Heroes and heroines of People Power II honored / Fund campaign for justice - HERE'S THE SCORE by Teodoro C. Benigno

Yes, indeed, it was time to honor the heroes and heroines of People Power II, the multitudes, the organizations and the individuals who grabbed Joseph Ejercito Estrada by the scruff of his neck and pitched him to limbo. The Rigodon Ballroom of the Peninsula Hotel was packed to the rafters by an overflow crowd that cheered lustily as the awardees strode upstage one after the other. All of them were together for the first time. For the first time, too, COPA (Council on Philippine Affairs) took a public bow, hosting and staging an event that did People Power II proud.

We thought we knew everything about the military component or components of EDSA II but it took President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to remove all the veils. This gal has a flair for drama. She stopped the teleprompters in her well-applauded speech and – voila! – revealed with bated breath "for the first time" the following: That five military groups studded with generals had for weeks secretly positioned themselves to ride People Power and lay siege on President Estrada in Malacañang. "And each one did not know about the others," she said.
As it happened on that fateful day, January 19 – which GMA readily acknowledged – military intervention was overtaken by events. People Power had already mustered the "critical mass" of a million to overthrow Estrada and boot him out of Malacañang. And so she owed her presidency to People Power, and she said so repeatedly, charmingly and effusively. And to COPA’s delight, she heaped Ossa on Peleon to praise its spearhead role in triggering off People Power II and the four days that shook the world, January 16-20. Well! Sometimes, the president can disarm you.

But we shall leave that for the nonce. It was COPA’s People’s Heroes Awards night – and the footlights will dribble over to our awardees. As we often say, we stand bareheaded in the wind to salute them.

The most applauded were Clarissa Ocampo and Luis "Chavit" Singson, the mention of whose names seemed to have pried off the door of a boiler room – and out came plaudits in a whistling roar. They were joined in this outstanding witness group – COPA Cup recipients – by Edgardo Espiritu and Emma Lim who too got their share of big cheers. For lack of space, we shall try to trim the list of awardees to those who received COPA Cups from Jaime Cardinal Sin, the organization’s honorary chairman and spiritual adviser. The rest received citations without the COPA Cup.

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A portion of the citation for the impeachment witnesses read: "At a time when turbulence descended upon the country, only an exemplary few dared stand up in court to bear witness against the power of the State. On trial was a president who had callously betrayed the trust and confidence of the nation… They bore witness… They filled the bill. We salute them. We are proud of them."

Another COPA Cup awardee was the "Representatives of the House Prosecution" panel. The trophy was received by now Speaker Feliciano Belmonte who ably headed the panel during the presidential impeachment trial. Panel members Raul Gonzales and Wigberto Tañada accompanied Speaker Belmonte to the stage. A portion of the citation read: "For the impeachment trial was a moral battle. The prosecution turned defeat into victory, and the nation rushed out to the streets. Thus were the sinews of EDSA II built – an armature beyond compare."

The media awards, also with a COPA Cup, went to Gene Orejana, host of Online ABN, and the multi-awarded Jessica Soho of GMA-7. The cup was also awarded to Isagani Yambot, publisher of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, and Sheila Coronel of the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ). It was made crystal clear these COPA Cup awards for media were merited only by media organizations and individuals who had long and consistently manned the barricades against the government of Joseph Estrada.

A COPA citation awardee was former House Speaker Manny Villar in behalf of the 71 congressmen who signed the four articles of impeachment, Ever engraved is Villar’s marathon, pulse-pounding speech that volleyed the four articles to the Senate. Swift as a gazelle, who could stop him? COPA citations without silver cups were also awarded to the ten senators who voted to open the Second Envelope. And also to officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) still in the service and retired. There were a host of them – men in uniform who were willing to lay down their lives for the citizenry.

We fast-forward to mention that the militant organizations of the Left, who bore the brunt of street protests, were also citation awardees, as were the EDSA Shrine Youth and the Youth Movement for Justice and Meaningful Change. So sorry we have run out of space but we promise to make up in a future column.

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Yes, we need a rattle of drums to announce the next batch of contributors to this column’s Fund Campaign for Justice. Those who prefer to donate to this column in cheques can address them to me, Teodoro Benigno, or to the Fund Campaign for Justice or COPA-Piso para sa Katarungan. Care of Melita Dioso of The Philippine STAR. All will be honored by a bank we have chosen for the purpose with branches nationwide. An announcement to this effect will be made very soon.

A big hitter, who wants to remain anonymous, has sent over – hold your breath! – a cheque for P200,000. We understand the donor has slipped over the verbal note that he or she "will be very glad to see Erap Estrada arrested very soon." Whoever you are, thank you, and may there be more like you. We were also made to understand another cheque for – holey moley! – a million buckaroos will be shortly coming. Anonymous, too. But lesser amounts are just as welcome as we go flat out in this campaign. Peso contributions from all over the country from the poor, the youth, the studentry are projected to be put into drop-boxes. So wait for more details.

Again, for readers who may have come in late, this fund campaign is being waged to gather the amount of P3 million to P5 million to finance the operations of a brave band of private pro bono prosecutors. They will help the Office of the Ombudsman Aniano Desierto prosecute various criminal charges against Joseph Estrada, topped by plunder. Once arrested, he will be jailed and the charge of plunder is unbailable. Some of these private prosecutors did a yeoman’s job during the presidential impeachment trial.

Okay. Next is Joaquin Trillo (Alaska Milk Corp.) with a P5000 cheque and this generous flattering note: "You are probably just as responsible as Cory and Cardinal Sin for keeping democracy alive – and no one writes like you." Blush, blush. Next is Anonymous Please! with a P5000 cheque, understandably so because he lives in Greenhills. It’s OK, we’ll keep your prominent identity secret. Next is J/L, a couple in their mid-70s, SSS Village, Marikina City with P2400 in cash, "two-thirds of our monthly pension." Oh golly, thanks.

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Gloria Lim, a COPA member, also contributed a P2000 cheque. An old doctor friend, who wants to remain anonymous, sends a P2000 cheque "for a worthy cause." From a cousin of this columnist, Anita S. Cruz, comes P1000 in cash who agrees with us that "EDSA should not be removed from the EPPC lest the divinity of it all will perish." EDSA, she explains in English, means Epiphany of All Saints.

From Reneo Albano (3 Cabanatuan Road, Philam Homes, QC) comes P1000 in cash. He writes that Estrada, in his belief, "is guilty of plunder and betrayal of public trust." From Eugenio V. Guillermo (no address) we also get a P1000 cheque. He is 84 years and seven months old. He states he "attended several rallies culminating at EDSA despite osteoarthritis of my left knee and left foot." He doesn’t want Erap to "escape from the many cases against him." March at 84? This man is ageless!

An old and faithful reader of this column (anonymous this time) sends a P500 in cash "as a symbol of my campaign with you and my prayers for your fund raising crusade." Also P500 in cash is sent by Virginia Lacson (33 Del Rio Townhomes, Mangahan, Floodways, Pasig). The last P500 cash in this latest list of contributions comes from Charito L. Planas. At her present age of 70, Charito says, she remains "ready pa rin to struggle for Peace with Justice." Charito, thanks and take care.

So where are we now as we await the third batch of contributors?

The Estrada case as it evolves is getting to be opera bouffe. His lawyers say the ousted president cannot be charged in court, in fact he is immune. Why? Because the nation has two presidents, one acting, one on leave. Two presidents, my aunt Matilda! Mr. President was kicked out by People Power II, kicked out as you would a trespasser on your household door. He is not even president of the ground he walks on. It was different during World War II when Japan invaded the Philippines. President Manuel Quezon went into exile in the US. In so doing, he appointed Jose P. Laurel to take over as Philippine president.
How cockeyed can one get?