"Edsa was more of a pocket of mutiny."
As expected, the Yellows made a big thing of the 33rd anniversary of the People Power Revolution.
This brings me to a basic question: What is there to celebrate when nothing has changed?
That four-day event has been distorted so much.
It culminated with the abduction of Marcos and his family, supposedly to Ilocos Norte where he expected to be safe. But he was taken instead to Hawaii.
The Yellows talk about the People Power Revolution as some sort of glorious moment in history. But, may I ask, what revolution was there when there were only over half a million people, and mostly from the middle class? They were joined by priests, nuns and students.
As Salvador Escalante and J. Augustus dela Paz of the Truth and Justice Foundation said: “The scented and sanctified image of Edsa was never a revolution but a pocket mutiny that grew into a localized revolt.”
So how in the world could that mutiny be called a revolution when no more than half a million people were there?
But as always, the Yellows romanticized, scented and sanctified the image of Edsa. And, as always, the Western media took it upon themselves to do the same. I think it's distortion of history that led to questions on the mythological and even quixotic portrayal of Edsa and its fanciful delusions woven by Marcos haters.
So what is there to celebrate, indeed? Worse, the aspirations of the people for real change have never been achieved. Not until now.
My gulay, what should be commemorated was the breakaway from Marcos by the combined efforts of Juan Ponce Enrile, Fidel Ramos and Gringo Honasan. Without them, there would be no Edsa to commemorate.
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Another fake news that got scented and sanctified was that the late President Cory Aquino was an icon of democracy. What icon, when Cory was not even present during that four-day event!
I asked Enrile why he led the breakaway group that made Cory the president when he was already holding the ball, and had in fact named a civilian junta to succeed Marcos?
Enrile told me he was not too sure whether the people would accept a civilian junta. Cory, too, was the face of the opposition. She was the logical choice for the presidency. He added: “It was a big mistake because she did not follow through the aspirations of the RAM.”
This is exactly why there were nine coup attempts by the RAM against Cory when she was president.
Enrile also told me that the reason for the breakaway was to preempt the plan of then-Defense Secretary Fabian Ver to establish a military junta in case Marcos died. At this time, Marcos was already seriously ill. Enrile said he knew about this from somebody very close to Ver.
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The move of President Duterte to legitimize thousands of Chinese nationals who came as tourists to the Philippines lest China retaliate and deport some 300,000 overseas Filipino workers in Hong Kong comes from the false premise that OFWs in China went there illegitimately.
The presence of no less than 119,000 Chinese here who are already working odd jobs is what is illegal in the first place. They came in as tourists and visitors but never left. The figure comes from the immigration office, but many fear the number can reach 400,000 in two years.
These tourists were able to work because they secured from Immigration Special Working Permits. There are also claims that Chinese nationals secured SWPs illegally.
There is a great difference between the Chinese who come here and then work illegitimately and Filipinos who come to Hong Kong for real jobs. Mr. Duterte must remember that the country is suffering from a lack of jobs. Please, sir, do not compare our OFWs with the Chinese.
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President Duterte with a straight face claimed that he had fulfilled all his campaign promises except solving the traffic problem on Edsa, and this was because Congress did not grant him emergency powers.
How about the drug problem, which he said he would end in three months?
The problem with the war on drugs is the continued killing of those involved in it. Some are luckier-—they are just arrested, Now, the President promises harsher times.
But why does he still see the problem as a peace-and-order issue? It's a health problem! And so long as there is demand for illegal drugs, supply will always be there.
And then, there is corruption in government. The President cannot eradicate it—as he may be discovering by now. In fact, he is making the problem worse because he is waging this war selectively, and recycling—even promoting—his friends accused of corruption.
We know Mr. Duterte is no superman. We just need from him the truth.
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