Do unto others...

YESTERDAY, TODAY & TOMORROW
Linggoy Alcuaz
11/13-20/2011
OpinYon Lite



Marcos’s Martial Law was officially in force thirty-nine. He declared, proclaimed and started its implementation from Wednesday to Saturday, September 21 to 24, 1972.

Then, he officially lifted it in the first quarter of 1981 in anticipation of the Pope’s first visit to the Philippines since before Martial Law.

However, Marcos’ Administration, as well as his residual Martial Law and the 1973 Constitution’s Transitory Provisions, would last another five years (Longer than the 1935 Constitutions’ amended four year Presidential term).

A Pope came twice during the twenty years of the Marcos Administration, once before Martial Law, and a second time after the formal lifting of Martial Law in 1981.

Divided and Impotent
To us, Activists, Critics and Oppositionists, the Dark Ages of Martial Law were the first part, from 1972 – 1978.

The Leftist Activists had fled to the mountains or were in hiding.

The Moderate Activists were still lost and just in the process of reinventing themselves.

Most Mass Media Critics were out of a job, as well as a medium or venue for their criticisms or critique.

Of course, those who had resigned as Critics had gotten new but tame Media jobs.

The Formal Political Opposition was in disarray, divided and impotent.

Ninoy, et al
As a graduated, resigned and retired moderate activist leader, my anti-Marcos and anti-Martial Law activities were limited to giving sparse advise to my juniors, attending anniversary celebrations and lending my immediate family’s presence at masses and prayers for the incarcerated Senator and Liberal Party Secretary General Benigno “Ninoy" Aquino, Jr., as well as Senator, Civil Libertarian and Nationalist Jose W. Diokno.

At that time, it was not easy to secure a venue for religious activities in support of Ninoy or Diokno.

Neither of the Cojuangco parish in Forbes or the Aquino parish in Phil Am were the favorite venues.

The Dioknos had left Magallanes for New Manila, Quezon City.

Liberties Tightened
Either Fr. Nikko was not yet assigned to Magallanes Parish or Fr. Nikko was not yet a Critic and Oppositionist at that time.

At first, it was the relatively, out of the way, Holy Redeemer Parish, near Gregorio Araneta Ave., between Aurora/Santa Mesa Blvd. and E. Rodriguez Ave. in Quezon City, that gave us hospitality and sanctuary.

We had to look over our shoulders, at imagined government agents with cameras and recorders, when we used to join the Aquinos and Cojuangcos and Dioknos, to pray for Ninoy and Pepe Diokno who were incarcerated at the MSU Compound at the Philippine Army Headquarters in Ft. Bonifacio, Taguig.

We felt especially vulnerable when Ninoy and Diokno were taken surreptitiously to Fort Magsaysay, in Laur, Nueva Ecija, without informing their families.

Just as our two leaders were placed in isolation in “bartolinas,” we too, in the outside, felt our liberties tightened down, a few notches.

For us, who experienced and underwent those years of deprivation of liberty and security, it was a great relief for us, to see the, by then, convicted to death by musketry, Ninoy, allowed to leave for his Triple Heart By–Pass Operation in Texas.

FPJ, GMA & Erap
Let us fast forward almost two and a half decades to 2004.

Again, we were Activists, Critics and Oppositionists.

We were no longer Moderate or Radical Activists. We were FPJ – Erap Activists, Allies, Friends, Supporters and Volunteers.

We had been cheated by GMA not once, not twice, but, indeed, three times – in the May 2004 Elections, in the Counting, Canvassing and Proclamation, as well as in the FPJ/Loren Legarda Protests against GMA/Noli de Castro.

Take note that the switching of the genuine Election Returns with the fake Atty. Bello manufactured ERs at the Batasan National Board of Canvassers bodega by the PNP SAF, in January and February of 2005, happened after FPJ had already died.

I had become first, a supporter of FPJ in early 2003.

Then, I became a friend and supporter again of Erap in August 2005.

With our standard bearer dead and Erap in detention, I again felt very vulnerable like twenty five years earlier.

Others have made Lite out of Eraps incarceration at a Presidential Suite at the Veterans Memorial Hospital and at his Tanay Resort.

Over the Bakod
However, I witnessed the meaning of Erap’s “Deprivation of Liberty” on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2006, at the gate of Erap’s so-called “Resort Arrest” in Tanay.

We had organized a Launching of Erap’s “Rebolusyon Kontra Gutom” along the road in front of his Tanay Resort.

As the time approached for the launching Erap walked to his gate. His gate opened.

Then assembled masses cheered. But Erap was not allowed to cross his own gate to the public road beyond by his guards.

Instead, he had to climb a ladder and peer “over the bakod” at the people and the ceremonies.

Having been a weekly visitor to Erap in Tanay from August 2004 to October 2007, I know that the most luxurious detention or incarceration cannot substitute for lack of Liberty and Freedom.

Every time we would leave, especially, at the saddest part of the day – dusk (Agaw-liwanag at dilim!) – we would all be sad, guests and host alike.

Bilog ang Mundo
And so, when Erap was allowed to go to Hong Kong for his knee operation in December of 2004, our heavy hearts shed some weight, we breathed sighs of relief and continued our struggle the following year with stouter hearts and heads held higher and straighter.

Again, let us fast forward to today and the current issue at hand – to allow or not to allow GMA and the former First Gentleman to go abroad for medical diagnosis and treatment.

Our answer is consistent with the past and straight and simple – “Do Unto Others as You Would Like Others Do Unto You!”

We have always believed that the only way to reform the Philippine Government and the Filipino People and Society is through a Genuine Revolutionary Government.

Cory had the chance once, twenty five years ago. She threw it away and lost it for us and future generations.

If we are not willing to do what is necessary then we have to live with our Constitution, Laws and Due Processes, as well as Customs and Traditions.

Among the latter are, “Bilog ang Mundo!,” “Live and Let Live!,” “Weather-weather Lang!”

Let The Law Take its Course
And so we say: “File the cases against GMA and Mike before the courts. Let the appropriate courts issue and serve the arrest warrants. If the cases are not bailable, let them be detained, ‘bahala na kung saan!’”

If the cases are bailable, let the courts set the bail. Let the courts issue the “Hold Departure Orders.”

If GMA and FG want to travel, for whatever reason, let them apply to the courts as Mikey and his wife, Maria Angela, did.

“Nauna pa sila mademanda! Nauna pa sila makabiyahe! Only in the Philippines talaga!”

But seriously, having observed the Erap phenomenon, I believe that Erap would not have maintained and sustained his popularity if he had not stayed in the Philippines and been charged, arrested and incarcerated.

And so I believed that GMA and FG and their family members should have been investigated, prosecuted and tried as just one of the components of “All-Out Justice!”

Instead, the incompetent Aquino Administration has been “Huffing and Puffing” at the Arroyos to no avail.

“Bokya! Nada! Palpak! Wala! Zero!"