Sunday, February 26
The final dispersal
Kids from a graduation party watching events
Senator Magsaysay with the media
Saturday, February 25
Baby Cardinals at the Edsa Shrine
Friday, February 24
Crowd confronted by riot policemen
Makati Business Club prepares to march
Technorati Tags: Edsa, people power, Philippines
MLQ3,
Re InqNews update today: “REBELLION charges have been filed by police against 16 political and military personalities and civilians before the Department of Justice, according to Chief Superintendent Jesus Versoza, director of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.”
But I don’t see the names of big players: BGen Danilo Lim and Col Ariel Querubin!
If Gloria is not playing hooky with the Law why are the two military superiors who were physically caught on camera with rebellion (even if they were quashed, the charges should have been made)?
In a legitmate republican setting with a professional military, these military officers will be considered as having committed a far serious offence than those two lieutenants by the sheer weight of their instrument: their command! They violated the military code of conduct that is under the terms of the Articles of War yet their “commander in chief” has deemed fit to charge and punish the othes just on the basis of being in the lower ranks – she’s converting the senior officers (rank of colonel is already deemed a senior officer’s rank in the military) into mere LADIES IN WAITING to pay hommage to her in her court in Malacanang.
Isn’t it obvious? Gloria is continuing to convert the AFP into one big private and personal army!
How on earth do you expect a population NOT to be confused?
Sowing general confusion and playing hookie with the military institution will unleash a torrent of dissatisfaction. Gloria is sowing more indiscipline in the military.
The people of the Republic must not allow her to do this. They have to make a decision and must call on the military to do the same before it’s too late. The military is the backbone of a Republic.
When that backbone is broken, the Republic will be like a prostitute, someone that needs to be paid to perform a service!
I wonder where Max Solive’s gone?
Two days on the trot without a word particularly at this time when the nation’s freedom of the press is being given a severe beating…
Gloria is very skillful in her state emergency declaration.
No suspension of writ of habeas corpus.
No extra powers asked, hence no need of congress approval.
Warrantless arrest is allowed by law for 3 days.
Charges are required for detainer beyond 3 days period, so filing of old charges (unrelated to Friday) were made for selected personalities.
Let the military generals deal with its peers and ranks which secure the military back to the chain of command.
More important, Supreme Court has 30 days to respond to a petition on validity, more than enough to bind the nation to her biddings.
LOL @ baby cardinals
The Friday movement will again fail similar to other military actions in the past, or in civilian counterpart of withdrawal of support like the Hyatt10. The critical mass cannot be achieved without the support of the powerful Catholic church to rally the people. The previous success of EDSA was hinged on the voice of the church cardinal which cannot be shutdown by any institution (political or military).
If there is anything to see what lies ahead is the direction in which the catholic churh steer its faithfuls.
Unlike Cardinal Sin who is an advocate of non-violent peoples power movement (twice -Marcos & Estrada), the recent Cardinal Rosales is a moderate and perfectly echoes the Vatican position of non-intervention.
And with the government disclosure of tactical alliance of the military right and the communist left, the church will be left in comatose. Cardinal Rosales recently announced his hopes that the government will not abuse its power.
Considering the current church position, the best recourse is through Supreme Court. Gloria had proclaimed her justification of EO464 due to abuse of senates power of investigation without any conclusive results to-date which did not escape the attention of the justices.
Senators should fight each step of the way in the Supreme Court for the nullification of EO464 so it can do its job and reversal of proclamation 1017 on infringement of freedom of the press. Senators can gain momentum if it can win Supreme Court to its side and follow up the money trail on the loss of billions in the agrarian reform.
MLQ3,
Re: freedom of the press and an OFW group effort
Just received this e-mail from a member of a cybergroup I belong to – the following is now being circulated worldwide to various OFW e-mail addresses:
“gloria is now asking advertisers to pull out of the tribune to kill the paper.
“we may not always agree with the editorial policy of that paper but we cannot allow GMA to kill it. as the cliche goes we may not agree with somebody but we cannot abridge his/her right to say it. moreover an abridgement of free expression anywhere is a threat to free speech everywhere.
“one concrete way for OFW’s to frustrate glorias effort at muzzling the press is for most of us worldwide to take paid email subscriptions of the tribune. this can be arranged with the circulation office of the tribune and we can campaign for this worldwide in all the internet fora we can reach. this effort should also be broadcast in print and other mutltimedia outlets for it to have the maximum impact psychologically on GMA and her psychopants. and of course it will provide financial succor to the beleagured tribune.
“we may not like what Ninez writes all the time but her feistiness and dedication to press freedom should not be left without support – unprotected from the malicious mischief being wrought by the lilliput in malacanang.”
I seconded the motion – sent back a reply that I am buying subscriptions to the Tribune.
The deterioration of a government begins almost always by the decay of its principles.
 Montesquieu
#1. Actually, the responsibility for disciplining its ranks rests with the AFP. If the top commanders refuse to do anything to its two naughty boys, if they can’t even deal with a clear-cut violation of their code of conduct, then it illustrates just how much the AFP’s professionalism has deteriorated.
#2. I think Max is on medical leave. I heard he’s in hospital, but I don’t know why.
MLQ3,
Firstly, thanks to Wabbitga for note re Max.
Re Diciplining BGen Lim and Col Ariel Querubin:
Questions come to mind that would have legal military bearing on “disciplinging” BGen Lim and indirectly, on the bases of the declaration of Emergency Rule.
1. During BGen Lim’s talk with Gen Senga, did he in fact simply ask the CSAFP to “join HIM in his plan to withdraw support for the commander-in-chief”?
2. Was BGen Lim alone and unaccompanied by officers ‘under his command’ when he discussed with the CSAFP?
3. At any given instance, during the discussion did he ask CSAFP to join him AND HIS GROUP to withdraw support for the commander-in-chief?
4. At any given instance, during the discussion, did he say CSAFP that Lim and/or/with his group ARE planning to ask for the resignation of the commander-in-chief and that he would like the CSAFP to join them?
5. Was BGen Lim ARMED and accompanied by 2 or 3 other ARMED fellow officers (understably with Lim in command) when he talked with CSAFP?
Obviously, there was a string of statements made here and there between the two but it is quite important to be exact here since “disciplining” is in question.
1. in which case, Lim may be disciplined solely on a charge of INSUBORDINATION
2. again, a disciplinary case involving INSUBORDINATION – there cannot be a mutiny charge against BGen Lim – technically, the act of direct confrontation with Senga inciting to mutiny MUST INVOLVE 3 or MORE officers/men. The involvement of ONE military person alone cannot constitute inciting to mutiny let alone commit an ACT of mutiny.
3. that again involves INSUBORDINATION but may involve inciting to MUTINY depending on other factors
4. asking for the resignation of a commander in chief? plain outright insubordination
5. that is ATTEMPTED MUTINY but government must be absolutely sure that there was an ARMED threat of any kind for the charge to stick!
I’m puzzled that the Palace has been throwing spins/charges that there was and is a coup d’état conspiracy – an extremely serious military CRIME – and at one point even said, FOILED coup d’état (absurd in the extreme) yet during Gloria’s proclamation of Emergency Rule (1 step towards Martial Rule) she did not divulge or show evidences, which she should have done, the dicovery of WEAPONS caché sequestered by supposed perpetuators of a planned coup d’état, list of names of the ring leaders, some details of troop movements.
If Gloria did not/could not present evidences that a component of the military (there’s lots of military men on her staff, i.e., retired LtGen Ed Ermita for starters) of which she claims she is commander-in-chief have conspired to overthrow her government by means of a coup d’état, then the case against those officers is simply that of INUBORDINATION!
The State has been in a state of rebellion, what with NPAs, MILFs, MNLFs, etc. staging armed attacks on the government military since the end of WWII, so what else is new that she should find the Republic under threat of violence, etc.?
What exactly did she declare SEO for? I see no evidence of a COUP D’ETAT conpiracy! Gloria and her government might just fabricate evidences to release to a credulous public but really, they’re too late; they missed their chance. I agree with you entirely MLQ3, government panicked and they’re still panicking. Their panic is going to drive the already restive military to go for the ultimate act: an actual COUP D’ETAT!
maximo’s confined…