The Cardinal’s resign call: Chavit Singson and the duo who manned the barricades; The exciting inside story - HERE'S THE SCORE by Teodoro C. Benigno

He was an old and gravely ill lion. Many thought the time was past when he could still rise to his forelegs and roar as he did February 22, 1986. The roar on Radio Veritas led to People Power. That roar 24 years ago snatched the nation from its terrified stupor. Jaime Cardinal Sin called upon the faithful to gather at EDSA and stand vigil over a group of failed Palace mutineers led by Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile. The latter were about to be annihilated by the military on orders of President Ferdinand Marcos. For they had dared to seize power at Malacañang and failed dismally in the attempt. They fled to Camp Aguinaldo. There they said their last prayers for bomb and cannon would soon rain on them and they would die. The Cardinal saved them.

Well, Cardinal Sin roared again last October 11, 2000. Since that statement of his last Wednesday calling upon President Joseph Estrada to resign, the nation is greatly alive, astir and angry. Fretful winds whip around as surveys agree by as much as 80-90 percent that Erap has to resign.

The people are now waiting for the Cardinal and the princes of the Church to ask them in extremis to gather anew in huge multitudes and thunder the clamor that the president "relinquish his office." The resign call was preceded by this declaration: "In the light of the scandals that have besmirched the image of the presidency in the last two years, we stand by the moral conviction that he (Estrada) has lost the moral ascendancy to govern." And must go.

So the Cardinal has not lost his bite, his ability to grasp complex and raging issues. And move on the instant. His moral and mental courage is undiminished. Yes, he is an old lion. But don’t ever make the mistake of putting your head in his mouth because he will bite it off. His Eminence is an old and valued friend of this writer. Many was the time we met at his villa during martial law to discuss issues on the wing, and what action could be taken.

It’s been months since I visited him last because his doctors saw to it what was left of his once inexhaustible energy should be husbanded. His left eye could hardly see any more and he talked in halting sentences. But when prodded the gleam was there, and prodded some more, the fire would return to his eyes. The smiles were occasionally there, but the rip-snorting laughter was gone, and you had to come close and listen carefully. To me, he comes close to Ninoy Aquino as the Filipino of the last century.

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I will have to cut short this paean to the Cardinal for what I shall narrate afterwards is the incredible story of how he and Luis Chavit Singson met. The latter, often near tears, unburdened all even as at the beginning the cardinal was skeptical and listened with a quizzical mien. They had 4-5 hours together that first time. But I shall have to backslide to that Sept. 21 Mass at the EDSA Shrine. Back to that moment after Mass when former congressman Peping Cojuangco sought out Pastor (Boy) Saycon and this columnist.

Peping’s face was grave, almost ashen, as we took a corner table at the Pizza Hut restaurant close to the Shrine. Peping spoke almost in whispers, now and then looking around to be sure he was not overheard. What he had to say was nothing short of a bombshell. Peping revealed he had just met with Luis ‘Chavit’ Singson, governor of Ilocos Sur. He said the governor had a load of documents in his possession, documents that would expose President Estrada as the major recipient of jueteng profits from all over the country. A first amount of over P400 million was mentioned. Then another amount of P130 million not related to jueteng.

Chavit Singson, according to Peping, was in deadly fear for his life. He almost was "rubbed out" one evening when police cars blocked his way. The police officers said they would bring him to Camp Crame because his car was equipped with a blinking police light (which was not operational at the time). That was when Singson realized what could happen to him. So he refused to leave his bullet-proof car and by cellphone called his politician friends and allies who were just in the neighborhood. In a trice they came. And the police backed off, simply demanded Chavit return the police light. Which he did.

Even earlier, realizing his desperate straits, Chavit Singson sought Peping Cojuangco out. They were old political friends, going back to post-martial law days. Chavit submitted all his documents to Peping and Boy for safekeeping (and to others, who we shall not name). Chavit said he had no choice but to come out in the open and accuse Estrada. Before he got rubbed out. His prize piece of evidence, among others, was a thick ledger prepared by Yolanda Ricaforte, allegedly the president’s hand-picked accountant assigned to the office of Chavit Singson. She is out of the country and so is Bong Pineda, the suspected overlord of jueteng lords in his region.

The concerns expressed by Peping Cojuangco and Boy Saycon were that Chavit Singson, pressured heavily by Malacañang, could change his mind, possibly cancel his threatened press conference. After all, Chavit was an intimate member of the president’s "midnight cabinet." And if he changed his mind, and agreed to forget everything, "nandoon kami ni Peping, nakatiwang-wang." Singson replied in such circumstances he had always been true to his word and "not once in 30 years, wala akong hindi tinupad."

On September 22, at Peping Cojuangco’s residence, they met again this time with – among others – former solicitor general Frank Chavez and Billy Esposo, a strategy and marketing expert. Billy drew scenarios. The documents were fully evaluated. The next move was how they could be transmitted to media, local and foreign, with maximum impact. Boy Saycon is secretary-general of COPA (Council of Philippine Affairs), a crusading gourmet group that has been meeting for years like Konsyensyang Pilipino. His task now was how to establish immediately a network and support program. He was also media coordinator.

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First preoccupation was how to link up soonest with Jaime Cardinal Sin. Second, how to operationalize the link with media. Third, how to link up with multisectoral groups now bristling all over town, cocked triggers either moving or about to move in the streets.

The documents of Chavit Singson were distributed to other outstanding leaders of the Church, political leaders and other trusted personalities, including Supreme Court Chief Justice Hilario Davide for safekeeping. Two successive days, almost without sleep September 22-24, the COPA group worked. Then came the information from the COPA network that Chavit’s life was in danger. On October 4, 12:30 after midnight, Chavit Singson called to narrate the police incident in the San Marcelino area which he felt was an intended rubout.

Now Peping and Boy Saycon were convinced they had to accelerate Chavit Singson’s awaited press conference. And so emerged the huge, blaring newspaper headlines October 6 branding the president as the lord of all jueteng lords, as claimed by Singson. For Peping and Boy Saycon, this was their moment of truth. They were willing to come out in the open as coming to Singson’s succor. Prior to that Peping told his wife Tingting and his family that what was happening and what they were doing was urgent and highly important for the nation. Peping was quoted as telling them: "This is my last political act. This is a good chance for our country. God has been good to me and it’s time I pay Him back." Without saying so, Peping was willing to give up his life if that was needed.

Boy Saycon said pretty much the same thing to his family. If I can approximate what he said, it was something like this: "When you see the leader of an empire from ground zero doing what he does and being protected by the Philippine National Police – this is treason." He too was willing to die for "this crusade."

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There was another member of the crusade – Dodi Limcaco, assistant to Fr. Soc Villegas, the Cardinal’s Man Friday. Dodi was lay minister at the EDSA Shrine. Once about to die from cancer, he recovered miraculously. Dodi, following the lead of Fr. Villegas, helped arrange Chavit’s visit to Jaime Cardinal Sin. By the way, Dodi helped run Broadcast City when I was the press secretary of Cory Aquino. But another high prelate who helped push everything forward and agree to Chavit’s press conference at Club Filipino was Jose Cardinal Sanchez. He is propagandi fide and consultant to the Vatican. He talked with Cardinal Sin by phone and agreed with the plans to expose President Joseph Estrada. Still another crusade member is Chavit’s lead attorney, former congressman Ding Tanjuatco whose services were engaged by Peping Cojuangco, a close relative.

At that time, military units were already posted ominously around Cardinal Sin’s villa in San Juan. The country would never be the same after Cardinal Sin’s ringing "resign" declaration and Singson’s exposé.(To be continued)