Chavit’s support group a rag-tag team of EDSA vets

Finally, the group President Estrada blamed early in his administration for sowing black propaganda against him has given itself a name, and its members are now standing up to be counted in the move to oust the President.

Spearheaded by prominent names in media, business and politics who "had a stake in EDSA," the group calls itself the "Council on Philippine Affairs" or COPA. Its most recent claim to fame was its facilitation of the exposé of Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis "Chavit" Singson – from Singson’s visit to Manila Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin to the mass actions that followed the exposé.

Advertising and media stalwart William "Billy" Esposo, in a statement to The STAR, said the group started to meet regularly after the elections of 1998.

"We had a common concern – that with the election of Joseph Ejercito Estrada into the presidency, the gains of the EDSA people power revolution were in danger and along with this was an impending restoration of the Marcoses and their ilk," the COPA statement said.

According to Esposo, the group chose Pastor "Boy" Saycon, reportedly a key figure in the campaign that brought Fidel Ramos to Malacañang, as secretary general.

Esposo said the other members of COPA include former Press Secretary Teodoro Benigno, former Tarlac Rep. Jose Cojuangco Jr. and his wife Tingting, former Caltex chairman Amauri Guttierez, Eduardo "Danding" Cojuangco’s brother-in-law Antonio Oppen, Nissan’s Arsenio Locsin, former presidential broadcast staff chief Maria Montelibano and her husband Boy, former Senate liaison officer Ching Montinola, former congressman Michael Mastura and TV host and columnist Larry Henares.

"We now have a need to properly introduce ourselves because a lot of people are asking who this COPA is after the group did its historic role in facilitating the Singson exposé. It is time that the COPA presents a face so the public may know who we are," Esposo said.

He admitted that, "sometime last year, President Estrada charged two Makati-based groups with conspiring to destabilize his administration. One of these groups was the COPA."

COPA claims credit for bringing together "erstwhile irreconcilable" groups such as the rightist RAM, YOU and Guardians and left-leaning organizations such as Bayan and the Kilusang Mayo Uno.

"For the first time in the history of mass actions, COPA rallies got the participation of the stock market managers and employees," Esposo pointed out.

It claims it can "call the MILF chiefs anytime and broker a peace panel just as it can call on the PNP, the military, the NDF, the militant labor groups and moderates."

The group also boasts a "direct pipeline to (former President) Cory Aquino, Cardinal Sin and the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines."

Esposo says Sin was the "sponsor of COPA when it was formally launched at the Archbishop’s Palace." Sin reportedly even hosted lunch during the occasion.

According to Esposo, COPA aims to "serve as a conduit for the EDSA forces to get together again and preserve its gains."