‘Isla’ - JAYWALKER by Art A. Borjal

The organizers of last Saturday’s Prayer Rally at the EDSA Shrine expected only a crowd of 70,000 to join in the gathering. They were wrong. Over a hundred thousand people showed up at EDSA, expecting no material reward – no land titles, no relief goods, no pocket money – for their participation. And as they shouted their voice hoarse with the words, "ERAP, RESIGN!", one can immediately see the loftiness of their purpose. They went there to help save their country, and they were there to make good prevail over wrong.

* * *

There were memories and stirrings of EDSA People’s Power of 1986, as the people, with their banners and streamers, marched from various directions towards the EDSA Shrine. The protest songs, of Coritha and Freddie Aguilar, the haunting strains of Bayan Ko, the live coverage of Radio Veritas, the optimistic and courageous faces of the freedom marchers who dared to fight the dictatorship – all these and more rushed back to my mind as the Prayer Rally participants, many of them with their families in tow, stood under the sun and the rain, to listen to the prayers being recited from the EDSA Shrine.

* * *

Yes, People’s Power is back. It may have taken a different form and shape, but mark this on stone: it is, once more, the kind of People Power that can topple the mightiest regimes, and change the course of history.

* * *

Last Friday morning, during the height of typhoon Seniang, in a radio interview, Executive Secretary Ronaldo "Ronnie" Zamora described Malacañang as an "isla." He was, of course, referring to the usual flood waters that would, during stormy weather and heavy rains, isolate Malacañang from visitors, because of the knee-deep or waist-deep waters at Sta. Mesa, Ayala, and Claro M. Recto. The Cabinet meeting scheduled that day, Zamora said, might not go through because of the inability of the Cabinet secretaries to traverse the flood waters.

* * *

When I heard Ronnie utter the word "isla", what immediately came to my mind was the political isolation of President Estrada. His trade and industry secretary Manuel "Mar" Roxas, had already decided to call it quits. His political adviser, Angelito ‘Lito’ Banayo, thereafter followed suit. Earlier, President Estrada’s senior economic advisers had also quit.

* * *

Days before the dam virtually broke, I already knew, from reliable sources, that Senate President Franklin "Frank" Drilon and House Speaker Manuel "Manny" Villar were bolting the ruling LAMP coalition. As early as October 25, during the 50th anniversary rites of the Philippine Foundation for the Rehabilitation of the Disabled at the Isla Ballroom of EDSA Shangri-La Hotel, I noticed something afoot when I saw Drilon and Villar, who were seated beside each other in the presidential table, just a few meters away from the seat of Vice President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, jotting down notes and figures in small pieces of paper, and whispering to each other in hushed tones.

* * *

The notes scribbled by Frank and Manny were figures. "From 8 to 11" was the number of senators whose loyalty to President Estrada cannot be relied upon. "56" was the figure in Villar’s notes, referring to the congressmen that are allied with Manny. Those were the statistics as of the evening of October 25. And, as we have now seen, political events have happened at such a dizzying pace that the Drilon and Villar figures have been validated.

* * *

Last Saturday morning, at about 11 o’ clock, I passed by the gates of Malacañang. How eerie the Palace looked like, with only about a dozen vehicles parked in the huge compound. In the building where Ronnie Zamora holds fort, there were only two service vehicles parked in the area. "Where are the Erap people who are preparing for the Grand Prayer Rally at the EDSA Shrine?" I asked myself. Yet, Malacañang was no longer an "isla", since the flood waters had subsided.

* * *

In days of political crisis such as last Saturday, Malacañang should have been a beehive of activity. There should have been Malacañang officials and Erap’s political leaders moving to and fro, pressing telephone buttons, working double-time to prepare for the political storm brewing at EDSA. But on that day, an hour before the Prayer Rally was to begin, Malacañang looked so forlorn and deserted, just like an "isla" lashed by typhoon winds and abandoned by its inhabitants.

* * *

Where are the barkadas and friends of President Estrada? In better days, everyone jostled for vantage positions, to be caught in camera, just an armpit away from the Big Boss, and to be closest physically to him? Apparently, many of them are gone, as the tide of defections from Malacañang continues unabated. And you know what? Some of those who yearned and lusted to be seen with President Estrada, or who were so apparent in making sipsip to him, are now trying their darndest best to inch, closer and closer, to Vice President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

* * *

A few days ago, a popular top executive of a southern city dropped by the Polks residence of President Estrada to express his continued support. To the mayor’s surprise, he saw only a couple of people, in the company of the President. Yes, where have all the barkadas and sipsips gone?

* * *

There is no holding back the endorsement of the Impeachment Resolution to the Senate. Which means that, for the first time in Philippine history, an incumbent President of the Republic will be formally tried in a body made up of the senators, and in a process presided over by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. The impeachment trial of Joseph Ejercito Estrada will be, like Titanic or E.T., a blockbuster movie that not only the Philippines but the entire world will watch with fascination.

* * *

What should worry President Estrada is that the impeachment charges are very serious. For instance, the P130 million allegedly taken by him from the proceeds of tobacco taxes is considered as "plunder." and the crime of plunder, as the law says, is punishable with death.

* * *

The seriousness of the charges filed against President Estrada is what makes a "negotiated settlement", one that would allow him a graceful exit from the presidency through resignation, quite difficult. Even now, some segments of the cause-oriented groups are adamant in their view that an example must be set, so that never again will future presidents and political leaders of the country toy around with the Constitution and existing laws. And these activist groups’ cry is that a "negotiated settlement" is out of the question.

* * *

What then is the best compromise that will enable President Estrada to agree to make a graceful exit and, at the same time, enable the country to move forward again and resurrect from the political and economic grave? Many options are being discussed, soberly or passionately, and I can only hope that, in the end, a solution will be found to prevent our country from falling into the precipice.

* * *

Arturo A. Borjal’s e-mail address: [email protected]