Yellow arrogance: Erap’s redemption
The yellow army had long declared itself victorious even as election day was still months away. Government directorships were offered left and right to any prospective recruits to entice them into their fold. Now, with 10 days to go before crunch time, the yellows declare that only cheating can deny them of victory. They promise “people power” and vow to do better than the Thai “Red Shirts” in their rampage. “Arrogance diminishes wisdom,” says an Arabian proverb. Evidently, arrogance has been built into the yellow movement from its inception. From the hyperbolic image created for Ninoy and Cory, to the 1986 Edsa revolt, to the recent “new Aquino” spiel of Time magazine, such arrogant displays have been cultivated by the US and local oligarchy’s media. Why, this “new Aquino” was even in talks with military elements, purportedly for a people power redux. But this arrogance, clashing with Arroyo’s hubris, can only spell victory for the Filipino people who are solidly behind the redeemed Erap Estrada. The surveys of SWS, Pulse Asia and Nielsen have served as the basis for the yellows’ presumption of victory. But as I tell them time and again, these are merely the usual suspects in the manipulation of Philippines elections — in cahoots with Namfrel. Recall all the heads of Namfrel, from the late retired colonel of the USAFFE Jaime Ferrer, described in the book Policing America’s Empire: The US, the Philippines and the Rise of the Surveillance State, to the present one, one can easily see US and Big Business links. Cory Aquino’s Interior Secretary Jaime Ferrer, for one, was said to have “used CIA funds to organize election monitors in the 1950s and was now promoting vigilantes…” US wheat flour behest importer Joe Concepcion and today’s Hank Greenberg-AIG man Jose Cuisia also figure as this supposed election watchdog’s leaders. And as the US has lost Ukraine to Russia the past month, it definitely wants to ensure that its good ‘ole Philippine puppy remains firmly on its lap. Members of the yellow army act as if they are now in Malacañang — already breathing its air and banquets, and feeling the energy of power in their sinews, with their appointments and contracts just waiting for the ink to dry. Even retired military fogies like Gen. Ramon Montaño are salivating for a comeback — hopefully not in some shady capers he and other FVR boys were rumored to have dabbled in during Ramos’ time. Perhaps, because of the surveys and the US’ say-so, they cannot imagine not winning this electoral contest since they think that they have already hyped up an imagined victory to con a manipulable crowd. What they cannot see, however, is that their own kind, Gloria Arroyo, is much better prepared and has readied her foxholes — in Congress, the military, police, and elsewhere. Still, both the yellows and Gloria forget one thing: By their arrogance they shall fall. They forget the masa who have repeatedly been victimized through 25 years of their lies and oppression. Even if the oligarchs’ Edsa I and II mainstream media try to becloud this issue, the masa simply cannot forget this. In the midst of the supercilious air of one yellow stalwart I came across recently, I explained the imminent upset of the expectations of both the yellows and the GMA regime: The consolidation of the masa vote. I mentioned the El Shaddai mass base which gave an 80-percent viva voce that downed the hopes for a Villar endorsement while the Iglesia ni Cristo has remained sphinx-like in its silence which may spring the final upset. This yellow stalwart stymied for a response then countered, “The Iglesia ni Cristo always bets on the winner.” But this yellow mascot forgets how tough the INC has shown itself through history — by standing up to Marcos when martial law was imposed; by opposing the 1986 “people power” and continuing its defiance of Cory Aquino throughout that regime’s life; and by massing in the hundreds of thousands at Edsa III even after the yellows already grabbed power and sent APCs to its radio and TV station to stop its broadcast of anti-Edsa II information. Moreover, this yellow stalwart forgets that Ninoy Aquino had killed INC farm leaders and forced whole INC communities into exodus out of Tarlac to Nueva Ecija, and that the yellow Cardinal Sin and his minions consistently oppressed the INC. The INC could let all these things pass for the good of its institution, but will that be its view of this new yellow peril? Like everybody else, I’m sure the Iglesia is also squirming at the display of arrogance and gall of the yellows, through these threats and saber-rattling. Add to this the condescending view of the yellows on the INC, portraying them as sycophantic, opportunist and unprincipled — which certainly cannot escape the attention of the religious movement’s leaders. The masa and their representative institutions should take heed from Mark Twain who said that “The offspring of riches: Pride, vanity, ostentation, arrogance, tyranny.” The consolidation of the institutional masa vote through the various religious and popular movements is anywhere between four to seven million votes. Nobody in his right mind can ever fail to see this as the truest swing or upset “redemption” vote. (Tune in to 1098AM, Sulo ng Pilipino, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.; Global News Network, Destiny Cable Channel 21, Talk News TV, Tuesday, 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. on “The Politic Upset Potential” with Tony Gat et al.; also visit http://hermantiulaurel.blogspot.com) |
(Reprinted with permission from Mr. Herman Tiu-Laurel)
Source: The Daily Tribune
URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20100430com5.html
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