On AFP unity, reforms and democracy

DIE HARD III
Herman Tiu Laurel
3/13/2006



As we wrote right after the February 25 Ft. Bonifacio incident, “Victory has just begun”. The way the events are unfolding, victory is certainly blooming like a thousand and one flowers in the garden of national awakening. It has made clear that the days of Gloria’s regime are number, and the harder it tries to chop down the spreading vines and flowers of freedom the faster they grow. Cutting out one after another of the active young officer suspected of reformist ideas creates countless new blooms. Maybe it will all be in time for the Flores de Mayo.

Gloria just can’t do anything right anymore. Her black propaganda against the elite units’ officers and soldiers, linking fund donations of Estrada’s “Kawal Foundation” has backfired. Estrada’s priority concern for the Filipino soldiery is well known, made renowned by his allocation of rice bag and diversion of apprehended smuggled canned good rations to soldiers, during his short presidential term. The soldiers know the funds went to their welfare projects and their endearment of Estrada has only increased from this.

One EM (enlisted man) argued that if Estrada donations, which were fully receipted and recorded by the way, had gone to to removing Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo it would have been a good cause too. Gloria became immensely unpopular among the soldiery particularly after she withdrew their rice allocations upon assuming the Malacañang powers. An army marches on its stomach, Arroyo’s seen as having stolen that from them. Thus, after five years as “commander-in-chief” Arroyo has never been able to consolidate her hold on the military.

The perennially idealistic and former political detainee retired air force General Jose Commendador says that contrary to what the Arroyo regime’s propaganda that the military protests have been nipped at the February 26 Ft. Bonifacio Marine brigade incident, the military restiveness is actually growing and the turmoil is spreading. It has been twenty years since he was imprisoned for his role in the 1989 actions against the Cory Aquino regime but the discontent continues, because the problems have not been addressed and continues to aggravate.

General Senga and General Danilo Lim’s February 25 meeting generated many questions, but the answers are now discernible from the exoneration of Gen. Lim. Obviously, Senga is not going to join in the persecution of honest and idealistic officers. But Gloria is aggressively persecuting idealistic and honest military officers and men. Gloria’s campaign is alienating her further from the broad majority of military men who look up to these “best and brightest”. This will lead to the eventual isolation of those associated with cheats, like Esperon, Habacon, Allaga et al.

Military brass in election cheating have been elevated by Gloria are not put in a good light before those soldiers that will count in a final showdown –the young officers and enlisted men. The likes of Lt. San Juan and Bagong Katipuneros who seek reforms (using Honasan’s “National Recovery Program” confirming that he continues to be a major factor) would not look favorably on such “cheats”. Remember the Marine officer who shouted his disgust in one scene at the Marine standoff? Idealism in the military will swamp those associated with “cheating” and bring quiet victory to the reformists.

Senga is exerting every effort to keep the unity of Philippine military institution, vital to the reform of Philippine society from its corrupt, mendicant and enslaved state to an honest, vibrant, progressive and prosperous society later. A cleansed but solid military institution will be the pillar of the new society, a bulwark against looming civil war – as Inquirer columnist Billy Esposo warns – that Gloria could trigger with her propensity for hurumentada. Foreign powers’ may use “divide and conquer” with the likes of Gen. Palparan to create chaos. like Iraq. if they cannot “own” the country.

What we see in Gen. Senga and Gen. Danny Lim are two military leaders determined to keep their institution intact in the midst of attempts to achieve political progress. There is talk that Gloria will replace Senga, but that will accelerate the change process; and even faster if Esperon replaces Senga. Even the civilian population will rise up in greater intensity if Esperon is ensconced as Chief-of-Staff; it can also increase the potential of breaking up the military which Gloria may just want to do ala Louis XV’s mistress Madame de Pompadour – Apres Moi Le Deluge (After me, utter destruction).

The civilian side must also have consensus, but who is to determine who is eligible to lead? A junta is being floated with names like Renato de Villa, Oscar Orbos, Panfilo Lacson, Gregorio Honasan, Teofisto Guingona, Bro. Eddie Villanueva and advisers Corazon Aquino, Fidel Ramos, Fortunato Abat and President Joseph Estrada. But De Villa with his Edsa Dos sins serve only Ayala interests, Lacson was Arroyo’s tipping point in cheating successfully in 2004, Eddie Villanueva will alienate other religious groups, and Abat is honest but filled with wrong governance ideas.

Only the Sovereign Will of the People is impartial and true; thus the eleven million votes of President Joseph E. Estrada from the 1998 elections is the only valid basis for re-establishing the Rule of Law and democracy after Gloria. Any other proposition other than one based on the Sovereign Will of the People will be arbitrary, self-serving and will frustrate the victory of democracy.