Was it a coup or was it a withdrawal of support?

It may be a matter of semantics but the distinction is important. If it was a coup, then the military would have been the active partner, using its firepower and brawn to seize power from civilian government. If it is a withdrawal of support, it was the civilian component (Cory crowd and opposition et al) which was in charge trying to do an EDSA by enlisting a part of the military behind them. I am inclined to believe that it is the latter which is a more precise description of what really happened during the attempted seizure of government power last February 24. We can breathe a sigh of relief that what was planned was a withdrawal of support. It meant that it was not the military but some individuals within the military that participated in the alleged conspiracy.

They participated in the attempt because they were tempted by money or positions of power, not unlike what the military had enjoyed during Marcos’ time. That ignominious period of our history was not a civilian dictatorship as so many have often been misled to believe. It was effectively a military dictatorship. A civilian government might have been at the helm but it relied on military support. That was the objective that failed last week. It was the civilians who were more reprehensible. Indeed, those of us who watched the event on television gritted our teeth during those tense hours, not knowing which side the military (the collective) would take. Happily, it stayed on the side of constitutional government.

Yet there are those, some of them friends who felt let down. Tired of the squabbling politicians, they claimed that perhaps we would be better off with military rule or at least a government which is ‘protected’ by the military. That way, we can get things done. There was a time that I would think that way too. But not anymore. I know better. Any military attempt to take power either directly or indirectly can only be counterproductive in our search for political stability. There are enough examples in other countries now and then to prove that ‘militarism’ or the view that society is best served when it is governed by the military or its culture, are doomed to fail. No matter what and how long it takes, we must keep doggedly in mind that good governance is the responsibility of civilians. That is the message that Filipinos cannot overemphasize in these perilous times. The temptation to use the military is a dangerous shortcut we cannot afford. That is why the best praise must go to those in the military who did not participate and resisted temptations from the contemptuous civilians. It is these members of the military that kept us on track for our goal of creating a strong constitutional democracy.

Remember the ides of March? We can learn from that, too. Killing Julius Caesar on the Ides of March, 44 BC was not the salvation of Rome as it had been planned by the assassins. It only gave way to a more ruthless and determined successor. If the military is now the illicit object of desire by those who want to oust President GMA we must keep reminding them that it will not work. It can only worsen our situation. In this our newspaper the Philippine STAR had the more patriotic headline when it directed the public to General Esperon’s statement that ’all "cracks" within the ranks of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) are now completely "sealed and cemented."

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I have had my own experiences about the defense of freedom of the press to prove how much I value that democratic right. When I wrote the Untold Story of Imelda Marcos, I was prepared to defend that right at whatever cost. But I also know that the same freedom can be misused. I am surprised that there should be more sympathy for the Daily Tribune than there is for the courage and bravery of Nelly Sindayen’s TIME article.

I think she was more true to her role as a journalist than what is obviously the opposition’s newspaper and therefore deserves the support of all freedom loving journalists. Lucky girl. The story goes that she kept asking Pastor ‘Boy’ Saycon questions over the phone when the latter decided to invite her to come ‘na lang’ and see things for herself and see how events unfold. That was Saycon’s fatal mistake. Now that Nelly Sindayen has signed an affidavit corroborating everything she saw and heard, I hope that her colleagues will give her all the support she needs.

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What is a party without rank and file members? That is what the Drilon wing of the Liberal Party has become. But as expected ex-president Frank Drilon does not care. He announced his "new officers" without being elected. According to Quezon Rep. Danny Suarez, LP Treasurer "Drilon and his factotums claimed it is only the National Executive Council (NECO) that could elect party officers, yet they turn around and do exactly the opposite. But who elected these people into office?"

"Or perhaps they appointed themselves because they know the majority of the Party’s leadership and members won’t have them as leaders anymore?" Gov. Sally Perez, LP Vice President for the Visayas, added. "Who are the dictators and power-hungry politicians now?"

Regarding their "expulsion" from the Party by Drilon, Gov. Perez said, "we are very much honored to be ‘expelled’ by Drilon. I for one refuse to be associated with a ‘super balimbing’ like him. His history of turncoatism and opportunism is a thing of note in political circles."

"I am happy now with the leadership of Mayor Lito Atienza, who was practically born into the Party and has sacrificed much to see the LP become strong again," Gov. Perez added, "It is an honor to be with the true leaders of the Liberal Party."

Drilon and several LP officers were ousted from their positions in the 60-year old political party last March 2 by a National Assembly of the Party’s leaders, after Drilon failed to convene the NECO following his controversial pronouncement of an LP stand calling for the removal from office of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. The LP constitution calls for the Party President to convene the NECO at least once a year. Drilon has not convened the LP’s NECO since taking over from former Education Sec. Butch Abad last Nov. 2004.

"You just don’t do that in a democracy. Democracies respect the views of the minority but the will of the majority must be followed. They have to understand that when they usurped the voices of the Party’s leaders and members last July 8, and continued to silence these voices for eight whole months, their dictatorial posturing already lost for them the right to speak for, and lead, the Party," Liberal youth leader Quinto said. About time. That’s Franklin Drilon for you.

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My e-mail is [email protected]