The anti-GMA rally was impressively large: But too many there actually hated each other

The anti-Gloria rally in Makati was really impressive in size – I think they mobilizd more than 50,000 – but while this may look like a huge turn-out on television, both at home and internationally, it’s far from enough to dislodge a sitting President.

It was the sincere and sensible speech of Susan Roces (Mrs. Ronnie Poe) which gave it credibility – but Susan spoke for only six minutes or so, after being greeted with enthusiastic and admiring cheers and a rousing rendition of her late husband FPJ’s campaign song, May Bagong Umagang Parating. (A New Day is Dawning).
To the disappointment of the rabid elements in the crowd, she did not renew her call for GMA’s resignation, but enjoined the youth to study and work hard for a better tomorrow. She voiced her suspicion of the plan to push Charter change, but didn’t condemn it outright. "Ibalik natin ang dangal ng Pilipino!" (Bring back the honor of the Filipino), she called out. It was the theme of the entire demonstration as emblazoned on huge letters behind the stage. No one can disagree with what Susan said.

Then, after her cameo performance, though she did promise to be with the people always whatever they undertook, she left. Elsewhere in this issue you’ll find a full report on what she had said.

If you ask me, "Swanie’s" appearance was the highlight of the rally – after which it began to go downhill. I don’t know what happened in the gloom of night, since the deadline of this piece came before the denouement of the affair.

What was disquieting was that there were too many red flags and red streamers around, and hands raised in the clenched fist. The Radical Left is obviously engaged in a full-court press to overthrow the GMA government – joined by the very politicians they once decried, detested, and sought to topple. There was San Juan Mayor J.V. Ejercito ready to embrace Bayan Muna Party List Rep. Saturnino Ocampo (former NPA), who had led the charge of the Left against his father Erap. "Let us bury the past," J.V. intoned. (Remember what the Communists used to say: "We will bury you!").

Then there was defeated presidential candidate Senator Panfilo "Ping" Lacson (the ladies in the crowd continued to swoon over him) smiling shoulder-to-shoulder with FPJ’s campaign manager, ex-Senator Vicente "Tito" Sotto. In the heat of the May 2004 election battle, Sotto and Ping had reviled each other. Lacson in those days had been assailed for refusing to join forces with FPJ, thus fragmenting the opposition and allowing GMA and her cohorts to realize the efficiency of the maxim: "Divide and conquer."

Hovering around Susan, for that matter, were the Ghosts of Marcos Past, such as Ilocos Norte Rep. Imee Marcos, as well as former Defense Secretary Rene "teka-teka" de Villa, who had just decamped from La Gloria’s Cabinet. There was Makati Mayor Jojo Binay, also an FPJ campaign manager, one of the rally’s foremost organizers.

This writer flew over the scene earlier in the afternoon aboard a company helicopter (I was just flying back from Mariveles, Bataan after having addressed the Alumni Parade of the Maritime Academy of Asia and the Pacific of which more will be said later).

As we swooped low over the gathering crowd on Ayala Avenue and Paseo de Roxas, what struck me was the profusion of red flags. We couldn’t linger over the area long, however, since our pilot warned me that we might collide with the ABS-CBN helicopter which was hovering over the growing demonstration, obviously determined to put everything on camera.

In truth, television crews were filming it as if doing a movie production. TV cameras were perched on specifically built platforms overlooking the avenue, grinding away.

The "government" spotters were doing their own filming, too, I’ve heard, listing down the personalities who joined the demonstration.

I won’t dwell on Goma and Judy Ann who had been cruelly harassed on alleged "tax evasion" (but their accuser, Bureau of Internal Revenue Commissioner Willy Parayno has jumped ship, and is also calling for GMA to "relinquish" her post). But the notables seen were former Commission on Elections Chairperson Harriet Demetriou (with Susan), former Sen. and Ambassador Ernie Maceda, Congressman Butz Aquino, Roy Señeres, former Quezon City Mayor Mel Mathay, former Solicitor-General Frank Chavez, ex-Senator Kit Tatad, movie star Rudy Fernandez, actresses Gloria Diaz and Lorna Tolentino, etc. What about Brother Eddie Villanueva’s faithful battalions?

What might have helped swell the crowd was the fact that, calling the operation "Task Force Manila Shield", no less than 6,850 Philippine National Police backed up by military personnel had been deployed to "secure the engagement area and its periphery" to insure there would be "no violence or breach of security."

The problem is that the furor seems to be centered only in Metro Manila, although thousands were reported – by the organizers themselves, mind you – to have converged on Makati from the provinces. They came by the busload. Was there hakot? Perhaps they were paying passengers who had bought their own tickets.

Elsewhere – such as in Bataan, where I met yesterday morning with Governor Enrique "Tet" Garcia (his eldest son, Albert, is also the Congressman representing the 2nd district) it appears the country is calm. We’ve received no reports of angry mobs or "people power", only people pawis in the hot sun.

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Once more: It takes more than 50,000 protesters or even 100,000 least of all concentrated in Metro Manila, to overthrow a government – as Joseph Estrada was ousted by EDSA DOS. Generals still haven’t defected. Will they in the future? Is there rumbling among the younger officers?

Perhaps it’s early days yet. Perhaps such a tumult will never come. Susmariosep, right now the nation isn’t in ferment, not even running a fever.

The President, on the other hand, must not come to believe that, as she begged in her ill-advised radio-TV "confession", she has been "forgiven". Her credibility has been damaged. Can she regain trust and confidence?

The brag that pro-GMA groups will stage a bigger demonstration in the Luneta next Saturday is silly, but I guess, unavoidable. It is becoming a question of how many minions can be mobilized, or trucked to a rally. By spontaneity or rent-a-crowd methods? Take your pick. You may be right if you select both answers.

One pro-Administration congressman is already promising that attendance at the Luneta will top 200,000

What about television coverage?

In the end, GMA’s staying power will be demonstrated by what she does, not how many thousands her supporters can marshal in a show of force to counter the Opposition’s tactics and those of the Hard Left.

Let’s see what happens in the build up to her SONA – her coming "State of the Nation" address when Congress reconvenes on July 25. Whether she surmounts all attacks and gets to deliver that SONA, unruffled, will give all of us a picture of the State of Gloria.