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| How Not To Topple GMA By Antonio C. Abaya Written Oct. 09 2005 For Standard Today, October 11 issue That could very well have been the title of Korina Sanchez� program on ANC Channel 27 last Thursday. Oct. 6, when she interviewed Nicky Perlas and Boy Morales on what their organizations were doing to unseat President Arroyo. I do not know how to do it, but neither do Nicky and Boy, judging from what they said they were doing or trying to do. Nicky is chairman or president of PAG-ASA, an acronym meaning Hope, for a �spiritual and cultural movement� named People�s Assembly for Genuine Alternatives to Social Apathy. Hardly pronounceable, observed the articulate Korina. Hardly memorable either, as this senior citizen struggled to recall its full name. I had to access their website at www.truthforce.info to get the full name, which I kept on forgetting. This is a case where the acronym is more important than the full name, which was contrived to fit the acronym. Fair enough. But does PAG-ASA really offer much hope, not only in unseating President Arroyo, but, more importantly, in bringing about the New Jerusalem? The group�s core belief seems to be that there should be a �balance of power between economic, political and cultural forces� that will bring about the right values and new possibilities outside the political arena. It seeks to mobilize the citizens to fiscalize the government. And no matter who replaces President Arroyo, the group will remain outside the new government and its members will not accept any positions in it, assuming they are offered any. This was the flaw, said Perlas, of EDSA 2. Many civil society leaders who took part in EDSA 2 accepted jobs in the resultant Arroyo government and thus were compromised and co-opted. Not PAG-ASA. It will help unseat President Arroyo, through peaceful means only � it hastens to add - but will not join the government that succeeds her; they will instead continue to fiscalize this successor government to prevent trapos from taking over. This is consistent with Perlas� earlier statement, when he teamed up with Running Priest Fr. Robert Reyes at the EDSA Shrine, that �today�s revolutionaries should not be the beneficiaries of their revolution.� (See my article �Romancing the Middle,� August 02, 2005.) When Korina asked me for my comments towards the end of her program, I said that Perlas and PAG-ASA were hopelessly na�ve and that they will become victims of what I called �self-induced irrelevance.� If you have a vision of how society should be organized and are fired up enough by that vision to mobilize people in pursuit of that vision, then you should follow through to the logical conclusion, assuming enough people rally to your colors, and help seize state power so that your vision of society is translated into reality. Being content to just sit by the sidelines suggests a common failing of revolutionaries, real or pseudo, the inability to implement their own grandiose plans. As I asked in my August 02 article, �Would Lenin�s Bolsheviks have waged their bloody revolution, only to turn power over to the Mensheviks? Would the Viet Cong and the North Vietnamese have sacrificed two million of their cadres only to hand state power to the self-immolating Buddhist monks?� Of course not. With such a limp and spineless political line, PAG-ASA has no hope of attracting sufficient warm bodies to their cause to be able to unseat President Arroyo. Boy Morales spoke about their new political movement called Solidarity, which took the place of the short-lived Unity for Truth and Justice last September 08. (See my article �Truth and Justice,� July 24, 2005.) He gave no explanation for the change in name. Except, perhaps, that Evangelist Eddie Villanueva and Sen. Ping Lacson are in Solidarity but were not in the Unity for Truth and Justice coalition. But he himself admitted that they were having some unresolved problems with both Villanueva and Lacson, and that Susan Roces had begged off from joining Solidarity. So Solidarity is down to the basic core groups of the Unity for Truth and Justice coalition, which are the Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (Erap�s rah-rah group headed by Morales himself), the United Opposition (opposition trapos headed by Jejomar Binay) and Bayan (the umbrella for the front organizations of the Joma Sison�s Communist Party of the Philippines or CPP). The choice of the name Solidarity is ironic, even blasphemous. Solidarity (or Solidarnosc in Polish) was the organization formed by electrician Lech Walesa in 1981 in the Gdansk Shipyards in northern Poland, which became the de facto opposition to the Communist regime. It also became the role model and key organization in the collapse of all the Communist regimes in Eastern Europe in 1989, and eventually in the collapse of the Soviet Union itself in 1991. Boy Morales was co-founder (with ex-SVD priest Edicio de la Torre) in 1972 of the National Democratic Front or NDF, which is the political arm of the Joma�s CPP. The New People�s Army or NPA is the CPP�s military arm. In Joma�s own imagery, the CPP is a Warrior with a Sword (the NPA) and a Shield (the NDF). The Warrior uses the Sword to strike blows and thrusts against the Enemy (the bourgeois state) and uses the Shield to protect the Warrior against the counter-blows and counter-thrusts of the counter-revolutionaries. Of course, a Shield, if swung with sufficient force, can be as lethal as the Sword. For example, a crippling welga ng bayan orchestrated by the KMU and other communist fronts. So the name of the organization that played a key role in the collapse of communist regimes from East Germany in Eastern Europe to the Kamchatka Peninsula in the Soviet Far East, across 12 time zones, has been shamelessly filched by a prominent ex-Communist for an organization that includes prominent active Communists and Communist sympathizers and is meant to overthrow a shamelessly corrupt bourgeois regime. Irony of ironies! The shamelessness in both sides is truly regurgitating. But can Solidarity the Copycat really unseat President Arroyo? Highly unlikely, I told Korina. The middle-class will never support an anti-GMA movement that is led by trapos and communists. Ignored by Susan Roces, Cory Aquino and Evangelist Villanueva � and their middle class anti-GMA followers � Solidarity�s last Makati rally drew only 5,000-6,000 attendees, instead of the 50,000 they had pompously predicted. Morales admitted that they needed the military in their coalition. Which is the tactical reason why ex-AFP chief-of-staff and ex-Defense Secretary Renato de Villa was enlisted to be Solidarity�s chairman. But De Villa occupied those positions more than ten years ago. Whatever glow the bland and colorless De Villa may have had then has long since been dulled by a lackluster performance in office. Like the middle-class, the idealistic elements of the AFP are not likely to get excited over a movement led by trapos and communists. This leaves the Solidarity trapos only the mercenaries from which to recruit their military components to stage their mutiny, which is intended to lend crucial support to their �caretaker council� or revolutionary government. But even in the unlikely event that this scenario unfolds without a hitch, what next? Given that the trapos and the communists will inevitably pull in different directions, since they are motivated by diametrically opposed goals, whose view will prevail? Morales� Erap would expect to be restored to power with the help of the Americans. The communists would reject any interference by the Americans, whom they love to hate. A restored President Erap would likely wage total war against the Muslims again, which is why the Americans favor him. The communists would predictably object vigorously to any such resurgence in violence and �violations of human rights.� As the Amboy-du jour, Erap would favor free trade and globalization, IMF conditionalities, privatization of government assets, removal of subsidies, more taxes, foreign ownership of Philippine land, etc. The communists would object, object, object and object. Sooner rather than later, one side is bound to repudiate, even betray, the other. There goes the phony revolution! ***** Reactions to [email protected] or fax 824-7642. Other articles in www.tapatt.org. OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Reactions to �How Not to Topple GMA� TONY -- THIS IS LUCID. THANKS FOR A GOOD READ. Johnny Mercado, [email protected] Philippine Daily Inquirer, October 11, 2005 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Hi Antonio: If the evidence against the Marcoses and Estrada had been strong enough, our courts would have surely long convicted them. No need for zarzuelas of EDSA I, II and III. It is expensive and divisive leaving more wounds to our nation than healing it. That is why I am glad that our House of Representatives have done their solemn duty of dismissing the impeachment complaints against GMA for lack of evidence. One Congressman said that any Congressman's vote for or against the impeachment complaint against GMA is not fighting the House of Representatives but the people. If anybody thinks that our Congressmen did not do right in acquitting GMA of the impeachment case against her, he could use his vote to replace the members of the House of Representatives with a set of more righteous ones. Do we need to reenact the zarzuelas of EDSA I, II and III when we could use our ballots during the election? We must cast our votes with our ballots and not with our feet. Ramon del Gallego, [email protected] October 11, 2005 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww I hope more people read your article. More power to you! Cesar Sarino, [email protected] October 11, 2005 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Tony- Thanks again, very helpful! But two naive but serious questions: 1. How can anyone seriously follow, work with, or give value to a trapo like Ping Lacson with charges of murder, kidnapping, extortion, and I don't know what else, adhering to him? What does he have that so attracts people? 2. All the debate and maneuvering and gaming you describe so well seems concentrated in Metro Manila. Yet the vast majority of the Philippine population, and the vast majority of the votes, are in the provinces. And it�s in the provinces that the vast majority of the trapo Senators and Congressmen have their bases and get their continuing support. So how can or will games and schemes in Manila change anything at all in the provinces where the trapos and their local war lords rule the roost? Marcos got to the provinces by closing down the Congress entirely, and trying to rule through the PC, military, and cronies. And we know what kinds of disasters that led to. A federal system seems only likely to strengthen the provincial and local trapos, and I am sure they can find their way around a parliamentary system just as easily. Or is it that for the Manila-centric, the provinces and provincianos simply don't matter?? David Szanton, [email protected] Durban, South Africa, October 12, 2005 MY REPLY. Lacson appeals to many who find his reputation for ruthlessness, which turns off many, precisely the quality that they want to see in a �strong leader,� no matter what his actual sins may be. People are desperate for a strong leader no matter how seriously blemished he may be. With the spread of TV and cell phones, the blur between city and provinces may not be as clearcut as before. People now have access to more information than they used to before. What happens in Manila becomes the national norm faster than they did before. wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Hi Tony- And a third naive question; Do you really think the US Embassy is stupid enough to want Erap back?? I am not saying you are wrong, but it seems so obviously disastrous for the Philippines, and so short-sited and counterproductive, even for so called "American interests," I just find it hard to imagine! Then again, you have those embassy characters right up close on Roxas Blvd - and maybe they are that dumb (and blind, and malicious and evil)... Seriously, David Szanton MY REPLY. Washington would not have summoned Erap�s chief lieutenant to DC twice in four months, and the US Embassy in Manila would not have prepared a 3-page profile of Erap for DC, if they did not consider him a possible replacement for Gloria. His total war against the Muslims, compared to Gloria�s withdrawal of the Filipino contingent in Iraq, is up the neo-cons� alley. My critique of Erap�s association with the Communists would hopefully convince the policy makers in DC that this would not be conducive to a stable Erap government and thus would not be helpful to US interests. wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Hi Tony, That was a great analysis of those two solitudes. Your attack on PAG-ASA is also to my mind accurate. Now, what is your alternative? I would like to know your vision. Rodel Ramos, [email protected] October 11, 2005 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Good day, Mr. Abaya, sir. Allow me to comment on your article: When the opposition says, "Replace Gloria," what they are actually saying is, "Replace Gloria with someone from among us." EDSA after EDSA, the people were promised a better government only to realize that those who replaced the previous regimes were no better. They learned their lessons and not about to rush into joining another uprising. From June, when the Garci-tapes was first exposed to about late August when the impeachment process was at fever-pitch, the public refused to be swayed, held their judgments, weighed all the pros and cons and most importantly, looked at the line-up of the people who are in the forefront of the oust-GMA movement - what they had to say and what they had to offer. Those opposed to Gloria had all the opportunity to sell themselves with the willing media as tool for their propaganda. What did they dish out? - rallies in Makati with red flags which only all the more scared the business community. - Sexbomb Dancers and Ni�o Muhlach - Drilon eating "balimbing" and Dinky Soliman's crocodile tears. - Opposition congressmen who "went to war with knives" and expected to win - a scripted impeachment walk-out showcasing the thespic talents of Dudot Jaworski in an off-beat role. (Did these neophytes really expected to emerge victorious, in a breeze, against the seasoned Lagman and Villafuerte? They obviously didn't work hard enough. They were so filled with malice but bereft of imagination, says Alex Magno.) - a "red-blue-yellow-black-white and God-knows-what else" march led by Cory, Susan, Ping, Bro. Eddie, Satur. (why was General Abat absent?) THE VERDICT: the Filipino people didn't like what they saw and heard. The opposition road show was a monumental flop. The people would rather stick it out with Gloria than jump to an unsure ship whose destination even the captain doesn't know. Today, the so-called political crisis exists still. But only in Mendiola, the Senate, the media and in the mind of Cory Aquino. Elsewhere in the Philippines, it's back to business - people spending P150M a day for text messaging, an ever-increasing beer-drinking population, corruption in public and private offices, our workforce leaving in droves for foreign employment. There is no economic collapse as the opposition predicted if GMA stayed. All indicators point positive. The people are right after all in sticking it out with GMA. Who knows what would have happened had they succeeded in taking over. Judging from their discordant voices, bedlam and chaos would have occurred. Thank you, sir, for hearing me out. (I admit to being a GMA silent supporter. This explains my bias in her favor. But I enjoy hearing out opinions coming from the other side. This is why I always look forward to your Standard Today column.) God Bless and Mabuhay! Jojo Labayen, [email protected] October 11, 2005 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww As the saying goes, " The only way for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing ". Are we going to allow this evil to triumph ? Bombing Moll, [email protected] October 12, 2005 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Although I agree with some of your observations regarding Perlas and his PAGASA, particularly the need for them to get involved in the new government after the ouster of PGMA, if they have a vision for the betterment of the country. However, this decision was most probably prompted by the fact that the ones who knew very well what changes were needed before each of the 2 EDSA revolutions, became the very ones who were the obstacles to such changes once they took over the government. Power really corrupts. But if one has been brought up and lived up to the principles of honesty, integrity, love for the country, honor, and the like, then I think that their consciences will be strong enough to prevent them from abusing their positions. How do you determine this? Well, the safest way will be to look at the individual's history. GMA has never lost her capacity for shame, for I for one have long suspected, even while she was still a senator, that she has no conscience whatsoever. People just didn't listen to me and opted to buy her "religiosity" as a sign of a strong conscience. Give Nick Perlas and his fellows a chance. They seem like dependable people. And when the time comes when the duty to serve the country calls, they might just change their minds and really get involved in implementing their vision of a better Philippines. Michael Guardia, michaelguardia874, yahoo.com October 12, 2005 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Tony, Boy Morales and company can name and rename their organization but the intention and the motivation is political. In any form or shape, the change they hope to achieve will be good for a few but not for the many. Their organization would be dressed like a sheep but the head would still be a wolf. The people are tired of the demonstrations that cause serious delays in their commute to home. Dr. Nestor P. Baylan, [email protected] New York City, October 12, 2005 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww The gang that couldn't shoot straight. Ross Tipon, [email protected] Baguio City, October 13, 2005 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Mr. Abaya, The likes of Nicky Perlas and Fr. Robert Reyes are well-meaning, fuzzy-headed, space cadets. These guys, along with their organic dreams and flakey ideas, are mere babes in the woods who will be either eaten alive, or ignored, by the wolves. Anyway, these poor saps are of no consequence. They only appeal to a pitiful few who, like them, have their heads up in the clouds. The wolves are the likes of Ping Lacson, who has his feet firmly planted on the ground and is well-versed in psychological warfare and police tactics. And the Communists, who have latched on to the moral high ground that has been provided by Gloria Arroyo's sinking into the muck and squalor of her own making. Ping Lacson's best hopes for taking the reins of power lie with getting the backing of the Americans. It does not look like he will be getting the nod from Washington very soon. Lacson has been temporarily set back by the arrest of his henchman, "Ninoy" Aquino and of his White House mole, Leandro Aragoncillo. Until he clears his name, Lacson may be on Washington's shit list instead of on the shortlist. But the Communists have become very bold. The NPA has been brazenly raiding police outposts and telecommunications sites. The Communist party list members have been emphatically making their presence felt in Congress, taking prominent roles in the impeachment proceedings and challenging the unpopular GMA E.O.'s. They have even obstructed the promotion of the zealous anti-NPA crusader, Gen. Jovito Palparan. Lately, the Communists even have had the gall to woo disaffected members of the AFP into toppling the government. In the Communist party's web page, incidentally called "Solidarity" (is there just a coincidence of names with Boy Morales' movement? Double blasphemy for vandalizing that once-proud name!), the CCP announces: "The Communist Party of the Philippines extends its offer of possible alliance and cooperation with patriotic, democratic and critical-minded officials and soldiers of the Armed Forces." These are very critical times. As Gloria Arroyo drags the country down, all its institutions are dragged down as well. While we squabble, the world passes us by. Not only do we become mired in poverty, people will lose hope and will not know whom to believe anymore. This suits the Communists to a "T". They have always tried to stand in the way of development and to shake the people's faith in democratic institutions. When people lose faith and hope, it becomes easier to peddle the Communist doctrine of class warfare. Hate, envy and retribution will be the order of the day. Sincerely yours, Carl Cid S.M. Inting, [email protected] Cebu City, October 13, 2005 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Tony, I agree with you. Those advocating for reforms must assume responsibility for implementing these reforms should they be given the opportunity to be in government. Being co-opted while in government is a consequence of individual character flaw. It's not by any means true for everyone. Former DOTC Asst. Secretary Bertie Lim for instance has been fired for resisting signals from Malacanang to withhold implementation of an open skies policy. Bill Luz' brother at the DEPED is another case in point. Some of those among the Hyatt 10 have indeed allowed themselves to be co-opted but they've eventually redeemed themselves by resigning. I also agree with your not so flattering discourse on Boy Morales and his kind. They're truly a despicable lot. Characters of this sort are a menace to society. They ought to be banished to a place where there's grinding and gnashing of teeth forever. Regards, Gico Dayanghirang, [email protected] Davao City, October 17, 2005 OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO |