Amorphous group launches 'silent majority' movement

An amorphous group of "concerned" citizens launched yesterday a "non-partisan, non-violent movement for good governance" at the Narra Hall of Club Filipino, San Juan.

The movement, symbolized by a white, slanted exclamation point against a black background, is reportedly sponsored by a broad spectrum of men and women from business, civic, social and government sectors.

Malacañang, though, twitted the movement as nothing but a "noisy minority."

Presidential Spokesman Fernando Barican said that the group's claim of being a "silent majority" was inaccurate as its members "were neither silent nor a majority."

"We also want to note that most of the people who showed up at the meeting were members and appointees who were associated with the previous (Ramos) administration," he said.

The movement's sponsors explained that the slanted exclamation point symbolizes many things, including protest against cronyism, weak governance, scandals, graft, lack of clear direction, and empty claims of performance.

Ramon Benamira, the movement's spokesman, said most of the convenors of the movement were still in government service and do not want to be identified yet.

He said that while the movement has neither form nor direction at present, these would eventually manifest themselves once it has been determined that there is indeed nationwide disenchantment with the Estrada administration.

Benamira, however, sought to reassure everybody that while the direction was not yet clear, it would definitely not lead to an abyss.

"We are for good government. We don't want to destroy," he stressed.

Teddy Lopez, another movement leader, stressed that nobody from the military has expressed support for their silent protest movement, which merely involves the pasting of their protest sign.

"No politician is behind our movement. Neither President Cory Aquino nor President (Fidel) Ramos are behind us but if they want to join, they are welcome," added Benamira.

The affair was attended by some prominent persons, including Quezon City Rep. Michael Defensor, former Solicitor General Frank Chavez, former Revenue Commissioner Liwayway Vinzons Chato, former Tourism Secretary Narzalina Lim, former Quezon City Vice Mayor Charito Planas, former National Telecommunications Commission head Manuel Luis "Linggoy" Alcuaz, and former Philippine Coconut Authority chairman Charlie Avila.

They, however, stayed in the background, with the presidential table occupied only by Benamira, Lopez and former nun Linda Olaguer.

Chavez said he was a mere volunteer, not a convenor, as he expressed full support for the movement.

"The crowd here represents a cross-section of society. I don't see any politician here expect for a sprinkling few," Chavez noted.

Cecille Yasay, wife of sacked Chairman Perfecto Yasay of the Securities and Exchange Commission, read his letter thanking the movement for proving that he was not alone in his campaign for good governance.

"Under this present kind of leadership, when one stands up against what he considers right, he is perceived to be standing up against the President," Yasay said.

Former President Corazon Aquino, meanwhile, has dissociated herself from any group out to destabilize the Estrada administration, although some of the new group's members were once associated with her, according to her spokesperson Deedee Siytangco.

Siytangco's statement confirmed an earlier statement of President Estrada that Mrs. Aquino had no links to the silent protest movement.

Siytangco said that Aquino continues to pray for Mr. Estrada and that her only advice to the President, whom she described as looking well, was to "pray hard."

In a related development, Sen. Gregorio Honasan said that the leaders of the silent protest movement should be the last persons to talk about good governance.

"They once held government positions. They had their chance, and what could they show to the Filipino people?" he asked.

He also took the leaders of the movement to task for hiding their identities.

"They are so unlike the President who is completely transparent. What you see is what you get," Honasan said. --