President Noynoy Aquino lambasted his predecessor for betraying the ideals of EDSA 1. The question really is--what was that ideal in the first place, aside from of course, the oft-repeated line of reconciliation?
Former presidential son and now Bodyguard par excellence Mikey Arroyo admonished the President for accusing his mother, Pampanga Congressman Gloria Arroyo, of being a "Traitor" of the EDSA revolt.
How would that be, when this petite pseudo-dictator was never even part of EDSA. She never went out of her house to join the thousands of people out to oust Marcos from power. Remember that her family, especially her father, supported Marcos in the first place.
Yes, it was unfair to even accuse Arroyo of being a traitor because she never believed in EDSA anyway. Yes, she was a beneficiary of an EDSA "mini-me", that is the so-called "EDSA dos", yet, personally, Arroyo was never the poster girl of any "EDSA".
What is the EDSA ideal anyway, but an elitist interpretation of what the Katipuneros fought for a century ago. Fact is, the first EDSA was a poor copy of the causes the Katipuneros espoused during their generation.
If, say, the promoters of EDSA ascribe supranatural elements in this very simple political plan which is described as a power grab, then, this is not the ideal of EDSA.
EDSA was never really about reconciliation--it was about Truth, Justice and Peace.
We struggled for Truth because we were denied this for over twenty years.
Justice, because our government was transformed into a personal treasury by the Marcos Family and peace, because we were being violated and oppressed.
How then will Arroyo betray something which she does not even believe and in which she was never even a part of?
It was also not right for Mikey to defend his mother by invoking this term "reconciliation."
Those who went out in the streets during those historic days did so out of spite against the Marcos regime. Those people who went out from their comfort zones never even thought of reconciling themselves with the regime.
The people militated at EDSA to oust a spitful and oppressive regime. The people went out and filled the streets with their true force because they want real, substantial, change. Reconciliation was farthest from the minds of the people when they went to EDSA. They were actually asking for Justice.
Who are the real traitors of EDSA?
Those who believed in change and then suddenly became the protectors of the conotic lifestyle, that degenerative lifestyle, which Martial law wanted to uproot from Philippine society.
Those who abandoned the real cause of the people and pursue "reconciliation" when the call of action was simply justice. Reconciliation meant allowing those who stole several billions from the people, to go scot-free and live a life of plenty.
Are you angry about the bargaining agreement of Major General Carlos Garcia? Of course, every single one of us is really very angry by this.
Twenty five years ago, a most heinous bargaining agreement between the Marcoses and the nouveau riche happened, which allowed the Marcoses to use their ill-gotten wealth.
Noynoy said, EDSA is not dead. Yes, the true EDSA probably is. Yet, the EDSA that they presented yesterday was definitely not the real one.
The EDSA presented yesterday was an interpretation of the elite, never of the people. The EDSA of yesterday was something of a miracle for the elite, when it was a call of the day for the People.
How many of those who took part in the EDSA celebration yesterday and were with Aquino's side really participated in the original EDSA? If you'll count them, most of those behind Aquino were even with the Marcos dictatorship. They once served at the pleasure of the dictator and now, hobnobbing with Aquino and positioning themselves as EDSA protectors?
EDSA died when the word "reconciliation" was made as part of the overaching Idea. EDSA died when the first Aquino administration abandoned the Cause of the People and supported the Cause of the militarists and the caciques in her midst.
The first Aquino administration was the first one to betray EDSA by allowing big landlords to retain their lands. The first Aquino administration was the first traitor---it allowed the oppressive relations between workers and capitalists to continue, allowed poverty to rise, allowed bourgeois compradors to manipulate the economic system and allowed a dysfunctional system to continue in existence.
It is now time for the former housewife's son to correct the path taken by his predecessors and friends shortly after EDSA 1. It is time for Noynoy to correct the wrongs taken by post-EDSA leaders and tread the true path of change.
It is time for Noynoy to abandon the greedy elite groups that still dominate the government and tread the straight path. Otherwise, the real EDSA will spring back to life and may even claim the former EDSA's moral leader's son as a victim.
Yes, good governance and the proper use of the people's monies are sweet words. What the People expect now from the Noynoy administration is simply this--give us the Truth, by prosecuting those who stole billions from the People.
Give us Justice by bringing to the bar of justice those who betrayed the People and continually steal money from the people and peace by correcting the monumental ills of this society. Short of these, no one wants EDSA.
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