Re-igniting the EDSA Spirit today

Today I join the students of Catholic schools in the Philippines in the celebration of the 39th anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution. I remember distinctly that day in February 1986. It was also a Tuesday like today. My wife Cecile and I were getting ready to pass by my parents’ house in Bel-Air, Makati to greet my mother “Happy Birthday” before proceeding to EDSA, when someone called and told me to switch on the TV. Upon seeing Cory Aquino being sworn in as president by Justice Claudio Teehankee. I exclaimed with a bit of disappointment, “What, the fight is over, no more excitement and fun?”

I was looking forward to Wednesday, Feb. 26, the day of the massive boycott of establishments that flourished due to their connection to the Conjugal Dictatorship, especially to the First Lady. On Feb. 22, I and comrades in Manindigan!, one of the many so-called cause-oriented groups that were organized after the Ninoy Aquino assassination, assembled in the Parish Hall of Santuario de San Antonio in Forbes Park, Makati to plan the boycott of Makati restaurants, retail stores, and service centers on Wednesday, Feb. 26. The Catholic schools had previously announced Wednesday as a holiday.

The main targets were the big high-end department store and two popular sit-down or table service restaurants — all located in what was then known as the Makati Commercial Center. Both restaurants had dance troupes performing folk dances to entertain tourist-customers.

Our meeting ended just before dusk. As Mass at the Santuario was about to start, I decided to hear Mass there. Halfway through Mass, the church was abuzz. Word had filtered in that Defense Secretary Juan Ponce Enrile and AFP Vice-Chief of Staff and Chief of the Philippine Constabulary Lt. Gen. Fidel Ramos had broken away from President Ferdinand Marcos, Sr.

The banter after Mass and in the patio of Santuario de San Antonio was that Marcos was up to his wily tricks. “The breakaway of Enrile and Ramos is feigned, it is to lure the anti-Marcos forces into a state of calmness and quietude,” some people cautioned. But when I got home, my wife greeted me with the breaking news that Manindigan! Chairman Jimmy Ongpin, Vice-Chairman Fr. Joaquin Bernas and leaders of other cause-oriented groups had joined Enrile and Ramos in Camp Aguinaldo. So, the breakaway was real. The Fall of the Evil Dictatorship had begun.

The next day, Sunday, was spent contacting comrades for a better assessment of the situation and for directives as to what course of action and security measures to take. On Monday, we (my wife, her sister, and her sister’s husband) drove to EDSA. We got out of the car at the south end of Guadalupe Bridge as we could see that we could not drive any farther. There was no vehicular traffic on EDSA as the thoroughfare was teeming with rallyists.

We crossed the bridge on foot and walked towards Camp Aguinaldo. When we passed a large restaurant (part of a chain known for Filipino food) on the southbound lane of EDSA, the personnel bade us to come in, not to dine but to use their rest rooms as there were no other rest rooms along EDSA that were as clean and open to the public. Ah, solidarity in times of crisis, we said to each other. It was a long walk from Guadalupe Bridge to Camp Aguinaldo. But it didn’t seem so because our spirits were buoyed by the comradeship and kindness displayed all along the way.

We were on White Plains Avenue when a tank roared towards us. Suddenly, a platoon of young men in white robes (seminarians obviously) materialized. Right behind them were nuns who placed rosary beads around the tank’s gun and flowers in the muzzles of the soldiers’ rifles. The soldiers looked bewildered. Is this a revolution we are supposed to quell, they seemed to ask.

It may have looked like a celebration of a town fiesta, but the millions of Filipinos gathered on that long stretch of highway were there ready to overthrow the dictatorship and regain their freedom. They were in a festive mood because they drew strength and courage from their numbers. In no revolution in the history of the world had so many gathered in one place to fight for a common cause.

That was what defeated Marcos’ forces. They were overwhelmed by the sight of a sea of people even if they had only their bare hands — and charm — to fight with. The soldiers realized they would run out of ammunition before they could mow down so many. They were afraid that when they ran out of bullets, the hundreds of thousands of Filipinos still alive would swarm them and beat them to death with their fists.

So, I call on the students of today to find inspiration from the students of 1986, who were ready to put their lives on the line that you may enjoy the freedom they fought valiantly for. I call on you to safeguard that freedom as the son of the dictator ousted by the collective power of millions of Filipinos gathered on EDSA is now the president and he is manifesting an authoritarian tendency.

THE SITUATION TODAY
Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. said that filing an impeachment complaint against Vice-President Sara Duterte would just take up all our time for nothing. Article XI, Section 2 of the 1987 Constitution bestows upon the members of the House of Representatives the power to impeach the highest officials of the land. To dismiss the provision as useless is sheer arrogance.

Some political pundits believe President Marcos does not want to alienate VP Sara as she can take revenge on him if she becomes president in 2028. The Dutertes are known to be vengeful. She has been considered the frontrunner in the 2028 presidential race since she got elected vice-president. Because she is the frontrunner, her life is in danger. That is why her conditional threat of “If something happens to me…”

The House of Representatives is part of the legislative branch of government. It is separate from and co-equal with the executive branch. The President must stand aside as the House carries out its mandate. It has impeached VP Sara for corruption, plotting to assassinate the President, involvement in extrajudicial killings, and incitement to insurrection and public disorder. As the resolution of impeachment had been filed by 215 members of the House, including the President’s son Sandro (he had to go with the tide), trial of VP Sara by the Senate should have proceeded immediately as mandated by the Constitution. It has not been held because Congress is in recess. The session will resume on June 2, and it will adjourn on June 13.

Conviction of the accused requires the concurrence of two-thirds of all the members of the Senate. The Senate now has 23 members, Senator Juan Edgardo Angara having resigned to assume the position of Secretary of Education, which position VP Duterte resigned from. So, 16 “Guilty” votes are required to convict VP Duterte. If convicted, she would be removed from the Office of the Vice-President and would be disqualified from holding any public office.

Constitutional lawyers submit that it is within the power of the President to call a special session of Congress so that the trial can proceed. However, the President does not seem predisposed to call a special session. Many political observers as well as the President think that the required two-thirds of the current members of the Senate, or 16 senators, voting Guilty” will not be met. Looking at it another way, only eight senators of the current members voting “Not guilty” will acquit VP Sara.

I think as many as 11 senators will vote “Not guilty” if the trial is held during the period June 2 to 13. The 11 senators and the reasons why I think they will vote “Not guilty” are:

Robin Padilla – he has already said he will vote “Not guilty”;

Bong Go – he is the faithful aide/special assistant/caregiver of former president Rodrigo Roa Duterte;

Ronald dela Rosa – he has said he will live and die with the Dutertes;

Francis Tolentino – he is in the Senate due to strong backing of former president Duterte, was at the INC rally in support of Sara;

Imee Marcos – is a close political ally of the Dutertes;

Alan Peter Cayetano – was the VP running mate of Rodrigo Duterte in 2016 and is a staunch defender of his policies;

Pia Cayetano – is the sister of Alan Peter, and is a political supporter of the Dutertes;

Cynthia Villar – is a close friend of the pastor of former president Duterte; her daughter Camille, a member of the House, did not sign the impeachment resolution against VP Sara; that could only be on bidding of mother;

Mark Villar – is the son of a close friend of the pastor of former president Duterte;

Joel Villanueva – is the son of Eddie, a member of House who did not sign the impeachment resolution;

Bong Revilla – is the husband of Lani Mercado and father of Bryan and Jolo, all members of the House who did not sign the impeachment resolution.

If the VP is acquitted, her political stock will be boosted markedly, and the DDS will have a good chance to get back into power. Woe unto Bongbong if they do get back into power.

That is probably the reason why Senate President Francis Escudero has set the opening of the impeachment trial of VP Sara sometime in July, after President Marcos’ third State of the Nation Address. By that time, the composition of the Senate would have changed, and the number of senators who would vote “Guilty” would have increased to meet the required two-thirds of the members of the Senate to convict VP Sara. With her out of contention for the presidency, anything can happen in 2028.

There was supposed to be a presidential election in 1973 with President Ferdinand Marcos, Sr. barred by the Constitution from running as he had termed out. No election was held for any position, but Marcos remained president until 1986. Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. is now president. He is barred from running for president in 2028. Will there be an election in 2028?

Oscar P. Lagman, Jr. has been a keen observer of Philippine politics since the late 1950s.