conceit, as long as the family and supporters of the criminally inclined ignoramus Joseph Estrada pursue the dream of his deliverance from jail and his immunization from prosecution, as long as sectors of Philippine media believe that their individual freedoms to write or broadcast anything they so desire is more important than the well-being of the collective whole, as long as corruption in government and the armed forces rages unabated and unpunished, as long as the natural idealism of young people finds no legitimate outlet in our materialistic and uncaring society�.no government, not even this government, is in the clear. ***** The bulk of this article appears in the August 23, 2003 issue of the Philippines Free Press magazine. |
| OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Reactions to �Gringo � Nation Wrecker� Thanks this, Tony. And may I endorse to you a couple more U.S. residents who would love to be in your regular email distribution: Becky Santos in NYC at [email protected], and Vittorio Lacson in SFO at [email protected]. I hope you will add them to your list, which is their ardent request. Cheers! Bobby Hilado, [email protected] August 18, 2003 �������������������� Tony -- I agree. Johnny Mercado, [email protected] August 18, 2003 ������������������������� well written Mr. Abaya and gutsy too. I'm slowly moving from apathy to slight hopefulness, that someone knows the status of things.....sorry to say though, lacking in more specific remedies that we could rally to.....thanks anyway........y.r. (your reader) Tinine Bautista, [email protected] August 18, 2003 .MY REPLY. For �more specific remedies that we could rally to,� I would like to invite you to visit the website www.tapatt.org. ������������������������� (Copy furnished) Bobby: Thanks for endorsing my interest in getting a copy of Tony Abaya's articles. I can share it directly with my other friends. ................ Becky Santos, [email protected] New York City, August 18, 2003 P.S. Is he related to General Abaya? MY REPLY: No. ��������������������������� (Through the CebuPolitics egroup) elr: with gringo's record for adventuristic flops, i wonder why supposedly bright young men in uniform cannot see through his bewhiskered smile and see the futility of launching coups. Eben Ramos y Lopez, [email protected] August 18, 2003 ������������������������ Tony � Bravo! Kenneth Wright, [email protected] Ayala Alabang, August 18, 2003 ������������������������� Bravo Tony. Regards Ding Alfredo Roces, [email protected] Australia, August 19, 2003 ..................................................................................... (Copy furnished) Thanks again, vivaracha friend! - in Spanish joyful. I knew both Max from way back and in media along the road to professional growth. Max used to be part of the staff and director of a magazine named SUNBURST where my wife was among the advertising space reps. Max was also a Journalism student in the Ateneo where I also took up the same course. Tony and I also go back since after his stateside studies and European journey by scooter...immortalized in his pamphlet EUROPE BY SCOOTER or similar words. To me that was one of the first of young guys I knew who ventured on their own across Europe in a scooter. Tony managed a progressive and eclectic bookstore that many avant garde Manilans frequented due to the quality of his book selections and records [tapes were still to come into being then] I admire Tony's incisive writing and even propose to have copies printed for Filipino high school and even college students - private and public to use as reference reading and to reflect on for it concerns often the country they are going to inherit when their time comes. Tony Joaquin, [email protected] Daly City, California, August 19,2003 ���������������������� Thank you for this article. It is true that Gringo and his crew were punished by the wimpy Ramos with only 30 push-ups. And this kind of "punishment" even earned them some "pogi" points. What was not publicized, though, was that Gringo and all his crew were given by Ramos, as part of the amnesty, back pays beginning from the time of coup to the time they were given amnesty. This meant that each of the putchists got big bucks. This is probably the reason why so many of them went into business and became big time (look at some of the RAMBoys holdings). On the other hand, the putchists got funds from rogue businessmen who supported them. This is a case of two hands getting full. Probably, Trillanes and his ilks are also expecting something like this. This may not be far behind, with Lacson and Gringo looming as presidentiables in this country, we may just wake up one day, Trillanes and his kind will be singing, again, with Kris Aquino. And our kind will forever lament for this country. Magno Sibulan, [email protected] August 19, 2003 ................................................................................................. Dear Mr. Abaya, I get some of your articles once in a while, courtesy of my friend, James Litton, and I would like to ask you for all your articles, published or unpublished, if you have hard copies of them. I am a busy woman and I don't have the material time to unload your articles from your website. I shall appreciate it very much if you can attend to my request, if it's not asking too much. Best wishes, M.V. Hamada, [email protected] August 20, 2003 MY REPLY. Sorry, I also do not have the time to send you hard copies of my articles. There are literally hundreds of them now. I suggest you access our website www.tapatt.org. The articles are indexed by date and title, and there is also an index of subject matters, so you can choose only those that interest you. ������������������������ Tony: Well said. Victor S. Barrios, [email protected] San Francisco, California, August 20, 2003 ���������������������������� Mr. Abaya, Great piece ! I agree fully with your analysis of Gringo. All these years I have been gritting my teeth against this Filipino-only-by-birth demagogue. He's the most unFilipino Filipino of this age. I wanted him shot in the head by a firing squad after that 1987 coup ! What can ordinary true blooded Filipinos do to straigthen this distorted values that you are describing...glorifying the evil-wielders ? Would it be possible to have this piece translated into Pilipino, Ilocano, Cebuano, Waray and other major dialects and disseminated free to the Filipino masa so they will be enlightened and realize that it is Gringo who did the most disastrous nation wrecking job ever in recent times. Better if it can be summarized in 30-second radio and TV clips and broadcasted all year round in non-Lopez stations. (Sana it was done for this 20th celebration of Ninoy's martyrdom). Indirectly Gringo is the cause of the many hardships Juan dela Cruz is suffering since, now and the foreseeable future. He has destroyed this generation and the next generation of Filipinos' dream of ever having a better life. I remember early in elementary days that there was a so-called Commission Against UnFilipino Activities. Whatever happened to it ? Shouldn't we resurrect it now ? More power to you sir ! Ernie del Rosario, [email protected] Cainta, Rizal, August 21, 2003 MY REPLY. Thank you for your kind words. The Committee on UnFilipino Activities � I think that was its actual name � was abolished from Congress many years ago as it was redolent of the anti-Communist hysteria in the 1950s, patterned after a similar phenomenon in the US Congress. ............................................................................................. (Copy furnished) Here is another straightforward - bullseye - no bullshit critical analysis of the "The Traitor Gringo's" nationwrecking proclivities - by respected columnist and founder of TAPATT - a non-profit, NGO, that supports transparency and accountability in governance. At the outset, though, I must stipulate that I take exception to one point in Tony C. Abaya's "Gringo, the Nation Wrecker", copy attached. I must quickly stress, that I do support his views about Gringo Honasan, as well as his critical analyses of lawlessness and crimes by "tradpols/trapos" not only being ignored, denied and forgotten with impunity, but actually rewarded; and the unwavering and insistent attempts of some members of media to romanticize and politicize the recent foiled and aborted coup attempts and turn these events and circumstances into an all-out campaign to "blame historical, current and every single political, economic and social problems on the GMA administration". I am not particularly endeared with the wherewithals of the GMA administration, myself. But there is such a thing as putting things and events in context and in the totality of circumstances. Bigoted journalism, regardless of what side it takes, only serves to distract the public attention, cover up and confuse the core and clear issue of and sanction for treason and treasonous acts. The foiled coup attempt by rebellious (if disgruntled mutineers) is a clear, obvious and undeniable act of rebellion. It is seditious, anarchic and terroristic, in and of itself. The acts or threats of violence against a established democracy is simply and clearly prohibited by the Constitution. But now comes the media shift of focus on - "But what about the complaints of the traitors, turned rebels with a cause, now mutineers, then misunderstood victims of power elitism, nepotism and all kinds of injustices in the military...blame it all on GMA..." And the equally diversionary concern for "But how come, Trillanes owns 8 vehicles?" Who gives a shit if Trillanes owns an Escalade-Cadillac SUV, a Hummer, a Pajero, a BMW, and whatever else? If he owns 8 vehicles, he should be tried additionally for plunder. But whether he owns 8, 1 or none at all should not deter from the main issue of TREASON, and he should be tried and if found guilty, sentenced and/or executed for treason. That is simple justice. If one is against "simple justice" because it is "too strict", then let him who proposes such a position to present "mitigating factors and elements" to the crime committed, to reduce the punishment for retribution. The issue as to whether the traitor's ulterior motives can be morally justifed and/or legally mitigated is not for media to sensationalize or romanticize. Nor is it for Congress to adjudicate. Judicial inquiries, investigations, adjudications of these acts of treason are properly the province of the military and the civilian judicial systems. I hold irresponsible, immature and bigoted media reporting accountable for stoking the flames of uninformed and confused ambivalence and polarization on an erstwhile clear and simple act of rebellion with its concomitant sanctions, rules, and judicial processes simply defined in the Constitution. Madakal ng sakit ng Pilipino media ito. I say, "panahon na" to hold media accountable for this kind of reporting. Some members of media who have alligned themselves with the opposition (defined as: "anything and everthing that got screwed up, is screwed up, and everything else that will get screwed up in the country are all the fuck ups of GMA and her administration), have done the Pilipinos a clear disservice with this purposeful bigoted reporting of the events that further obfuscates facts and the truth. As to the point of disagreement with Tony, on this article, I maintain a defensive, albeit, contrary view to his reference, allusion, or charge against the "masang tanga" for having "short memory and shallow moral sense," if by "masang tanga" Tony means the destitute, the impoverished, barely surving poor which accounts for at least 40% of the population - (a generous, yet self-serving estimate of the level of indigence and dire poverty in the whole country). I take the position that the "the indigent and the critically marginalized poor", rather than having "short memory and shallow moral sense", have been conveniently and irresponsibly mischaracterized by insensitive, pedantic, hypocritical and highly politicized members of the Philippine media, who survive and thrive on their subservience (i.e., "sip-sip") to the "power elites" who direct and control (i.e., otherwise, strongly influence) the news business of Philippine media, commerce and industry. I strongly maintain that anybody who perforce must suffer the "slings and arrows of outrageous (mis)fortunes", just to survive every breathing moment, ought not be held morally accountable nor blamed or chastised for remembering solely or keeping to memory only how to gasp for air. I challenge the best of all media deigning to act as the "people's conscience" in their journalistic efforts, to miss three meals in a single day while worrying where and when their next three will come, to write an accurate, fair and balanced account, of the most obvious reason for "bakit kumakain ang taong gutom?" Specifically, let them try to report on "why the rebels of July 27, 2003 ordered room service and signed chits while they were in the hotel waiting for their order to launch the coup?" Kung yung mga rebels nagugutom, "napilitan na daw umorder ng room service, maski na they have to sign chits and reveal their identities (wow!), yung pa kayang walang makain, araw-araw ? On another issue (for example), the insensitive members of the press and media who are also critical and quick and are lamely prone to blame this "masang poor" for "selling their votes" thus electing to positions of authority the "traitors of democracy" are just as treacherous and treasonous. If it is true that the poor masa really sell their votes, "sino ang dapat talagang sisishin"? The tradpols, (or trapos), like the remnants of the Marcoses-Romualdezes and their "tutas"; the Estradas, their "kamaganaks, kaibigans, kumpares and keridas" and their ilks and "sip-sips", as well as each and every "tuta ni Marcos who has become an old ranting, raving and rabid *asu* (asong ulol)" have all continued to keep the country's systems and its poor people hostaged through "election mockeries" that effectively rely and pre-emptively determine election outcomes through, "guns and goons and gold", none of which the "masang poor" has. Kaya, huwag ninyong sisishin ang mga mahihirap kung bakit nila pinagbili (daw) ang kanilang boto, (para may makain) samantalang, kayong naninisi thru media are conveniently forgetting, forgiving, denying, kung sino ang may pasimula ng ganitong kawalanghiyaan, and why, to begin with, napakadaming Pilipinong gutom. It is truly disappointing, to say the least, to read some members of the media continue to propagate the mindset that "kasalanan lahat ito ng mga mahihirap kasi binebenta nila ang kanilang boto," while the same media people get away selling their own "buto' - bu ' to" (sic). (buto' and bu ' to, yes). The only real, factual, and serious social problems of the poor is their inability to meet their basic survival needs, on their own. I submit that the only practical solution is for those who care, to extend unconditionally, "no handouts, just helping hands". And that is why I take special note and delight in pointing to the magnanimous, valiant, yet unpretentious efforts of the GAWAD KALINGA, through their direct positive intervention in alleviating the squalor among the "poor of the poorest", who have come to believe, accept and acquiesce to their lot of sleeping under the stars, as God's gift to the "poor in spirit". Pathetic. "Gawad Kalinga is a national movement which seeks to transform slums into decent and clean communities, to change the attitude of mendicancy to one of productivity, and to re-introduce peace as the primary feature of once troubled villages. Today, more than 200 areas all over the country are a developing template for social reform and transformation. And close to 6,000 new, decent and colorful houses for 7,000 surprised but appreciative families signal the beginning of a journey out of hell." ("Highway of Peace" - Jose Montelibano). Mabuhay ang Gawad Kalinga. In a similar vein, however, I also acknowledge and commend Tony Abaya for his courageous and poignant charge that the image and profile of Gringo Honasan, "The Nation Wrecker", "...was glamorized by media, especially by menopausal women columnists and editors who had hot pants for his rugged good looks..." A brave and honest commentary, particularly now as we see this same scene (with minor changes in supporting casts) being repeated and replayed daily, again and again, by the same mindless-heartless-gutless-irresponsible-unaccountable members of the Philippine media who insist on politically romanticizing and sensationalizing sedition and anarchy in a struggling democracy, for the truthful and simple reason that they canno "stomach GMA". Disgusting, height of hypocrisy. If I were pressed to spell out the single most serious social problem that has unrelentlessly and pervasively corrupted practically all branches of the government (executive, legislative and judicial), and its bureaucracies, I would have to say it is the "generous and self-serving tolerance for forgiving, denying and forgetting acts of lawlessness...with total and absolute immunity." ASIDE: (Alfred McCoy in his book "Closer than Brothers - Manhood in the Philippine Military has written a documentary analysis of how the "fists of suppressions and oppressions during the conjugal dictatorship of Marcos", have actually been rewarded with elective positions in the government. So too, Fr. John Carroll, S.J. has presented an excellent research work on the very issue of how and why the Philippines has continued to struggle as a "Nation in Denial".) Verily, the underlying ulterior motives behind this disguised "Christian" attitude come from differing levels of "economic obsessions" of each social and political unit in the nation's "power and influence grid". Divested of all trappings, however, in a third world (struggling to survive) economy, the obsession to acquire and perpetuate the possession of political power is fundamentally and irresistably based and attached to economic and pecuniary expectations. Pretenders to the throne can feign, fawn and froth in the mouth spouting all kinds of ideals, idealsim and ideological bullshit. Kuwarta. Kuwartang may Kahon. Kahong punong-puno ng Kuwarta. That's the bottom line. Power is sought only for its promise of economic vagaries. Since nakatikim ang mga military, no thanks to Marcos, they have become obsessed with "creature comforts", heretofore enjoyed by the oligarchs. Transitory and illusory ideologies and idealisms advanced by the pretenders to the various positions of power and influence in government are mere demagogueries embellished with their own fixation and greed. We quickly recognize these even from the most cursory readings and reviews of dialectical materialism: "For dialectical philosophy nothing is final, absolute, sacred. It reveals the transitory character of everything and in everything; nothing can endure before it, except the uninterrupted process of becoming and of passing away, of endless ascendancy from the lower to the higher." - Frederick Engels The Gringo Honasan copied (and disguised) National Recovery Project/Program accordingly and unavoidably, comes to the conclusion that *revolution (and not criticism) is the driving force of history, ( include religion, philosophy and all other types of theory)." Dumb, he did (not know); dumber, he thought he did. Without fully comprehending or believing the principles of "moral reformation"(and moral revolution) espoused and simply articulated in the ideolgy of Dr. Emmanuel Yap's - Moral Reformation Program - (from where Honasan copied with questionable permission his and Trillanes' now much bruited NRP masteral thesis) -Gringo Honasan has become an unpitiable hostage of dialectical materialism. Pasok ng pasok hindi naman naiintindihan ang ginagawa. Loser! I find the following excerpts from the "collections of thoughts about history and how it is recorded (from Engels and Marx)" relevant and appropriate to the issue of "fair, accurate and balanced" reporting and bodacious journalism. --------o0o------------- "Quotable thoughts and notes from Engels and Mark on how history is recorded". ----------------------------------- "History is the science and art of story telling. History presents itself in many forms, among them can be classified primary, secondary, and tertiarry sources. A primary source is concrete evidence created by a participant, subject, or obsever of an event. Primary sources can take different forms, some of which are more reliable than others. For example: a reporters dispatch in the heat of a revolution, versus the memoirs of the former ruler written decades later; a photograph versus an empassioned painter. Primary sources closest to the events and generally considered most reliable take the form of artifacts, photographs, audio or video recordings, and other media which allow for less bias than other forms. Second in ranking in terms of reliability can be found in journals, books, magazine and newspaper articles, speeches, interviews, surveys, letters, memos, and manuscripts. While each of these always present varying levels of bias, scope and interpretation, they represent the real, existing bias of that participant at the time. Thus, in a "true" canvasing of history, primary sources from a variety of positions are necessary. Lastly, memoirs and autobiographies generally introduce more bias and revisionism than works recorded at the time, due to fading memories and recent developments. Meanwhile, government and organisational records are a mixed bag, but generally help to provide an overall baseline of existing conditions. A secondary source is a historical work that interprets or analyzes historical events without having any direct connection to that event, but that largely bases itself on primary sources. An Encyclopedia is the best example of a secondary source that aims to be an objective summation of primary sources, while the diligent and dedicated historian also produces secondary sources for the purpose of sheding light on, and enabling an easier digestion of, primary source material. The last category of history is the tertiary source, and these works mainly rely on secondary sources or on other tertiary sources, to tell their story of history. "Popular" and strongly opinionated histories often take this form. " -----------------o0o--------------- Karl Marx notes: ''History does not end by being resolved into self-consciousness as spirit of the spirit", but that in it at each stage there is found a material result: a sum of productive forces, an historically created relation of individuals to nature and to one another, which is handed down to each generation from its predecessor; a mass of productive forces, capital funds and conditions, which, on the one hand, is indeed modified by the new generation, but also on the other prescribes for it its conditions of life and gives it a definite development, a special character." " It shows that circumstances make men just as much as men can make circumstances." Let me end with this thought from Frederick Engels: "It is self-evident that where things and their interrelations are conceived, not as fixed, but as changing, their mental images, the ideas, are likewise subject to change and transformation. They are not encapsulated in rigid definitions, but are developed in their historical or logical process of formation." Concluding epiphany" Time to really rattle, shake and pull out the power elites' heads out of their insulated-isolated-pretentious-pompous-make-belief world of "blame it on the poor and uneducated, while, I-am-really-doing-it-for-the-mahihirap people's-own-good..." Our really poor, indigent and destitute kapwa Pilipinos do not have the luxury of time or resources for "attitude", media heroes, media heroism, much less, heinous journalism. That is why I take special personal delight and express hope in Philippine journalism whenever I read inspiring articles - written by a tunay na pusong pinoye - like this one by Tony C. Abaya. Can the Pilipino handle the truth about its own immaturity and intellectual dishonesty? Pepeton J'anton, [email protected] August 19, 2003 ������������������������� Tony, As you can see from the date on my email to Ellen Tordesillas, I actually got wind of the July 27, 2003, the day before. I note with keen interest a column written by Isagani de Castro in the aftermath of the July 27 foiled coup, that "the rebels might as well have sent out "RSVP" invitations to the coup." Gani pointed out that everybody knew about this "secret plan" before it was hatched. Some clandestine operation, huh? Unfortunately, Ellen did not respond in time for me to verify this "advance rumors" that I received. For info Pepeton J'anton [email protected] wrote, July 26, 2003 Subj: Unverified but ominous chatter of impending military unrest...AGAIN! Date: 7/26/03 4:50:29 PM Pacific Daylight Time From: Pusong Pinoye2 To: [email protected] Just got the latest "chatter" of a groundswell of military dissidents organizing a march in the streets, i.e., including a small band of military breakaways commandeering four hotels in Manila. This is from one source. Another source talked about the march or movement towards the EDSA Shrine including some religious members of the clergy, hand-in-hand with a few military personnel. The third source comes all the way from Mindanao. A group who prefers to be identified as "ILAGAS" claim that they have some of their "guardian brothers" actually participating in the March, as it is presently going on and being currently reported. SOME INSIGHTS: 1. The movement is intended primarily to DISRUPT OR PREVENT THE CELEBRATION AND DELIVERY OF GMA'S SONA (State of the Nation) DELIVERY on July 28, 2003. Why? No details. 2. The event has been linked to the recent meeting brokered by Pastor "Boy" Saycon of COPA, between Danding and Peping. The Cojuangco's "want to upstage GMA????" Why? What is to be gained?? No details. 3. COPA is involved. And so, too, will PPM (Pilipino Patriotic Movement) of Dr. Manny Yap....soon, other civil society advocates???? No confirmation. No details. QUESTION: Are these events really developing? THEORY: What are the chances that this event (if in fact it is happening), is really a STAGED SCENE TO PAVE THE WAY FOR THE DECLARATION OF MARTIAL LAW, OR A FORM OF IT???? Naturally, with this declaration, GMA will have to announce that "In view of circumstances beyond my control, and for the greater good of the greater number, I hereby reconsider my irrevocable declaration not to run...Yes, you may consider me a candidate for election 2004. And as soon as the immediate hostilities are contained, I shall lift the temporary state of emergency." What do you think? Pepeton J�Anton, [email protected] August 20, 2003 OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO |