Following is a column by Ramon Farolan, retired air force general,in the Philippine Daily Inquirer. The italicized portion are the most interesting part of the article:
But back to the story behind the AFP-PNP unity walk. In the early morning hours of Monday, February 25th, this conversation was recorded by wiretapping elements of an intelligence-gathering group.
Gen. Razon: Mistah, ano bang gagawin natin pagkatapos ng flag-raising sa Edsa?
Gen. Esperon: Hinahamon tayo ng class ’76. Dalhin mo ang golf set mo at mag-laro tayo sa Aguinaldo.
Gen. Razon: Eh, paano tayo makaka-alis sa Edsa? Nakakahiya naman kung basta mag-disappear tayo agad.
Gen. Esperon: Ganito, sabihin mo sa staff mo na magkapit-bisig tayo, kasama ang army, air force at navy commanders patungong Aguinaldo. Pag-dating natin doon, derecho sa clubhouse, bihis at tee-off agad!
Gen. Razon: Maganda ’yan, mistah. Pero baka tatawag si “4 by 4” (Palace codename).
Gen. Esperon: Akong bahala. Sasabihin ko na pinaguusapan natin ang anti-coup operations.(End of conversation)
The full article:
Last week as part of the celebrations marking the 22nd anniversary of the Edsa Revolt, AFP chief of staff Gen. Hermogenes Esperon Jr. and Philippine National Police Director Avelino Razon Jr., along with other senior commanders of their organizations, linked arms in “kapit bisig”-style and staged a “unity walk” from the Edsa shrine to Camp Aguinaldo.
This followed a flag-raising ceremony and a re-enactment by former President Fidel Ramos of his ecstatic but premature “jump for joy” on being informed that President Ferdinand Marcos had already left the country in February 1986. Unfortunately upon returning to his offices in Camp Crame, the television showed that Marcos was still in town and FVR realized there remained much work to be done.
The AFP-PNP “unity walk” came after a “solidarity walk” by members of the Arroyo Cabinet last Tuesday, Feb. 19. On this walk through the circular driveway of the Palace grounds to the Guest House, Ms Arroyo was flanked on her right by CHEd Chair Romulo Neri, the man who could deliver the coup de grâce if he spoke up. Perhaps, that is why she kept him close to her even if his memory failed him as to whether he had called her evil. On her left was Vice President Noli de Castro, a potential successor should she falter along the way. Immediately behind were the guardians of her presidency—Esperon and Razon, with Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr.
It is important to appreciate the relative positions of these personalities in a photo opportunity orchestrated by the Palace. While it was billed as a show of unity and solidarity, it unwittingly revealed the insecurities and fears of a besieged presidency. Earlier, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita had read a manifesto pledging “full support and loyalty” to the President.
All these exuberant expressions of allegiance and support for the President should not be taken too seriously. They are in keeping with the saying, “walk the talk,” meaning your actions should reflect your words. But as we all know from past experience, when the wind starts to blow in the opposite direction, the bamboo will also bend in the same direction.
In February 1986, I distinctly recall that as the gathering storm grew darker, President Marcos assembled senior generals behind him before the television cameras, a solid phalanx of stars to show that he had the support of the military organization. In less than a week, most of the major unit commanders had moved over to the Enrile-Ramos forces and by the time Cory Aquino was sworn in as President at Club Filipino, the armed forces leadership had changed hands.
In January 2001, Gen. Angelo Reyes, then the AFP chief of staff, in spite of President Joseph Estrada being his kumpadre in an earlier wedding ceremony (how much closer can one get), decided to withdraw his support from his kumpadre and the whole AFP went along without a shot being fired.
In both cases, the military intervened but not for themselves. They grabbed power and could have easily held on but unlike in other countries, they restored power to civilians who they believed represented the best interests of our people.
This belies the recent statement by a high-ranking AFP official that military intervention has weakened our democratic institutions. It is true that two of the most critical constitutional bodies of the land have been emasculated in recent times. The Commission on Elections is one of them. But this has taken place not because of military intervention but because of the greed, the corruption and the abuse of power by its officials. The Office of the Ombudsman is another institution that has lost much of its credibility. This loss is not due to military intervention but is the result of its selective and snail-paced pursuit of justice.
Some people say the military should have clung to power as in the case of Indonesia, Thailand and South Korea. But to their credit, the men in uniform went back to the barracks, maybe not to the extent as in the past. Some remain in government, but as appointees of a civilian leadership. There are reports of highly placed, Spanish-speaking individuals referring to our soldiers as “los muchachos.” Whatever the word “muchacho” may mean in Spanish, these characters do so at great risk to their own security.
Perhaps it is again time to bring up the question which has haunted us for the past few years: “Why does the military intervene in politics?” The noted Harvard scholar Samuel Huntington provides the classic reply: “What draws the soldier into the political arena is not his own strength but rather the weakness of the political system.”
The present set-up remains a system which continues to exploit the weaknesses of our people. Each new election seems to bring out even more creative forms of fraud aimed at subverting the people’s will. This system must change. But even more important, our people must change and this can take place only under a leadership that holds the moral high ground, not one beset by questions of integrity or credibility. Certainly not one that has placed all forms of obstacles in the search for truth and accountability, at times throwing in a couple of lies to muddle the issues. Someone said that the difference between the truth and a lie is that truth has endurance while a lie has great speed.
* * *
But back to the story behind the AFP-PNP unity walk. In the early morning hours of Monday, February 25th, this conversation was recorded by wiretapping elements of an intelligence-gathering group.
Gen. Razon: Mistah, ano bang gagawin natin pagkatapos ng flag-raising sa Edsa?
Gen. Esperon: Hinahamon tayo ng class ’76. Dalhin mo ang golf set mo at mag-laro tayo sa Aguinaldo.
Gen. Razon: Eh, paano tayo makaka-alis sa Edsa? Nakakahiya naman kung basta mag-disappear tayo agad.
Gen. Esperon: Ganito, sabihin mo sa staff mo na magkapit-bisig tayo, kasama ang army, air force at navy commanders patungong Aguinaldo. Pag-dating natin doon, derecho sa clubhouse, bihis at tee-off agad!
Gen. Razon: Maganda ’yan, mistah. Pero baka tatawag si “4 by 4” (Palace codename).
Gen. Esperon: Akong bahala. Sasabihin ko na pinaguusapan natin ang anti-coup operations.(End of conversation)
The noted Harvard scholar Samuel Huntington provides the classic reply: “What draws the soldier into the political arena is not his own strength but rather the weakness of the political system.”
True.
When that item was first posted by Anna here in another thread, I though it was a joke.
But reading Gen. Farolan’s column, it looks like the covnersation really took place. If you have your generals talking this way,Gloria should really be worried.
Hehehehe!Maraming tinapang nabili ang nag-wiretap ng conversation nina tuli at supot.
sana ilabas tong wiretap conversation sa YouTube at dagdagan ng animation na naguusap ang buwaya at bayawak.
Isa lang ibig sabihin ng leakage na to, malinaw talaga na may elemento ng AFP ang palaban sa kanilang Cheat of staff at Commander-in-Cheat
endless talking and boasting of “SOLID SUPOPORT” behind a beleaguered president (daw) cannot deny the TRUTH that all members of the rotting cabinet of gloria, the cheat are very much afraid of her exit in whatever form.
hear ermita-e, titing bunge, apolpol, gagonggonzalez and the two gusugusing aso, es-PWE-ron and rasyon how they chorused about that support.
mga ulol na supot, nanginginig pati mga bayag ninyong may LUSLOS!
Heh,heh,heh,heh…I wonder why they called her “4×4”. Dahil siguro 4 ft tall lang si Evil Bitch! Kung ako si Evil Bitch, at ang mga senior AFP and PNP officers ko ay “golf” ang nasa isip habang ang kanilang reyna ay ginigisa na, I would really be worried!
Only Ermita, the two new “tutas” Golez and Lorelei Fajardo are talking. Mukhang tahimik silang lahat! Even Mr Wetness and the Gungongsalez eh tahimik. Pati si bagong tuta Nograles ay tahimik din.
Yun palang “solid support” ni asspweron at ni rason ay “solid sport” ng golf!
Asspweron and razon and any of these senior AFP lapdogs are not safe from their own wiretappers. Mag-sign language na lang sila!
I hate that Golez! Kamukha niya si Buzz except that ang mukha niya bako-bako! Yan naman si Lorelei Fajardo, bata pa sinira na niya ang reputason niya!
Ang titigas ng mga mukha ninyong dalawa! Sayang at bata pa kayo!
kaanoano ba ni congressman golez ang anthony golez na ito?
mukhang gusgusing aso na atat magpakupkop sa mga maligno ng palasyo.
Glad these jokers are on Gloria’s side.
Ma’am Ellen,
I am so happy that you posted former Ambassador Farolan’s column in the PDI today, march 3. I read it earlier in the online edition of PDI inasmuch as I am very interested to know what Gen. Farolan feels. I really admire him, ditto with Gen. Fortunato Abat and the rest of their kind – officers (former as well as active) and gentlemen. I hope that the issue on the $8 billion ODA loans from China in exchange for our sovereignty with regards to the Spratlys will awaken Generals Esperon, Razon and the rest of their ‘different kind’. I was told that many in the active military service are shocked with this issue, an all-encompassing one that makes the NBN ZTE only the tip of the iceberg. I still pray for Generals Esperon, Razon and their ‘kind’. Hindi naman siguro silang kasing …, …, …,(bawal ba masamang salita sa blog mo?)atbp., gaya ni 4×4 at ni FG. Generals Esperon, Razon, et.al. can still do a Lozada – repent for their sins of commission and omission while in the service AND serve the interest of the people. The least that they could do at the moment is not to undertake measures to harass, intimidate citizens who air their disenchantment with 4×4 through various ways that are not classified as security risks. Ang higpit-higpit nila sa mga anti-GMA rallyists with respect to permits, vehicles, passage (kahit naglalakad daw sa sidewalk or riding in private cars) pero ang luwag-luwag sa mga pro-4×4. Puwede pala mag-vigil ng ilang gabi sa Welcome Rotonda? Meron ba silang permit from City Hall? Did the policemen of Gen, Razon bother to check? Kung puwede pala, then calling the anti-4×4, tayo rin siguro puwede. Sa tingin ko disenteng tao pa hanggang ngayon si Mayor Belmonte kaya fair naman siguro siya sa bigayan ng permit.
Now with regards to that Lorelei Fajardo who wants to be in the limelight nowadays (ala-Gretchen Barreto pero naku! baka mainsulto si Gretchen) dishing out advice to former Pres. Aquino left and right, meron kasama pang “With all due respect to former PCCA …blah, blah, blah…” , this I have to say to her – Lorelei, STOP IT at baka magaya ka kina Ignacio Bunye (he of the 2 CDs, the left and the right), Sergio Apostol (who insulted the Fil-Chinese kasi di maingat magsalita makasipsip lang kay 4×4), Raul Gonzalez (the epitome of a garlic/bawang, laging meron remarks sa lahat ng issue, pati kay Kris Aquino). Alam naman ng lahat Lorelei, na kaya ka nakasalang sa media these days ay hindi dahil maganda ka at maayos magsalita. Bagong mukha muna ang kailangan dahil napakababa na ng credibility nina Bunye at Apostol, isama mo pa si Ricardo Saludo. At the rate you are going to earn your keep and make 4×4 happy, malapit-lapit ka na rin hindi paharapin sa media. One of these days, isang insulto mo pa kay Pres. Cory, baka patulan ka na ni Kris. I am looking forward to that. I just read in the breaking news of PDI, meron ka na naman salita against PCCA. As if magkalevel kayo ni Pres. Cory, as if you have enough exposure in governance. Marami ka pang kakainin hija! By the way saan ka ba nanggaling, bigla ka na lang sumulpot ka-timing ni Gretchen Barretto? I am no fan of Exec. Sec. Ermita but I will give it to him, at least he sounds respectful of PCCA and other opposition figures when he has to make comments. Though lately, I noticed that the recent scandals have taken its toll on Sec. Ermita too, medyo pikon na siya. Kaya nga siguro, ikaw na lang pinahaharap muna. Kaya huwag kang umarte as if palagi kang nasa Malacanang serving 4×4. Be like Deputy Exec. Sec. Gaite who survived the presidencies of Marcos, Aquino, Ramos, Estrada. But alas, his honor is at stake nowadays because of 4×4. Sayang na disenteng civil servant Gaite, masisira lang ang pinuhunang magandang track record sa pamahalaan dahil lang sa mag-asawang 4×4 at FG. Message ko kay Dep. Sec. Gaite – you can still do a Lozada to save your name and your soul.
Kris Aquino, this is for you. Ipagtanggol mo ang nanay mo sa isang katulad ni Lorelei Fajardo the next time she dishes out unpalatable remarks to your mom. Hindi puwede si Sen.Noynoy nor your shy elder sisters. Ikaw ang bagay tumapat/iharap kay Lorelei. By the way, I have long forgiven you and Boy Abunda for openly supporting 4×4 in her presidential bid. Pero ngayon, nasaan naman ang open support mo sa iyong ina. Go girl, be the child of Ninoy, my hero. This time, show your open support to your mom.
Si Anthony Golez kamukha ni Andrew E.
Andrew E. performed for the pro-GMA congressmen in “their” Feb. 25 rally at the Liwasan.
Maybe that wasn’t really Andrew E, but Golez who just took his glassed off.
lukalayk ng mga menwidawthats
Para siyang alien.
The real reason why these Asspweron and Razon support the bitch is because of money, retirement benefits included. What kind of men in uniform are they?! Walang paninindigan, pinababayaan ang bayan at mamamayan para sa mga sariling interes!
Agree with concerned citizen!
Kris Aquino, this is for you. Ipagtanggol mo ang nanay mo sa isang katulad ni Lorelei Fajardo the next time she dishes out unpalatable remarks to your mom. Hindi puwede si Sen.Noynoy nor your shy elder sisters.
Sige, labo labo na sila!
Ellen,
Incredible isn’t it? But not surprised to hear those two top honchos manipulating Malacanang.
Time Filipinos stop believing whatever these two shitheads say. Nothing, absolutely nothing true can come out of their mouth when they say things publicly! Everything is a spin!
selective application of law and self-imposed state of amnesia, ang siyang sakit ng dalawang Ampaw na ito.
naka ilang beses na bang hinihingi ng Taong Bayan mula sa kanila na sundin ang mandatong konstitusyunal para protektahan ang mamamayan mula sa tiranyang pamamahala (tyrannical rule), pero ang sagot: huwag ninyong himukin ang sandatahan sa pulitika, ang wika.
pero ang mga ungas, maliwanag na may kinikilingan at nakikialam sa pulitika ng isagawa nila ang kanilang Unity Walk.
bansang walang hustisya na talaga!
Gloria has appointed over 150 ex-AFP and ex-PNP to posts in gov’t and in GOCCs. Compare that to only 41 apointees of an ex-soldier – FVR. What does that tell us?
buti naman at pati seniors nila tina tap na rin nila. marami naman dyan ang ayaw na kay esperon at pati na rin kay razon kaso nga lang ayaw din nila makulong. di rin madali yon lalo na kung ang inaasahan ng pamilya mo eh yung barya baryang sahod ng sundalo. pwera na lang kung kurakot ka.
the pawns are closing in to the Queen…malapit na ma check mate.
Sino kaya yun mga ‘Spanish Speaking Individuals’ na tinawag ang mga sundalo na “Los Muchachos”? Ang sakit nun ah. Kita nyo, nagpapakamatay kayo sa pamilyang ito, ang turing sa inyo muchachos. Walang respeto sa inyo pero kayo todo bigay. Umaklas na kayo.
concerned citizen, ang galing ng banat mo. type ko lalo yung sinabi mo tungkol kay lorelei fajardo (sino nga ba sha?? ehheheh).
re manny gaite, alam ko disenteng tao siya, kaya kung ako sa kanya, magpaka lozada na nga talaga siya. kung mayaman man pamilya niya, why does he need a gma to his side. ayan tuloy, ginawa siyang sacrificial lamb.
hmmmm, ano kaya ang masasabi ni fr. mario (yoyo) gaite nito? hehehheheh
Ibig sabihin ay may kakampi pa tayo sa loob ng Intelligence office at malamang ay simpatiya sa pinaglalaban ng mgaigiting nating sundalo na sina Trillanes, Lim at Querubin atbp. Alam natin na marami sa mga active soldiers ang hindi nauuto ni pResident Evil. At sa sample conversation na ito ibig sabihin din na kaya nila Esperon na paikutin si 4 x 4. Imagine yung Commander-in-Cheat eh pinaglalaruan lang nga mga opisyal niya. Hahaha! PATALSIKIN NA SILANG LAHAT! Hindi na dapat RESIGN, dapat People’s REVOLUTION na!!!SUGURIN NA ANG MALAKANYANG!!!
sumugod ka, sige.
pag binaril ka dun, ipag dadasal ka namin.
den pupunta kami trinoma para manood ng jumper, maganda daw yun.
Hahaha! Hapigilmor, kung libo-libo ang susugod sa Malakanyang, kakayanin pa kaya ng bala ng PSG yun? Tulungan kaya ng mga militar ang PSG ( Pidal Security Guards) na ipagtanggol si pResident Evil? Kita naman natin nuong EDSA 3 ay muntik na siya. Nag-panic at trigger happy ang PSG. Kakampi pa niya ang media nuon. Pero ngayon iba na ang ihip nga hangin, andyan na ang mga palaban na militante at media. Pag maraming susugod sa Malakanyang malamang si ‘4 by 4’ ay maging ‘dos por dos’ na lang! Hahahaha!