| Travels with Doy By Antonio C. Abaya February 04, 2004 It is exhilarating to hear so many paeans of praise being sung in the direction of Doy Laurel as his ashes waft on to the Great Polling Booth in the Sky, because he deserves every single good word that his erstwhile colleagues are now uttering in his honor and that the media are now attaching to his name. It wasn�t always like this, of course. Much of the liberal media in 1986-89 mocked him because he was unabashedly anti-communist. Perhaps Shakespeare had it all wrong, that is, it is the alleged evil that a person may have done in his life that is oft interred with his bones (or ashes), while the good is what lives after him. So let it be with Doy. Doy was an ambitious man. He wanted very badly to be president. But so did many others before him, as many still do and will do after him. There is nothing wrong with ambition. But it should be made of sterner stuff than what we see in the current political arena where blatant opportunism has become the highest political virtue. That Doy�s ambition was made of sterner stuff was most evident in 1985-86 when as the official presidential candidate of the UNIDO opposition to Marcos, he agreed to give way to Cory Aquino and scale down his ambition and settle for the vice-presidency, and thus made more certain the eventual victory over Marcos. Would Roco or Lacson or GMA give way to each other to make possible a victory over FPJ? I seriously doubt it. Their ambitions are not made of sterner stuff. I knew Doy for several months in 1987, especially after the failed August 28 coup of Gringo Honasan and the RAM. On the sensible idea that he wanted to gauge for himself the extent of military discontent which led to the coup, he invited me (I did not volunteer) and political science professor Jun Villanueva of San Beda College to accompany him as observers and advisers as he embarked on a week-long dialogue with the officers and men of the AFP and the PC in their camps around the country. If he had another agenda, he did not say, and I did not ask. The tour took us, first, to the various military camps in Metro Manila: Villamor Air Base, Fort Bonifacio, Camp Aguinaldo, Camp Crame and Camp Diwa in Bicutan. Then our party took helicopters to Fort Magsaysay in Laur, Nueva Ecija, and, on the way back, to Camp Olivas in Pampanga.. After a break on Wednesday, we resumed the tour the next day, taking the Central Bank executive jet, first to Mactan Air Base in Cebu, then on to Andrews Air Base in Zamboanga City, the main military camp in Davao City (whose name I cannot recall), Camp Evangelista in Cagayan de Oro City, then back to Manila. The next day, Sunday, Doy et al flew to the Philippine Military Academy in Baguio City, but I begged off because I had caught a bad cold from the executive jet�s super-efficient air-conditioner. Our party was made up of us three civilians � Doy, Jun and I � plus a slew of military officers whose role, I surmised, was to report to their respective superiors what response Doy received from the officers and men in the field.. We had Navy Captain Blanco and Commodore Antay; the flamboyant Col. Valenton of the Constabulary, who affected a flaming red scarf against his green fatigues; the light-hearted Army Col. Templo, who was the life of the party; and Army Brig. Gen. Antonio, the personal representative of then AFP Chief-of-Staff Gen. Fidel V. Ramos. At the start, we had no media with us, but after the second or third camp in Metro Manila, word got around that something was afoot, and soon we were trailed by a growing band of print and radio/TV journalists which necessitated extra helicopters to Luzon and air force flights to the Visayas and Mindanao. Not surprisingly, the initial encounter, at Villamor Air Base, was stiff and cold. The speaker was groping for the right approach and the audience was not sure how to respond. I suggested to Doy that in the next encounter, at Fort Bonifacio, his talk be divided into seven or eight segments, each segment introduced by a direct in-your-face question that the soldiers could easily relate to, such as �Sapat ba ang mga sweldo ninyo?� To which the soldiers responded with literally riotous abandon. This was the ice-breaker that we were looking for and which Doy, consummate politician and skilful orator that he was, used with devastating effect throughout the entire tour. No soldier in any army believes he is being paid enough, least of all the soldiers of the AFP who, it came out during Doy�s dialogue with them, were not only being paid starvation wages, but also had to buy their own medicines when they were wounded in combat, and the married among them had to raise their families in slum shanties around their camps� perimeter walls.. No wonder Gringo had so many supporters. The second question that I suggested to Doy was: �Sa tingin ninyo, may mga komunista ba sa gabinete ni Presidente Aquino?� To which the soldiers responded with even more vigorous yelling, many shouting out loud for Doy to hear the names of their most hated �communists.� Cory�s executive secretary and now Sen. Joker Arroyo was the overwhelming choice, but I also heard the names Factoran, Sanchez and Locsin. The military claimed that then Environment Secretary Jun Factoran had appointed CPP and NDF cadres to his department. Then Labor Secretary Bobbit Sanchez was the organizer of the May Day parade at the Quirino Grandstand in 1986 during which President Aquino, seated between Joma Sison and Sanchez, gleefully and in total innocence flashed the Laban �L� sign of the ruling burgis party as phalanxes of KMU militants marched past, singing the �Internationale� and waving Styrofoam cut-outs of the hammer-and-sickle. As for Teddyboy Locsin, to this day I honestly do not know how he got into the military�s hate list. By this time, Doy�s fiery speeches were being broadcast live on radio. When we reached Fort Magsaysay, the mood was absolutely mutinous. Fort Magsaysay was where specialized units were trained in the use of armor and artillery. It was also where non-com candidates for officer rank were taught more cerebral skills like map-reading. So in the main hall, their seats were fitted up front with wide wooden boards. As Doy went through his spiel, the officer-candidates pounded those boards with their fists to a deafening rhythmic beat to underline their protest and to applaud Doy. After his speech, a delegation came forward to read a manifesto calling on President Aquino to resign and asking Vice-President Laurel to take over the presidency of the republic, which Doy listened to with dignified restraint. When I got home Tuesday evening, there were urgent notes asking me to return the calls of then Health Secretary Alran Bengzon and then National Security Adviser Emanuel Soriano, who, no doubt, wanted to ask me what was going on. (There were no cell-phones then.) But I had a deadline to meet for my Wednesday column in BusinessWorld. In that column, I summarized the events of the previous three days and ended with a note of caution to President Aquino that if she did not resolve the disquiet in the military � that her government was too friendly with the communists � she would face a military revolt of epic proportions that could topple her government. Two days later, while Doy was dialoguing with the officers in Davao City, a telephone call came in from Malacanang. It was President Aquino. She informed Doy that she was firing her entire Cabinet, including Doy (then concurrent foreign affairs secretary), who, of course, remained vice-president.. Doy, ol� friend, you fought the good and honorable fight, and even though you did not make it to the presidency, you won. You won because your ambition was made of sterner stuff. Farewell. ****** The bulk of this article appears in the February 14, 2004 issue of the Philippines Free Press magazine. OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Reactions to �Travels with Doy� Including recent reactions to earlier columns and unrelated opinions sent by viewers. Excellent, Tony. Excellent. Dick Powell, [email protected] February 07, 2004 ��������������������.. ....as your observant reader (YOR) may I say again that you have that "something" in a writer that makes you sound credible (without knowing your "agenda")......good for you and good for us ( as most of your logic jibe with ours ).......therefore may we kindly request that you write about our point of view on this FPJ citizenship case, namely that as our citizenship laws are presently written, ( though they are perhaps too exclusive in their qualifications )...Poe is not qualified to run....but perhaps the spirit of the law, that any one who wants to be a filipino and loves the Philippines could run for office, should prevail. And in the meantime, these two men, Manapat and Fornier should not be discredited and slandered. On a personal note, I have known the works and actuations of these gentlemen, and I see them as men of good intentions....far cry from the many many scalawag politicians that we presently have....thank you in advance Mr. ACA.........yor Tinine Bautista, [email protected] February 07, 2004 MY REPLY. It would futile to hope that the spirit, rather than the letter, of the law be observed in this particular case. Or that those who want the letter of the law to be observed, as they see it, not be discredited and slandered. This is the Philippines. We are a very disputatious and quarrelsome people and nothing that moves will escape anyone�s attention who has an interest in it. Why we are so is open to many interpretations. My foreigner-friends tell me neither the Malaysians nor the Singaporeans nor the Thais are any where like us Filipinos. So it must have something to do with our unique cultural and historical experience. ������������������ Nice article about Laurel, who deserves it. Got to know him in Botolan, Zambales, when he came campaigning, guess in '85. Was never able to resolve the rumor that he had an agreement with Aquino that she would leave after three years for him to become president, but Aquino later reneged. Do you know if that is true? Regards, Peter J. Ritter, [email protected] February 07, 2004 MY REPLY. Doy told me there was such an agreement. But Cory says there was none. Knowing both parties, I do not know who was telling the truth. My own conclusion, although I have no proof to back it, is that there was such an agreement, though the time-frame may have been different from what you mention. I tend to think Cory�s inner group of advisers advised her against it. But that is just speculation on my part. ����������������� On �The Religious Vote� Hello, I totally disagree with your opinion/online article regarding Evangelist Almeda. In your article, you mentioned those politicians who came to Jesus Miracle Crusade and lost the election, but you FORGOT to mention those who won like President Fidel V. Ramos and Loren Legarda. You probably didn't know also that Pres. Arroyo, during her first few months of Presidency came personally to Evang. Almeda's residence for prayer. I can send you pictures as proof. You might be wondering until now why nobody dared to shoot Evang. Almeda after DeVenecia lost the presidential election? It's because Evang. Almeda was right all along... DeVenecia was going to be a BIG WINNER!!! Look at both of them (Erap and DeVenecia) now! Don't you agree that DeVenecia is a big winner after all?!? Not as president, DeVenecia was blessed in a better way! One more thing, Evang. Almeda didn't remain speechless. Go to www.jmcim.com and watch the recent video of Evang. Almeda speaking before the Jesus Miracle Crusade crowd during the Anniversary of their Mindanao Peace Mission in October, 2003. He gave a brief speech, right after all the Prayer Warriors, then followed by Major General Romy Tolentino. You cannot judge someone who is spiritual and communicates almost every hour to GOD, like Evang. Almeda. Sure he's not perfect, but he is a Messenger from God and he proved it during the Mindanao hostage crisis. 1 Chronicles 16:22 says...Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm. So I kindly ask you to correct your article. What you sow is what you reap, it's biblical! I know you're just doing your job but please do your job right! Thanks for reading my email, Cindy, [email protected] January 17, 2004 JMC Member for 18 years ���������������.. On �The Religious Vote� (sent by postal mail) Dear Tony, Salamat po for your kindness in faxing me your analytical column. We hope we have more media personages of your caliber who bring back sanity to our �baliw� society. I find it very therapeutic. I find very enlightening your column on �The Religious Vote.� Eddie V should wake up before it�s too late. He at MTRCB, he had fielded three JIL, at DOJ, its Atty. Calida. Keep up the good work, Tony, and we hope you�ll get into Channel V. Sincerely, Monsignor Nico Bautista Fax 895-6256 January 15, 2004 ���������������. On �The Religious Vote� Tony, You are right, religion - the legit as well as the spurious sects - never really influenced our low brow voters [for the low brows dominate the majority votes]. Let us use videos and movies and politicians should invest in appearing in these media, sit coms, slice of life vignettes, and other forms - but not making a speech. For that is how our movie actors got the votes, appearing in plays written by others, mugging in cameras as "avengers" and all that. Our society is built on fairy tales, di ba. Keep at it in 2004, Tony. And make the past years' columns into a book - and sell them. Or donate some in schools as reference reading for high school boys and girls. They need such facts in their plans for the future. Tony Joaquin, [email protected] January 02, 2004 ����������������� On �The Religious Vote� Although the Catholic Church has not shown that it can sway the votes of a considerable number of its followers, no one can say that she cannot. The fact is, the Catholic Church has not directly asked her followers to vote certain people or parties. The church merely suggests the platform it supports and even very vaguely so, unlike INK and other religious groups who endorses their candidates. Best regards, Jun Dela Cruz, [email protected] Paranaque City January 04, 2004 ��������������� (Through the Talsik egroup) No, Bro Eddie Villanueva does not have 7 million votes; he is riding on the total number of Filipino protestants who may vote for him come May 2004. Due to some political shenanigans that he did last elections the JIL suffered a split. I am a Born Again Christian but I will not vote for Bro Eddie Villanueva. Even our church Pastor (not with JIL but AG) was convincing us so hard to support Bro Eddie just because of the fact that we were BA Christians and should support a BA Christian candidate. I told him point blank that we are not like INK who do block voting, the Lord Jesus Christ respected our free will so he the Lord's servant should do the same .Last time I heard it was a free country I told him. And a brother who is a judge said that whoever the Lord installs as president of the republic-God has a plan for that president for I personally believe that no president becomes elected into office without a plan/annointing from God. Prayer works, no matter what the circumstances may be all things work out for those who love and serve the Lord. Anyway the religious vote may exist but will not be a major factor in the 2004 election. Because I believe that Filipinos are mature enough to chose for themselves who they want to install into the presidency in may 2004.Just my P 00.01. JL, [email protected] December 31, 2003 ������������. Avid Reader Dear Tony, I am an avid reader of your column "on the other hand". Do you write only one column per week? I hope you can write more like you used to do before. I only read your column in the tapatt site. can you save this address, so I can read your column in advance. More power to you. God bless the Philippines and your family! Yours truly, Leo Martin Balilo, [email protected] January 04, 2004 MY REPLY. Sorry, but I write only one column per week. As per your request, we have included in our email distribution list. OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO |
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