Marred by Irony
People Power 2 Reunion Draws Mixed Reactions
By Ederic Peñaflor Eder , Photos by Emil Mijares Jr.
Copyright © CyberDyaryo

Police make sure the Edsa Shrine is off-limits to political activity, on orders of Jaime Cardinal Sin.

IT WAS like People Power 2 all over again.

When Ramon "RJ" Jacinto and his Ouster Band played "Huling-huli", the crowd of around 2,000 danced to the People Power 2 theme song and asked for an encore.

A large projector flashed images of last year's protests and of the impeachment trial—including the senator-turned-Dancing Queen who earned the people's wrath by performing her infamous jig.

A group of De La Salle students danced the way Youth for Christ members did on the streets a year ago, capturing the festive mood of the four-day People Power 2 that ousted Joseph Estrada from the presidency.

It was the reunion of the People Power 2 forces. Members of the Estrada Resign Movement and of organizations under the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan), Council on Philippine Affairs (COPA), Couples for Christ, Barangay RJ, August Twenty-One Movement, EDSA People Power 2 Commission, Organization of United Solicitors for Truth and Estrada's Resignation and other organizations gathered at the La Salle Greenhills compound on Wednesday (Jan. 16) to commemorate the first anniversary of People Power 2.

Marred by irony

The celebration, dubbed as "Reunion of People Power 2 Heroes," however, was marred by irony. For the same groups that had gathered for four days at the EDSA Shrine and marched to Mendiola until Estrada vacated Malacañang, were prevented by police from approaching the Shrine. The planned march from La Salle to the Edsa Shrine was realized by the People Power 2 forces only after intense negotiations with Police General Eduardo Aglipay.

Led by a statue of the Blessed Virgin and guided by lighted candles they held and policemen marching beside them, the group walked towards the Edsa Shrine singing "Bayan Ko". They were allowed to occupy one lane of Meralco Avenue as hundreds of policemen surrounded the Shrine.

Earlier, the police and the military had tried to prevent part of the Bayan contingent from joining the celebration. The marching crowd had to make a detour only to be blocked three times. Even Bayan Muna Congressman Satur Ocampo was almost prevented from joining the festivities in the La Salle compound.

It was reported that an order from the parish priest of the Edsa Shrine, Bishop Soc Villegas banned the holding of political exercises at the Shrine. While the commemoration by civil society was going on in La Salle, Bishop Villegas officiated at a mass in the Shrine attended by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and former Presidents Corazon Aquino and Fidel Ramos and other government officials and civic leaders.

The Catholic Church's denial of access to the Edsa Shrine and the government's strict security measures was a source of disappointment to the People Power 2 forces.

Nanay Mameng Deunida of the urban poor group Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap said, "Akala ko ba sabi may demokraysa na? Pero hanggang ngayon, sinisiil ang karapatan ng mamamayang Pilipino. Tayo naman, magseselebra lang tayo ng nakaraang People Power 2. Bakit tayo pinipigilan? Dapat pinagbigyan nila tayo ng kalayaan dahil tayo naman, hindi nanggugulo. Ginugunita lang natin ang People Power 2. Eh Bakit ganyan (I thought they said we now have a democracy? Until now the Filipino citizens’ rights are suppressed. We just want to celebrate People Power 2. Why are we being stopped? They should allow us because we are not troublemakers. We are just commemorating People Power 2. Why is it like this)?"

"May pahiwatig na hindi pinagtitiwalaan ng gobyerno yung sariling hanay ng mamamayang nagluklok sa kanya sa kapangyarihan (This means the government doesn’t trust the very citizens who put it in power)" said Satur Ocampo, a former officer of the underground National Democratic Front, now an elected congressman representing a party list group.

Martial law na ba?

Angy shouts were heard from the crowd: "Martial law na ba (Is it martial law already)?!"

"That's a desecration of the Edsa Shrine!" another said.

For his part, Bayan Secretary-general Teddy Casiño said he hopes such an incident will not happen again.

"Ito ang pinakamalungkot na nangyari ngayong araw na ito at sana'y hindi mauulit sa susunod na araw na ang mga kasama nila, mga kakampi nila sa EDSA 2 ay pipigilan nilang magmartsa, pipigilan nilang magpahayag sa mga lugar na libre naman sila (This is the saddest thing that has happened today and hopefully it will not happen again in the days to come that their comrades, allies at EDSA 2 are prevented from marching, from expressing themselves in places where they are free)."

He also called on the government not to be paranoid: "Ang panawagan namin: Huwag maging paranoid. Hindi lahat ng gustong pumunta sa kalye ay dapat katakutan. Tayong lahat ay nagkakaisa sa usapin ng demokrasya at ng mabuting pamamahala, so walang dahilan kung bakit dapat pigilan (Our call is: don’t be paranoid. Not everyone who wants to take to the streets should be feared. We are all one in the desire for democracy and good governance so there is no reason to stop us)."

For his part, University of the Philippines-Manila student council chair Leonardo Guevarra Jr. said what transpired was expected of the Arroyo government.

"Na-expose na kung anong klaseng gobyerno mayroon si Arroypo so hindi nakapagtataka na hanggang ngayon may restrictions pa rin kahit kasama natin sila noong Edsa 2. Ito ay isang clear form kung anong klaseng gobyerno si Arroyo na hindi kaiba kay Estrada na naroon pa rin yung mapanupil na sistema ( The Arroyo government has been exposed for what it is so it is not surprising that until now there are still restrictions even though we were with them at Edsa 2. This is a clear indication that Arroyo’s government is no different from Estrada’s – there is still the oppressive system)."

Not everyone disapproves

Not all of the reunion participants, however, were disapproving of the Arroyo government.

National Youth Commissioner Paolo Benigno Aquino IV--who said he felt sentimental viewing footage from last year’s mass actions--while admitting that "a lot of work still needs to be done," appreciates Arroyo's efforts at solving the country's problems.

"Sa tingin ko, marami pang kailangang gawin (From my viewpoint, there’s still much to be done). That's pretty obvious. Mukha namang (It looks like) the president is very hardworking, but it’s very clear na mas marami pa tayong kailangang gawin (that there is much more we need to do)."

He said the government held successful consultations with the youth last year, "but with regard to specific commitments, especially those of the cabinet secretaries, we'll have to see."

"Di tayo siguro pwedeng maging impatient. Yung mga problema ng bansa natin, di siya maso-solve in one year at di sya masosolve ng apat na araw na paghihimagsik. It will take years saka araw-araw na pagpupursigi para sa pagbabago (We probably shouldn’t be impatient. Our nation’s problems won’t be solved in one year or four days of revolution. It will take years and daily striving to effect change), " Aquino said.

Movie actor and stage director Behn Cervantes, who said he is still supportive of Arroyo giving her a rating of 6, agreed.

"Given the corruption was institutionalized, it was so ingrained, one year is not enough. So malala, hindi natin pwedeng I-postpone (So serious, we cannot postpone it. They have to be met head-on). We must tackle the problems and the government with all sincerity must find the changes as soon as possible no matter of it means bad politics. There should be less politicking and more real socialization and some improvement on the moral consciousness," Cervantes said.

He said he feels good about the reunion and added that People Power 1 and 2 meant people empowerment. "The government we can put in power but we are the final source of the power and we must never forget that."

He suggested that the President should have cultural advisers to make her realize which aspects of culture must be zeroed in on. "Because culture is transformational in terms of values, it's very important," he pointed out.

He said there should be also be a concerted cultural program for value formation or reformation. But it's better for the artists to do it on their own or with some kind of government support without attachments.

"Juetenggate" Singson

Meanwhile, "Juetenggate" whistle blower former Ilocos Sur governor Luis "Chavit" Singson called on the people to remain vigilant to preserve the gains of EDSA 2.

"In EDSA 2, we were able to stop a corrupt government. If we did not stop it, we might be worse than Argentina now," he said.

Recounting last year's events, Singson said he feels happy. "I did not realize that I will succeed because they advised me not to come out for Estrada then was in control of everything. But then I felt I had to do it. If we left Estrada for four more years, we will never recover economically."

Of the President, he said she is trying her best and she is sincere. It is only unfortunate that she inherited many problems from the Estrada government, coupled with last year's international events that exacerbated the country’s economic problems.

"It's too early to judge her. Give her a chance because she's trying her best." Singson added.

During the commemoration, nationalistic artists and people power participants like the Jerks band, and singers Mitch Valdes and Pinky Marquez performed. Satur Ocampo recited a poem, "Ang Awit ng Tagumpay".

Just as they did during People Power 2, the youth made their presence felt at the reunion by jamming with the music. Raymond Palatino, National Union of Students president and UP Student Council chair during People Power 2, summed up the youths’ message:

"Mahalagang aral ang People Power 2 para sa aming mga kabataan. Unang-una, pinatunayan naming mga kabataan na di lang kami marunong gumimik, manood ng MTV, mag-text; kaya rin naming maglaan ng aming oras para sa bayan. Itong aral na ito, ang pakikipagkaisa sa malawak na bilang ng sambayanan ang binibitbit naming aral hanggang sa kasalukuyan (People Power 2 is an important lesson for us youth. First of all, we proved that we young people are not only good at having a good time, watching MTV, sending text messages; we are also capable of giving time for the country. We carry this learning, of being one with a large segment of the citizenry, up to the present)."

-CyberDyaryo, 19 January 2002

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