Feb 24, the Irony
Now for the events that happened last Feb 24, 2006
DAYS AND WEEKS BEFORE
- Coup rumors were permeating the air of Philippine Politics. Operation Hackle enters the discussion. A plan to stage a coup during the PMA Homecoming floats to the media.
- Stampede at Ultra
- Landslide buries a community in Leyte
- Former President Ramos grumbles about the lackluster preparations for EDSA
- Anti-Arroyo forces stage rally at People Power monument on Edsa near Camp Aguinaldo
MORNING
On the News:
GMA 7 morning show was announcing that an attempted withdrawal of support by elements of the Armed Forces of the Philippines was pre-empted. General Danny Lim was identified as one of those involved. He has been placed under the custody of the Chief of Staff. Meetings were held at Malacanang. Government decides to return Ex-President Estrada to Tanay, his rest-jail house. Estrada refuses. The sons and supporters of Estrada finds out about the transfer and amass at the hospital, which is in Estrada’s town, where he was Mayor for what seemed forever and his son JV is the present mayor.
On the Ground:
People proceeded to work. School Children went to school only to discover that the Government suspended classes in all levels. At the office people still working and an officemate asks whether there were tanks at Edsa. I answered negative the FX ride to Makati was uneventful. Another office mate heard the news about Lim’s capture and the attempted coup from his son’s classmate, whose parents were both in the military; the kids were left alone at the house while both parents reported for duty.
Pro-Estrada rallyists and a number of anti-Arroyo people go to Edsa Shrine.
On the Ground:
While people were working, some were listening to the radio and some were surfing the net to get some news. Arroyo will make an announcement in five minutes it would seem state of emergency would be declared.
On the News:
People at the Edsa Shrine are dispersed with water cannons. It is reported by ABS-CBN that someone from the crowd started throwing rocks at the policemen. Gloria does declare a state of emergency.
LUNCH TIME
On the Ground
Inside the office pantry, people after learning of Arroyo’s statement just wanted to watch the replay of American Idol. Some were complaining that since Malacanang declared no classes today they should have declared it a holiday as well to get OT. One asked if the WWE show, professional wrestlers, would push through at the Araneta Coliseum. Somebody said that it should the tickets were not cheap. I was wondering what went through the minds of these wrestlers as the days events unfolded.
On the News:
Protestors coming in from UP are blocked by a contingent of policemen. Eventually they are dispersed. UP Prof and Arroyo critic along with two other protestors are taken into custody. He is later released. Former President Cory Aquino vows to continue with the rally at Ayala. The government cancels all rally permits.
On the Ground
A number of the people at the office, when they learn that the rally will continue. Filipinos overseas and in the Philippines converse through Google Talk or Yahoo IM. Other access AM radios. A friend from UP describes an emergency meeting of the UP Faculty, he can do this because UP has Wi-Fi. Unfortunately, his dispatches were as clear as the coup plot. People at the office were still working.
On the News
People started gathering at the statue of Ninoy. On ABS-CBN, they report that Ninoy’s daughter and Pinoy Celebrity Kris Aquino along with her boyfriend attend the rally. While a group of Anti-Arroyo forces led by Congressman Teddy Casino, pass through the town of San Juan on the way to Makati. On the news pundits and political analysts talk about Arroyo’s PD
On the Ground
People still working but want to go home because of the rally and there were some fears of arrests. Still one group of people went to watch the Wrestling Show at the Araneta Coliseum. Another went out to watch Memoirs of a Geisha and Brokeback Mountain. Others just wanted to go home.
AFTER THE SHIFT
On the News
Cory and opposition leaders address the crowds,
On the Ground
Not as much people at Ayala corner Paseo. Some were dispersed along the way and some where blocked from entering. Still not a large number of people as reported in the press. Not even a sea of people. The rally was able to corner Ayala and Paseo de Roxas but nothing much. Most of the shots taken were close-up. While passing by one can barely hear the song of Magkaisa. From the building, you could see one bucket of confetti drop. Only one bucket.
Glorietta Mall was packed with people. The MRT was filled to the brim. Inside the train, you can hear people discuss how the day went and what they were going tonight. It was a Friday. A number of them were going cycling around Quezon Circle. Some were going to watch John Cena and the other American wrestlers. A lot were watching movies. The rest of the people went home to their families. No rallies along Edsa, the rallies had already been dispersed earlier that day. Moreover, around Estrada’s hospital everything was quite peaceful.
On the News
The crowd at Ayala were dispersed at 7:30 pm. Their leaders left and the riot police went in running and hitting their shields with rattan sticks. Prompting the protestors to walk briskly away and disperse.
OBSERVATIONS/CONCLUSIONS
What you see in the television and what is reported on TV is only one event that happened during that day.
Not all Filipinos will rally or protest at the drop of a hat. One legacy of the EDSA and its brethrens is that people have become more pragmatic. Only those who believe in the cause (usually those who can afford to be “moral”, those who want power, and those who deluded themselves that they are cure) and those who are paid will join rallies.
Ordinary Filipinos opted to live out their day as normal as they can. Not a majority and not even a fraction of the total population of the Philippines joined the exercise.
It s ironic that on the day of Edsa Celebration, twenty years after Marcos was deposed, that the following occurred:
- An alleged coup was thwarted
- A state of emergency declared
- The “Leaders” and “heroes” of Edsa are at odds. And some in alliance with known-Marcos leaders
- In addition, the prime beneficiary of EDSA I, Cory Aquino, addressing a not-so big rally of mixed supporters amidst a drizzle of confetti.
The 24th day of February 2006 was a day full of irony.
In the past few weeks, there has been no end in discussions about EDSA I. Well… it happened and we cannot change what has happened after that. What can be done though is not to discern the difference between people empowerment and the use of mob politics to achieve “change.” Personally, I am sick of this cycle of mob politics – being used by all political players in the Philippines. Enough is enough.
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