|
President Gloria Arroyo on Monday repeated her
warning on mounting another people power – that the world will not
forgive it.
Her statement, similar to what
she said Sunday, came on the 22nd anniversary of the first people
power.
“The world has permitted the
EDSA People Power 2, but the world will not forgive Filipinos for
having EDSA People Power 3,” President Arroyo said at an activity
in Cavite.
“The world will say: ‘The
Philippines has the best workers in the world, it has the people who
are most sought after, but why does it always shoot itself,’”
she added.
With too much political
instability, foreign investors will never put their investments in
the Philippines again, the President said.
She called on people to reject
mob rule and street protests, challenging her detractors to bring
evidence to court, particularly on the alleged involvement of her
husband, lawyer Jose Miguel “Mike” Arroyo, in the controversial
national broadband deal. He has denied the allegations and is now
out of the country.
“Let us talk freedom, democracy
and rule of law,” President Arroyo said in Cavite, home to the
late Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo, the Philippines’ first president.
“I’m pleased that I’m here at the bulwark of freedom and
democracy as we remember the real essence of the first people power
revolt.”
‘Unity march’
To show their support for their
commander in chief, top military and police officials, in locked
arms, marched some 300 meters from the Armed Forces headquarters
toward the People Power Monument on EDSA, the acronym for Epifanio
de los Santos Avenue.
The military chief, Gen. Hermogenes
Esperon Jr., and national police chief, Director General Avelino
Razon Jr., led a “unity march.”
At a press conference, Esperon
and Razon said the march was spontaneous, but the security personnel
were required to attend ceremonies commemorating the first people
power at the time.
Despite of the order, several
police officers and personnel opted not to attend and participate in
the march.
“Why should I?” asked one
mid-level policeman who declined to be identified. “They [senior
officials] have been saying to remain apolitical and yet here they
are asking us to join in that activity.”
Razon and Esperon dispelled talks
there is dissention among their ranks, though.
“It is not a show of force, but
we are sincerely joining the whole nation in celebration of the
spirit of EDSA,” Esperon said. “This is also to be candid about
it, to dispel rumors.”
He denied that some military
commanders have joined destabilization efforts against the Arroyo
government.
The national police chief
supported Esperon’s statement on the “unity march.”
“This is a show of unity, not a
show of force,” Razon said, adding, “That’s the spirit of EDSA.”
Still behind GMA
Razon and Esperon pledged they
will remain loyal to the flag and to the Constitution.
“We assure the Filipino nation
of our unequivocal allegiance to the flag, the Constitution, and we
giving our word not to engage in partisan political exercises,”
Esperon said.
Military intervention was crucial
during the 1986 and the 2001 people power that ousted two sitting
presidents, Ferdinand Marcos and Joseph Estrada, respectively.
The Philippine National Police
(PNP) chief said calls for the military and the police to intervene
to resolve the country’s political problem are highly uncalled
for, as he maintains their apolitical stance.
“We in the PNP [will] not get
ourselves involved in politics, much less political intervention.
Our chain of command is inviolate and respected by our personnel,”
Razon said.
After the press conference,
Esperon was asked if loyalty to the chain of command means
protecting President Arroyo from being ousted.
“As along as these are done in
[a] Constitutional manner … that should be alright, but when it
comes to use of violence, that would be a different story,”
Esperon said.
The two officials also downplayed
a call made by former President Estrada urging the police and
military to withdraw support from Mrs. Arroyo.
“Who were the people that
President Estrada referring to?” Razon asked. He added the
protesters do not represent the entire Philippines.
In addition to Esperon and Razon,
those present at the “unity march” included Army chief, Lt. Gen.
Alexander Yano; Air Force chief, Lt. Gen. Pedro Cadungog; and Navy
chief, Vice-Admiral Pedro Calungsad.
The commanders of six of the
seven unified military commands, all lieutenant generals, were also
present. There are Rodrigo Maclang of Northern Luzon; Rodolfo
Obaniana of the Southern Luzon; Victor Ibrado, Central Command; and
Cardozo Luna, Eastern Mindanao.
Maj. Gen. Fernando Mesa of the
National Capital Regional Command and Rear Adm. Ruperto Borromeo of
the Western Command were also there, as well as Major Generals Ben
Dolorfino, Philippine Marine commandant; Daniel Casabar, chief of
the Special Operations Command; Brig. Gen. Reynaldo Mapagu of the
Scout Rangers and Brig. Gen. Arturo Ortiz of the Special Forces.
With Razon were several ranking
police officials led by Deputy Director General Jesus Versoza,
Directors Jefferson Soriano and Ismael Rafanan, and Chief Supt.
Arturo Cacdac.
Pro-govt protest
Other rallies supporting Mrs.
Arroyo were staged in Manila as part of the celebration of the 1986
People Power anniversary. The pro-administration protesters
organized an activity in Liwasang Bonifacio, sponsored by the
Kongreso ng Mamamayan.
The Manila Police
District-District Tactical Operations Group said around 6,000 of
President Arroyo’s supporters massed in front of the central Post
Office. Some of supporters came from the provinces of Rizal,
Pampanga, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, and Tarlac.
The supporters said they are
rallying behind Mrs. Arroyo, whom they credit for bringing economic
progress to the country.
--Angelo S. Samonte, Anthony A. Vargas And Ruben Manahan 4th
|
