Philippines: Makati Party Over Before It Even Began

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Philippines: Govt Told to Stop Linking Opposition to Makati Incident

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PUBLISHED ON November 30, 2007 AT 9:14 AM

That statement, in effect, alienated the million-strong protesters that had massed on the EDSA highway after Mr. Estrada’s Senate pals blocked the opening of crucial evidence in his impeachment trial.

It may have been aimed at rousing Estrada’s still many fans among the urban poor. But the renegade officers and their civilian cohorts may have forgotten a salient fact of Philippine people power exercises — the need for middle-class skills and resources.

Mr. Estrada’s recent pardon, in fact, had caused an outcry from reformist groups in the country, including the private prosecutors that won a conviction for plunder. It was seen as an encouragement of corruption and a desperate, expedient act by an administration facing public unrest over a series of scandals involving high officials and Mrs. Arroyo’s controversial and powerful husband.

How Trillanes could have thought that Mr. Estrada could be a rallying point is something that boggles political observers,
In fact, most politicians identified with the ousted leader stayed away. And the former president himself seemed clueless about the madcap stunt.

Pathetic

The few civilian opposition leaders at the ritzy hotel seemed as out of touch with reality as the younger military officers were.

Former vice president Teofisto Guingona at one point raised a glass of water for a premature victory toast. Trillanes’ laywers, JV Bautista and Argee Guevarra, acted as cheerleaders when their client’s confidence started flagging and he turned away to avoid reporters’ questions. The lawyers, alluding to the November 30 holiday honoring Andres Bonifacio — leader of the Katipunan that started the uprising against Spanish colonizers — said there would be no backing down. They likened the stand-off and the imminent threat of government force as an opportunity for heroism; both said they were ready to die. Trillanes never as much while vowing to bring down the government.

And in the end, it was with a whine and a pout that he ended his pathetic excuse for a coup.

(The author is editor-in-chief of Philippine Graphic magazine. This story was first published in her blog,
http://rpscarredcat.blogspot.com/. Used with permission.)

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One Response to “Philippines: Makati Party Over Before It Even Began”

The Equalizer Says:
December 1st, 2007 at 11:00 am
“Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago Friday filed an urgent resolution asking punitive action against Trillanes for leading the power grab Thursday at the Manila Peninsula Hotel in Makati.”GMA NEWS

For once,I agree with Lady Miriam.Senator Trillanes is not above the law!

BUT,may I ask Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago , How about GLORIA?

No man (or woman) is above the law and no man is below it; nor do we ask any man’s permission when we ask him to obey it. Theodore Roosevelt

How could so many scandals of an elected(?) president and her cadre remain unexplained, unchallenged, and unpunished? When? Probably never.

We’re not talking mistakes, here. We’re not talking poor judgment or failed policies. We’re not talking politics as usual, with its underhanded array of pork and perks. But we are talking about very serious violations of the public trust, and very possibly the law, perpetrated by the elected(?) leader of this nation and her handlers.

Even more amazingly, we are talking about the shameful reality that not a single one of these offenses has been investigated by a truly independent, non-political, neutral commission, armed with subpoena powers and adequate funding, and answerable ONLY to the people of Philippines. Not a single one.

What ever happened to the investigation of:

* The National Power Corp. (Napocor) -CPK-Kalayaan rehabilitation project.

* The race horse importation fiasco.

* The overpriced Diosdado Macapagal Boulevard exposé.

* Misuse of the fertilizer funds,

* The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. scandals.

* The jueteng scandals.

* the ZTE-NBN scandal(”Buck off!”).

* The Bribery of Governors and Congressmen in Malacanang.

* The MOTHER of ALL SCANDALS :THE HELLO GARCI Mega Scandal that influenced the last Presidential elections.

* The Extra-Judicial Killings of Activists as reported by the United Nations special raporteur on human rights.

* And many more…

What’s left to be said? Not very much. Gloria Pidal has had a free pass to do as she pleased since 2001.She and her political operators have not been held accountable for any crime against the people of this country. Gloria is above the law.Why?

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